FAUNA EVERYWHERE (WHAT FOOTBALL?)

No time for the football in Russia, too busy in garden, anyway not too bothered to watch a bunch of multi-millionaires chase a bag of wind and fall down stricken at the slightest hint of a touch.

Not all things in the garden are welcome - yes, weeds and honey fungus - but R's favourite - brown rat. Just seen one coming out from under the shed by the feeders.

Having said that the cock pheasant almost takes seed from my hand (birdbrain)(the bird I mean), the goldfinches are ploughing through the nyger seed, the jay is whizzing about, I have heard a yellowhammer singing in the top of an oak tree along the lane. and there are pigeons fighting under the window.

This is Chicken of the Woods (I think) just down the lane. Clean well, 3 minutes in boiling water then use as a risotto or curry.

Welcome to fledgling world - chaffinches, assorted tits, woodpeckers, blackbirds, dunnocks, goldfinches, tree sparrows and house martins to name but a few.

 








Then there are the multiplying squirrels and even they are fighting over peanut rights. I do not know whether this is a pair - which I suspect is the truth - or separate individuals. They are stroppy at the best of times.

And now the rat is chasing the larger squirrel away. When we are extinct will rats inherit the earth - they would need much smaller cars.

The poppies are over - how they were on the right with a visitor at the bottom and a hosepipe - left there lazily after all the watering in the hot weather.

And so to cutting back - Sweet Cicely, aquilegias, oriental poppies - and taking it all to the compost heap. They will come again with a second flush in the autumn.
The white willowherb is spreading on the top banking but we do not mind as we like it - not quite the thug the pink one is.
The hesperus matronalis 'alba' is also over and n needs trimming for more flowers later.

Finally we do have a few beetroot seedlings, the severely pulled part of the rhubarb patch is thriving and the asparagus has been fed and left to build up its strength for next year - oh yes, and the crambe keeps delivering despite trying to fall over in the gale we have just had.

And finally, finally, one of the rambling rector roses is thirty feet up the big ash tree outside my window - pictures next blog.

Oh! The squirrel is trying to prize open the top of the sunflower seed feeder and failing resulting in much tail twitching and thrashing with frustration.

Having, oh sorry, finally, finally, finally, after watching a program on David Hockney I have downloaded the brushes redux app. No promises of a masterpiece but I will have a go. Mind you if it is a disaster this is the last mention you will get.

Later -

Mmm! done with the finger on the iPad from memory - could do better.