My Little Little Garden

So, I mentioned yesterday my little plant collection is now starting to attract its first common carder bee visitors.

So here is part of my dinky, not very expensive collection that adds a tiny bit of colour to my flint gravel garden.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 27.07.19

Nature Friendly Garden 2 - My Parents' Place

So, visited my folks' house today, with mother telling me the lobelia has got all the bees going crazy.

This wasn't the case by 730pm, but there were still a few about on that rampant trailing plant. It was the tall, delicate dark blue flowers that were getting the most customers however, as common carder bumblebees flocked in for an early evening drink.

However, these bees decided that walking up the stems the other side from me was the way to go, and even their weight was enough to set the blooms swaying so much they were hard to photograph.

It's been a lovely evening, at least I am trying to make the most  of the warmer months.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 12.06.18

Moth Friendly Nature Gardening

Without wanting to overdo the whole "It's been a glorious day" thing again, it's been another glorious day here today, and as well as having a 7km run in the heat, I took my shirt off to be a spot of "Henry Ramsay from Neighbours" style topless gardening.

My garden is a very rough little enclosed space, and its hardly worth me investing in a mower to sort it out, so I use a pair of shears to essentially hack at the grass, while leaving the margins untouched. The only thing I really deliberately hack down are the nettles - they get their revenge by stinging me every time - while I leave the clover, herb robert and forget me nots, as well as the buttercups that have been giving me colour for a while before just starting to go over now.

Falco, the Polish labrador from next door, decided to come and help.

As well as my actual garden, there is an unclaimed space the other side of the fence which I think should be the responsibility of my downstairs neighbours, but I end up looking after. I've sort of left an island in the middle uncut, and it was there today that I spotted a magpie moth trying to get some peace from my hacking.

I finally managed to get a shot of it resting under a leaf.

I also have my pot plants, which are doing very well. I was happy to see a bumblebee feeding off my fuschia, which I always thought was a species of  little use to pollinators.

Not so, apparently!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 11.06.18

A Bee Moth

Came across this attractive character fluttering about the Prince Rupert before having a little rest on the wall.

I photographed so few moths last year, and I've barely seen any this year yet. So nice to see this attractive moth, a new one to me, having a little rest.

Probably waiting for an abandoned pint to sup on.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 24.05.18

Mr and Mrs Goose

So, a day off from sporting activity and sheesh does my body need it - I am absolutely achey and stiff after two days cricket. So today has been about enjoying the good weather, and having a walk to see what was out in it.

I trotted around the cemetery, looking at how everything looks lovely in its last coating of wildflowers before the cut is made; buttercup and meadow saxifrage are the dominant species at the moment, the last flowers to lord it over the city of the dead.

The yellow flowers whose name I can't remember are out. The alternative name is "Herb Somebody or Other" but I can't remember the moniker concerned. Rubbish.

Ragged robin has now emerged, those frail looking flowers are so hard to focus on and photograph! But to get to them, I had to get past Mr and Mrs Goose on the cycle path.

Mr and Mrs Goose have three goslings, and instead of being in the water, are next to the cycle path and giving anyone who wants to get past a jolly good hissing at, as well as being lunged at.

They reminded me of cousin Robert's savage Muscovy of my childhood.

However, unlike my grandfather, I got past without having my leg mauled.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 21.05.18

It's Taken a While...

...but autumn is finally happening. All of a sudden, leaves are all over the ground and the colour is now starting to change.

The projected frosts next week should finish this job.

It certainly looked rather pretty when I was out running today, past the London Road pond where there are now two shoveller drakes circling around, beaks down in the water, then up the Clay Lane hill where even on the dull dull day we had today, I still loved the views out over Balderton and past Claypole.

A kestrel was on the hunt at this point, taking a long time to find the ideal spot for a hover, about halfway up.

The berry laden trees in the Reserve nursery have now turned a beautiful rose gold, berries ready for any passing bullfinch to eat, or runner to photograph.

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 29.10.16

Another Year Older

Well I hit 44 today, and rewarded myself by having a luxury breakfast of exotic mushrooms on toast before spending a lot of the day on the park reading Amy Liptrot's "The Outrun".

Initially the sun was bright and scorching on my face, my black jeans making my legs feel like they were burning. But as the afternoon wore on the clouds rolled in, getting darker and heavier by the minute, until the rain came and drove me off my table at the cafe, where a collie kept bringing me back its tennis ball instead of its owner.

I then went into town, where some strange daemon in my mind persuaded me to buy a sketch pad and pencils. I'd like to try and record a few sketches as well as photographs, terrible at drawing though I am. It gives me something else to do when I'm out, I expect working quickly will be my best approach. Or least worst, rather.

This last year has gone better than most, at long last I'm getting to write as part of my job. Where I take it from here I have no idea.

Here's a random set of photographs from the last three days. I was most perturbed to find a sary mask while out running the other night!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 09.10.16

A Few Bumbles for 100,000 Views

I've now got through the 100,000 reads barrier, which may not seem a lot to some of my fellow bloggers here, but feels a lot to me, especially as once upon a time I thought I'd never get to that kind of number of views.

No money made out of blogging for me then!

So, after a very stiff and sore weekend of playing cricket, I've just managed to fit in very slow runs and a few walks, seeing what was about on a dull, mizzley day but with a strong, warm wind blowing. You can feel the heatwave building for later in the week.

Because the weather has been dull, not many butterflies about; they've not done well this year have they? But lots of bees of various species have been around on the various flowers I encounter, with common carder bumbles being very numerous.

The local urban farm on Clay Lane seems to be getting busier and busier; not sure what the deal is here, but there are more and more calves, horses, ponies and donkey / mules down there...quite the menagerie now.

Here's to the next 100,000 readers!

Si

All text and images copyright CreamCrackeredNature 22.08.16