Thursday 27th October 2017

What a nightmare day/evening again with the Internet. Affected the phone as well, has literally just burst into life.
Weather today was good, very mild, fair amount of sun and a stunning sunset.
Today worked on the lawn(s) project. Much to my annoyance I have had to peg down the wire covering the wild flower seed. Hedgehog and cats spent another night getting under the wire. Did a little more to the levelling of the other lawn, animals are loving this area as well but not so bothered here as will turf in the Spring.
            Jays busy again, no sign of the great spotted however for two days now. Sparrowhawk made an entrance this morning, not seen for a long while as with other birds.
Looking forward now to the Blackpool break, early start tomorrow.

Tuesday 25th October 2016

After overnight rain the day was dry, mild but very overcast. No sign of the sun today.
Day spent working on the new lawn, plot dug over and a start made on levelling. Called it a day when a large blister appeared on my hand from the rake handle.
Will lay a temporary path later in the week as plot will become rather muddy. Will not turf until the Spring.
Trail camera showed a hedgehog getting under the wire protecting the wildflower seed. A fox was also seen on the wire so good job I did this or by now the plot would be well messed up.
Interestingly a rat was also seen in this area of the garden with a cat hot on its tail. Breakfast for the cat I think?

Monday 24th October 2016

Mild but mostly overcast today.
Day spent clearing up in the front garden after the builders who worked on the drive last week. Had two huge Acer branches to cut up in log pile lengths. These two branches were overhanging the road and was an issue for me until that is the grab lorry arrived to remove the concrete. As a favour he grabbed the said branches and snapped them off. Saved me a lot of money that.
The logs now on a pile in the wildflower meadow area of the garden.
               After reporting yesterday that I had not seen the great spotted for a while today one showed up on the fat ball feeder. Good news.
More and more birds are now using the feeders after a lull of a few weeks. Normal this time of year with so many berries about.

Sunday 23rd October 2016

A warm and sunny day, bootiful.
Day spent working on the lawn project. All rubbish now cleared, wire, rotten wood etc. Brick surround layed for the alpine border, just need to dig and level now ready for turfs next Spring.
              Sadly no trail camera images today as clearly the lenses were misted up last night.
Jays and goldfinches particularly busy today as was a pair of squirrels back and forth with walnuts. The walnut tree is six doors down, I have as many walnut trees shooting as I do acorns.
Work for me this coming week will be on the lawn project, hoping to have this area levelled this week.

Saturday 22nd October 2016

Musty start turning to a warm and sunny day.
Up at 6am ready for the Cotswolds trip to find drive chaps laying the Tarmac, they were at the depot at 4.30am as apparently trucks start queuing at 5am. Big market in tarmac it seems.
             Enjoyed a good day at Toddington for the steam train and food/drink fair. The steam train trip was just stunning as with the sun out and the trees changing colour the Cotswolds countryside was at its best, just loved it.
The food/drinks fair not do good as by the time we were able to look most of the food had been sold. Apparently some stalls had sold out by 10am.
Arrived home at 7pm after a great day out and of course home to a new drive. Chaps did well.

Friday 21st October 2016

A warm and sunny day.
Drive chaps today finished the black edging and filled in with scalpings ready for the tarmac tomorrow.
These chaps really are doing a great job.
For me today was all about relaxing as feeling a bit worn out after the last few weeks of working on the lawn/meadow projects.
With a day out tomorrow to the Cotswolds I need to be feeling up to it.
Looked again at the brilliant images of the foxes and hedgehogs, must edit now and start posting some.

Thursday 20th October 2016

A good warm and sunny day, liking this weather.
Work chaps did well today managing to cement in 50% of the granit edge blocks. Looking good.
For me I spent day working on the lawn project. Dug out the roots of the fruit trees before they start shooting again. All the roots now in the wooded area for bugs to find and hibernate in.
Have decided for this lawn to use turf, laying next Spring. This will give me time to replace the fence , fit a gate, create a herb garden in a pallet that will be fixed to the fence, also gives me time to create a gravel alpine border in front of the alpine house. In my head I can picture what the end result will be.

Wednesday 19th October 2016

Another good warm and sunny day.
With the digger repaired the workmen working on the drive today dug down the 800mm ready for the hardcore tomorrow.
            More good images from the trail camera of the two foxes playing although rather annoyingly on the new wild flower meadow, despite the wire covering.
Also good images  of two hedgehogs, one each end of the garden. Bad news was seeing a rat run across the lawn, pretty sure the local cats will soon catch it.
                In town this afternoon to the Apple Store re the problems associated with this iPad (typing this on Sunday). Required re-setting after a power surge which knocked out my password. All good now.
Sadly blogger.com is unable to cope with my photographs on the iPad so will post later in week.

