Hobbies and Crafts

I've just walked down the road and seen a large dead frog, almost turned to leather by the sun. I'm hoping it's not "my" frog :-(

There seem to be a lot of butterflies around at the moment, particularly the tortoiseshell and OH and I have just seen something we can't identify. I was at the kitchen window and saw something land on the herb tub in front of me. It's wings were folded up and looked black or at least very dark. At rest It looked something like a small butterfly or moth. But then it flew up and past us standing at the window and it looked more like a bright blue damselfly or dragonfly but with these very dark wings. I've googled and can't find anything like it. Any ideas anyone?

Oh Vera....... Well I think you all know how I would react to a frog jumping at me.!!

My grand daughter keeps telling me " you got a frog in your garden, Grannie " but I haven't actually seen one yet this year, or maybe just once.

Apart from the death of the stick incident and the nest that was uncovered when the fence went up, I haven't seen any more slow worms either.

I did get stuck at the back of the flower bed the other day though and despite my shouting for help nobody came to my rescue. I got in OK , did some weeding and cutting back but when I turned round to get out again, the little tiny space I had made between plants to put my foot in was occupied by a very pretty little mouse.

He just would not move, I wiggled some flowers at him, clapped my hands and he just sat looking at me. Luckily after a while i got enough balance to move a bit and he went scamperig off. About ten minutes later he was sitting on the lawn as bold as brass having a wash and sat there long enough for Himself to go and get the little one to show her.

We knew we had mice as someone had been chewing the seat cushions which are in a big storeage box in the garden. Someone had also been nibbling at my picnic cool bag as well. That was a bit of luck as I didn't like it very much and it gave me the excuse to HAVE to go and buy another one. It's very pretty, sort of Kath Kidston type fabric, shabby chic. So then I HAD to go and get some new melamine picnic ware as well. Just need to have a picnic now.

Leslie, the. Magpies are outside, they have been a real pest this year, have bred like mad, there must be at least a dozen of them around the house and garden.we got woken up around five this morning by one chattering in the apple tree. See my " It's a Mystery " thread.

The Swifts are still about and seem to have done well baby wise, we still only have the four Buzzards though so it doesn't look like they had another one this year.

My sister in law seems to have a hedgehog that has adopted them. One of her dogs found it up the garden and brought it onto the patio. It was fine so they put it over the fence into the field at the back after feeding it. He now comes back every evening and runs up and down the patio until they put some food out for him. Funny little thing. As he sets off their security light it keeps flashing on and off all evening until they go out to him.

M. :-)

Hello Everyone <3 to kandj

I have something burrowing in my greenhouse...yesterday it looked as though someone had stuck a small spade in the soil, today beside the hole you can see where something has scraped the soil away...any ideas what it could be please, it's got us stumped.

Maryanna is the magpie in your house?

Vera how lucky you are to have a frog in your garden, hope it keeps the slugs at bay:-)

Lesley x

The starlings are back in force here and eating just about anything I put out. There are a few sparrows as well and it is quite funny watching the starlings and the sparrows trying to get on the fat balls at the same time. The robin hasn't been around for ages and we haven't seen much of the bluetits in the last few days but I guess there is plenty of food available for them at the moment.

A couple of days ago I was bending over a pot to do a bit of deadheading when something leapt out from the back of the pot and nearly hit me in the face. It was
a very large frog. I'm not sure who got more of a fright - me or the frog
:-D

Oh, shame!

We have had a young robin in the garden lately and this morning a young Greenfinch was on the seed feeder. The young starlings are eating us out of fat balls and coconuts, I watched one yesterday, the coconut was almost empty so I took it down and laid it on the lawn. the young starling had a foot on it stopping it from moving and was scraping out every last bit of fat.

OH just called me out side ,but I was too slow.The Nightingale was sitting on our aerial .It flew off just before I got to see it :-S

You timed it well then Ann not to get caught in the rain :-D

The Heron has just flown over the garden ,plus A Red Kite being chased by the Crows.It was all go :-D

We have just been to Cheltenham on the bus. It threw it down before we left home then stopped and we got to the bus ok, rained a bit while we were on the bus then stopped while we were in town. Then as we got on the bus to come home it threw it down again but had stopped by the time we got off and we got home in the dry, so we managed to avoid the rain all day. Really crowded in town but didn't buy much. :-)

