Hedgehog Feasting

New year's eve, a mild night.

Once again we watched the hedgehog feasting on the fox food, he is a very large creature and obviously knows the nocturnal habits of the garden. I never see him arrive, suddenly he is there tucking in to whatever has been put out for the fox. Whenever he finds sandwiches he is very quick to prise them open with his snout and paws, he then proceeds to lick all the spread from the bread before turning his attention to the meat or cheese filling which he demolishes in a very short time, then he drinks from a nearby bird bath and hurries back to his winter shelter in the direction of the greenhouse.

Many times I have watched the foxes eat with the hedgehog and have never seen any aggressive behaviour from a fox,on occasions I have watched a fox steal a piece of food from the hedgehogs mouth. I have also seen him jump when he has investigated the hedgehog too closely.

Old red dog fox

Mid afternoon and broad daylight brought a new visitor to the garden, an old red dog fox. He was very lean and much redder than our three usual fox visitors and was also bigger than the young dog fox who nightly stops by on his wanderings for a spot of supper.

Autumn berries and fieldfares

This morning I was both pleased and surprised to loook out of the window and see a huge flock of fieldfares in the malus. The crab apples which are the fruit of this tree must be well frosted by now but obviously made good eating, because the birds were really tucking in.

I have never had any fruit on this tree at this time of year before. The same can be said for the cotoneaster which is still so heavy with berries that the branches are hanging low with the weight of the fruit. Usually at this time of year all berries and other fruit on trees has long since been eaten.

This year we have had to wait much longer for the redwings and fieldfares to visit us.

I am intrigued to see how soon they clear the malus and if they will then move across the garden to the cotoneaster.

Christmas Starlings

My daughter who lives in East Yorkshire, has just told me that she has a nest of tiny baby starlings in her garden. Unusual for this time of year, I hope they survive the cold winter.

Red Admiral

On the wall of our bungalow is a lovely fresh red admiral, beautiful to see but a little worrying because of the lack of food available to him.

Red Admirals and Bees in December

We are on our way to visit our grandson and his fiancee in Oxfordshire.

The day is surprisingly warm, it is also bright and sunny and with no wind. I find it hard to believe in three days it will be Christmas day.

This morning I watched a beautiful red admiral flying around the garden, the warm sun was also responsible for bees banging against the windows.

Daisies are still blooming on the lawns.

This afternoon at 3:37pm the temperature was still a glorious 12.5 degrees c.

On the journey to our grandson's we see many walkers all hatted and gloved and from the smiles on their faces obviously enjoying the wonderful weather.

May I wish all of you a happy Christmas.

Winter hedgehog

A worrying surprise this evening.

We put the fox food out as normal, it was cold, minus three degrees and obviously dark, but with the outside light on we would be able to enjoy the fox when he ate his supper.

Suddenly across the lawn came not the fox but a hurrying hedgehog from the direction of the greenhouse. He was a large fellow and should have been sound asleep on such a cold night, but there he was tucking into the fox food. He moved from tiny sandwich to tiny sandwich opening each one with his snout, before eating the cheese filling and then carefully licking off the spread before discarding that piece of bread and moving on to the next.

He really tucked in and it was surprising to see how much he ate, before suddenly rushing off back in the direction of the greenhouse.

Songthrush, Tits, Gulls and a Crow

A crisply frosty morning everywhere is white, the sun is shining and steam is rising from a neighbours roof. A song thrush is singing from the very top flimsy bare branch of the Ginko Biloba, its song is repetitive as it swells forth loud and clear, caroling sweetly. A wonderful sound to be greeted with on awakening.

Two little blue tits are investigating a nearby a nesting box.

I place a handful of bird seed, some peanuts, half a cup of mixed fruit, suet and oatmeal on to the bird tables for the smaller birds and  throw three slices of wet bread broken into pieces onto the lawn for the larger birds, usually the pigeons and magpies are the first on the scene but these colder mornings the gulls beat them to it every time.

Finally I empty seed on the ground for the pheasants, although I know if they aren't quick the pigeons and tits will eat it first. If I notice this happening I call to him and he rushes to directly under the window where he is able to eat his food undisturbed.

While I tend to the pheasant I notice No-tail arrive and see a large flock of gulls white underwings bared and hovering over the lawn wheeling and swooping but not quite ready to drop to the food. Suddenly a crow comes hurtling blackly toward them and with one accord they disperse and disappear.

Autumn Leaves and Gulls

The wind has been blowing wildly for days, the garden trees are all but bare with less than a handful of yellowed leaves clinging tenaciously to a few odd branches. The pear tree stands forlornly empty now, bereft of all leaves and with one lone pear hanging from a top most branch, swinging back and forth in the wind, stubbornly clinging on and refusing to let go.

I ventured out briefly and scuffed my wellington clad feet through the layers of autumn leaves on the lawn. They were dry on the top but wet underneath and I was dismayed to find only bare earth underneath them, and no grass left on the lawn. Already the thick covering of mainly magnolia leaves have done their deadliest and as always at this time of year I wonder if the lawn will recover. Surprisingly it usually does.

The jay was interesting this morning, he ignored the food put out for the birds and squirrels and instead spent his time flying from bush to bush, always evergreen ones and once perched he would spend his time bending this way and that, with craned neck and outstretched head peering in all directions into the dark recesses of the shrubs.

What was his business? Is he a youngster and confused by the warmth of October just passed and is looking for nests with eggs or nestlings? Maybe though he is looking for food hidden by the squirrels, but I doubt it as they usually hide it in full view if it is hidden in trees, and usually choose the silver birch or flowering cherry trees.

Once food is on the lawn huge flocks of gulls sweep over at head height, 'till one braver than the rest - usually a youngster-dares to drop down and then is followed by the others. Interestingly, I have noticed the food is always spotted by a solitary gull flying over, he will then fly swiftly away and within a minute a huge flock will arrive, and then the behaviour is as above.

Goldcrests, pigeons and a hawk

While watching a pair of goldcrests flitting about in the birch tree this morning, my attention was diverted by the mass exodus of a  large flock of pigeons from the trees in the field at the end of the garden. They had suddenly and with one accord all taken flight, as I watched them I saw a hawk swiftly following and the reason for their hurried departure became clear.

Also was pleased an hour later to see a little cole tit foraging on the apple tree.

A gathering of winter birds

On a small sunny patch of lawn where the grass had returned to green from its previous white frostiness, I saw a group of birds: a green woodpecker, wren, dunnock, male blackbird, and surprisingly five robins.

The silver birch has small hard brown catkins newly showing.

December creatures and flowers

Another frosty morning, the lawns were white and the sun was bright. I could see steam rising from a neighbours roof --- invisible until recently when a lleylandii barrier was lowered.

Despite the cold feel there were fat bees buzzing around in the early morning sunshine, when I fed the birds, squirrels and pheasants.

I noticed on the hebe shrubs which are still in flower there were many bees, both large and small.

We still have so many flowers blooming which for this time of year is surprising. There are tiny blue birds eyes, pink, red and white roses, a small lavender coloured daisy type of flower which likes to scramble up other plants, another kind of daisy plant still with a profusion of pink and white flowers, viburnum blossoms covering their bushes,a freckles clematis, wonderful bright yellow winter flowering jasmine and the lawns are still daisy spangled.

Last night on the kitchen window were several moths of different types, obviously drawn by the light from indoors.

Smart Robin

Awoke to a bright and frosty morning, fed the birds and other creatures and then my eye was taken by a robin, he visited each bird bath in turn, on finding everyone frozen, that smart little bird flew straight to the pond and took his morning bath there!

Redwings, Goldcrest etc.

Great day for birds!

Out of the back kitchen window I watched a tiny goldcrest flitting about which pleased me immensely, however shortly after my attention was drawn to two redwings in the birch tree --- the first this autumn. We used to have huge numbers of redwings and fieldfares years ago but gradually they dwindled until this year I wondered if we would have any. Interestingly the arrival date of these birds was always the 15th October or a day or two either side but this year the first arrivals were today the 1st of December. No fieldfares yet though.

