tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243Wed, 23 May 2012 19:48:13 +0000FloodRowingUpwarehttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifMacaroonsAny Questions?Favourite FindsMudBacon sandwichesLyra: Intrepid Boat CatRecipesstrong streamCruising Adventuresdamp feetOff-Grid BakingFive Mileshttp://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Amy)Blogger870125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-5818047437868798204Wed, 23 May 2012 19:48:00 +00002012-05-23T20:48:13.782+01:00 The weather was cold and grey for my Oxfam walk (I'm still aching from that, and our donations page is still active if anyone would still like to sponsor us retrospectively!) but just yesterday we began to wonder if Summer was finally here! The buttercups are out on the Common, it is warm enough to sit out in the welldeck and watch the river in the evening, and the cat thermometer has been http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/yqpPs9HANOU/summertime.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)0http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/summertime.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-4896125240731406532Fri, 18 May 2012 09:43:00 +00002012-05-18T10:43:55.273+01:00First ducklings of the year that I've seen. Taken from Victoria Avenue bridge. twitter // facebook // email // follow // any questions?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/Dk2lAkG8K2o/first-ducklings.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)0http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/first-ducklings.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-9184523597703274433Thu, 17 May 2012 13:03:00 +00002012-05-17T14:03:24.151+01:00 On Sunday night, halfway through making a batch of falafels, our gas ran out. We use 19kg bottles so this only happens twice a year, but it's always at an annoying moment!  So, on Monday, I rang up Cam Gas. We have always got gas from them because they used to be able to get access onto Midsummer Common, and would deliver while you were out, if you left a cheque under the empty bottle. The http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/vB9I1ZTd7Nk/gas-saga.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)5http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/gas-saga.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-6613617122141470829Wed, 16 May 2012 13:42:00 +00002012-05-16T14:55:28.596+01:00 A story in the Cambridge News put me on to the photography of Bill Blake, who uses a kite to photograph from above. These stunning pictures were taken of the Ouse Washes which I recently saw when I travelled across them in the train. Bill has an exhibition of his aerial photography in All Saints Church, in Jesus Lane, Cambridge, from this Saturday 19th May for a week. More of his photographshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/_8na4yOIbXE/more-of-washes.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)0http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/more-of-washes.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-8094596901833255232Wed, 16 May 2012 08:30:00 +00002012-05-16T14:33:15.038+01:00 The Old Bedford and New Bedford Rivers are two man-made bypass channels linking Denver and Earith. The New Bedford River is tidal and navigable by those who find its extreme boringness novel enough to warrant exploration. It's also much quicker than taking the Great Ouse route.  Anyway, the gap between the two channels (known as the Hundred Foot or Ouse Washes) is used in times of flood for http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/EGGK1wa71bI/washes-awash.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)4http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/washes-awash.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-8835628638523337018Tue, 15 May 2012 10:17:00 +00002012-05-15T13:41:36.000+01:00Recipes I've got a new culinary obsession: falafels. Surprisingly simple to make, I've cooked up a couple of batches over the last week or so.  Ingredients: 1 400g tin chickpeas 1 carrot 1 white onion clove of garlic tsp cumin tsp ground coriander salt  pepper 1 egg Method Chop small and then fry onion and garlic until translucent. Grate carrot. Add cooked onions and carrot http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/sR_YjJg62FQ/off-grid-making-falafels.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)3http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/off-grid-making-falafels.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-3312349006237872828Sat, 12 May 2012 08:00:00 +00002012-05-12T09:00:00.756+01:00 Our Cam Conservancy licence sticker just arrived (over a month after I sent them the money) and I noticed a few things that worried me: 1) The boat reg. number was written in waterbased ink which I was able to remove easily (I have now gone over it with a permanent marker) 2) It is sticky on the back meaning that it is designed to be stuck on the OUTSIDE of a boat unlike the EA and mooring http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/Mg__6o2N-W4/in-detail.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)4http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/in-detail.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-5172449122128093278Fri, 11 May 2012 10:04:00 +00002012-05-11T11:04:06.468+01:00 Last night I went on a Wild Food walk, organised by Cambridge University Gastronomic Discovery. The walk was led by Jacky Sutton-Adam, a local wild food expert. We walked around Grantchester Meadow, learning about all the wild greens which can be found at this time of year. I really enjoyed it, and although I had begun to recognise some of these plants by myself, it was good to have these http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/6i7Us_osFTU/wild-food-walk.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)2http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/wild-food-walk.