Overwhelmed by May. Too much. Meadow erupting. Bees swarming.
Just to focus on Lake Life
Lilies rising
Irises stretching
and the Damselflies are back
It is easy to record their mating
but the Chaser Dragonfly
lives up to its name
A rare record of the moment the chase is over
We have been in bed since the end of last year but today decided it might be worth getting up to have a look around…
Things seemed to be blossoming:
(This is the Sheffield Street Trees Memorial Flowering Cherry)
Next door is a new Flowering Pear to replace an elderly one near by
The Spring flowers seem to be doing alright
The other part of the orchard has tulip bulbs
Some are just starting to open up
The polytunnels seem to have managed
(Following Major Rodent Damage last year the strawberries are now in suspension)
At least the salad is ready to eat
and outside the broad beans seem to have established themselves
Fortunately we had a resident relative who has been supervising hatching
So we will have some new hens this year.
Yep, we will stay awake.
Christmas
A time for Light
Fish watching
and tree planting.
As you can see here, three years ago Robin planted his Elm.
Today was time for him to help his sister Hazel plant her tree….
Got tree, got hole, got wheelbarrow:
Check the hole is the right depth
A sprinkling of Mycorrhizas
All set
Fill in the hole
A little water
A hug for the tree
A bit of protection
All done
Off we go
“Ok ladies, what have we got here then…”
This afternoon the air is solid fog, a chilly blanket draped over tree and hedge. This layer is penetrated by giant water drops, descending from sky and branch, pinging off metal roofs and plastic tunnels and attempting to bury themselves in one’s scalp. The water creates a layer of slush underfoot. Beneath the slush is solid ice with a surface like greased glass. Any movement across this surface has to be at a nonagenarian’s shuffle (not something you have, Mother, obviously).
It is time to look back with nostalgia, all the way to…. last week
when skies were blue and berries red
We remember the artistic icicles
and forget the solid water bowls
(I don’t forget…
We remember the snowy hills
and forget the snowy roofs
puzzled hens
searching for their corn,
puzzled ducks wondering why their beaks can’t penetrate the ground
and discovering that lumps of ice aren’t much use for preening
We remember the beauty of ice crystals
and forget the non-stop job of keeping the birds fed
including the Special Blackbird that comes when called and stays very close to eat
Other blackbirds appreciate our leftover apples
as do passing strangers
We recall the picturesque frost
and forget the fingers like icicles and how much work became frozen too
Life may have remained oblivious beneath the frozen pond
and the frozen ground
We were able to appreciate structures normally less visible
although the less successful were also made more obvious
It was not a time to pull a leek
but now it is a time to look back on as having skies we could see
and sights we could enjoy without having our eyes glued to the surface beneath our feet
What a lovely time last week was…wasn’t it?
The Cold Moon arrived
and brought mist and snow
but also Winter sunlight
like the ghost of summer
Remembrance of vegetables past
Lighting up flowers old…
…and new
Some of our Winter lodgers catch the sun
as do our more permanent residents
as their last Summer memory hangs by a thread
Some trees are thinking ahead
other plants looking back
When snow arrives
the hens are disconcerted
Ducks
are more stoic
So as we consider past
present
and future
We adopt the mentality of ducks
We have had quite a good apple harvest this year
apples smaller than usual, because of the drought, but quite plentiful
We did more juicing than previously
We have a good store of Worcesters
Howgate Wonders
and Egremont Russets
among others.
But…
…every November there is a toot at the gate announcing the arrival of The Apple Man.
For fifty years he has been filling his van with orchard apples and bringing them to all corners of Wales. (His father before him used a horse and cart but probably did not range as far)
This year he brings more Howgates
bigger than ours
Plus
and trusty Coxes
He muses that for twice the cost of our purchase he filled up his van for his first run … and bought the van. Then he continues on his way.
This winter we will be fuelling ourselves with apple pie, baked apples
and other fortifying creations.
(Oh, and he brought pears too)
Today’s headlines:
“Records were also broken in Scotland, where the mercury hit 19.1C in Lossiemouth, and Northern Ireland, where temperatures reached 17.4C in Magilligan. Wales was the only UK nation where daily temperature records were not broken.”
humph, why are we left out?
“The record-breaking daytime temperatures came after another set of temperature records were broken overnight, with Northern Ireland and Scotland recording their highest November minimum temperatures, at 14.5C and 14.6C respectively.”
Well:
our minimum last night was 12.5 degrees, and we are at nearly 1000 feet.
The Saffron Crocus is meant to flower at this time
But these dandelions
have just appeared
The Aubretia
obviously thinks it is Spring and the Campanula
is joining in.
The Welsh Poppy
is cheerful whatever the weather (obviously).
The moon is getting bigger.
Full in three days when it is sometimes called the Frost Moon. Last year we had two nights of frost in November (down to minus 2) and the year before just one (minus 1) – all at the month end – so we don’t hold out much hope for it.
However, it is time for the rabbits to leave their summer camp
and say goodbye to their neighbours.
Being rabbits, they are not too sure of change
and would prefer to put their heads in a bucket
The hedgehogs have already moved on and no longer visit their night time buffet
The rabbits pass their new neighbour Dora, who lives in the sanatorium
and enter their winter quarters.
They cheer up when they view the facilities
Kitchenette with Radio 4 and additional heating
Fridge full of rabbit food
and start to settle in.
Getting use to indoor play
with just an occasional wistful look outside
Having a couple of grandchildren spare we decide to set them to work
collecting the windfalls
Chopping them up
Setting up the press
and screwing it down
We even let them taste a little of the result
Two days ago the first Starlings arrived, and then today…
The Fieldfares dropped in
Took their bearings
and tried to decide what to do next.
Gribin Isaf 