Watched two blackbirds this morning taking turns bathing in one of the bird baths, they waited patiently while the other bathed, with much flapping of wings and spraying of water, before hopping out and shaking themselves then waiting for their next turn before starting all over again.

Pleased to see two great tits spending time in and around the shrubs next to the pond this morning, also a little blue tit investigating a nesting box.

Blue and Great Tits

At last we have some tits back in the garden.

One blue and one great tit on the feeders and another great tit bathing in one of the bird baths. I have missed these pretty little birds during their absence.

I know sparrowhawks have to eat but they empty the garden, and it takes so long to build up to decent numbers again.

Stately, hungry pheasant

Watched the pheasant,mooching about the borders, turning over leaves probably searching for grubs and other delicacies.

Later I saw him again on the lawn and admired his slow and stately walk, head held high and feet lifted well clear of the ground before being placed seemingly, carefully and deliberately down. I was thinking how statesmanlike he looked when he saw me and suddenly rushed across the lawn to the window. Running  he looked far from stately and caused me much merriment. I fed him for a second time and he seemed as hungry as he had the first time.

Biscuit the Squirrel

Squirrels were late coming this morning so I opened the window and called "Biscuit", then reached in the box for two, on turning I saw one squirrel racing across the lawn to fetch it. Does he think his name is biscuit I wonder, it seems so, but in reality it is just that he associates the word with food. It is amusing though to call biscuit and have him come.

He does of course have other food as he joins in and eats from whatever else is put out for the other birds and animals.

Blue skies, yellow leaves and golden carpets

It is a bright and beautiful morning, the sky is a clear blue with not a cloud in sight, however it is much colder than it looks through the window and there is a wind not a strong one but a wind none the less, that if you stood about outside would very soon chill you.

The birch tree caught my eye this morning for the last few misty mornings I have longed for the sky to be blue, because the leaves left on the tree are brightest yellow and I knew they would look glorious against a true blue sky.

To my delight today is the day and I looked expectantly out of the window to see the beautiful birch tree, clothed in its last yellow leaves against a blue sky, I was surprised to see the leaves falling as if they were snowflakes and the tree almost bereft of leaves, but what joy, for there underneath the tree is the most amazing golden carpet of leaves calling to me to put a coat and boots on, and go and scuffle my feet through them while the last of the yellow leaves fall around me as if I am caught in a shower of golden butterflies.

Misty, moisty November weather

The weather the last few days has been typically Novemberish, with misty, moisty mornings, sometimes brightening up for a short while in the afternoon, but other times staying dull, cloudy and cold all day.On the whole though the weather for this time of year has been surprisingly mild, and there are a surprising number of flowers still in bloom.

Interestingly the days when the mist hangs heavy all day and the sun doesn't even glimmer through it, then we have a lot less activity in the garden. The squirrels are late to appear and when they do finally show up they are slower moving more sluggish. There is no bounce to their behaviour, no running , playing or chasing, it is obvious they have come out just for food, they collect it and then go back to the bushes from whence they appeared.

The birds also hide away in the foliage hardly venturing out even to feed, they are quiet and I miss their music.

However when the cloud cover breaks up and the sun breaks through  brightening everywhere, then the world of my garden changes. Almost immediately bird song fills the air, tiny wrens, blackbirds, robins, chaffinches, bullfinches, collared doves, pigeons, magpies , jays and the rest are all flying about gathering food and going about their business.

The food on the feeding stations disappears, the bird baths are filled with birds bathing and rows of birds wait on nearby bushes and branches for their turn.

The foxes are also slower to come for their food when it is colder, I suppose if they are warm in their den and it is cold outside then it is easy to tuck back down and not move until hunger drives them out to forage.

Thank goodness we don't have to forage for our food!

We still seem to be missing the tits from the garden, there is not one to be seen.

Blue Tits and Sparrowhawks

We have been back from Yorkshire for some days, but are disappointed in that time not to have seen any birds on the feeding station usually this is full of birds both feeding and waiting, but days are passing and not one comes anywhere near it.

I am convinced it must be the sparrowhawk we watched swooping over the garden nearer the beginning of the month.

We have in the past watched as the sparrowhawk has appeared as if from nowhere and time after time snatched tits while they are feeding, I wonder if this is what has happened now.

Meanwhile the berries on the cotoneaster are thicker than I have ever seen them, this is good for the fieldfares and redwings when they arrive, also for the blackbirds and thrushes now.

Hertfordshire to East Yorkshire

Our younger granddaughter has hearing difficulties and is to have a series of five operations, the first one was last month and the second is tomorrow, so we are on our way up country to be with and to support our daughter and her little family.

It is no longer golden October, but one could be forgiven for thinking it still is, everywhere I look there is so much beautiful autumn colour.

 Berries stand out brightly on trees and bushes now that leaves are really dropping. We pass many mighty oaks on the way, most of them venerable old trees standing strong and still retaining their leaves, which are turning a golden colour. Roadside hedgerows are clothed in red, yellow, green, brown and orange and an absolute delight to see.

Passing through a town we see Sumachs hanging over garden fences they are deliciously red with slight touches of yellow and orange, every autumn they look spectacular and such a delight. Beware planting them in the garden though as they happily throw up suckers and do need to be kept in check.

Travelling along the A10, I glance across fields to the near distance and smile to see many trees standing very tall and totally bereft of leaves except for the greenery on the huge balls of mistletoe clinging to their upper branches.

Many fields are once again green either because they are laying fallow or are now once more green from the haze of new crops shooting up.

We are on the A1 now and my breath is almost taken away by the bright golden orange of the verge side bushes and trees, not much  further back we had passed by a length of wayside bushes which were startling in their colour,  no golds, oranges or yellows - instead every shade of pink through to deepest maroon. This was obviously due to the type of shrub, maybe they were cornus, but whatever they were very attractive.

It is another mild day, bright with a hint of mist in the far distance, where trees and fields on the horizon are shaded with blue.

We pass many fields where brassicas are growing and in one, on the edge a tractor stood quietly awaiting the farmers next need, had he forgotten to put it away or did he usually leave it standing idly by while the crops reached ever higher up its wheels.

Just past Buckden we see a Pyracantha hedge, quite twelve feet high and maybe thirty feet long. The number of berries was staggering never have I seen a more thickly berried bush before, hopefully it will feed many hungry creatures in the cold weeks to come.

Bright red apples festoon a tree on the right hand side, while on the left we pass a stretch of trees with totally bare branches except for the top two feet which are decked in something that looks like white blossom but which is really the underside of the last leaves still clinging on. The trees because of this look quite spring like and pretty.

The sky from the right looks summery and bright, it is blue and interspersed with fluffy clouds and the sun is shining, while to the left the clouds thicken and the sky darkens. Across in the distance it grows darker still and threatening. It is two fifteen in the afternoon and the temperature is a surprising fifteen degrees.

In the distance we see great vee formations of migrating birds.

The further north we travel the browner everything looks, we have lost the sun to the clouds now and more trees and bushes have lost their leaves and the brighter colours are noticeably toned down.

A road sign tells us we are still 38 miles from Doncaster and we know we will have more miles than that to go once we reach there.We are driving through rich countryside and we pass a series of lakes in adjoining fields, with not a duck or swan to be seen on any of them. The only sign of life comes from the silver train flashing bullet like across the fields behind the lakes. On a summers day with the sparkle of sunlight highlighting the water and the train in the background and the lush green fields surrounding, this must look quite picturesque.

Just before Elkesley we pass a stand of ferns, all at least 3 feet 6 inches tall and no longer green, yellow or orange, instead they were all cream and brown and looked very beautiful.

I hope while I am in Yorkshire to walk in my daughters favourite woods and to visit nearby coastal waters. In the forest to shuffle my feet through its carpet of autumn leaves, look for funghi and smell that unique autumn smell of our woodlands. At the coast I shall walk the sands, enjoy the fresh seaside air and stand silent a while and let the music of the waves and the sound of the gulls wash over me and refresh my soul.

