Our dog Sam followed me everywhere. He gently sniffed out small creatures, rooted around whilst I was weeding, raced around in circles with his footballs and tore them to shreds.
Where’s the Dog?
Storm Barney Hits
It seems that our weather really is changing. The Met Office are now actually naming storms that affect the UK and Ireland in much the same way as hurricanes are named elsewhere in the world. We have always had gale force winds in November but this year they already seem to be stronger than in previous years with trees felled, torrential downpours of rain and widespread flooding. The Met Office have been very helpful and their website includes weather forecasts, videos, severe weather warnings and even infographics to use on your website or blog.
Paris
I can’t express the shock and sorrow that we are feeling so instead here’s a quote from Ghandi. He was right of course. Tyrants and murderers never reign for long.
The Other Letter
I came across this short video on Youtube and wondered if you would like to see what some small children would like for Christmas.
A world devoid of colour
If the world was devoid of colour what would I do? I would have to get used to a tasteful black and white blog for a start! My wardrobe would be the height of fashion for once in trendy shades of black and grey with white accents. I could get used to black and white food I think… but I couldn’t manage without some colour in the garden.
Organic Gardening
Did you know that British wild flowers and wildlife are under threat from modern growing methods? Since the second world war chemicals and machinery have changed the face of the British countryside.
Daffodil Muncher
My photos give the impression that everything in the garden is rosy. And mostly it is. But there are times when things don’t go to plan, when part of the garden looks shabby and unkempt or pests move in and cause havoc in their own small way. These tricky situations are character building I tell myself.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Woodpeckers are common British birds. They are easy to spot in and around your garden during winter when the trees are bare. In summer when the trees are in full leaf you can sometimes hear them but it is very difficult to see them.
English Oak Trees
I’ve often wondered about the oak tree I sit under every day. My studio is directly beneath it. During the day I can hear woodpeckers drumming on the dead wood right at the top of the tree. Blue tits collect insects and sing to claim their patch. Squirrels scurry and leap and there’s an occasional thud on the roof…
Protect your Tender Plants
There’s a big storm coming. Experts at the met office are tracking the weather systems from the Great Lakes and Florida. It’s likely that they will join up to form a storm and it’s possible that heavy rainfall and wind in excess of 80 mph will hit the UK early on Monday. It’s hard to believe because October has been mild this year with higher than usual temperatures both during the day and at night.