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-5619034209216258965Thu, 10 May 2012 08:00:00 +00002012-05-10T09:00:07.816+01:00 On the way back from Norwich, I called James to let him know I was on my way, only to find that he was in London with Mike A at the Canalway Cavalcade. He suggested that I join him, as he was going to be going on a little jaunt with Mike on Victoria and James B on Archimedes. I couldn't resist that offer and so despite being tired from hen party I made my way to Little Venice to join them, http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/qu6EuKCmd3Y/bank-holiday-2-little-venice-canalway.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)1http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/bank-holiday-2-little-venice-canalway.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-824204386950077288Wed, 09 May 2012 14:40:00 +00002012-05-09T16:44:04.682+01:00 I'm still recovering from the Bank Holiday weekend, but it was such fun. I went to my friend Richenda's hen party in Norfolk. It wasn't a conventional hen party, but then she's not a conventional hen! We met up at Norwich station and then took a train and a taxi to a little village on the coast just west of Sheringham. Then we walked 4 miles along the beautiful coast. Just beyond Sheringham, wehttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/3wVao-oxIzY/bank-holiday-1-hen-party.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)0http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/bank-holiday-1-hen-party.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-2282823372132604398Thu, 03 May 2012 15:50:00 +00002012-05-03T16:50:23.852+01:00 On the 20th May, I will be walking 26 miles for Oxfam with a couple of friends, as participants in the Cambridge Oxfam Walk. Now, I know walking 26 miles isn't quite as impressive as running them but it is for a good cause, so if you could sponsor us even a little bit, that would be amazing. Picture from 2009 walk - Oxfam thank you! twitter // facebook // email // follow // any http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/awytM8Got3c/oxfam-walk-2012.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)0http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/oxfam-walk-2012.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-6961782723877345157Wed, 02 May 2012 14:03:00 +00002012-05-02T15:53:48.407+01:00 Despite the raised water levels and fast flow, we've had to move. The May Fair is in town over the Bank Holiday weekend, and there is a rowing race which requires the boats to move off the Common. So, we're here (third from the bridge) for the time being. It's shadier, but we have some nice neighbours and fewer rowing boats passing. Lyra likes playing in the trees, too. Our old friend http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/uctPxvncwZc/change-of-scenery.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)0http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/05/change-of-scenery.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-1714971551737930193Mon, 30 Apr 2012 08:54:00 +00002012-04-30T09:54:29.477+01:00 since records began... The Cam this morning. However, we are still officially in drought, they say. Rain in the Spring get used up very quickly by thirsty plants and less of it goes into the reservoirs.   twitter // facebook // email // follow // any questions?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/aADDt07M1RA/wettest-drought.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)2http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/wettest-drought.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-9086686424693826770Sat, 28 Apr 2012 12:35:00 +00002012-04-28T13:36:45.673+01:00 Well, there was a fairly strong consensus that the building I posted yesterday was St Pancras Hotel. However, Adam was right to stand by his conviction, and Kevin who posted on Facebook was also correct. It is indeed the Natural History Museum, that great cathedral of science deigned by Waterhouse in 1864.  The photo was taken underneath the vast Romanesque (semi-circular) arches of the mainhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/-LyzvN8vXGc/underneath-arches-answer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)5http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/underneath-arches-answer.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-6371788515663838688Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:02:00 +00002012-04-27T15:02:15.726+01:00 This is one of my favourite buildings in London. Do you know which one it is? twitter // facebook // email // follow // any questions?http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/yClZAFmODZw/underneath-arches.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)6http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/underneath-arches.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-7075201530678617000Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:39:00 +00002012-04-23T15:43:48.349+01:00 Last year, James and I competed in the BCN Challenge with a bunch of other crazy boaters, attempting to navigate around as much of Birmingham's 100 miles of waterways as possible in 24 hours (30 hours in total with a 6 hour rest stop). It was brilliant fun, despite the 3am start on the Sunday morning and ever since, we've been keen to do it again this year -on the 2nd and 3rd June. Last yearhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/U8g06CHa8BA/bcn-challenge-2012.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)9http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/bcn-challenge-2012.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-4435988282238976589Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:05:00 +00002012-04-18T14:10:22.930+01:00 I had been reading the blogs of No Problem, Yarwood and Matilda Rose, who have come across swathes of wild garlic on their travels, reminding me that it was the season for it. I have been keeping my eyes open and while I have not yet found 'true' wild garlic (also known as Ramsons) because apparently Cambridge soil is too dry, I have come across a lot of allium triquetrum - Three Cornered http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/aCCYSefWfPc/food-for-free.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)3http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/food-for-free.