Life is so good, every day is a blessing.

Sparrowhawk

My breath was taken away this morning by a sparrowhawk swooping low along the lawn, it suddenly appeared and was so fast, it was gliding --- no wing movement whatsoever and it seemed as though it was no sooner here than it was gone.

I have seen it many times before and watched it take and eat birds, not just tiny birds like blue tits but also large birds like collared doves and pigeons. It is very upsetting to watch especially if it is a blackbird because they are so loudly vocal. Whereas tiny tits and even collared doves make no sound.

At first I used to hurry outside in an attempt to save the bird, but not one survived the trauma, so now I leave the sparrowhawk to eat his meal in peace.

Autumn in November and Childhood Memories

On our way to Papworth for my next scan, we are not far from home and on the left is the River Stort sinuously snaking through the green fields.

I am "blown away by the colour in the hedgerows apart from the expected greens, golds and autumn browns there are bright yellows, oranges, pinks and reds, and all alongside our own English roads, free for anyone who cares to enjoy.

Oak leaves are yellowing and acorns beginning to thickly litter the ground beneath the mostly ancient trees. It has been a very good year for acorns. Whenever I see acorns laying thickly on the ground I think how wasted they are, as pigs would so enjoy tucking into them. Then I am reminded of how as a child, I used to collect sacks full of acorns, for the pigs belonging to a smallholder, who lived a mile or so from me down a pretty winding  lane called Roundabout Lane. He much loved his pigs and would never pass them by without stopping to chat to them. Their sties were always immaculately clean and Mr. Dixon for that was his name, was obviously a kind and caring man.

It always felt magical to be sent to Mr. Dixons for eggs or to pick his fruit, my feet skipped along as I hurried to reach Roundabout Lane, then I slowed a little --- not a lot because my mother would be watching the clock and I would have to account for any minutes extra to what she thought I should have been. This was a twisty lane I was now wandering down, sometimes filled with puddles so large they were impossible to jump and I would be hard pressed to find a way round them without getting my shoes wet or muddy.

 Once I was in the lane it cast its spell on me and I knew I was safe and nothing and no-one could harm me. The lane was best when the buttercups were in full bloom and so tall, they were at my waist level and I wished and wished next time I went, that they would be above my head and the ground underfoot dry so I could walk beneath them and look up at their golden heads. They never were that tall of course, but one dry, sunny, blue skied day I did what I had longed to do, and quickly walking off the lane and on to the buttercup filled verge I lay down amongst them and for a minute or two I was lost in another world of lanes with Enid Blyton names and buttercups towering over me. No sooner had I done it than I was up and running along to Mr. Dixons to make up for lost time. I still can capture the magic feeling of those stolen few moments under the golden buttercups.

There were very few houses down Roundabout Lane and those that were there, were so pretty which added to the enchantment, I always wanted to know what was at the end of Roundabout Lane, of course I could now find out, but part of me feels it might be better not to know.

Anyway back to the present, hawthorn leaves are yellowing and falling, leaving dark red berries hanging in ones, twos and small clusters, ready for the birds to feast upon. As a child I collected and ate these berries on my way to do the shopping, I knew them as bread and cheese.

Bright red rose hips hang showily, brightening up the hedge rows.

We are startled to pass a house whose trees in the garden are decked in coloured lights, huge decorated artificial fir trees tower over the gate and on the side wall an enormous glittering notice wishes us "A Merry Christmas".

The other side of Royston where the land lies flat and one can see for miles, I notice the chalky fields have a whitish hue and the trees in them are still mainly green with touches of brown and yellow.

The Rowan trees are almost bereft of berries and past Kneesworth trees are once again all shades of yellow and green. There are large fields of brassicas on the left and an apple orchard with the bright red apples still clinging to the leafless branches.

Everywhere is so bright and beautiful, the sky is blue, dappled with clouds and the sun is strongly shining. Toward Papworth Everard trees are almost bereft of leaves and everywhere looks tired and browner.

Molehills

Down to the end of the garden this morning, collecting fallen leaves to admire their autumn colour and searching the wood pile for funghi, when what did I spy?

Molehills dotted about, evidence of our friend who fell from the sky recently, from my point of view this was good as it proved despite his fright and fall he was obviously strong and surviving.

Mike might not feel quite so pleased though when he sees the stretch of green interrupted by small, brown earthen mounds, I can feel a few mountains coming from these molehills.

Mind you, I'm sure moley will not be here very long once the weasel finds his molehills!

Flora and fauna on the way to Cromer.

We are off to Cromer --- a sudden decision.

It is a mild and magical October day, 22degrees, the trees are colouring up nicely, yellows, oranges, fiery reds and golds.

On the right hand side of the M11, above the golden fields I watched a red kite circling, almost immediately a pigeon flew low across the road in front of the car and I realised how very large a red kite must be. I suppose everything is comparative, seeing the pigeons in the garden they always look so large compared to most of our other garden birds, now seeing the pigeon against a higher flying red kite, suddenly I see them as a mid size bird.

The left hand verge is almost barren of plants and looks white and dusty, between the sparse greenery the ground looks like pure chalk. We pass a field of sheep, spread out widely and all laying contentedly down. I wonder if they are ruminating like cows do and are chewing the cud. Do sheep chew the cud, I wonder.

Where the A11/14 separates we took the left hand road toward Norwhich, as we did so we saw two more red kites above the road.

Just past Elvedon we saw some magnificent  beech trees, fully mature and just starting to show their autumn colour. We drove past great banks of trees of all types, most of them changing colour, in a few weeks they will be breathtakingly beautiful.

Passed another field of sheep again all contentedly laying down, not too long after we saw many pigs spread across a muddy field, all with their snouts in the brown earth.

Almost immediately we passed a field of the most delightful, curly tailed, pink and black piglets, seeing them I was reminded of the Enid Blyton stories of a pink pig with a curly tale who flew the children off on adventures.

We saw a kestrel hovering high above the verge, it is the first Kestrel we have seen on this journey.

Next up is a field of black and white cows, sheltering in the shade of trees, it is 24 degrees, and they must be glad of the cool shade on such an unexpectedly warm day.

Two small flocks of rooks, the first eight, the second eleven were flying back and forth and circling above the road as we drove.

Eighteen miles from Cromer we saw another field of cows, these were varying shades of brown and had many pretty calves with them.

In two places during this journey I saw groups of garden flowers flourishing on the roadside verges. The first was a large group of beautiful, showy, red hollyhocks and the second was a smaller group of pale pink lupins.

Autumn happenings

The squirrels have been very busy the last few days collecting acorns from the oak tree opposite and bringing them into the garden for their winter store. They bury them all over the entire garden and despite the fact that squirrels are supposed to bite the growing tip out  before they store them, I don't believe they do as we have so many tiny trees shooting up everywhere each year.

Today the garden has been full of birds all day long, great tits, blue tits, chaffinches, blackbirds, thrushes, robins, and tiny wrens.

As I look out of the window it truly is golden October now. The grass no longer looks green it is covered in a thick layer of fallen autumn leaves, which from a distance look an orangey brown, but up close they are a glorious mix of shades of red, yellow, brown, green and brightest orange.

I love the crunchy sound as I walk through them, and when I scuff my feet and leave tracks behind.

Night roosting birds

Late each afternoon I see two huge skeins of birds flying in a westerly direction, at first I thought they were migrating, but I now think perhaps they are going to a night time roost.

They appear to be the same group every afternoon and always at approximately the same time. I think they are gulls.

Ladybirds

We have been enjoying an exceptionally mild spell of weather for this time of year, the result is a profusion of ladybirds - many hundreds coating the white walls outside.

I seem to remember a few years ago I was at once charmed by the vast numbers of strange ladybirds in the garden, and almost immediately concerned because of the reports of these European insects invading our shores. It was thought that they would over run our natural ladybirds and even eat them, fortunately this doesn't seem to have happened.

