Hobbies and Crafts

We should entitle your posts Lizzie, "Tales from Lizzie's River Bank Home"

I was in the garden again yesterday having a major cut back of another very large lilac. It grows on the edge of the patio by the retaining wall that stops the patio falling into the main part of the garden. I don't think the previous people had ever tried to trim it and it is very tall and leggy. We'd made a start on it last year but lost heart as we'd already had to tame a number of other shrubs too. Where we cut it last year it started to grow back stronger again but at a more manageable height for dead heading in the future so this year with only maintenance to do on the stuff we sorted last year (which all looks much better for the attention) we were ready for another challenge. It involved standing on the retaining wall and stretching to cut out stems that had nothing much on them except a few dead heads. We got to a last few stems which my very tall son was trying to reach - but mummy was worried for baby boy - when the neighbour asked if he could help. He's got a wall to stand on in a different position that made it easier for him and now it's a much better shape with still enough height for shade and bird cover. We should be able to reach to keep it in check each year now. The one I did at the front last year flowered beautifully this year so I hope our work will have a similar effect out there.

When we'd finished I had a check to see if we could get in soon to clear the remains of the buddleia which died this year. We'd cut that back and it had started making new shoots before the snow came and they all died off. We've had nothing from it this year. As I was looking there are some new tiny shoots at the base. I'd always believed before that you couldn't kill buddleia and thank goodness I'm proved right. So although there won't be much this year it will recover and by default it's started growing from the height we'd wanted to achieve over a couple of years. A bit of a result really. I'm so pleased we haven't lost it as suspected. Glad we left it there for a bit because again we couldn't face the task of getting down to finally taking it out. We do have 4 others for the birds and butterflies thank goodness for this year.

Right. Now to deadhead some of the clematis to see if I can get a 2nd flowering out of any of them later on. Oh can't right now it's raining - hope it does something this time to fill my water butt again.

Your Garden sounds just like the one at the cottage we stayed at in Suffolk.It led down to the river Deben.The wild life was wonderful .The only thing I missed seeing was the Kingfisher.
I saw the woodpecker here this afternoon on the side of the dead tree ,pecking away.Just missed getting a photo.

I was just out deadheading roses - I know it's getting dark but it's cool and the solar lights are starting to pop on - and I saw one of my cats hurtling down the garden. Just as I looked I saw a vole on the bank which suddenly plopped into the water, cat almost with it lol. She gave such an old fashioned look as if that wasn't fair.

When I went down to her mummy duck with the 5 ducklings was there so I ran up to the house to get some food for their supper. They were a hungry lot too. They've all got their proper plumage now and are just slightly smaller than mum. They all seem to be ducks, no little drakes. Glad to see both my duck families seem to be getting on OK.

Also whilst I was down there the batty bats were making their first evening flights. I think I'll go out again for a cuppa and a sit and see what else is going on.

A horse drawn barge,how nice Lizzie.I quite like the sound of that.
Not too many birds around the garden at the moment .Just flipping rabbits.They have polished of a load of petunias and geraniums.I am watering a lot of stalks lol

Just to say that I hadn't seen our green woodpecker this year yet. But OH and son saw two in our weeping willowon Thursday evening while I was at choir. They reckon one was a young one and it was making a heck of a noise.

Also hadn't seen mummy with one duckling for a few days so had feared the worst. However they turned up again yesterday and the duckling is growing quite nicely now. Hungry pair too.

Plus last night OH's work summer do was a trip on a horse drawn canal barge from Kintbury. Very pleasant. Heading east we saw a kite circling over a field.

Still need to spot another kingfisher on the river. Haven't done that since early 2009.

Wendy, I only started it, it is mainly the others who keep it going, we ought to rename it 'the Twitchers thread'.

I can't believe that this thread has had 1500 postings on it - 1501 now. Well done Ann

Wendy xx

Jane....l am sorry, l saw your post re the rabbit theother day. Can you call the rspca and ask what to do??
We had another Green Finch n the garden yesterday that did'nt fly off when l got near, well it sort of flew a few yards then looked for food again ete etc, but definately slower than it should be, can't see it today.

DizzieLissie....how cute:o)) but they are not very nice at mating time, l found a female some yrs ago that had had its back broken by a male. The vet put it to sleep thankfully.

Away now til Tuesday so behave yourselves:o) lol

jude x

Just nudging this up.
I had to get a neighbour to come and kill a rabbit yesterday.It had Myxamatosis (sp)Poor thing was so bad.I thought great ,I don't have to worry about it anymore.Within half an hour I spotted another one.I think we have a problem!!!.
2 squirrels in the garden this morning too.

Haven't had the ducks knocking the patio door for a bit. Mind you they've been keeping to the river and the end of the garden while they have ducklings. They tend to come and fetch us while they are breeding when mummy duck is eating for however many. The drakes knock the window and then stand back while mummy feeds. When she's done they step forward for their turn. What gentlemen.

We sometimes get woken by magpies or pigeons hopping on the small bit of flat roof above one end of our bedroom. Wish they'd take their hobnail boots off first!

We seem to be lucky now on the green and goldfinch front. Seem to have the same little family of greenfinches for the past few days at the feeder. And the goldfinches become more regular and gradually growing numbers. Have to see if I've ruined it by trimming back a hedge that grows up and around the lilac and buddleia on the feeder side of the garden. I tried to make sure I left enough hidey perches in there.

Jane, magpies have a horrible habit of doing that. Used to wake me when I was on nights. They either go after insects, or fight their reflection in the glass.

Poor little thing Jude.Is there a disease that is killing finches?
We were woken this morning by a loud tapping on the bedroom window or window ledge.I think it might have been a pidgeon lol.It better not get in the habit of doing that .Not that early anyway.

Ann...l have just posted on the RSPB forum abaout both.
Are'nt they beautiful:o)
jude

Jude, did you notify the RSPB about the Greenfinch.?
Poor little goldfinch. We had four of them feeding this morning, four adults so that is two more than usual, no sign of the juvenile today though.

Abou an hr ago l found a baby Gold Finch sitting on the wall, Madoc squated right in front of it and it did'nt move so l picked it up.....its just died, bless it:o(
Its chest bone is quite pertruding, not bloody or anything, but as if its quite thin. There was also a cat sitting by a rat hole and l wondered if it had caught it, not sure. Hope its not the killer desease. We had a dead greenfinch a few weeks ago too.

Dizzie....forgot to say, l will put the nigar seed out again, keep forgetting about it.
jude

Yeh just generally keeping him quieter, no mad games in the garden or hiding seek, which we don't do very often now anyways:o(

Photo's of Jeans plants on blog:o)

jude

That's good news Jude.Will he have a few easy days now?We do worry about our pets don't we.I think it is partly that they can't tell us what the problem is ,and how much pain they are in.

He's fine this morning:o)) xx

Thanks peeps:o)

Too much information Jane...lol. Hope it works so that he stops eating birds poo!!
He's still not comfy though and can't up his meds till the morning with his breakie. l thought it was his heart!! He's eaten his dinner as normal so thats good:o)
Ann...your right there!
jude x