Hobbies and Crafts

I still have a few clematis flowers from a second flowering on one that blooms in spring.

This month is when my Mum would have pruned her roses and I've always tended to split my efforts between doing it now and doing it in February which is when the experts seem to advise these days. In the past it was more a case of when the weather and I coincided to feel like it. But now I have more of them to do it's even more necessary to spread the work. This year I have a bush in the garden and one in a tub that I just don't want to touch now as they're still going strong.

Hi Tec
That is unusual for Azaleas isn't it. As you say I wonder what will happen in the Spring.

Jean
I forgot about my Batchelors bottons as my shrub is covered
in flowers as well.
Take care
Von

Between me having a cold and not sleeping brilliantly and the extra hour last night I was awake at 6am this morning. One of my mogs came to tell me it was brekky time (she'd forgotten the time change), she put her nose under my hand and hoiked it up for me to make a fuss of her, cheeky thing.

While I was gently waking up I heard a barn owl - we often think we hear them really close by and think they're on the roof. As I sometimes try to do, I got up to peak out of the curtains to see if I could see anything. I never normally see a thing but I was so lucky today, just as I looked out it was in flight in front of my window and landed on the corner of next door's guttering which was close enough for me to see it and far enough away for me not to disturb it. So we probably do hear them on our roof too. That was so worth crawling out of bed for.

Hi,

More birds around the feeders as the days grow colder. Lots of sparrows, chaffinches, a pair of greenfinches, blue, great, and coal tits. The collared doves that mysteriously disappeared have returned after several weeks, although only three, there used to be av nine. The red kites are around more frequently now too. Still plaqued by hoards of jackdaws who wreak havoc on the feeders.

Watched a rat climb the damson tree to reach a feeder, just like a squirrel, never seen that happen before.

Von......
You asked about shrubs flowering out of season. I have four large tubs planted with azaleas. These normally flower in late March, into April. A few weeks ago I was surprised to notice they all had large buds on them. Now there is a magnificent display of pink and white flowers. Not only is the foliage the healthiest it's ever been, but the flowers are bigger than they've ever been too. We rarely get a frost here, and I'm hoping we don't get one while the azaleas are in bloom.
Now wondering what will happen in the Spring?.

Jude I hope Madoc is well, and no more mishaps. Ianto is plodding along steadily at his own pace. Seems to sleep a lot between meals, but always wakes up in time for them, and still enjoys a gentle walk each day.

Tec.

My next door neighbour had Batchelors Button in flower yesterday, but today she has had her son cut them off' 'because they were untidy'! She does this often and then complains she doesnt get any flowers in her garden!

Hi
There was a murder of crows in the tree at trhe bottom of my garden this morning and that's exactly what I felt like committing when I heard the dreadful noise they were making.Only joking!!!!
Talking about the garden has anybody got shrubs in bloom that would normally flower in the spring.
My clematis Armandii has just finished flowering for the second time this year and I have a Spirea in bloom and that too has already flowered once this year.
Also whilst out this morning delivering my church news in one garden was`a Pasque flower in bloom.
It's lovely to see the flowers but I worry that they won't survive the winter.
Take care
Von

I remember being in a packed hide once at Barnes Wildfowl Trust, full of serious types dripping with all the gear. We weren't so hot on our birds in those days but I knew a few more than OH. He spotted and pointed out "a very pretty bird over there" - I said that's a hedge sparrow, at which point we both collapsed in a fit of giggles made the worse by the extreme quiet in there. Not so much as a murmur from any one of them, but we thought we'd better make a rapid exit before we got hounded out.

By the way - yesterday a buzzard did a really low pass right over our garden and through our weeping willow.

The birds seem to be returning to the feeders. We have, at the moment, two goldfinches, a blue tit, some sparrows and two collard doves. A sign of getting colder? (and it is raining).

Jude
It's terrible isn't it? Don't get me started though LOL At least I can see trees.
No plans for Gigrin until april for us as it's just too far for a weekend. The kites will be coming in their hundreds now and the earlier low sun makes for some fab photos of the scenery.