We have had very few ladybird sightings in the garden this summer and those we have had have all been our natural ladybirds. However the last few days I have been amazed at the numbers I have seen, they collect on the white walls and windows and are a very mixed bunch with almost as many of our native species as there are foreign - where have they been all summer?

I do feel reassured that perhaps the danger to our native ladybirds is not after all as great as was feared, certainly I have witnessed no aggression between any of them and have not seen any of ours devoured by their cousins - I hope this proves to be the case.

Golden October

Down to the river,again it is so mild, more like a summers day than a late October one.

The horse chestnut trees have dropped their precious load of conkers and are now shedding their brown leaves already twisting and crispy underfoot.I scuffed my way through them and once again felt the same joy that I felt years ago when I did this as a child, none of the guilty feelings that went with it though for either wearing my shoes out or scratching the surface, which I diligently polished every night, ready to look smart for school the next morning. Indeed it fell my lot to polish every ones shoes, my fathers included, but his had to have special treatment as they had for some reason to be polished underneath as well - on that area between the heel and the sole, and they were so big and my hand so small that they were hard to control, but I always made a good job of them.

I never say October without prefixing it in my mind with the word golden, yet this year the leaves seem slow to turn and I am still awaiting the wonderful, breathtaking views that trees will soon give us.

I was surprised at how many wild flowers were still out and at how low the river was for this time of year. I have heard there are otters in the river but as yet have never been lucky enough to see them. Occasionally I do spot a heron or a kingfisher.

Yorkshire in October

Travelling to Yorkshire for the fifth time this year, again to spend time with our little family up there.

We pass almost skeleton trees, their pretty autumn leaves drifting down and littering the fields and roadside verges. In one field we see hundreds of gulls following a tractor, while other nearby fields are brown, newly ploughed and almost bereft of gulls. The richest pickings are obviously where the soil is freshly turned.

Further on fields are already green with new growth and yet still showing the brown stripes from the tractor. The growth is like fine green grass and has an abundance of pretty male pheasants scattered throughout the fields. We pass fields of young brassicas, interestingly not so many pheasants to be seen in these darker green places.

I am surprised to see so many wild flowers in bloom at this time of year; large patches of white ox-eye daisies, long scatterings of bright yellow ragwort and many large clumps of deep mauve geraniums, which are a great favourite of mine.

We made a random stop at a garden gate and bought some runner beans, home grown and freshly picked. We must buy  a marrow to go with them, for the cooked combination of these two is excellent and very moorish. Cooked in  the same pot, but with the runner beans given two or three minutes longer than the marrow, which if it is young I cook with the skin still on. The water, of which there should not be too much, can of course be either used for gravy making or drunk.  If the marrow is young these two veg are also excellent freshly cut up and used in salads.

On the M62 we are passed by a sleek, low, red car with an odd registration number 77935, that is all, no letters. I can't recall seeing such a number before.

I am shocked at the amount of dead creatures I have seen on this journey, mostly pheasants, but also rabbits, squirrels, hedgehogs and of course badgers. Fortunately the fields are still full of pheasants and rabbits on the verges are also plentiful. Interestingly most of the dead pheasants are male. I wonder if this is because they are greater risk takers than females or is it that females are still protecting their young and so stay closer to hedgerows and less open places?

With sixty miles still to go, the trees and hedgerows have many more leaves and are still golden compared to those alongside the road at the beginning of our journey. Although some trees in Yorkshire have lost almost all of their leaves, there are others that remain green. The trees further south had a more distinct autumn colouring, orange, yellow and red.

Near the A4128 junction off the A1, I saw a dead weasel by the central reservation.

It is 17:36pm, the sun is setting and the sky is beautiful. To the right it is dark and stormy looking, then under a sudden line it changes to a block of the brightest orange and further down changes again to a pale turquoise. Ahead the clouds are brightly outlined with gold while underneath the sky has a pretty rosy glow. Hopefully a good sign for tomorrow.

Now at 17:56pm the sun is almost touching the horizon and is an enormous fiery deepest orange ball --- with the sky on either side stretching away, wonderfully red. The undersides of the clouds above and to the sides of the sun are red as is the top of the lower band of cloud.

A beautiful sunset to enjoy as we near our journey's end.

The Mole and His Lucky Escape

It was a beautiful day today, bright sunshine and the bluest of skies with now and again white clouds hurrying across. It was a little cold but the strong winds were invigorating and the air felt fresh.

This afternoon I stood idly by the end kitchen window, watching the clouds passing by and then the washing and trees blowing in the wind.

Suddenly as I watched something caught my eye, it was small, dark and falling from the sky. My gaze quickly shifted and I watched it fall on to the lawn, it lay still and I decided to go and investigate. Even as I was thinking this it moved and I knew whatever it was, by some miracle it was still alive. I couldn't make out what it was but then as it slowly stirred I realised it was a mole, with his sleek, shiny coat glistening in the sunlight. As if realising the danger of being in the open and what a lucky escape he'd had, he quickly dashed across the grass and into the undergrowth.

I was astonished to witness the above and so pleased to have been at the window and staring out just at that moment, and even more pleased to see him alive and his dash to safety. He must have been dropped by a bird of prey.

Basildon Park

Visited Basildon Park today, it is a National Trust property in Berkshire, we were on a guided tour which in retrospect was a mistake. Although it was interesting to be shown round the house, one had to stand still and pay attention while we were being spoken to for fear of others being disturbed. Also the group was too large and the rooms were so crowded one could only see the part where one was hemmed in and immediately the guide stopped talking we were moved on. Indeed we were ushered from room to room too quickly, therefore we heard the history of the house and its owners but were unable to stand and capture the feeling of the room or to even spend time admiring the architecture of the rooms or treasures therein.

We have visited this property before not on a guided tour and going around at our own pace, reading about the rooms from the notes in each room or by talking informally to the stewards in each room, is a much pleasanter and more relaxed way of seeing a property. In future we will go when it is not a guided tour day.

The grounds are enjoyable and the far reaching views across the Berkshire countryside were breathtaking. There are also some really aged and very beautiful trees in the surrounding parkland.

Three Foxes

We put the fox food out as usual, but as often happens now we were busy and  only looked occasionally, interestingly we saw more of the foxes tonight than we have for a long time.

Several times I glanced out and saw nothing then suddenly the young female was there, she is very nervous and we don't see her as often as her brother. She timidly comes from behind a bush and looking about her slowly approaches the food and delicately takes a piece before backing off to stand and eat it. This is very different from her brother who boldly marches in lays down by the food and steadily eats it all.

Tonight the young female had barely started eating, just three mouthfuls, when she suddenly started looked up and tore away. It was her brother, his fur is much darker, his tread  much more certain and in build already larger and stronger looking than his sister, who is paler, smaller and timid. Unfortunately she has good reason to rush away as he sets about her making her whimper and yelp.

 Once her brother shows up she rushes away and we don't see her again, tonight she must have been extra hungry because after a  few minutes she crept back very slowly and low, her belly almost brushing the lawn. She managed to sneak a piece and slowly moved back into the bushes with it, but the second time the young male chased her off and we didn't see her again.

After the young male had finished feeding and left, I still kept an eye on the lawn wondering if his young sister would return. She didn't, but I was surprised about ten minutes later to see the older vixen ---their mother sniffing around the area where the food had been. She must have been hungry because she spent a long time going over the lawn and although there was nothing visible she was clearly finding something.

Taking our son to the airport and on to Reading

This morning we drove John to Heathrow for his return flight to Seattle. I shall miss him, I wish he wasn't going, he has been such a support to me through the last several months, not least of all during my chemo and radiotherapy, but perhaps it is right he goes, he needs to pick up his life, but my heart is heavy to see him go. My falling silver tears were mirrored by autumn's falling golden leaves as I hugged my dear son goodbye, not knowing when I shall see him again.

It was a bright autumn morning, blue skies, endless sunshine which highlighted the golds oranges and reds on some trees. It is still a little early for most trees but together with the bright red hips, pillar box red haws, and the wonderful fruit of the rowan trees, whose berries are white, orange or vermilion ,from the car, the passing countryside is colouring up well and the next few weeks promise to be eye catching.

