Suddenly it is the middle of July and I have barely posted anything in 2015.

Life at work is busier than ever with a full programme of events at Bradgate Park for the summer season. Since 21st June, when we very appropriately staged a production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream we have hosted an Archaeology Open Day for the University of Leicester fieldschool that has been taking place on the Park, held a Wildlife Weekend and a chainsaw carving demonstration. This weekend we venture into musicals with an adaptation of ‘The Jungle Book’, followed by a fundraiser for the Army Benevolent Fund and Royal British Legion as part of the World War 1 centenary commemorations the following Saturday.

Alongside all this we are welcoming more visitors than ever and making good progress with our conservation and habitat restoration work. It is safe to say that Bradgate is no longer the sleepy hollow it was as little as three years ago.

Also, I am now a published author! It may be only 32 pages but ‘The Story of Bradgate Park’ has my name on the front and is on the shelves as the first in our new series of publications to update the worthy but dull Bradgate Books from the 1970s.

Away from work, this month we celebrated our Silver wedding anniversary with a Druid blessing and tea party for 80 or so friends in our garden. Someone (I forget who) once said that a successful marriage depends partly on finding the right person and partly on being the right person. I have been very blessed with the former and strive continually to deliver on my side of the bargain.

May 7th saw the election of the first majority Conservative government in 19 years. Unfettered by coalition partners we have already seen the new administration cut subsidies for onshore wind energy, continue to promote fracking for shale gas and mount a failed attempt to dilute the provisions of the Hunting Act. It looks as though the next five years are going to be tough ones for the UK environment.

There is no sign that life is going to get less busy any time soon.