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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment

Thanks, and farewell, to a country diarist

Robin perched on a branch
‘I cut out and keep some of these snippets of rural delight … I have one about young robins in the garden dated 8 August 2020.’ Photograph: Wilfried Martin/Rex/Shutterstock

Goodbye, Jim Perrin (Country diary, 12 April). I’ve enjoyed your tales from Wales. Country diary often gives me a lift among the gloomy news, and your observations of a secret glen were no exception. I cut out and keep some of these snippets of rural delight, and I have one from you, Jim, about young robins in the garden, dated 8 August 2020. Thank you to all country diarists – keep up your quiet work.
Barbara Foster
Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire

• People should be eating herring instead of mackerel as the latter is overfished, says the Marine Conservation Society (Report, 9 April). What planet are they on? My fishmonger says he can’t get herring. How I would love to make a herring, onion and potato pie. Herring are fishmongers’ equivalent of unicorns.
Robert Howard
Beeston, Nottinghamshire

• Is the Michael Gove who was made a peer in the resignation honours list (Report, 11 April) the same Michael Gove who gave £2m of public money to a private organisation to which he was an adviser and, at the same time, education secretary? Surely not.
Daniel Mcdowell
Ludlow, Shropshire

• I find sodium cromoglicate eye drops effective for nasal symptoms of hay fever as well (Letters, 13 April). If I stop them the symptoms return.
Barrie Woodcock
Southport, Merseyside

• Re the difficulty in ordering an americano (Letters, 13 April), my daughter in Nova Scotia insists on ordering a canadiano.
Paul Kennedy
Ilkley, West Yorkshire

• Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.

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