OUR new garden pond is providing plenty of entertainment and interest as more and more forms of wildlife discover its presence.

First to make its acquaintance was a tiny toad, hardly bigger than a £2 coin, and so I placed a ladder reaching up to the high sides above water level so that he could leave if he wished. He did - he was gone next day.

Several species of birds have discovered the pond is useful both for drinks and bathing. A male blackbird was first - he discovered the little ladder I placed for the toad and inched his way sideways down the steep slope until he could reach the water. Now he will bathe and drink in full view of the house and sometimes his mate will join him.

Another bird visitor is a wood pigeon.

It stalks around the side of the pond until it reaches the toad ladder and inches its way down to the edge of the water, there to take lots of deep drinks from the shallow end but I've never seen it take a bath. Other birds have included a robin, a dunnock, a thrush and a chaffinch. So far, fortunately, we've not had herons!

There are insects galore, some breeding within the pond especially around the foliage of the water plants, and I think our goldfish make meals of some of the larvae. Prominent among them are the remarkable pond skaters who walk on the surface. Their antics are quite amazing.

We have about 34 goldfish, give or take one or two, because they never remain still long enough to be counted. They are sufficiently tame to come to the water's edge at feeding time and do not seem to worry about my wife or I working in the water, removing algae for example, or cleaning various pieces of equipment.

Indeed, some of the fish will come to nibble at our hands and arms and it does make me ponder over the intelligence of these delightful calm creatures. They never fight with one another either, not even when food is the focus of their attention.

A recent family party introduced our grandchildren to the delights of the pond but one, a seven-yearold girl, was quite alarmed by the sudden arrival of large buzzing insect that looked like a miniature helicopter. It was an emperor dragonfly, the largest of our species and he was coloured a wonderful green and blue. He flew around our garden and paid some attention to the pond before heading over the hedge and away.

Although this dragonfly is chiefly found in the south of England but rarely as far north as Scotland, I am sure it was an emperor due to its size and colouring. Certainly, it can be seen during the summer months of June, July and August where it enjoys large lakes, ponds and canals. These huge insects patrol their own patches of water consequently I was not surprised to see it make a return visit a few hours before writing these notes.

I was able to show young Isabel colour photographs of the various types of dragonfly and damselfly and did my best to persuade her they are not harmful to humans.

I'm not sure she was convinced!

These are just some of the delights of an English country garden.

AREADER from Marske, near Saltburn, has reminded me that, several years ago, I wrote about the Friendship Cake. I have checked my records to learn one occasion was during 1985 - a long time ago. Perhaps the moment has come to give this socalled Endless Cake another airing?

Some readers gave the cake a name - Herman - but the tradition is that some cake mixture known as Herman is carried unbaked and given to a friend. The day you receive Herman you must feed him with a cup of milk, a cup of self-raising flour and half a cup of sugar, then stir well. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator covered but not sealed. One reader in the past recommended a margarine carton. When Herman is in the fridge, he must be stirred every day. Do this for four days.

On day five, feed Herman again, with the same ingredients as day one. Repeat the daily stirring until day ten. Day ten is the time for Herman to be baked but before doing so, take out two cups of the mixture. One is to pass on to a friend, the other is for your own next cake.

You now have a mixture ready to be baked but first add two cups of self raising flour, half a teaspoon of salt, one cup of sugar, two-thirds of a cup of cooking oil, two teaspoons of baking powder, half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and one teaspoon of cinnamon or mixed spices. At this stage, you could also add currants, raisins, dried fruit or nuts as desired.

Mix well and pour into a large cake tin, say 9' by 9' and before baking top the mixture with one tablespoon of flour, half a cup of melted butter, a tablespoon of cinnamon and half a cup of brown sugar. Stir well, pour over the cake and swirl with a fork. Bake for 45- 60 minutes in an oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or Gas Mark 5.

After baking and while still hot, glaze with quarter of a cup of butter or margarine, quarter of a cup of brown sugar and quarter of a cup of milk, all boiled together for three minutes. Spoon this mixture over the cake and leave to cool in its tin.

The origin of this cake is obscure but it might be a very old German recipe, the forebear of such a cake enjoyed in the west of America and Canada. Apparently, it was sometimes called sour cake or sour dough cake but because the wives of the early pioneers had difficulty obtaining yeast, they kept a Herman mixture going all the time - which has a live yeast base.

Enjoy.

THERE is increasing concern about the powers being delegated by our socialist Government to district councils, and about the way such councils enforce those petty rules with a total lack of sympathy, understanding and realism.

Indeed from reports in the press, it appears council officials do not exercise any kind of discretion with the result we are becoming over-regulated by nonsensical rules that have been drawn up in offices by inexperienced clerks and unworldly supervisors.

Having served for 30 years in the police, one of the lessons taught to young officers was that they should exercise their discretion when enforcing Britain's complex mass of minor rules and regulations.

For example, if a vehicle driver had failed to sign his driver's licence, then ask him to do so immediately. Don't take him to court for such a minor illegality.

If someone had forgotten to tax their car, then remind them - and check it a week later. If you caught a person buying drinks in a pub when under age, warn them on the first occasion. And if you caught a man driving at 60mph through a 30mph limited area at 3am because he was rushing his pregnant wife to hospital, then you'd help him get her there as soon as possible. Common sense should prevail.

A huge amount of goodwill can be generated by the sensible interpretation and wise enforcement of rules and regulations. That knowledge seems to have been omitted from the minds of petty officials who have the power to fine people for not placing their rubbish bin in the right place, putting wrong stuff in the bin, infringing the daft health and safety regulations, or making jam and cakes for a charity stall in the local market.

One of the latest and daftest comes from Chichester Council, who has advised its staff not to use the phrase man in the street' in case it offends women.

One of the best pieces of advice in such cases is that: "Rules are for the obedience of fools and the guidance of wise people."