DAMSONS, PONDS AND INSECTS

The Bramley apples are ready and the damsons almost, Conference pears could do with a bit longer. I will have to get an long apple picker or improvise something. I tried a plastic bag on the top of the washing line pole but that was useless.
It is raining again - AGAIN!

I am going to raid the pond for plants for PB who has dug a lake in his field - clay bottom, no liner - envy! Anyway R wants some of the plants thinning out, especially the water lilies, as we can hardly see the surface now.

S has made an enquiry about whether we have any damsons yet - methinks he fancies a pound or two. Just been out and picked 14 pounds = 1 stone (6.35Kg) of damsons and only from the bottom of the one tree. Bagged up 3 lbs for S. R taking 5 lbs to church.

There are still white flowers in the garden. Japanese anemones and rose William Shakespeare.

The lawns are still a quagmire (Wednesday), but caught the fox again on the night camera. Men here repointing the paving - a palaver.

I have planted the three gaura plants, hoed the veg beds and picked yet more damsons - we have about four pounds from the trees by the cattle grid - for the first time in any quantity. R has bought a cherry/olive stoner from Lakeland to try on the damsons - it seems to work as long as the fruit is not too ripe - i.e. firm.

It is 27C today - weather we should have been having in August. Down by the pond a female Southern Hawker, Aeshna cyanea, is laying eggs on an old wet piece of wood.

Another common insect in our Cumbrian garden is the speckled wood butterfly, Pararge aegeria, here near the northernmost limit of its common range.


The paving is almost repointed - the colours partly restored with some more power washing. 
Today I have started to tidy the banking bed, trimming back the lavender, dead heading the crososmia and so on. 


The leaves on the grey poplar and the eucalyptus look good against the blue sky - something that has been so lacking this year. Suddenly it is September and temperatures are in the mid twenties - for a day or two - summer better late than never? 

 The plants in the pond are living in a green soup of algae - perhaps we could do with some algae eating fish - but then we also have some fish eating herons - etc etc. The bogbean is spreading and does so in this strange linear fashion. It is a plant I remember well from my messing about on the Coniston fells as a lad.

Noting has been heard about the steps quote - perhaps he has forgotten. Anyway here is a pic to show the line we hope for from the house to the pond.

I will have to dig out the new spring by the apple tree as the drain seems blocked, the tree needs pulling upright once the fruit have gone - a man's work is never done - but don't tell R.