I think our Nightingale is going into over drive with its singing.( Im pretty sure it is the Nightingale.).I heard it again just now ,and it is starting up at 3 38 every morning !!!!
Now that is early :-S.It must sit in the hedge right near my bedroom .I do love it but wish it would go right down the bottom of the garden at that time.OH says to shut the windows at night but it is just too stuffy for me.
I am getting lots of pics through from my daughter from the festival.They have clear blue sky right now (but for how long !).She sent me a clip last night of the hail and torrential downpour just before they had to shut down all the power after the electrical storm.What a to do lol.This year she decided she wasn't going to be slumming it the whole time and booked herself in for a hair wash and massage :-D.Sensible girl :-D :-D
It is rainy steadily here and there are a few Blackbirds hopping around the lawn after some juicy worms.

I wa only saying when watching the local news that I would gate to be among all those people, and in all that mud. But it does seem to be better organised these days with lots going on, even if it does cost more.

Maryanna, naughty magpie, better night lights than birds eggs or chicks I suppose.

Oh Naughty Magpie Maryanna. :-|.I bet it was quite amusing to watch though lol

We have a lonesome Moorhen pottering in the garden this evening.But I think it has gone back next door now.
My daughter has been sending me pics of her and friends at Glastonbury.All I can say is I'm glad they are there and not me :-D

Caught one of the Magpies in the middle of misbehaving this morning.

He took five of the six night lights out of the holder one by one and flew with them into next door's garden.

He was being a bit cautious as we have a new table with a glass top and he was sliding on it.

I am sure now that that was what was happening to them last Summer.

As I am typing this a huge great fat Wood Pigeon is thinking of jumping over the step into the Conservatory. Better shoo him away, don't fancy chasing him around the house !!!

M. :-)

I think there is a weather warning for the south west .Not looking good for the festival goers when that happens :-S.I don't if I said but my daughter bought a pack of 25 disposable ponchos .Looks like they might all be used lol

We have lots of Swifts flying around our house at the moment.There must be plenty of insects up there for them :-D

Rain forecast for Friday at least Jane, a shame for them as it has been so nice. I hope she doesn't get too wet/muddy. I will look into Gupshill.

Ann I don't know if there is a place called Gupshill.My Sister wondered if the name is something to do with a battle?? I have no idea lol
She is at Wimbledon today and are sitting in Court one,The saw Andy Murray and now watching another Mens.It was so funny as I kept seeing her and BIL on the tv.
Another lovely day here today ,quite hot but feeling much fresher and less humid.
My Daughter is off to Glastonbury in the morning.I don't think she really wants to go as 3 years ago when she went it was just Mud Mud and more Mud .and rain is forecast for the weekend :-S.Just hope my car is safe as she has got it for a whole week !!!

No Jane not been to the medieval festival, read about it though.I have heard of Gupshill but don't know where it is.

Oh maybe it is Ann.I hadn't thought of that.Possibly the one in the tree making the noise is calling for food.
We went to a lovely place called Gupshill Manor or as my sister calls it the Gupshill.There is a beautiful show of Lavender at the front ,and it looked so pretty.It is just a pub and restaurant .I don't think they do rooms.
Everyone in Tewkesbury is getting ready for the Medieval Festival.Have you ever been to that?

I think we are just about to have a big downpour.It has suddenly blown up and to really dark.OH has just dashed out to put down the big Banana Parasol.We don't want to lose that one lol

Could it be a pair and a young one in the tree Jane? We have a lot of young starlings eating at the moment, they squabble more than they eat, they really are just like a young family of human children. We did have a wren in the garden yesterday but other than that nothing interesting. I must download my photos from last week as there are a couple of bird photos on there to put on the blog.

So which pub did you go to in the end?

Well it was change of plan Ann .We ended up at a place nearer to my Sisters house so that her daughter and G Daughter could meet up with us.It was a lovely day (bit too hot really) but the children were happy playing on the grass with Giant Bubbles.Us Adults had to move into the shade to eat.

This Morning the Red Kites are out again .It seems to be 2 Large ones and another sits in a tree somewhere making a lot of squealing noises (I am guessing a Female).
So it could be the 2 males vying for the one female.
I saw the same thing happening last year and its fascinating to watch.

Some of my visitors to the window feeder are looking extremely 'tatty' now.They look like they have been sleeping rough :-D

Oh right Twyning. Will remember that it sounds a nice place.

Aaw Vera poor blackbird.