Yesterday, I was birdwatching in a Reserve near home. My friend who is the most superb spotter pointed out the above trees and asked me what I thought the greenery was. I wasn’t sure so he advised me it is mistletoe which is a parasite which grows on trees through birds rubbing their beaks on… Read more »

The garden is coming to life. The bird feeder is attracting blackcaps, goldfinches and woodpeckers and the snowdrops have appeared in their delicate white heads. New beginnings are stirring in nature. Perhaps its a good time to review your collection or to thing about starting one! A new beginning sees new arrivals not only in… Read more »

This is a poster of Perth at the beginning of the twentieth century. Over a hundred years it has grown to become to a city stretching northwards along the banks of the river Tay. When I return I am always amazed to see the new developments and yet the city still retains its charm and… Read more »

The Olympic Gold Medal won by Eve Muirhead and her Curling Team is a fantastic achievement. She was born in Perth, as was I, and is a St Johnstone supporter, as am I, and a very competent bagpipe player as I am not!. While she may not collect banknotes she is a wonderful advert for… Read more »

Besides my interest in banknotes I also have a collection of cacti dotted throughout the house. While some may think a cactus needs little attention I do make sure I treat them with particular care. In a few weeks I’ll plunge each plant into a bucket of water to revive it (Brrrr!) and then repot… Read more »

My wife is talented in her use of fabrics. Cushion covers, Curtains, Quilts, Throws, even shirts, are within her box of skills. The above cushion cover of the cockerel is lovely fabric. A banknote is something to crow about when it fills a gap or when it is bought after a long search.

So many Debden Sets have been broken up with notes sold individually at auctions. The C113 is a typical example where so few of these must remain intact. This is a lovely Debden, one of my favourites and is a great one to add to any collection.

The winter weather allows us time to watch the Winter Olympics but also the opportunity to review our banknote collection. I have been going through my notes, re-grading some and making sure all is in order. Perhaps you can take time to review the collection and see if there are gaps to be filled.

My neighbour is a Professor of Astro Physics who has been involved in the planning and programming of the James Webb Telescope which has unfolded itself in space, and in time, will send us back Infra Red images from the distant universe. Collecting banknotes may seem a long way from the wonders of the universe… Read more »

This afternoon, my wife and and continued the pruning of our allotment orchard, a quarter of an acre in size with some very old trees which produce superb fruit. Egremont Russets, Cox, Crispin, Kidd’s Orange, Blenheim Orange, Worcester and Adam’s Pearmain, and some others. It takes a few weeks to knock it into shape plus … Read more »