A New Garden For The New Year!

It is mid-afternoon, we awoke to a wet, dull and overcast day, at last the rain has ceased, the darker clouds have fled and although the sun is not shining at least the clouds are lighter and the day brighter.

For some time now the garden has taken backstage in our lives, it has become so overgrown Mike has felt overwhelmed and consequently defeated by it. Over the years it slowly turned into a small nature reserve and our own wonderful piece of paradise, which we have delighted in sharing with all wildlife who wanted to live here or just spend time using it.

Some of the trees were so old and had grown so large --- silver birch, acacia and flowering cherry --- that they had become a concern because they were dropping large branches. The tops of the trees had huge 10 -20 feet branches fallen but caught in the canopy. With the high winds we are now experiencing we decided to have these removed, an agonizing decision, that brought tears and feelings of frustration. No doubt many of you will over the years have read blogs featuring the beloved birch tree, from the bare ice covered branches, lit by bright sunlight and with a clear blue sky behind, to the tiny new brown early stage catkins. The beauty of the tree in full catkin on a fine spring morning, the elegant look while it was in full leaf and the whole a golden yellow beacon shining out and lifting our hearts on a sunny autumn day. The birds, insects and squirrels also loved it, we could often see flocks of long tailed tits flitting about in it, as well as goldcrests, the squirrels often used to sit waiting for breakfast, watching from the branches to see when we were up and about, so they could come and bang with their tiny hands on the side kitchen window to attract our attention.

Shrubs have (to my mind) been decimated, many cut to ground level and two beautiful acers have disappeared altogether. I feared for the wildlife especially the birds in this cold weather, because so much shelter has gone. However I have to be philosophical about it, more work was needed than I could presently manage and perhaps the bare branched acers were not recognisable to the "landscapers"! All new spring growth has been trodden heavily underfoot, daffodils, aconites, snowdrops, primulas and much more. Life is a big learning curve, from this I have learnt that not everything is within one's control, being so breathless I was unable to keep a close eye on things, and I take comfort from the fact that even the down trodden plants and bulbs will given time return.

The upside of this is that Mike is so pleased, he now feels the garden is more in his control than for a long time, and that to me is joyful.

We would like in time to replace the birch with one that doesn't belong in a forest, we will also have the delightful task of researching and choosing two more trees. These will be chosen very carefully with size and attractiveness to wildlife, the most important features.

I expected not to see so much wildlife in the garden today, however, there has been as much as ever, the green woodpecker continues to spend most of the day here, our lawn obviously contains a full larder hidden underneath. Long tailed tits, blue tits, great tits, many blackbirds, pair of song thrushes, robins and wrens have spent the day gleaning for insects, spiders etc. which has been very heartening.

We have wondered where the foxes live, but have been unable discover the place, however all is now revealed; the workmen watched them running from the compost area when they were using their chainsaws nearby. I really hope they return..

Hopefully on the Road to Recovery and a Green Woodpecker

Happy New Year

It is Sunday 17th January, it has been such a long time and a hard struggle, often I have thought of my nature notes and been too weak and felt too ill to sit and do them. I first went into hospital on the 4th of July and finally returned home on the 12th of November. However now I have put weight on, my mind is more together and life and I are once again in harmony. Hospital was a long and arduous struggle which continued for more than four months, but once again I have to thank the wonderful staff at Papworth Hospital, from the lung defence team, through Mr Coonar my amazing surgeon, to the great oncology team, I owe all of them so much. Physically I am in poor shape, my lungs are worse than I have ever known them, and the extreme breathlessness has been and and at times still is hard to contend with. I must pay tribute also the amazing care and attention given to me by the physiotherapists, even now in times of extreme breathlessness I hear them in my head gently helping me through. This also applies to the nurses and all the other ward staff, who were so supportive and helpful. I am humbled by them all and so very grateful to each and every one.

This morning I awoke to a wonderfully bright morning, drawing back the curtains Mike said, "You are going to love this, it has snowed", he was right I did love it. My first thought was for the wildlife and while Mike sorted out our breakfasts, I managed to put out the bird and animal food, this was only the third time I have been able to do this and it gave me a great if very breathless lift. Lunchtime came and with it the last of the snow faded, however I can still picture the white covering over the grass and plants and resting along the tops of the tree branches.

My constant companion since returning home has been the daily visits of a female green woodpecker, each day Mike would come in and among other snippets would tell me how every morning while he had breakfasted and readied himself to visit me, he would always see the green woodpecker on the lawn.

Here I have to pay tribute to my husband a very special man in my life, despite being 77 years young, for all the time I was in hospital, each day he drove an 85 mile round trip, to spend several hours with me. We enjoy each others company so much and it was wonderful of him to spend so very much time with me.

Me and Mike in the gardens at Papworth Hospital

I also have to thank Mike for unceasingly feeding the wildlife daily and each evening the fox, despite the hour being so late and Mike so tired. So a big thank you to Mike from the wildlife the fox and me.

On finishing for today I would like to wish each and every one of you a very Happy and healthy New Year.