Merry Christmas

 The 2012 Christmas tree in Martin Place, Sydney.

And I would like to pass on a link to my favourite of all last year's Christmas blog posts. Frankly, I just want to kiss Alex Wild for being out and proud about being an entomologist, and brave enough not to pussyfoot around wilfully ill-informed melodramatists, even on Christmas Day. I know it doesn't fall within the accepted limits of the Christmas spirit, but by heck it needed to be said!

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Weather News: Since Monday evening we've been buffeted by Tempête Dirk. The wind is strong and gusty, but not causing any serious damage. The town Christmas tree took a bit of a beating and there were bits of tree and decorations strewn around on Tuesday morning.

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Loire Valley Nature: Photos have been added to the Violet Carpenter Bee Xylocopa violacea entry.
A new entry has been added for the Hornet Mimic Hover Fly Volucella zonaria.
A new entry has been added for the European Wall Lizard Podarcis muralis.

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A la cuisine hier: Chilli con carne, made with chunks of stewing beef slow cooked for the whole afternoon on the wood stove.