It feels like summer has finally arrived, though I do realise that I’ve said that before.
The weather station reports and outside temperature of 19 degrees C, the sky is clear and the wind is little more than a baby’s breath (or 2 km per hour from the south, if you prefer facts to fancy).
We tidied up for Open Farm Sunday and the farmer’s mother is having a significant birthday (and party) towards the end of the month, so there is a lot of gardening going on. She’s actually having two parties (one for family and another for people she likes, as I keep telling her) and I hope I have that sort of stamina when I’m 80.
The downside of all this uncoordinated activity is that the thistles earmarked for goldfinch food and most of the “wild” poppies have been removed. We have some great self-seeded poppies, including shades or red and mauve, and quite a selection of doubles with big pom-pom flowers. Correction, we had some great self-seeded poppies.
The paths between the “trees” in the “woodland” are cut (which means we have mowed between the sticks in the field), the wheat is beautifully green (probably the result of too much rain – you know how farmers are) and the trees in the agroforestry scheme are looking good in their rows.
The general effect is one of standing in the parkland surrounding a stately home.
When we arrived I stood and watched for a few minutes. A buzzard was wheeling overhead, the bees were buzzing in the flower beds (their first major appearance this year) and a blackbird was singing from the hedge.
A grumpy goldfinch was twittering as it perched on a virtually empty feeder. It stared at me accusingly. I stared back, and did not refill the feeder. I do like birds but I’m not going to be bullied by something that weighs less than my watch.
I like to save thistles and seeded flowers but a certain other person who lives in my house prefers to clear them away 🙂
We all need a bit of light and shade in our lives, I suppose. 😉
Hmmm…
😉
Sounds like one of those moments you get once in a while in a good summer!
Yes, summer seems to be abrief moment rather than a season this year! 😉
Yeah, don’t let that goldfinch coerce you into filling the feeder! Good on you! 😂
I filled them later once I’d made my point. 😉
what lovely shots
Take care, Laura
Thank you – it’s a good time of year for photographs – plenty to see and plenty of sun. I’m not quite so good in October! 😉
I hear ya, October is not so good over here either in Northern Ontario, Canada.. Happy gardening to you..
Take care, Laura
😉
Strong personality that goldfinch.
I’m surprised that your blackbirds are singing. The only birds I’m sure I can hear are the wood pigeons.
We nearly always have a blackbird singing round the place. Just had lunch to the accompaniment of a couple of heckling wrens. They got quite close at times but, as usual, I didn’t have a camera handy. 😉
Yes, wild creatures don’t generally do sittings 😉.
That’s why I have pictures of clouds and flowers today. If they can’t run they can’t hide.
Buzzard, bees, buzzing, beds, blackbird – all in one sentence. You’ve excelled yourself.
Thank you, they made it easy today. If I’d seen a kestrel I’d not have found it so simple. 😉
🙂