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.

Wednesday 5th October 2016

Another warm and sunny day.
This morning taken up with the weekly shop, this afternoon it was a drive to Henry Street for another bag of mealworms and wallflower plants. Hedgehogs eating loads of mealworms of a night along with crunchy food. Bought three different colours of wallflowers this year as opposed to a mixed selection. A planting job for this weekend.
          Had a beauty of a moth this morning, not seen before so well chuffed. Bees busy on the ivy flowers in this afternoons sun and critters enjoying sex in the afternoon sun.
           Enjoyed a birthday meal with Lulu and Clive at the Chequers. Brilliant pressy of a frog habitat and a NQB pint mug, how cool is that?
Picture 1 - Garden in the Autumn afternoon sun.
      "     2 - Silver Birch at the bottom end of garden. I grew this one from seed.
      "     3 - Passion Flower hedge.
      "     4 - Still plenty of these beauties in the pond.
      "     5 - Plenty of nectar on these ivy flower heads.
      "     6 - Common Marbled Carpet Moth.
      "     7 - Caddis Fly mating.

Tuesday 4th October 2016

Very warm and sunny, good conditions for my work this week.
Today made a start on clearing the bottom end of the garden ready for the wildflower meadow and a new lawn.
Managed to cut some hefty over hanging branches from the holly, fig and fir trees. Plenty to shred now and recycle back to the borders. The thick branches will be cut into short lengths to add to the log pile.
           Hedgehogs still very active and eating lots, foxy appears at the moment to be friendly towards to hogs, may this continue as I do blame the foxes for the decline of hedgehogs in the garden.
Birds still busy eating the abundance of berries I still have on the trees and shrubs. One rowan tree now stripped but still plenty on the second tree. 
           Enjoyed a drink and a catch up with Gordon tonight at the Holiday Inn. 
Pictures 1 & 2 - Making a start on the clearing.
       "             3 - Stakes ready for the willow fence.
       "             4 - All trimmed, now ready for shredding.
       "             5 - Fig tree down, I grew from seed this one.

Monday 3rd October 2016

Very warm and sunny day.
Today was all about the observatory and roof blinds being fitted. Still not particularly happy about this. On the one hand I do like sky watching but on the other hand was unable to see the monitor screens due to excessive light. Hopefully a compromise can be attained?
             Cut the lawns and edges, think there will be a couple more cuts before the mower is locked away for the winter.
Also planted twenty five bee friendly tulip bulbs, never seen bee friendly tulips before so will be interested to see the results next Spring.

Sunday 2nd October 2016

Very warm and sunny all day, just superb.
Day spent in garden, sunflower heads now outside drying, stems now cut ready for next seasons bug box, another 25 bulbs planted and pond tidied from fallen leaves.
This afternoon I set myself a task of photographing as many bugs as I could find. A good result actually, ladybirds and nymphs, shield beetles, moths, dragonfly nymphs, spiders and waspy things.
More fungi appeared overnight, something magical about Autumn.

Saturday 1st October 2016

Warm but overcast day with showers this morning and late afternoon.
As wet this morning I started the annual Autumn garage clear out ready to have the car garaged over winter.
This afternoon with weather much improved I started the cutting down of the sunflowers. Will dry over winter before cutting to produce bug boxes. With so few sunflowers stems this year it will only be a small bug box.
             Plenty of fungi forming now, a good sign of Autumn. Other signs of Autumn are the insects looking now to hibernate, ladybirds particularly.
Definate signs now of a third hedgehog, one photographed at the bottom end of the garden as reported yesterday and overnight some hog poo appeared on the deck path.
Have images of the fox and spike sharing an egg, good to see they are friendly to each other.
Good to see the Jay returning today, not seen for some while. Fed well on the monkey nuts this morning. Tufty missed out today.
With the abundance of berries about at the moment has seen a marked decrease in birds on the feeders. A good sign actually, the planting of these berry fruiting shrubs over the years is now paying off.