<a href="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/new-lensenov17.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-4624" src="http://pigyard.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/new-lensenov17-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>After the experience of sparrow hawk in Nick &amp; Val's garden and the superb photos that Val captured I thought it was time to upgrade my Panasonic DSLR that Jane bought me when I retired 8 years ago. Yes, I know, it was 8 years ago and it seems like only three. The Lumix G1 is an excellent camera and it gives beautifully clear images.

I've bought a secondhand 100 - 300 mm zoom lens which looks brand new. Wildlife is difficult to capture at the best of times so this lens will hopefully help me to get some good shots. Next stop <a href="http://www.lincstrust.org.uk/donna-nook/weekly-update" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Donna Nook</a> to photograph the seal pups.

The vegetable plot is slowly closing down however I've just picked the last of my sweet peppers from the potting shed/greenhouse. Now we have had the first frost I decided to dig up a few parsnips. They don't look too bad and they taste delicious so my dinners are now accompanied by parsnip mash, steamed, roasted, and spiralized.

[gallery type="rectangular" size="medium" ids="4623,4622"]

<img class="alignright" src="http://www.doug-macleod.com/images/doug%20macleod_mem_bma_2015.jpg" alt="Image result for doug macleod blues singer" width="260" height="195" />Last Sunday I went with Dave &amp; Lucie to the Hope Tavern Blues evening to see <a href="http://www.doug-macleod.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doug MacLeod</a> who is a delta blues man. Apart from a problem with the sound system that delayed the start by 30 minutes it was an excellent night of blues music all of it written by Doug MacLeod. He actually met <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownie_McGhee" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brownie McGhee</a> who is a blues legend. When I was at college I had (or maybe it was Jane's) a Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee album. Strange how connections go round and round.