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-1654997681694113547Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:41:00 +00002012-04-16T14:41:42.933+01:00 This week we took possession of our rented Council garage, just a few minutes walk from the river on St Matthew's Street. There are several reasons we decided to take this on.  1) We need more storage space for fuel. We would like to be able to burn wood instead of coal whenever possible, but without somewhere to store it (our roof is no use as we have a big solar panel and we are not http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/ozZbJdueBGw/storage-space.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)4http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/storage-space.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-5872240148888752529Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:31:00 +00002012-04-15T08:22:54.225+01:00 Last Wednesday and Thursday, I went boating with the Fullers- Roger, Teresa, and their son Joe- aboard Ibex (Josher motor, built 1926, and now with a Lister HR2) and Ilford (Built 1912, composite Braithwaite and Kirk butty for FMC). Both are currently loaded, though not too deeply- the motor drawing just about three feet at the back (half as deep again as Lucky Duck) and the butty down to http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/bu4oi-9keMA/fine-pair.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (James)2http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/fine-pair.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-1489469893487629923Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:08:00 +00002012-04-13T14:31:51.508+01:00 I spent the last couple of days in Norwich, at the University of East Anglia a for a conference on Climate Change. It was very interesting and I made contact with several people doing similar research work to my own. I stayed the night with my friend who lives in the city and we had a lovely evening - she cooked a very tasty South African bobotie for dinner, and we tried some 'Gnorfolk Lavenderhttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/K26x8W6WnWY/gnorwich.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)2http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/gnorwich.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-3988514079517240694Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:18:00 +00002012-04-11T13:18:15.391+01:00 The parcel arrived today, speedy service! This is the highly appropriate stamp I was given at the post office yesterday, when I went to post a moving-in present to our friends Matt and Rebekah, fellow YWBS members and historic boat enthusiasts, who have just moved in to their new house. I think it is the London Waterbus Company's Grand Union boat Perseus on the Regent's Canal in London. The http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/4TmXifGTo5A/going-postal.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)0http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/going-postal.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-8530691441347964197Tue, 10 Apr 2012 09:35:00 +00002012-04-10T12:35:30.278+01:00 We had a wonderful Easter, at the Historic Narrow Boat Club's gathering on the newly restored Droitwich Canal. We were very kindly accommodated by Sarah and Jim in the hold of Chertsey, under the new cloths, and had a lovely dinner of range top stew with them on the Saturday night. Their cat, Willow, has taken very well to boat life and was the centre of attention as he sat proudly on hishttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/bIIotgWAHKU/droitwich-hnbc-gathering-old-boats-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)0http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/droitwich-hnbc-gathering-old-boats-and.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-9006648008064451001Sun, 08 Apr 2012 09:00:00 +00002012-04-08T10:00:05.396+01:00The highly addictive photo-editing and sharing iPhone app Instagram has finally been released for Android users like me. I'm enjoying experimenting with it and you may find a few more of these square, post-processed pictures adorning the blog! If you are an Instagram user, you can find me on there by searching for nbluckyduck. A few moments from last week We hope you are all having a wonderful http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/ZRy0ihNykDE/instagram-week-in-pictures.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)0http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/instagram-week-in-pictures.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-3154262987925490472Sat, 07 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +00002012-04-07T09:00:00.092+01:00 James and I have been practising splicing, making eye splices in the ends of rope. For non boaty people, eye-splicing a rope means creating a loop by weaving the individual strands of  a rope back into itself. There's a good animation of how to do it here,and we wrapped the three strands in different coloured tape to make it easier to see the pattern: This is James's finished splice http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/733Fr85OUTc/have-splice-day.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)2http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/have-splice-day.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-903444638046674243.post-3514994482801693098Fri, 06 Apr 2012 08:00:00 +00002012-04-06T09:00:11.816+01:00 In the Riverside Antiques warehouse, I found something I'd wanted for a while: a Tala enamel dry measure. You can still buy them new - they cost about £8. This vintage one was £5, and although some of the writing is faded it's still entirely usable, and has marks for some nice old-fashioned dry goods like groats and sago. A nice addition to my slowly growing collection of enamelware for my http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/NbLuckyDuck/~3/gkyJaoiutYY/my-favourite-finds-v19.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Amy)0http://nbluckyduck.blogspot.com/2012/04/my-favourite-finds-v19.html