Buying Chickens for Christmas presents may not sound as silly as it seems.
Popular hen website A Hen Is For Christmas has an article about chickens as Christmas presents and asks
Ever since my father started keeping Japanese ornamental Koi Carp I’ve been fascinated by these graceful, tranquil fish, but until recently I lived in an apartment, so there was no room at the inn for Koi.
Now I’ve moved into a house, the first thing I did after unpacking (much to my wife’s surprise as she was expecting a new bathroom suite!) was to start work on my Koi pond. Koi are pretty particular when it comes to being happy in their habitat, so there I was digging down 1.5m into the garden to make a nice deep pond for the Koi.
One thing I always remember from my father’s pond is that the water was never really clear, which always seemed a bit of shame. After all, Koi come in a variety of magnificent colours and patterns and if your water is cloudy, you can’t see them and they can’t be having much fun either.
So for my project, I started researching Koi pond filters on the internet to see if this could be the solution. I discovered a Koi pond filter not only keeps the water clear, but it also processes organic waste, so your pond doesn’t get a build up of bacteria that can be harmful to the Koi.
Of course, once you start looking at filtration systems for your Koi pond, you soon realise that there’s a whole range of different options out there. One thing I soon picked up is that you need to make sure the filter that you select is big enough for the size of Koi pond you have, so it can cope with the amounts of pond water being circulated through the filter.
Luckily, I had only just started digging out my Koi pond when I came across these filter systems, so I had the choice between using a gravity filter or a pump filter. This is because you need to build in drainage to your pool plans if you want to plump for a gravity fed system. On reading that these gravity Koi pond filters require minimal maintenance and cleaning, this is the one I opted for.
Last week I finished the pond (complete with drain!) and installed the Koi pond filter I bought. I couldn’t wait to get stocking my pond with Koi and I’m hoping these graceful symbols of love and friendship will prosper in their new, filtered Koi pond. I hear the oldest Koi in the world lived to be 226 years old, so I’m hoping my Koi will be happy in their pond and enjoy an equally long life.
OK, it’s not the coolest holiday destination in the world, but every year we take the kids along to Prestatyn for a weekend of proper British beachfront fun and this year we’ve just discovered it’s the Zap Cat UK National competition the weekend we’re over there!
Being held at Barkby Beach in resort, it’s the first time ever these high-speed inflatable catamarans have come to town to race round the bay. It kicks off on Saturday 24th July and runs over the weekend from 11:00 to 17:00 each day and entrance to watch is free (mind you, not really sure how they’d be able to cordon off the beach to charge) making it top on list of things to see this summer.
In case, like me, you don’t know what a Zapcat looks like, think one of those racing powerboats, but remember it’s actually a catamaran shape and inflatable! This doesn’t make them sound very solid, but they are incredibly strong and boast superb agility.
My eldest son, who’s 10 and loves all things cars, boats and planes is beside himself with excitement to see the Zap Cat racing, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for good weather at the end of July for good weather!
London is a one of the most densely populated and built up cities going, so it was with surprise that we stumbled across the fact that you can go bungee jumping in London – we were expecting to have to travel to a bridge over a gorge in the middle of nowhere to throw ourselves off, but no, we can have that pleasure right here in London!
And it’s not just anywhere in London. You’ll be bungee jumping at the 02 arena! OK so when it was the Millennium Dome it was painted as a bit of a white elephant, but after being turned into the 02 Arena it’s been transformed into one of the world’s best concert and event venues going, so it’s quite something to say you’ve bungeed it.
Just to make it clear, you won’t be attempting any hair-raising bungee jump off those famous metal pylons that stick out of the dome, you’ll be throwing yourself off a 160ft crane next to the dome. That really is a long way up.
Bungee jumping in London – it’s got to be done!
We thought you had to be mad to want to clamber into a three metre high plastic ball and get rolled down a hill for a ‘standard’ zorbing experience, but now it seems the search for adrenaline thrills has stepped up a gear with Air Sphereing!
This all-new madcap experience uses the same sort of zorb, but with an extra twist. You won’t be merrily rolling down a hill; you’ll be getting buffeted around in a vertical wind tunnel! Wrong. Just wrong!
As you get into position in the zorb you’ll hear the huge engine start up and the air begins to flow and then all of a sudden you get shot into the air. Bouncing around like a lottery ball on a Saturday night, you will be rolled and rocked in wind speeds of up to 150mph!
Having had a little search around the internet for air-sphereing, it seems the only venue offering this zorbing activity is in Milton Keynes and you can book via this activity gift voucher website.
The online experience and activity gift voucher supplier intotheblue.co.uk are providing a range of vouchers for flying lessons starting from just £39.00
As one of the airfields used is just up the road from me in Wellesbourne I’m seriously considering having a go when the weather gets a bit better.
The last time I went up in a light aircraft was about 20 years ago, as my brother had just obtained his pilots licence.
The only problem I have is there appears to be a weight limit of 14 stone for the 2 seater planes and as I am currently closer to 15 it looks like I’ll have to go on a bit of a diet first.
Still at least the beauty of getting the flying lessons gift voucher is the fact you can use it any time you like within 12 months, which should give me time to lose the weight.
