November uses its curtain call as an overture for things ahead as frost and snow flurries creep in while a northerly breeze shows who is in charge now.
Meanwhile John has sprained his ankle and has to sit down a lot
Ian commiserates and The Saint feels a little sidelined
So Ian goes off to practice camouflage
Ian St John have been spending their nights in the greenhouse and their days outside…
…in an enclosure that they were rapidly outgrowing (at least in the case of St John)
So now each morning they are walked down to the netted beds
for fun and frolics…
…and a wash and brush up
St, or is it John, keeps an eye on the sky for a passing buzzard
while Ian keeps an eye on the ground
for a passing dandelion.
Not keen to share
until persuaded
Ian needs to cool down
Then all still the best of friends
(Lesley-Ann – show this to Robin and get him come down to do a bit of duck whispering)
Sometimes we look down on the mist
Sometimes we look up at the mist
But we never seem to be in the mist
What does this mean?
Straw supplies brought in today and subjected to an inspection
We awake to bright skies
crusted water
snow in the distance
and crisp beneath our feet
Heron sails up the valley
and the swelling starling swathe swoops and swirls
A few pictures from today’s November gloom:
When they arrive at the feeder everyone else has to stand back
They know who is the most handsome
They do what they call singing at the top of the Ash
And move in and out with mob bravado
passing overhead with whirring wings
Welcome visitors
A week into November
and the guineapigs, who have been dutifully moving up and down the grass all summer in their mobile lawnmower
move indoors
as always, they are a little shy
but when nobody is looking they will be out to enjoy their dinner
We hope they are not to warm tonight as they are being hosted in the Juvenile Hedgehog Care Facility where the newly installed insulation adds 10 degrees to the outside temperature
At the other end of the plot the lake, after just one season, is starting to look mature
On the bank we raised behind there is still lots of colour
and the top of the bank gives a good perspective
as scything progresses.
Up in the wood
the hydrangea is reaching its mystical stage
Indoors, Ian pays a little visit
and the good news is that we think he might be a she so instead of eating him we can develop a long relationship
So, at two frosts down, winter has not yet begun to bite
In this times of uncertain climate we take one day
at a time
The Cayugas are alert
On watch by the gate
They have heard we might be getting geese and want us to know they can be on guard
The Blackbird is keeping an eye out
The Robin has his ear cocked
As the November 5th show starts
three sun happy ducklings
and a very keen coaltit
Solo (Cayuga) had hastily imported Muscovies as companions. Now they are a family
Solo holds his own, although he is finding the language puzzling.
Ian (Muscovy) had hastily imported Aylesburys as companions
chosen as they were the same age (not that there was much choice).
They went on outings together
What Ian did not know was that his adopted siblings would grow twice as fast as himself
But as long as he is in the middle he feels wanted
Gribin Isaf 