Warm coats, scarves and wellington boots will soon be the order of the day for tramping in the woods and rustling feet through drifts of golden, crispy leaves.

We continued our journey to Reading along the M4, the verges are now almost bereft of flowers, although one stretch was filled with tall yellow evening primroses. I have noticed in my own garden how the bees and moths love these flowers. I too love them their perfect flowers held high above other plants and every day more opening until they reach above my head, I also love the randomness of these plants, they suddenly appear, sometimes near to the parent plant other times quite a distance away. Wherever they show up I am pleased to see them and regard it as a bonus.

Through the car window everywhere is calm and serene, some fields are awaiting harvesting, others already harvested and yet more already ploughed, seeded and showing fresh green shoots.

Just before the A33 turning, we always look out on the right hand side for the fields of white horses, they are sturdy creatures and as I write I realise they may not be horses but ponies. We always wonder about them and their reason for being there, are they for breeding or just for someones pleasure? Seeing them always gives us pleasure, occasionally they escape onto the M4 and cause traffic delays.

Shortly afterwards on our left we pass large lakes devoid of wildlife and next to them fields of scattered sheep, and then more lakes. I wonder if these lakes are the result of gravel extraction. We pass a river and are at our junction.

The leaves on the horse chestnut trees are curling at the edges and turning brown, some of these trees are starting to shed both their leaves and their fruit, commonly called conkers.  These shiny, round, beautifully marked, brown delights are to be found in their dozens at the foot of the tree, some still locked in their prickly green cases, others boldly brown waiting showily to be gathered up, and sometimes they are shyly hiding in their partly opened cases or even coyly peeping out of a pile of leaf litter, however they are there, there are few things more pleasing than gathering some up and taking them home to place in a bowl in order that their beauty can be enjoyed, before they fade and are put outside on the lawn for the squirrels.

Autumn Changes

It is September and everywhere is still relatively green, no doubt due to the amount of rain there has been.

The trees although green are no longer fresh looking but rather a tired yellow/brownish green. It has been a strange summer, cooler and wetter than we would have expected or than most of us would have liked, for me  the greatest difference this summer has been the reduced number of butterflies in my garden. Interestingly, not as many wasps about either although bees and hornets have been plentiful.

The fruit this year has been overwhelming in its quantity and quality. Years ago, housewives would have been so busy: bottling fruit, making jam, collecting sloes and elderberries to make wine, blackberries and damsons from the hedgerows for jam. A glut of autumn produce not only kept them busy but also kept the family in tarts, fruit pies and tasty spreads for bread and butter or toast at tea time. The flavour of home produced jams etc., cannot be compared with its modern mass produced counterpart, which most of us collect from shops.

At one time most people kept chicken in their back garden; the eggs would be used in cooking and as a welcome treat for children's tea, for cake making for Sunday teatime and any left over would be laid down in a solution of isinglass to provide eggs for when hens went off the lay. Meanwhile the chickens which would have been loved, cuddled and named by the children were destined for the pot when they had outgrown their usefulness as egg providers.

Day-old chicks soon replaced the others to be stroked, cooed over and in their turn named and so the cycle went on. How very different our lives were then to the lives of children today.

Gone are most of the roadside flowers, the grasses have grown taller and we are still enjoying clumps of blue hardy geraniums. Taking the place of other flowers are drifts of Michaelmas daisies mostly a gentle calm, pale mauve colour with here and there white ones to be seen. Pretty scatterings of bright yellow Oxford ragwort seem to frequent most verges, I have mixed feelings about this escapee that is so eye catching, seeds so readily and yet is so dangerous to horses.

Joy of joys, I have just found my first conker of the year, it is as perfect as every other conker I have ever found: round, brown and shiny with it's own unique patterning made by various shades of brown on its shiny surface. A smile on my face, I clutch it to me, a symbol of the continuity of life. I admire it and show it to my elder granddaughter who also finds one and immediately points out to me that hers is better as it has a flat side and is much better for playing conkers with. Something I have never ever thought of!

I always think of September as a golden month; this year it truly is for Mike and I, as our Golden Wedding Anniversary falls this month. We shall be having a family reunion and a blessing and renewal of our vows all in aid of cancer research uk. Having cancer has made me more aware of many things and I have become a registered collector for cancer research uk,which has truly added another dimension to my life.

Cyril Squirrel and Young Foxes

It is many days since last I saw Cyril. His visits brought me much pleasure and I miss him.

I do not expect to see him again and will be surprised if I ever do. He never regained his lost weight, and although the two tiny squirrels he brought back with him continue to visit daily, he does not.

His two youngsters are growing apace and although I enjoy seeing them they lack the Cyril's personality; he would be there sitting on the kitchen window ledge patiently waiting for me in the morning. He always took food so gently. During the day, he would come to the lounge window and bang on it with his little hands or if I failed to notice him at the kitchen window would draw my attention to him using the same approach.

The young fox who visits us in the early evening is also growing and has now probably attained his mature height although he is very leggy. His coat is quite dark and the rough outer fur of an adult fox is showing.

All summer I thought there was only one young fox visiting and thought it unusual that he had no siblings. Last evening, we put out the food as usual, but also a large bone -- this would be a treat for him as we do not usually have bones to give him. We sat, eagerly waiting to see his response to the bone. We didn't have long to wait; he came almost immediately. He started to eat the cut up sandwiches and came to the bone, but he did not act as we expected. He picked it up turned, turned back and put it down and carried on eating. The sandwiches were cut up into tiny squares and spread across the lawn, as he ate so he moved further from the bone, but he kept returning to it, at first to pick it up and then just to sniff it.

He was clearly tempted by it and we found it interesting that he was able to resist it and to eat the sandwiches first. We were still watching him when suddenly another young fox darted across the lawn, snatched the bone and ran off with it. This new young fox was smaller and lighter in colour and I think probably a  female. Surprisingly the regular fox paid almost no attention to his bone being stolen and after leaping at the other fox, just turned away and continued eating.

Majestic Clouds, Lavender and a Jay Feather

A glorious day, mild and almost windless.

No squirrels visiting today -- where are they?

Today the sky has been so beautiful, a striking mid-blue with great mountains of cloud that look like snow covered peaks, slowly crossing it. I am drawn outside to feel the air on my skin and to stand spellbound and to gaze awestruck at the majesty and beauty of the clouds.

As I walk out of the end conservatory door, I feel a wonderful feeling sweep through me: everywhere is so lush and green -- so many shades from so many plants, bushes and trees and the smell of lavender from a nearby plant is amazing -- who would ever believe one small plant could produce such a strong perfume? I move nearer to take a closer look and find the plant covered in bees. Brilliant.

Turning back to the conservatory door, I look up and see the old bent apple tree, it is so heavy with fruit that its boughs now rest on the lawn. The uppermost reaches of the tree are prettily decked with a mid-pink clematis and a lovely pink and golden yellow honeysuckle, both of which have scrambled up unbidden.

I notice a robin perched on an apple busily pecking; I expect in time to find that apple laying on the ground, rotting where the small hole is, but it won't be wasted as the blackbirds, thrushes or even the fox will finish it.

I feel so lucky to be alive and find so much pleasure in the wonders of the natural world, as I turn to go back indoors, I glance down and see a beautiful stripey blue feather from a jay's wing. I fetch my camera and photograph the clouds, the lavender and the feather.

Looking out of the side kitchen window I see the robin is still there and on the branch next to him is a female blackcap with her little brown cap. On the cherry tree is a small flock of about a dozen long-tailed tits, they look young and must be this year's; they are such pretty little birds. While on the jasmine behind is a female bullfinch, yesterday I watched her colourful mate in the amelanchier.

No Tail, the pigeon, has just arrived and is waiting for food, I soak some brown bread in water and throw it out to him, he hurries over and gobbles it down.

We have been away for ten days arriving home Sunday evening. My bucket list includes seeing as much of my family as I can, so once again we have been in East Yorkshire enjoying its countryside and coast, while staying with my daughter Angie, and her two young daughters Meg and  Immi -- a really enjoyable visit.

