Love days like today, very warm and sunny.
Day on my own today to enjoy a walk along the Thames at Reading. Absolutely wonderful. After a pretty long walk I stopped by at the Whittington Tea Barge and enjoyed a cuppa with a baked spud. Sitting at the waters edge watching barges and boats sail by, swans and ducks doing ones best to nick any food going, clear blue sky - what more could you wish for.
Arrived home late afternoon and then enjoyed a pint in the garden while watching the young chaffinches and goldfinches being fed with sunflower hearts.
A brilliant day.
Pictures 1 - 4 - River Thames at Reading showing new third bridge.
" 5 - Foxy out last night.
A beautiful day, warm and sunny all day.
Not the day I had planned. Woke up to find a camera malfunctioning. Was the camera to the original mouse house I produced from a flower pot and log. Meant disturbing the home which was interesting, the amount of nesting material. On inspection I was to find the cable chewed right through. What a b*mmer.
Did have a spare new camera which I connected to a new home hidden in the same woodstack. Looking forward to further mouse action in due course.
Enjoyed a meal out with Lulu and Clive at the Shoulder of Mutton in Heckfield. This was a belated birthday meal due to Lulu's erratic working hours.
In amongst the veg Lyn brought over the other day were courgettes, clever Wifelet produced a walnut and courgette cake with them. Delicious it is as well.
Picture 1 - chewed camera cable.
" 2 - Making new mouse home.
" 3 - New home in place in the woodstack.
" 4 - Courgette cake, yummy.
Another warm and sunny day.
Enjoyed a day with Celie and Leilani, this afternoon we tried our artistic skills again at the Leaping Frog Ceramics workshop. Celie chose a shoe, Leilani a cup cake, Lorna a dip plate and I went for a plate to take my frogs I produced on previous occasions. Have to wait a week now while they are fired and glazed.
A new experience for us all was eating at the Homemade Burger restaurant in the Oracle. Good food but my, why does the music have to be so loud? Killed conversation at a stroke.
Finished the evening back home in the Leaping Frog.
Pictures 1 - 3 - Pottery before...
" 4 - 6 - Pottery after...
A pretty good day with again temp' reaching 21c this afternoon. Warm enough to sit out and admire the butterflies.
Nigel and Lyn popped over this morning with home grown veg that they were overrun with. One of the reasons I stopped growing veg, ended up giving it away.
They were impressed with the Lodge/Shed and the general transformation of that part of the garden.
Stayed for coffee and cake so a good relaxing morning.
Not a moth to be seen in or around the moth trap last night but this afternoon I was amazed at the number of moths flying in and out of the ivy hedge. Loads of them.
A very interesting evening last night watching a large snail creating a slime blanket in mouse house. Have been left with what looks like frogs spawn in the blanket. Am assuming these will be baby snails? Interesting days ahead.
Trail camera captured a fox cub last night, only the one so again assuming this was the cub suckling three weeks ago.
Picture 1 - One of the moths from the ivy hedge, loads of these.
" 2 & 3 - Snail and slime blanket in mouse house.
After a little overnight rain the day turned out pretty good, warm and sunny most of the day with temp' actually reaching 21c this afternoon. Pretty windy however.
On mooching about the garage this morning I came across a nest in a screw box lid. Must be years old as no holes in garage for birds to fly through, must be about 30 years old as about the time I re-roofed the garage.
Was aware of movement behind a photograph this afternoon, and what do I spy, a Peacock Butterfly. Lovely specimen.
Interesting happening in the mouse house. As you can see by the photograph a strange something has emerged. Appeared overnight. Might stay up tonight to see if any further movement.
Picture 1 - Birds nest in lid.
" 2 - Peacock Butterfly.
" 3 - What can this be in mouse house?
Not happy times at the moment, Lorna's dear sister Jean died last night. Can't believe we were only enjoying afternoon tea with her and Doug two weeks ago. Just can't take in the quickness of this. RIP Jean.
What a miserable day. Mild but rain most of the day. Pretty windy at times as well.
Sunflowers were taking a battering so had no option but to re-stake despite the awful conditions. Snails were also having a field day so a fair time was spent removing, determined to win this sunflower competition!
Two interesting moths appeared on the side gate overnight, still there as I type. I am assuming moths but I await confirmation from my moth mate - plume moths.
Picture 1 & 2 - Plume moths on side gate (thanks Boyo for identification).
" 3 - Snail on sunflower.
" 4 - Re-staked sunflowers.
Weather an improvement on yesterday. Warm and sunny most of the day.
Henry Street shopping this morning for bee loving lavender plants.
This afternoon planted them up in large pots as not much luck growing them in the garden.
Within half an hour of planting bees were already on the plants. Good sign.
Buff Tip Moth eggs have all but disappeared so will commence with connecting the trap again. Rain forecast tonight so will wait until finer weather again.
Interesting evening watching the monitor, or so I thought? This snowball looking thing appeared and it was some while until I was able to identify it as a snail! It kept me amused for a while...
Picture - Snail in mouse house.
Sad news re Lorna's dear sister Jean. Admitted to hospital yesterday after experiencing complications and subsequently suffered a heart attack during tests. At the moment not able to recognise anyone around the bed, not good news.
