Well, our complement of frogs certainly are! We have not one but two male voice choirs (baritone in the top pond and bass in the bottom (no I have no idea why)) with a few determined soloists in the stream. Giant wobbling clouds of spawn testify to their felicity. In previous years the froggie socialContinue reading “Full of the joys of spring”
Category Archives: wildlife
Not all doom and gloom
The news has gone, it seems, from pretty dispiriting to downright bizarre. I have taken to doom scrolling in bed before breakfast to see what fresh insanity has been unleashed. Lachlan, ever sanguine, is of the view that periodic bursts of bonkers are simply part of the human condition and, like goldfish, we have foundContinue reading “Not all doom and gloom”
17 Flower arranging video clips
On Day 17 of Advent, in the window between taking the granola out of the oven and solving the latest knitting crisis, I found myself mesmerised by the tiny flower arranging videos my phone sends me when I should be making him indoors a promised coffee. My head is now awash with the thoughts ofContinue reading “17 Flower arranging video clips”
15 is a bloody annoying number
Today has been filled with thwarting annoyances interspersed with minor successes, so pretty much a mortadella of a day. It started badly when, having resolved to do my physio exercises, the equipment had gone a-missing. Cue an hour of cursing, door slamming and generally prowling around like an avenging angel. Thankfully, the aforesaid items turnedContinue reading “15 is a bloody annoying number”
Seasons of light
We had a hard frost last night, but this morning rose crisp and bright and I was squinting as I drove due west on my way to physio (of which more anon) in the early afternoon. Driving back, there was a bowl of molten honey in my mirror and huge banks of fuchsia clouds onContinue reading “Seasons of light”
Walk this way…
I haven’t been at the keyboard much of late and as I sat down to catch up whilst some cake baked (one good, one fell victim to opening the door a bit soon – but there’s not much custard can’t fix) I uploaded all the photos since my last effort. It transpires that I haveContinue reading “Walk this way…”
Summer Swan Song
Having confidently declared autumn up and running in my last blog, we found ourselves enjoying a mini Indian Summer last week. Everyone, and everything, seemed to come out to enjoy the sun. Little troupes of mushrooms suddenly appeared in the garden. They crept stealthily out from under trees and a few, bolder types, marched confidentlyContinue reading “Summer Swan Song”
A scented nosegay
Since Lyra lost her sight I’ve been trying to think more about sounds and smells, to be more aware of what she is experiencing. Walking round Norham last week, Lachlan got in on the act and we spent a large part of the walk trying to work out the source of a very particular smell,Continue reading “A scented nosegay”
You gotta roll with it*
*In keeping with the zeitgeist I am offering up an appropriate soundtrack for this post. I am, as it happens, typing away in the kitchen whilst Keith cooks and I have to say he is not indulging in any Oasis nostalgia and purports to be singing some 70s rock. It is not entirely clear whatContinue reading “You gotta roll with it*”
Dog Days
It was gloriously sunny today, far too hot for working in the garden (though Keith manfully tried). Instead, Lyra and I took ourselves for a long meandering walk – so long indeed that it was interrupted by a phone call to check we had not fallen prey to some unknown peril. As ever, I wasContinue reading “Dog Days”