The grin reaper

I came across this chap in the grounds of Gilbert White’s House in Hampshire. He was cutting meadow grass by hand as part of their approach to sustainable land management. Really nice guy. Explained everything about how to cut grass and manage mounds of hay. Apparently they can spontaneously combust if allowed to build up too much internal heat. Promethean or what?

The house and grounds are lovely and well worth a visit. There is also a lovely pub a few hundred yards up the road - a free house with a good selection of beers.

Gilbert White was an eighteenth century naturalist and all round good bloke. Believe it or not his book "The natural history and antiquities of Selborne" is the fourth biggest selling book of all time in Britain (after the bible, Pilgrim’s Progress, and the works of Shakespeare) and has been continuously in print for 250 years.

Inspiring stuff. Like England last night. Still can’t believe we’re in the final again …