Being the best man at a wedding, I’ve been charged with (or should that be lumbered with?) organising the stag weekend for this April. Determined to not go down that traditional stag weekend route of a boozy weekend in Prague, paintballing or quad biking, I’ve been scouring the internet for something a bit different and in Zap catting I think I’ve found it!
This Zapcat website offers off the peg vouchers for group Zapcat racing experiences from three to twelve people, which makes it a perfect choice for our stag group.
Each person will get to play co-pilot to the instructor/pilot in these mad little high-speed, dual-hulled powerboats and you’ll be buffered around on the open waters as you jump the waves and ride the surf. It’s extreme stuff, but safe and fun at the same time, so I reckon it’s going to be a good weekend for us all.
With the high-adrenaline stuff sorted, ‘all’ I need to do now is sort out where we’re staying and where we’ll be partying – but that’s another good thing about this Zapcat experience – it takes place at Southampton, so we’re spoilt for choice with accommodation as Portsmouth, Winchester and Bournemouth are all within about 30 minutes’ drive. I reckon I’ll be scoring some Brownie points with this little junket…I’ll let you know how we get on.
Did you know the term being ‘hoodwinked’ comes from the practice of putting a leather hood over the head of a trained bird of prey to fool them into thinking it’s night time? Having had the pleasure of going on a falconry experience today, we learnt this and many more fascinating facts about this most noble of countryside pursuits.
Now we know where the expression ‘At the end of your tether’ comes from and are safe in the knowledge that a Mews house is not just a posh house that yuppies live in, it’s actually the name of the large birdhouse where the raptors live.
If you’re looking for a day out with a difference, a falconry experience could be a real winner. We actually booked this a part of a boys’ weekend away in the Scottish Highlands and the countryside around the centre in Lanarkshire was nothing short of spectacular. A really memorable weekend!
The history of clay pigeon shooting dates back to around 1880, when it first gained a following. Through the Victorian and Edwardian eras this sport became increasingly popular as an entertaining diversion for hunting parties. The introduction of clay targets gave the shooter a flying target at which to aim, building their skill as a shooter through this activity. Note: clay shooting became illegal in 1921 but this was later lifted. More info can be found here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clay_pigeon_shooting.
This style of shooting became popular as an alternative to the pheasant and grouse shooting activities that had until that time been the primary shooting activity in the UK. While the pheasant or grouse shoot necessitated a number of birds being in any given location, the use of clay targets made the sport of shooting more readily available and more easily managed.
During the early history of clay pigeon shooting, there were a number of people that would practice and refine their shooing skills at school and facilities catering to this sport. A number of shooting schools were even opened in London to cater to the desires of Victorian enthusiasts who could use the traps and towers necessary to carry out the activity. During this era the sport grew in recognition and a number of tournaments were held in London and across the UK to introduce more people to clay pigeon shooting.
It was in France however that the first trap was produced. The ‘Hand Trap’ device was invented in 1927 by Emile Laporte; creating a revolution in the sport. Throughout the history of clay pigeon this is probably the most significant development, leading to the development of the sport as it exists today. The trap consists of a spring loaded with a metal throwing arm, hence the often heard cry of “pull” as the shooter prepares to take aim. The trap springs back into position and the clay target is released, flying through the air for distances of up to 135 metres.
The first automated traps for the clay pigeon shooting were built in the 1980s, further boosting the sport of clay shooting and allowing even more people to participate in this exciting and challenging activity.
Today, the sport has seen a huge rise in popularity with websites emerging right across the UK offering clay pigeon shoots as a primary offering to a growing number of adults keen to enjoy the competitive nature of the sport, Intotheblue are one of these companies who have successfully popularised clay pigeon shooting events throughout the UK with other experience type websites following their lead.
For more information on this growing sport please visit the Clay pigeon shooting association main website at www.cpsa.co.uk who’s website contains a wealth of information including performances by the English clay pigeon shooting team.
Some general tips and advice for shooting.
One of the first things you will learn if you participate in clay pigeon shooting is how to hold the shotgun. The shotgun unlike an air gun is distinct because it has no magazine and generally will take only two cartridges at any one time. For the sport of clay pigeon shooting the gun must have a barrel that is between 26 and 34 inches long, and a maximum 12 bore.
Handling the gun is important to participate successfully in the sport, as you need to shoot with precision to hit a moving target. You must understand how to hold the shotgun correctly to achieve success in the activity and there are several key points you can focus on to start building your skill in this sport.
Balance and good positioning – The position of the body helps you to successfully handle the gun and having the correct stance that provides stability and balance includes the right foot positioning, body position, hand position, arm position and so on.
Head position – The correct head position is another thing that should be considered when learning how to hold the shotgun. While pointing and shooting, the head should remain upright and should not be tilted over the ‘comb’ of the gun’s stock. Next place your cheek firmly upon the comb. Different face shapes mean there is no hard and fast rule, but the lower face should generally be in contact with the stock.
Proper Mount – An understanding of how to hold the shotgun should include knowledge of the proper mount. The gun should sit in the shoulder ‘pocket’ and to do this, you should raise your arm to be parallel with your shoulder (stretched out to the side). Then bend the arm at the elbow at a 45 degree angle and this should ensure the correct placement of the gun.
These few key factors will help you learn how to hold the shotgun and with a little practice, the correct placement will start to feel natural and become easy to achieve.