Friday 17th July 2015

A warm and sunny day. Weekend also looking good weather wise.
Morning spent watering the garden to cover the weekend while we are away. Also topped up all the bird feeders, mice sadly will have to wait until Sunday night for the next meal?
Have set up three trail cameras covering top, middle and bottom of the garden. Unable at the moment to tell where the family of foxes are living.
                   With cases packed (2.30pm) off we set for Welwyn Garden City and our weekend break to celebrate a birthday at a prom concert in the park at Hatfield House. Will also be visiting Lee Valley Nature Resve at Gunpowder Park.
Enjoyed a fillet steak and a couple (so far) of pints of London Pride tonight, a good start yo he weekend.

Thursday 16th July 2015

A wonderful day, warm and sunny throughout.
Enjoyed a day with Colin and Janet, first of all Colikn carrying out the duty of cutting the ribbon to declare the Lodge 'open'. Why Colin? This was the fella that suggested back last winter that the garden was lacking a log cabin, no more suggestions now, I am done with projects!
This was followed by a lunch and a pint at the Cunning Man then a walk beside the Kennet & Avon Canal. Some wonderful reflections at Barge City.
                    Camera's are showing some good images of Foxy at night. Last night saw her bringing over something to eat and then laying on the lawn feasting. Brilliant. Good to see the holly blue butterfly again. Regular butterfly now.
Pictures 1 & 2 - Opening of The Lodge.
       "      3 -- 6 - Kennet & Avon canal walk.
       "      7 & 8 - Foxy.
       "             9 - Holly Blue.

Wednesday 15th July 2015

Very mild and overcast day.
After the weekly food shop it was down to business in the garage. Little more sorted but not a lot thrown away. Will have a go at selling some items like picture framing, victorian fireplace, glass door handles + loads more stuff I will now never use.

Spent a quality couple of hours sitting in the garden watching leaf cutters and a young chaffinch being fed. From the hide watched a mouse tugging at straw so perhaps a nest in the log home. Problem now is the straw is covering 50% of the lense.
Very surprised to see a vixen and cub suckling from the lense of the trail camera. Have set two cameras tonight.
Picture 1 - Cub and Vixen.
      "     2 - Two Mice.
      "     3 - Leaf Cutter Bee.
      "     4 - Rose attacked by a Leaf Cutter Bee.

Tuesday 14th July 2015

Not such a good day, very mild and muggy with heavy showers tonight.

After a stressful 48 hours I hope now to have mastered the importing of photographs to my new desk top. Will attempt at posting a few picts' in a moment.

Spent the day in the garage attempting a de-clutter exercise. For some years now the garage has been used as a workshop, store and dumping ground while I have been working on various garden projects. 
Hope now after this exercise to be able to garage the car. Plan is by the winter. Good attempt today but my word some way to go yet. Missed working out in the back garden so in my own interest to crack on and finish this job.
Now for some photographs, hopefully.....

Monday 13th July 2015

Mild and breezy day with showers this evening.

Lost the will to live today, I will return to planet earth once there is software available that does not involve cutting and pasting....

Sunday 12th July 2015

A cooler day with rain early evening. Rain actually most wellcome ax shrubs and trees now suffering. You would think it was autumn with the amount of leaves falling.
Collected guttering bits from Screwfix this morning so wax able to finish the guttering job on the studio. With two more 230 ltr water butts I should now have all the garden covered by recycled rain water.
                 Spent a couple of hours in the hide this afternoon. Brilliant to watch the mice pulling at the straw I sneaked into the woodstack. Two mice appeared tonight in the log home, first time seen two together.
Chuffed to see a young great spotted woodpecker on the feeder tonight. Returned time and again over an hour.

Saturday 11th July 2015

A good warm and sunny day.

Fixed what I could of the replacement guttering to the studio. Missing two bends, should be ready to collect from Screwfix tomorrow.

Created another mammal, bee or bug home in the base of the water butt. Camera fixed but awaiting cable from Handykam.

                Good day for swifts, most I have Seen all summer. Sadly unable to play the swift call due to the bed issue but happy in the fact they are flying around the house.

Leaf Cutter Bees really busy, very colourful as not only using rose leaves but also the petals.

                   Enjoyed a bbq tonight and a few pints around the fire pit with Julian, Celie and Marianne. Bang goes my dawn walk tomorrow after so many pints drunk.