Tuesday 18th October 2016

A warm and sunny day, one of those good Autumn days.
Workmen did well with the drive today despite the delay in using the digger due to the caterpillar track snapping.
Lorry with grab collected all the broken up concrete this morning.
          I spent most of the day clearing what's left of the fruit cage. Looking a bit clearer now and can see how having this area grassed will enhance this area.
           Some great images of the foxes playing and washing one another. Means there are three in the garden but one clearly has mange and is not in a good state.
Jays still busy eating monkey nuts but still to see the woodpeckers this season. Plenty of goldfinches, chaffinches, blue tits and a couple of robins feeding now. No sign yet of green finches or sparrows.
Managed a photograph of a red admiral on a shrub this afternoon, while the is still showing I guess I will still see butterflies.

Monday 17th October 2016

A very warm and sunny day, rain late this afternoon with a double rainbow.

What a Monday, car in for MOT by 8am, workmen started work on the drive and I demolished the fruit cage.

Workmen made a good start on the drive, 95% of the old concrete now broken up awaiting a grab lorry tomorrow to remove. I made a start on taking down the fruit cage ready for the second part of the meadow project. This area will be a standard lawn with a border of wildflower plants. The wire initially will be used to cover the newly sown seed as a protection against foxes, cats and deer.

Not sure what has happened to the layout tonight, all over the place.

Picture 1 - Foxy under the bird feeder at lunchtime.

Picture 2 - First go at the concrete drive with the compressor.

Picture 3 - A start on breaking up the concrete.

Picture 4 - 95% broken up.

Picture 5 - Taking down the fruit cage.

Picture 6 - Fruit cage down.

Picture 7 - Rainbow late this afternoon.

Sunday 16th October 2016

After early morning rain the rest of the day was very mild and sunny. In fact temp' reached 19c this afternoon.
This morning unscrewed the pair of gates to the drive and also the edge boards. Having the drive resurfaced this week. So many weeds growing in the concrete I now mow the drive.
This afternoon levelled and raked the wildflower meadow area for the final time. Seed mix due this week, ideal conditions at the moment.
                    Spent some time in the hide late afternoon, was amazed how many goldfinches were feeding at that end of the garden. Jays busy again today feeding on the monkey nuts. Some good images on from the trail camera.
Some great images from the trail cameras last night, over 2000 images to check out, hopefully will post a selection tomorrow.

Saturday 15th October 2016

A stunning day. Warm and sunny all day. Tonight a different matter however. As I type this it is raining heavily and there are four police cars parked outside our fence and gate. No connection with the weather, just thought I would report it. Drugs bust no doubt.
Day spent on further clearing of the wild flower site. Get a better idea now of area to cover. All cleared now, just need to dig over and level.
Seed was ordered last night, sadly could not justify the cost of turf so have gone for a seed mix that is suitable for poor soil and shady conditions. With 25sq mtrs to cover even seed was expensive but at least more affordable.

Friday 14th October 2016

Very mild but sadly overcast much of the day.
Another day spent on the meadow project, not much to show for a days work however.
Bluebell bulbs dug up and spread elsewhere in the woodland area. Gravel path loosened ready for removal and section of my bonsai tree collection moved to another area.
Weekend looking wet but hope to deal with the gravel path during the weekend.
               Over the moon to see the goldfinches returning to the feeders, also a couple of jays enjoying the monkey nuts. With the amount of poo heaps about this morning it was clear the fox has been eating well. 
Moths are scarce now, just the one this morning and that was not in the best of health. Not seeing them flying about the ivy hedge now, understandable with the weather much cooler and little sun.
Will leave the trap connected over winter however, might strike lucky?
Picture 1 - Digging up bulbs.
     "      2 - Spider in amongst my bonsai trees.
     "      3 - Robin treating me to some beautiful music. Have not been able to hear such sounds 
                   for over a year so pleased in some respect for these wifi bluetooth hearing aids.
     "      4 - Goldfinches on the feeder.
     "      5 - Moth.

