Notes from the country with Vicky Turrell

Did you know that if the UK tried to be self-sufficient in fruit and vegetables, we would run out by this month? We import much of our fruit and some vegetables. There are lots of factors involved, but one thing is clear, we need to eat fresh fruit and veg. to keep healthy. We have been lucky here because, from lockdown, I have not had to buy any vegetables and we have had enough fruit for the last two months. The only fruit I have bought is a small bag of lemons. A few months ago, I used the lemons to make Shrewsbury biscuits. The sharp lemon tang was excellent along with old sultanas that I had left over from the winter. It was at the time when the internet was full of activities for children and one of them told how to grow lemon trees from pips. There is always a warning not to swallow the pips. When I was young, we were told that they would lodge in your appendix and you would need an operation. Or, worse still, the pip would grow inside you and sprout into a tree, presuma...

Today I wanted to take some photographs of birds on the bird table to show you. I was ready with my camera looking out of the window. There are usually blue tits, sparrows and blackbirds in abundance. Occasionally there are two shy collared doves under the bird table gently feeding on scraps. But wouldn’t you know it? Today there is nothing. No birds at all feeding on the treats I have put out for them. I waited quiet a while, but no birds came. I was surprised, I took a walk around the garden and into the woodland. I heard a rustle in the yew tree, then I heard flapping. I thought it could be the dainty collared doves looking for a nesting site. I stood stock still and saw a bird about the size of a dove. I stared for some time and realised that this bird had a barred tail. Then as I watched I saw a yellow beady eye looking straight at me. I stared and it stared back.   It was a sparrow hawk. it had been hiding in my yew tree waiting for a chance to capture a little b...