However, I digress, the reason for saying about being away was because on the day we left here to travel to Yorkshire, I was very worried about No Tail. We noticed him early in the morning sitting on a table on the back lawn, this was unusual behaviour. In all the years he has lived here I have never seen him settle on this table before. He didn't look his usual perky self, he was sitting hunched up with his feathers all fluffed out and his head down, he looked very dejected. We kept an eye on him and every time we checked he was still there and in the same position. We left fully expecting that we would never see him again so poorly did he look, but to my great joy on our return he was the first creature we saw and as perky as ever.

East Yorkshire

Have just returned from the wolds of East Yorkshire, an area of gently rolling fields with wonderful views. We had a lovely relaxing break in beautiful countryside and fresh-aired coastal resorts, where the wind whipped us and the enormous waves at high tide took our breath away. Exhilarating and invigorating and to be thoroughly recommended to everyone! I can still hear the waves now. Friendly people, good food, relaxing countryside and breathtaking sea views.

We looked for fossils and found a few, but the ammonites I really wanted to find evaded me. I'm hoping for better luck next time. My daughter, being more accustomed to looking, found amongst other things fossilised sea urchins and fossils called devil's toe nails.

The beaches in East Yorkshire are excellent for watching the sea, sitting while eating ice creams and dreaming, looking in rock pools, collecting shells, trying to identify different sea weeds or just strolling by the sea listening to
it's murmurings at low tide or its mighty roar at high tide.

Yorkshire Verges in Summertime

Travelling through east Yorkshire I was spellbound by the sheer beauty of the hedgerows and verges. The diversity of plants in flower and their beauty gave me such a feeling of wonder.

I shall not be able to remember them all, but these I know, because I wrote them down as I saw them.
Here is the list and if ever you are lucky enough to find yourself in East Yorkshire then travel the back roads and lanes and enjoy the magic you will find there.
I saw: vetch, red clover,white clover, tall buttercups, small ground hugging buttercups,scabious, patches and drifts of stunning blue geraniums, tall grasses so good for butterflies, bright yellow tom thumb, creamy yellow toad flax, bright red poppies, purple thistles, creamy white umbellifers, red edged sorrel delicious in salads or just to nibble. At the back of the verges stately rose bay willow herb in huge drifts and by a field gate an enormous flock of chaffinches dust bathing.

The hedgerows are wonderful, they are alive with flowers. Great trails of heavenly scented honeysuckle hanging heavily down, blackberry blossom prettily peeping through, large white upturned bells of convolvulus such a nuisance in our gardens but so attractive in the hedgerows and creeping through the verges near to the road edges the tiny pale pink convolvulus.

Standing proudly at intervals above the hedges are trees of different types, oak trees which I am always so happy to see and sycamores which I am ambivalent about,because they are not  a native tree and therefore not a great support for our insects, I would much rather see oak, birch, hawthorn etc. However I did notice how heavy they were with huge bunches of sycamore keys brightly green, tightly packed and hanging heavily down thrusting themselves through the leaves and waiting to ripen and swirl and dance round and round as they twirl their way to the ground. The new shoots were a most attractive orange, which I found appealing. The elders also are heavy with fruit as yet still green, but very plentiful.

The verges, the hedges, the trees were truly magical, but just as enchanting was the sight that met my eyes each time I raised them, because all I have described was bordering a patchwork of fields so green and lush that you knew if cows fed on them then their milk would be so rich and creamy.

This is the joy of travelling the narrow twisty roads of East Yorkshire in the summertime.

To Yorkshire: Memories of Pigs and a Lost Dog

Along the A1 we crossed a bridge over a river, which meandered picturesquely across fields on either side of the road. On the left hand side were two adjoining fields of rough pasture, each containing cows of the same type. Interestingly, in the first field the cows were grouped hard together in the centre of the field all laying down, whereas in the adjoining field they were spread out all across the field grazing and not one was lying down.

Yet I remember many years ago, as a child, hearing that cows lie down when rain is imminent, so opposing behaviour from cows in adjoining fields intrigued me. Was this long held piece of weather lore a myth? I felt confused and wondered if one group of cows felt the same.

I saw a large pig, turquoise in colour bombing along the road in front of us as we approached Biggleswade. Strange, I felt sure it was a car but my husband insisted it had to be a pig because of the way it was hogging the fast lane and refusing to move over.

Personally, I like pigs and don't agree with the way they are much maligned by the way people allude to them. As a child I had to go and buy our eggs from a smallholder who kept not only hens but also pigs. One time as I arrived he was just going to feed the pigs and asked if I would like to join him and watch them being fed. I readily agreed and off we went to an area of his land I had not seen before. The pigs were well-housed and each pen had a large area where the pigs could root and forage to their hearts' content. They met us with a mixture of contented grunts and joyful squeals and as they fed we rubbed their backs, at times they lifted their heads and looked at us. Mr Dixon explained to me as he cleaned their pens out how sociable pigs are and treated right how friendly also, but added a warning rider never to take this for granted and to always take care when near pigs. He had raised these from piglets and spent a lot of time with them but was still aware that as friendly as they appeared even he had to always be aware and on his guard. He also pointed out that properly cared for, pigs are not dirty animals and he showed me how they all went to one corner to defecate; it was true, nowhere else in their outside area was soiled. He said they never soil inside their houses and just need to be cleaned out regularly, then they will only ever soil one area, usually a corner and the same one each time.

Mr. Dixon was a kind, quietly spoken, man with a permanent smile creased into his brown weather-beaten face. He had a gentle sense of humour and knew so much about wildlife. His grounds were like an enchanted place, full of butterflies and the song of birds. He always met me with a smile and a kindly word. It was a joy to be sent to collect eggs or to pick and buy fruit from him -- much nicer than having to run along the main road to the shops and then struggle back weighed down with bags sometimes almost too heavy to lift, to the tune of busy cars rushing past on their way wherever.

We passed a long roadside ditch, overflowing with meadowsweet and as always I longed to be free from the car and bury my face in the sweetness of their perfume.

A little further along we passed a sign for a lost dog -- a Westie -- and my heart went out to the owner(s). I well know the anguish of losing a beloved pet. Many years ago our daughter was in Great Ormond Street Hospital and we balked at leaving our dear Sheltie locked indoors while we visited her; Shep was an unusually intelligent dog with lots of personality. Close friends offered to look after him while we visited and we gratefully accepted. We were devastated on arriving home to find they had taken him for a walk and let him off his lead, of course he had made a dash for it and headed for home.

We returned home hoping to find him waiting outside, but no such luck. A neighbour reported seeing him hours earlier dodging traffic on a nearby main road, he had pulled over to the kerb and tried to catch our dog without success.

We left the usually locked back garden gate unlocked and open wide, while we continued searching and calling. Every so often checking our own garden always without success. Sadly time moved on and the hour grew so late we knew we had to stop for the night. We checked the garden one last time and went indoors. We did not feel like eating and knew we had to be back in London at the hospital first thing in the morning. Our hearts were heavy.

After a quick cup of tea we made ready for bed, but before going decided to check the garden one last futile time. Opening the back door, there he was, sitting patiently waiting and so emotional. Who was more pleased us or him? It was hard to tell. His eyes were screwed shut , his mouth set in an enormous doggy grin and his whole body shortened as he bunched it up and wagged not just his tail, but his whole body, huddling we called this when we had seen it at times of great happiness on previous occasions.

We were so delighted to see him, bed was forgotten and the fact that we had an early start and a busy day not many hours away. We vied to stroke and hug him, we talked nonstop to him  fed him and vowed never to leave him with anyone else ever again --- nor did we.

Once again I digress, we are of course on the A1 on our way to Yorkshire and I notice the central reservation must be a wildlife paradise for small mammals and insects. It is filled with a glorious mix of bright yellow, purple and cream wild flowers -- if only there were no traffic fumes ......... !

