Apart from having my first ever flu jab I’ve mostly been sitting in the garden this morning – thinking.
There are Skylarks flying over every now and again – so characteristic of fine days in October here. And there have been a few Red Admirals on the Ivy, among all the wasps, Ivy Bees (just a few still, I think), flies that look like flies and flies that look like hymenoptera.
There are Jackdaws taking walnuts from nextdoor’s Walnut tree and the occasional Red Kite drifts past. yesterday a Hornet appeared very briefly and flew off – a first for the garden. Also yesterday was a four-raptor day with Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Buzzard to add to the Red Kites. And yesterday my first Swallow for ages from the garden – was it the last this year?
And I picked a few more ripe tomatoes too – we have loads of green ones still and I’m wondering when to pounce and pick them.
There were showers yesterday, heavy ones, but also warm sunny intervals and today is sunny but the rain is coming later this afternoon, apparently.
I’m planning to spend a good chunk of time in the garden over the next six months, even in bad weather, it’ll be another way of drenching myself in nature. That’s the plan anyway.
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I’ve done more ‘proper’ gardening this year, growing wild flowers from seed, taking cuttings, propagating plants for friends, rather than just routine maintenance. It’s brought back an extra level of pleasure to the garden that I had lost.
Lyn – well, it has brought a level of pleasure to me that I’ve never had before.
You never know, I might be asking for a dibber for Christmas!
I think we get far more out of seeing something, special, new or interesting if it is in a place we can really relate to so local patches and gardens a special places. Yesterday there were still butterflies in the garden after nearly 5 days of rain or cold dullness, nothing special, 2 Red Admirals, 2 Small Whites and a Comma but it made me smile. I also spent an hour watching an Otter on the river some 500m from home, sitting on one of my favourite logs. Recently I have seen 2 female Goshawks several, Buzzards, Ravens and Red Kites from this log plus Great White Egret, late House Martins and a Kingfisher— its a good if not always comfortable place to sit and watch.
Gabi my partner is a much more diligent gardener than me and the garden has been glorious this year ( and still is) bar the bit she leaves for me, perhaps I will make more effort in the future. Both bits are good for wildlife however. Our fruit trees have had a disaster though due to some very heavy late frosts we have almost no eating apples and more but still relatively few cookers, no plums, cherries and just 3-4 quince. The ivy here is late and little of it is in flower yet.