http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/ Nothing but the truth... (Armin Grewe's Weblog) en-gb Copyright 2008, Armin Grewe blog@ministryofpropaganda.co.uk (Armin Grewe) Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:40:00 GMT http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/images/rss-propaganda.gif http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/ 140 70 http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2008propaganda/20080217-hurstcastle.shtml The second February weekend with brilliant weather. After driving north to Oxford for a visit to Otmoor Nature Reserve last weekend I decided to go the other direction this weekend. The south coast was my destination today. I looked at the map and picked Milford on Sea, which would give me the possibility to visit Hurst Castle while also providing a nice drive through the New Forest to get there. My walk started with this view: [More about my afternoon at the coast with 5 pictures in the full entry] Sun, 17 Feb 2008 21:40:00 GMT http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2008propaganda/20080217-hurstcastle.shtml http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2008propaganda/20080210-otmoor.shtml No, this blog isn't dead yet. Just didn't have anything to post about really. But with the days getting longer again and the weather improving there might be the odd update here again. On Friday I found this YouTube video of Starlings at Otmoor after reading the 'Starke Stare' entry on the German 'Spreeblick' blog. Realising that the RSPB Otmoor Nature Reserve is only about an hour from Swindon my plan for the weekend was set. I was going to visit the reserve to try to see the starlings. Walking to the hide some of the first birds I saw were geese though: [More about my afternoon at Otmoor Nature Reserve with 6 pictures in the full entry] Sun, 10 Feb 2008 14:49:00 GMT http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2008propaganda/20080210-otmoor.shtml http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2008propaganda/20080101-newyearsday.shtml Happy New Year! So there we are, another new year. I haven't really bothered with any New Years Eve festivities last night, just wrote a review of 2007 on my Islay blog, drank a bit of whisky and went to bed at about 23:15. I think there might have been a bit of fireworks outside at midnight, but I think I mostly slept through it. This morning I was up bright and early, which was quite nice as it was really quiet outside. By 8:15 I had updated IslayBlog.com for 2008 and written the Happy Islay New Year entry. A bit of tidying up in the flat and then I went for a run at about 9:15. Quite a few other people were out as well, much more than I had expected. [More about my New Years Day 2008 with 3 pictures from an afternoon walk in Swindon in the full entry] Tue, 01 Jan 2008 19:14:00 GMT http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2008propaganda/20080101-newyearsday.shtml http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2007propaganda/20071216-weather.shtml When I looked at the weather forecast yesterday I was looking forward to a nice pleasant and sunny day. Those hopes were quickly dashed this morning when I opened the curtains to be greeted by a grey and dull sky. I'm wondering though why the forecast isn't catching up with reality? Here are the 'official' weather observations from Lyneham, the closest weather station to Swindon: [More about the discrepancies between current weather forecast and real weather here in Swindon in the full entry] Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:30:00 GMT http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2007propaganda/20071216-weather.shtml http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2007propaganda/20071118-twice.shtml It is a very grey, wet, cold, windy, nasty, horrible and rainy Sunday morning here in Swindon. That needs something happy, cheery, friendly, positive and funny to brighten up the day. Let's try this: [More about a video to cheer you up on a rainy morning in the full entry] Sun, 18 Nov 2007 08:43:00 GMT http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2007propaganda/20071118-twice.shtml http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2007propaganda/20071112-giltcomplex.shtml Yeah, I'm still alive. Doing this and that. And still mainly blogging at IslayBlog.com at the moment. I know that some of you don't really care about Islay, so let me bore you with a video here. Gilt Complex by Sons and Daughters. What a great song: [Some great music by Sons and Daughters from Scotland in the full entry] Mon, 12 Nov 2007 23:33:00 GMT http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2007propaganda/20071112-giltcomplex.shtml http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2007propaganda/20070827-bankholiday.shtml This long bank holiday weekend is a weekend of contrasts for me. On Friday I took a day off as I had to go to London for a day. Yesterday I drove to Wales for some late summer hillwalking. Two places which couldn't be much more different in the UK... [More about my long bank holiday weekend in London and Wales with many pictures in the full entry] Mon, 27 Aug 2007 15:47:00 GMT http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2007propaganda/20070827-bankholiday.shtml http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2007propaganda/20070819-summer.shtml Does anyone know if there is a 'money back guarantee' for the weather? If there is, I want my money back! After the promising start with a very nice Easter weekend, a great Islay Walking Week in April 2007 and very nice two weeks on Islay in June my summer has been pretty disappointing. This weekend is another example. It rained most of yesterday, it was grey most of today and has been raining for a few hours now. [More about the summer that isn't and an attempt to cheer me up in the full entry] Sun, 19 Aug 2007 17:13:00 GMT http://www.ministryofpropaganda.co.uk/2007propaganda/20070819-summer.shtml