The two bird feeders in the garden are full of nuts and there is a steady stream of Blue Tits and Great Tits that come to swing on its metal step taking turns to have their go at the nuts. More occasionally there is the odd Coal Tit and a Nuthatch.

Elsewhere in the garden we have left the windfall apples by the stone wall and at any one time there are half a dozen black birds and a few fat pigeons pecking away at them, leaving behind a pockmarked skin.

Last nights Turbot was a bit like feeding strawberries to a donkey but the kids enjoyed it. I roasted it whole in the oven for twenty five minutes having seasoned it with salt, pepper and dash of olive oil, rubbing it in and enjoying the feel of the hard nodules over the skin on its back. 

We ate it with a bowl of potatoes that had been cooked in the oven with carrots, white wine and water and a plate of red kale from the garden.