I love coriander so much. It’s good for you too I’ve just discovered….

It has eleven components of essential oils, six types of acids (including vitamin C), minerals and vitamins, which have beneficial properties. It can reduce swelling, lower cholesterol, help digestion, has antiseptic properties, is rich in iron content, and also is a natural aphrodisiac!

So get chomping!

The pair of blackbirds in our garden are pretty daft. They are trying out their nest building skills before ‘the one’ and so far have built one in the ivy on the wall above our pond (imagine drowned baby birds) and now they have taken over a beautiful little spot that the wrens had had first dibs on. I’ve wasted hours watching the wrens travel back and forth with beaks full of feathers and fluffy stuff to line the woven nesting basket James hung up for them. Now they seem to have been sent packing so Mr and Mrs Blackie can play pretend nests right on top of their perfect one. Mrs B sat on it yesterday in the rain, no shelter whatsoever, soggy but satisfied. I’m not holding my breath …

The roads between bicester and Oxford are always chocca block at rush hour with hot headed drivers, yet the train is often empty. It costs £2.40 return and has views over fields and great for deer spotting. Very relaxing. Train wins hands down for me any day.