Oh my word Ann l forgot to mention the Redkites...that must have a real sight:o)))

Hello Island....someone like you really into wildlife and you have'nt got a garden....aw bless you!!
Might be a good time to go to Gigrin soon as the weather is changing....!!
The people in the hide obviously thought "oh dear, someone does'nt know their birds" lol
We have coaltits, bluetits and greattits (l think):o))
jude

Hi Jude

Yes, a one legged dunlin! We've always joked about 'one legged waders' and swans so I kept quite about this one as we were in a packed hide. I watched it for quite a while before nonchalently throwing in 'one legged dunlin over there' like you do. Not a stir LOL

Hi Ann,
How lovely to see those red kites - they're one of my favourites. Have you visited Gigrin farm in Powys? One day I'll catch Jude there lol
Hope you had a good time in London.

I'm quite envious of you people with your own outdoors and wildlife close by but mustn't grumble as I've had a pair of coaltits visiting my balcony feeder several times a day for the last couple of weeks :o))

Hello everyone.
We have no moles Jude but blooming rabbits ,taking a great interest in the new veg patches OH has just prepared lol.
Just popping off to have a look on the blog and then to see if there any more news on poor Daff.

My acer is almost bare now:o( hope l did'nt mess it about by moving it a few weeks ago!
Yours are both lovely Jean:o))
No longtailed tits, not seen any for ages and ages and even ages!!
Our new feeders are being used well and a squirrell appeared this morning, very healthy looking too.
It appears we also have moles!!!! grrr
Photo's from Ann on blogg:o)

jude

Although we have had a few frosts this week, the first one over last weekend was luckily a wake up call for me. Obviously did for the bean plants I hadn't taken out of the ground yet but I'd harvested the last beans anyway. I've got down to tidying out my greenhouse this week and putting the delicate things to bed until spring now. Last year, because of the snow, even in there I lost some things that should have survived in an unheated greenhouse, so this year I've bought some fleece to add to the protection for when it gets colder. And I think I still have some bubble wrap left in the garage from when we moved here so I'll wrap some pots with that.

The long tailed tits are back now in the buddleia and the feeder activity is increasing as the weather gets colder.

We were only saying today, how despite the frost, our blood red Acer is still a sight to behold. Lost a lot of plants in the frost.

We were there last Monday Jude, we are members so go at least twice a year and twice a year if we can to Batsford arboretum as well. But this year the colours are truly glorious aren't they? I have loads of photos, will try and remember to send you a couple.


While on the train coming home from london today, waiting at Didcot Parkway station, we saw 3 Red Kites hovering.

I went there many years ago when I lived in Nailsea.It was beautiful.I have a photo somewhere of my daughter in her buggy.This would have been back in 1984 !!!

Nearly forgot....we went to the Westonbirt Arboretum on Fri....glorious:o))) absolutely beautiful, much better than l had thought it would be!
The acers in all therir splender of reds, oranges, yellows and bits of green:o)) The BIg Red, japeneese pines, Rhoderdenrums, conkers and pine cones everywhere:o) Also some amazing area's for children to explore build camps and generally play. Will try and get a couple of photo's on the blog.....if l remember that is!! lol

jude

Morning everyone:o)) long time since any posts on here. l'm not on as much at the moment.

A real one legged DUNLIN!! lol

Vic see a heron most mornings and sometimes 2, we both saw one the other day standing in the river waiting to pounce.
l suggested to Vic we take a picnic down oneday and just sit waiting and watching (with camera) to see what wild life there is about.....spring time would be nice:o)

Madoc is good, had his regular check up at vets, all his lumps and bumps are fine, just fatty!!

Vic is on a walk today somewhere near Llanishen (sp), about 15 mins from here, he did'nt take camera l have just spied it on the work top...dohhh.

We have loads of sparrows, a regular nuthatch , don't know how long for, but he does seem tolike our new feeders. Also the rats are back, don't think the stuff put down did anything:o(((

Hope Ianto is well:o)
jude

This morning ,Chester (my dog ) was down the bottom of the garden mooching around by the compost bins that are hidden by trees.I thought he was a long time so called him.He stuck his head around the corner of the trees with a bone sticking out of the side of his mouth.When I got it ,it looked like some kind of bone from a leg and was fresh !.It was about 6 inches long and about the thickness of a stick of rock,maybe a bit thicker.I wonder what it was and where it came from??
I hope there are no more body parts there lol