The sky today has been an artist's dream and I am reminded of John Constable and his skies. The clouds are well defined and ranging through every shade of darkest grey to brightest white against a variable background of shades of grey or stunning mid-blue. The temperature is as variable and quickly rises from 12 degrees to19 and just as fast drops back, as the weather changes from bright to the heaviest showers possible where visibility is very impaired and the spray is reminiscent of the spray from a rough sea hitting the sea wall at the coast. In fact at one point it became so bad that cars which had been crawling along were forced to pull over to the edge of the road and just stop -- this is the first time I have ever witnessed this.

We have just driven over the bridge across the river Trent, a wide river and to one side a huge lake absent of any sign of wildlife, but still I longed to stop the car and walk round it, perhaps I would find signs of wildlife invisible to people in a passing car. The A1 is punctuated by great swathes of tall cerise pink rose bay willow herb. They are so visually attractive and such a joy to see when the clumps are so large.

Leaving the A1 and joining the M18, we also change the music from Coldplay to Keane.

I am fascinated by the beautiful English countryside so lush and green from its many trees, single bushes, hedgerows and its patchwork fields stretching for mile upon mile to the horizon. The patchwork effect caused by the colour variations from different plants growing in other places. Cropped fields already ripened and gathered in show as golden brown and remind us that autumn is not far away. Roadside verges and banks are already yellowing in places, because they are thirsty and crying out for rain, not so today, for they have had it in plenty. Overall though will it be enough, I wonder.

The rose bay willow herb is in varying stages of development, and we pass one place where it is almost over and a straggle of purple buddleas have taken over to pretty up the roadside. They bear beautiful honey scented flower spires, so enjoyed by bees, butterflies and other insects.

We pass a new estate spreading right to the motorway edge and I wonder what planners are thinking about to build so close to the edge of such busy roads, with lung disease on the increase and pollution a known factor. This is especially so with many babies and young growing children with their delicate growing lungs will breathe in this air.

Joining the M62 we pass on the right a motley assortment of silos, cranes, a water tower and on the extreme left of these a very picturesque and beautiful old church with a tower and various other buildings -- they looked so strange together that I wished I had my camera to hand.

We are passing ditches full of bullrushes, edged by great gatherings of purplish pink rose bay willow herb and bright yellow ragwort.

As we move along the A614, and see a cluster of newly built upmarket houses bordering the road, it is a less busy road and the gardens are at the back of the houses -- purer air for the residents' children to breathe.

A flock of pigeons pass over the car and I reflect that these are the only birds we have seen apart from on the A1 where we passed a few dozen perched on telegraph wires above the fields.

Whitethroat

This morning I took much pleasure in watching a whitethroat, A great little bird, and fun to watch because these birds are insect eaters and the aerial chase is amazing. They swoop and swirl as they dive on and chase insects, they are a perfect delight to watch.

The Jay and The Fox

Tonight as usual we put the fox food out while it was still light but perhaps a little early, because immediately four pigeons; two magpies and one blackbird flew down to feast. When the fox arrived all the birds flew swiftly into nearby trees and bushes, a moment later I was surprised to see a jay fly down and feed with the fox, he showed no fear and the fox ignored him.

I was a little surprised at this behaviour, firstly because I wouldn't have expected a bird to join a fox, this was a first in our garden and secondly I would have expected the fox to chase the bird away.

I have often watched cats wander into the garden and join the fox in eating the food but this was the first time I have seen a bird do so.

Fox Cub and Mother

Each evening we are pleased to watch a tiny fox cub feeding in the garden. Sometimes his mother turns up --- usually after his arrival and the two of them together are a delight to watch.

As one notices the other the food is forgotten, their bodies are lowered and appear shortened and sway from from side to side as they hurry toward each other. On meeting they nuzzle each other around the nose and mouth area and then push their muzzles right into each others face and neck, each one clearly very pleased to see the other.

Sometimes they feed side by side, faces together and eating from the same pile of food. I have never seen foxes do this before.

Birthday Treat

Biggest treat by far was still being alive today! The average life span of someone with adenocarcinoma is ten and a half months from diagnosis, since I was diagnosed a year ago last May I feel elated. I realise that this figure is an average, but I feel so well and am so very joyful about it. Long may it last.

Anyway, a big treat today was putting out the fox food ---left over cheese and ham sandwiches chopped up small and special fried rice all of which was mixed together and spread across the lawn--- sitting by the patio doors, with a delicious feeling of anticipation and waiting for the fox.

I didn't have long to wait as within minutes a tiny baby fox appeared from the bushes and started tucking into the food, which having been scattered over a large area meant that he had much wandering about to do looking for the food, so I was able to enjoy him for longer than I expected.

Our two young granddaughters watched with us and thoroughly enjoyed it.

A10 in Hertfordshire

We are on our way to Grantham for an almost half way meet with our daughter, in order to collect our two granddaughters and bring them home with us to attend  a family wedding and christening.

We are travelling along the A10 in Hertfordshire, it is a pretty drive, the rose bay willow herbs are in full bloom, great tall groups of them, eye catchingly deep pink they look from the car window as we pass, although in reality they are two different shades.

Cow parsley now grown as tall as the hedges with its large almost flat heads of creamy white flowers much beloved of insects. We see a field of brightest red poppies, before us, by us and then in a blurring flash gone.Still an amazing sight.

Young Cyrils

Cyril obviously brought us a present when he returned because we are pleased to share the garden with two of the tiniest squirrels we have ever seen. Since their presence coincided with the return of Cyril I can only presume they are his.  He is still whisper thin and I feel worried for him. Where he was all that time and what was happening to him I have no idea, but I am pleased to see him back and hope he soon looks better.

It is a rainy day today. The patio looks very bright and pretty though due to the poppies that have seeded themselves between the cracks. They have grown and are now in full bloom and are so beautiful.

The Magpie and the Worm

The magpies and their young were on the lawn again this morning, pecking and poking about. Suddenly one of the youngsters pulled up a worm. The magpie tugged and the worm lengthened, as the worm stretched so the magpie lifted his head higher and higher, then as if he could reach up no more he took two steps back, lost his balance, flapped his wings. Letting go of the worm he took a few more steps back before flying off,  leaving the worm stretched on the lawn and living to see another day!

Magpies and Ants

The young magpies are here every day. They are almost the same size as their parents, just fractionally smaller, and a little slimmer. The female magpie looks very much the worse for wear; her brood patch is still bald and her side and back feathers look very disheveled. Around her neck she looks almost bare and decidedly scraggy. Gone is the sleek, glossy, well-fed bird of such a short while ago.

After they had cleared the food put out for them this morning, along with the jackdaws and pigeons, the magpies stayed on the lawn, poking about. Eventually all left save one, I can only think he had found an ants nest, he spent several minutes pecking away before he also flew away.

As I moved from the side kitchen window to the end window and looked out I saw another magpie: the tatty looking female. She was at the pond's edge and pecking at the ground by a stone. I watched her for several minutes and I can only assume that like her youngster she was filling up on the ants from an ant's nest.

Suddenly she stopped pecking and started jumping up and down while shaking herself, still doing this she suddenly began frantically flapping her wings and scratching herself, while turning her head from side to side and ruffling her few remaining neck feathers. I can only assume this was the ant's revenge for her dining on their colony!

This afternoon I spotted a young great spotted woodpecker on the bird table. This is the first time I have seen this.

Cyril Squirrel

Cyril is back!

He is whisper thin, he came to the patio doors  and didn't just bang with his little fists as usual, instead he threw his whole body against the glass. On hearing the sound I looked and was just in time to see him do it again. Where he has been I don't know, but he seems as glad to see me as I am to see him.

By the time I reached the kitchen window, he was there waiting and it was a pleasure to feed the poor hungry creature. He is so emaciated that at first I didn't recognise him, it was only when he was standing on the top of the bird table, waiting to be fed and as he turned his head I saw his ear and realised it was him.

I should have known it was him, because of the way he sought me out in the lounge, however it didn't alert me because Cyril always banged on the glass with his hands, to draw my attention, but this squirrel had thrown his whole body against the window, so although I thought he was familiar with me, I still didn't make the connection that this was my favourite squirrel.