Thursday 13th October 2016

Mild, sunny but a little overcast at times.
Day spent shredding the twiggy bits of the willow tree. Two huge bags full now spread on the garden.
Layered more of the willow fence, have run out of material now until I carry out further lopping of the willow tree.
             Watching through last nights trail cam footage I noticed a hedgehog in a space close to the pond. On closer inspection this afternoon I found what is clearly its hibernation quarters. Would never had known if not for the trail cam. 
Good to see the jay returning to the garden, been very few birds about lately on the feeders. Busy still enjoying the berries.
Picture 1 - Willow tree branches cut ready for another log pile.
      "     2 - Pile of willow twigs ready for shredding.
      "     3 - Part of the willow fence.

Wednesday 12th October 2016

Not so good today, mild, sunny but a few showers to spoil the day.
Only trail camera images to report today as was out on the weekly food shop run this morning and a visit to my sister this afternoon.
Have found another spot in the garden where a hedgehog scratching about at night. Also found the culprit that pulled out all the straw from the kennel box the other night, the fox. Was using its leg to do this.

Tuesday 11th October 2016

An absolute beauty of a day, warm and sunny all day and well into the evening.
Really enjoyed the day at Runnymede and a long walk beside the Thames with Janet and Colin.
Runnymede so close to home but have only ever driven through it. So much history attached to this place.
Finished the day with a meal and a pint at a pub in Runnymede. A good day, making a break from cutting trees down?

Monday 10th October 2016

Another stunning day, long may it last.
Today spent making a start on cutting down the willow tree. Hard work as not very good with ladders and a electric saw, prefer to be grounded when using anything electrical. 50% cut, remaining will have to wait until next year now.
The long twigs are being used for a willow fence. The medium thick branches used as stakes for the fence and the trunky bits will be cut up for another log pile. Anything else will be shredded.
             Bit of a surprise to see a load of straw out of one of the hedgehog boxes. Loads of it, have pushed back in and have a trail camera focused on it tonight. Also have a camera connected inside. Watch this space.
Good to see a red admiral enjoying the ivy flowers in this mornings sun. Also plenty of bees and wasps about, a hornet was also spotted looking I think for somewhere to hibernate?
Picture 1 - Cut willow branches.
      "     2 - Half a willow tree.
      "     3 - Part of the willow fence.
      "     4 - Branches stripped ready for cutting into log pile lengths.
      "     5 - Hogatat, a birthday present.
      "     6 - Red Admiral.
      "     7 - Hornet about to enter the shed.
      "     8 - Waspy thing on the decking.
 " 9 & 11 - Moths.
 "        10 - What has done this I wonder?

Sunday 9th October 2016

A stunning day, warm and sunny. Bootiful.
Day spent digging out the hazel tree stump, this was actually one of my late Fathers bonsai trees which I re-planted in this part of the garden some 12 years ago.
Took some shifting but at least out now, one step nearer to having the site cleared. 
Have decided now to cut down the willow tree, this will be some task as has grown to a massive height and spread. Best do it now while I can (I think) or it will be a very expensive job to have someone in to deal with. Will make a start tomorrow.
Not able to see much wildlife today as day spent on this stump, can confirm the fox and two hedgehogs were out in the garden last night.

Saturday 8th October 2016

Very warm but again overcast most of the day.
This morning planted out 45 wallflower plants, with ground so hard it was actually a time consuming job. Had to soak the ground first and of course watered the plants once planted.
This afternoon had a go at trimming a few branches from the willow tree. Used what I could on the willow fence project.
Also made an attempt at digging out the Hazel tree stump. Will have another go at this tomorrow. The stump is in the way of the wildflower meadow project.
              Big surprise of the day was the face to face contact with a fox this morning. Not sure who was more surprised. Looked liked a healthy young fox. Not sure where it came from, just appeared on the decking as I was resting with a cuppa. Thankfully my camera was around my neck.

Friday 7th October 2016

Warm but overcast most of the day.
Most of the day taken up with a hospital visit for having another go at re-programming my new hearing aids. Bit early to say for sure if I will be able to hear any clearer. First signs are good if the noise on the bus is anything to go by. These hearing aids have Bluetooth with full wireless capabilities so fingers crossed that the adjustments today actually help me?
             Some great images from the trail camera of the fox and hedgehog, will try and post over the weekend.

Thursday 6th October 2016

Very warm and sunny.
Another busy hardworking day. All the branches now shredded and spread so all ready now for the next stage. Digging up existing wild flower plants and replanting in a temporary position, probably a huge pot. Will create a border within the wild flower meadow for these plants.
Spent all day on the shredding so not much else to report.
Picture 1 - Moth.
      "     2 - Shield Beetle.
      "     3 - Red spider.
      "     4 - Shredding.
      "     5 - Shredding complete and spread over the back border, can just see in the 
                   photograph.