![\"Mackerel](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.stragnell.com\/befoulednews\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/mackerel_sky_large.jpg\" "\\"Mackerel")
<\/a>Ms Playchute and I were sitting on the back patio the other day sipping a glass or several of decent Languedoc red when I spotted what, to me, was an interesting cloud formation. Penelope calmly and knowledgably informed me that it was what is known as a \u201cMackerel\u201d sky<\/a> resembling, as it does, the scales on an adult mackerel. Apparently, the size and darkness of the \u201cscales\u201d can indicate either the approach of inclement weather or a short term improvement. You will be astonished to learn our mackerel sky brought the former \u2013 high winds and an overnight deluge. Our photo doesn\u2019t really do it justice but it was quite impressive. It\u2019s amazing what I learn living with Ms Playchute.<\/p>\nIt\u2019s also amazing how thoroughly miserable our \u201csummer\u201d has been. Both the Guardian<\/a> and the BBC<\/a> had articles on the \u201cwettest summer\u201d in 100 years and the fourth wettest since records began in 1727. (There\u2019s some discrepancy between the two sources as to when records began<\/em> but however you measure it, this has been a truly epic disappointment of a summer).<\/p>\n The same evening we observed the mackerel sky we also enjoyed some splendid entertainment \u2013 the second brood of our resident swallows were fledged and we watched in hysterics as the parents attempted to get each of the babies to develop their flying skills. In some ways, I suppose, this is similar to teaching your children to drive a car \u2013 there is so much to get to grips with and, for those of us who taught our children to drive a car with a manual transmission, how well we remember the bunny-hops and stalled engines, not to mention the sweeping turns and over-corrections. (Not that our boys ever did that \u2013 they were expert from the start).<\/p>\n So, Penelope and I watched with considerable amusement as one particular infant struggled with the finer elements of flight control. The first step is that the parents somehow encourage their offspring to hurl themselves out of the only home they\u2019ve ever known and start flapping. Can you imagine it? You are a few weeks old and your parents want you to fling yourself out of the nest into this great abyss below? No thanks, but somehow they all manage it. Then, they perch themselves on the rafters of the garage as the parents swoop in and out taking them in turns for a brief introduction to flying. They do a quick turn around the garden and plunge back in to the garage, depositing one infant on a rafter and picking up another. This continues for a while until all five babies are out and about.<\/p>\n This one child, however, was struggling, particularly with altitude control. I suppose one has to take into account that they have never flapped their wings to any extent previously until they plunge out of the nest. So, the infants flap their wings as fast as they possibly can and somehow, barely, stay aloft. That\u2019s tricky enough but then trying to gauge the height at which they should be flying proves difficult for some and so it was with this one particular child. He\/she could not seem to control their flight path sufficiently to ensure that they were at an appropriate height as they came to enter the garage and perch on a rafter. As Penny and I watched shouting \u201cUp a bit. No, down a bit. No, up a bit,\u201d this child would approach the opening to the garage, realise that he\/she was too high but unable to lose altitude in time.<\/p>\n After a few aborted approaches, he\/she decided to take a rest by clinging on to the wall at the front of the garage opening. The parents, meanwhile, charged through chirping words of encouragement hoping to persuade him\/her to let go of the wall and have another go. Which he\/she did only to fail again. And again. And again. At one point he\/she ended up on the windscreen of Penny\u2019s car, trying to cling to the glass as the parents again swooped by trying to persuade him\/her to have another go. Eventually, he\/she got it and now they are out and about every day, perching on the rafters only when they need a rest. It\u2019s fascinating stuff and it\u2019s great fun having them around \u2013 I just wish they wouldn\u2019t crap all over everything in the garage.<\/p>\n We\u2019re off this week to Devon with Nick, Lucy, Annabelle and Molly. I suppose it\u2019s possible that we\u2019ll see some sun \u2013 here\u2019s hoping anyway. Nick and Lucy have hired a cottage near the village of Noss Mayo in South Devon and, for some bizarre and inexplicable reason, they invited us to come along. I don\u2019t know that we\u2019ll do too much sun bathing or swimming but there\u2019s lots to see and do, and the cottage is literally on the South Coastal Path so we are looking forward to doing some walking along the cliffs. We\u2019ll let you know how we get on.<\/p>\n
![\"Mom\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.stragnell.com\/befoulednews\/\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/mom.jpg?resize=300%2C303\" "\\"Mom\\"")
<\/a>And finally, yesterday was my mother\u2019s birthday. It also happens to be my sons\u2019 grandmother\u2019s birthday and, believe it or not, it\u2019s also my granddaughter\u2019s great-grandmother\u2019s birthday. What are the chances of that? We love you lots and hope you had a splendid day.<\/p>\n