I am so pleased to see him.

May Thoughts

May is here at last, with bluer skies and warmer days, though some are still made cold by a fresh wind that tugs washing on the line and whips colour into cheeks. It has been a dry month, with hardly any rain, the lawns are more brown than green. But everywhere else we look is so freshly green and lush; gardens are filled with flowers, weigela, lilac, clematis, honeysuckle, and aquelegias, while aubretias still course like a waterfall down garden walls.

On so many trees are tiny new catkins already stretching out, lengthening and ripening, ready for the wind to help them shed their pollen. Traveling country roads at this time of year, we pass acre upon acre of green fields, hedges and trees, their branches hanging heavy with their fresh green leaves. Willow trees look so pretty at the moment with their long weeping branches brushing the ground, or by rivers dabbling their tips in the water. Here and there amongst all the greenery an odd field of brightest yellow rape shines out like a spotlight on a darkened night.

The garden is alive with the sight and sound of bees, hoverflies, butterflies and day flying moths. Caterpillars can be found now and slugs are abundant. Fledgling robins, flutter wings showing hungry golden gapes to the world while they beg for food from their parents. Thrushes, blackbirds, blue tits, great tits, dunnocks and chaffinches are greedy feeders and collectors of food to take back to their nestlings. No matter how much I put out for the small birds I still find the ones who take the most are the pigeons, magpies, crows and new to the garden, jackdaws. We also have been honoured by the presence of starlings.

The little female fox has not yet brought her cubs to the garden, but she still comes nightly and carries away tightly crammed mouthful after mouthful of food, occasionally stopping to feed herself, before dashing off with another mouthful for her cubs. Two other foxes visit, both male, and never at the same time; one is slightly larger and darker than the other, he moves easily and slowly, and he always lays down to eat. The other younger, paler one is restless, looking constantly about him, starting and jumping at sounds, then rushing away and hiding in the shadows of bushes, before slowly sloping back to timidly feed again.

A10 to Royston then A1198 to Papworth

An enjoyable spring journey, everywhere is so freshly green and the cloudless sky so blue. The temperature is a mild 14 degrees.

We pass many fields of bright yellow rape, may blossom decks the hawthorns and the roadside edges are delicately pretty with long stretches of tall cow parsley. Oak trees are lightly sketched over in a fresh green haze. In fact, the green is breathtaking, every branch on each bush and tree is weighed down with fresh spring leaves in all shades of green, plus a few yellow or brownish/red shades. Lilacs spread out above fences and clematis montana flows across and down.

Just before Royston we saw a red kite, and the roundabouts in Royston were beautifully bedecked in pansies and wallflowers. Bright yellow laburnums and both red and white horse chestnuts were in full bloom, brightening this part of our journey.

The A1198 is part of the Ermine Way, alongside it on the right,we pass chalk white freshly ploughed fields while on the left the fields are full of sheep sharing their home with crowds of crows. Alongside the road on either side of the path the cow parsley stands tall, bordering the hedges and in some places they are the same height, further on the hedges turn into trees and the cow parsley now has no chance of competing!

Passing a service station I notice unleaded petrol is now £140.9 per litre, this is the highest I've seen it.

In the middle of the lawn in a front garden is an ancient tamerisk, many years old, prettily pink and grown from a shrub into a tree --- it looks wonderful.

Bullrushes are growing thickly in a nearby ditch, but my mind is taken off them by a pack of hunting dogs, forty or fifty strong. A nearby sign points to Huntingdon and I am told that don means town, and linked with hunting must  mean hunting town. This seemed very apt linked with seeing the pack of hunting hounds.

Leaving Papworth and heading home on the A1198, the grass on the verge is hardly visible because of the density of dandelion clocks --- round balls of fluffy, floaty seeds, ready and waiting to be wind whipped to a new location.
Further on we pass great patches of red clover, white daisies and blue birds eye (speedwell), how patriotic I thought with the royal wedding in just two days time. The timing of it makes me smile. I also smile with delight when we passed a large area of cowslips.

We decided on a slight detour and visited the National Trust, Wimpole Hall Estate, we enjoyed tea in the restaurant, before wandering around and seeing some of the rest of this beautiful place.

Looking at all the bright yellow oil seed rape fields, I sometimes think they are eye catchingly beautiful, but then I look at the many natural  greens of our English countryside and realise how fields of oil seed rape can stand out like a sore thumb.

Bypassing Buntingford I noticed on the verge a large gathering of tall white field daisies, the first I have seen this year.

Red Beetle

Last autumn I noticed with surprise how very large the Acanthus Mollis had grown. It is a great plant and comes up freshly green and beautifully mounded every year. It doesn't mind where it is planted, sun or shade. Plant it in the driest spot possible and it will still look breathlessly beautiful, when in flower and also very attractive when only a mound of leaves. Its common name is Bears Breeches.

I have a great affection for this plant with its mound of large, mid to dark green, classically shaped beautiful leaves and strange tall flower spires, with their purplish flowers, followed by large, fat, round seeds hiding under a hood and sitting on a prickly platform, which must have evolved to protect the seeds from predators.

It is a wonderfully architectural plant and when in flower more than 6 feet tall. Mine was now enormous and more than 10 feet across, it had however taken more than ten years to reach this size and I must admit it did look stunning.

I'm sure these are the leaves that inspired the design on some classical columns.

This spring noticing it was again fulfilling its promise, I bent down to stroke the shiny new leaves still furled. As I moved them, I noticed something red at the base of a stem where it met the ground. Further investigation showed it to be a shiny red beetle; it looked suspiciously like a lily beetle, but it had done no harm to the acanthus and I wondered if it had overwintered there. It was an eye catching beetle, because of its very redness.

Looking at the photographs which interestingly show more detail than the naked eye, I wonder if this beetle was newly hatched because the wing cases in the top photograph look crumpled as if they are just straightening out whereas in the second photograph they look a lot less crumpled. So now I wonder if the adult lays eggs which  overwinter in the ground and hatch out in the spring.

If you click on the pictures they enlarge, if you click on the lower picture you will see the beetle has turned its head and there is its tiny face looking back over its shoulder at me.

I looked this beetle up and discovered it was a Cardinal Beetle (Pyrochroa coccinea) its foods are; nectar, sap and other sweet liquids. A very similar species to this is the Pyrochroa serraticornis, which has a red head.

Bluebell Wood

Today we visited a nature reserve looking for a bluebell wood; we were not disappointed. Myriad bluebells were there and stretched way across far into the distance, the colour haze was a perfect purplish blue and very picturesque, while the perfume was moorish and reminiscent of childhood. A distinctive smell unlike any other.

It was an interesting nature reserve in that it was divided into two separate halves, each one very different to the other. The bluebell wood which was on our right stretched along and far back from the path, while on our left was a very boggy area. Here we found a semi-circular board walk, ending back at the bluebell wood further along the main path, and with a hide halfway round and somewhere to rest.

The board walk crossed small streams and tiny fish could be seen darting here and there in the clear, cold water. There were small ponds and large reeded areas, seating on the edge of the bluebell wood made bird watching easy and pleasurable. In the woodland I spotted a horse chestnut in full bloom, and photographed one of its candles.

At one point we passed a large area of water, stream fed and well reeded on the edges, there we saw a moorhen on her nest -- only just, as it was well hidden amongst the reeds. We also saw in different places two female ducks, each with a brood of young ducklings.

The bluebell wood which we entered on leaving the board walk was everything a bluebell wood is expected to be: the well remembered perfume, the distinctive blue of native bluebells, and not least of all the wonderful views seen only in a bluebell wood. The paths were flat and well defined and the walking was easy. Sunlight filtered through the overhead canopy of trees and in places gently lit areas of bluebells. We were delighted to find pink and white bells growing amongst the bluebells.

In places pink campion grew in clumps and looked surprisingly good with the bluebells, while further along the path, in a shadier dell, we found a mass of lords and ladies (Arum Maculatum), in all stages of development.