We went down to the Mencap garden tonight to drop off a donation of plants from one of the neighbours. We have Japanese anemone, Michaelmas daisies, buddleia and raspberries. I’ve also donated my tea plants as they can make a better job of looking after them than I will.
The Magpies were waiting.
There were two on the roof of the shed, two perching on the fence and two standing on top of a lamp post. One was perching in a tree and one was pottering around in the grass. He’s the one that we think acts like a stroppy teenager. We assume it’s a “he” because girls don’t act like stroppy teenagers. If Magpies wore baseball caps his would be on backwards.
We’ve never seen eight at one time at the gardens before.
The first part of the afternoon was less interesting.
It involved eating soup (which went well) but then deteriorated as I took two bags of books to the charity shop. It started to rain as I parked the car. I grabbed a lightweight rain jacket from the back seat and managed to empty one of the bags of books onto the floor.
As slapstick goes it was a polished and faultless move.
After parting with the books, which still hurts as I talk about it, I decided to use the available light to photograph some bits and pieces. (I find the light in the car better than the interior of the house at this time of year). I hadn’t locked the door of the battery compartment last time I opened it.
They fell out.
I put them back.
And at that point I realised I hadn’t put the card in.
I was so wet I steamed up the inside of the car. This took a while to clear and gave me time to brood on the unfairness of life.
Then I went home, where Julia told me she had a job for me. That brings us back to the top of the page…
We have a group of around five or six magpies in our garden at the moment. My theory is that they are this year’s youngsters who just won’t take a hint and clear off.
Yes, that seems to fit, though we thought we only had a family of five. Not sure where our extras appeared from.
I’m having the same problem with No 2 son, who just won’t go back to Sheffield. 🙂
I hate giving away books too; such misery. I have recently weeded out a few I care less about to donate to a book fair taking place this coming weekend. I expect I’ll come home from it with a few replacements 😮
I try to use our library but I can never find anything worth reading in it. All yuk romantic fiction or self help books that people have asked the library to order and no-one else needs. There are no funds to improve the stock but there is a coffee machine and cards for sale and also jewellery made by Ed Sheeran’s mother who works there. There is a stand of old library books for sale and I often indulge myself there which totally defeats the object, I fear.
I’m being hard on books, and other stuff. With our general clutter, the remnants from the shop and the stuff from Quercus we Time to take charge! 🙂
🙂
I mostly borrow from the library, so there is less clutter and heartache when they have to go. At the same time, I still accumulate non-fiction, so that needs thinning.
Libraries are good – I should use them more.
I think it’s often a matter of habit… I used to always buy new clothes – had a colleague who got the most marvellous clothes from charity shops but I still headed for my usual high street stores until very recently. I grew up using libraries, though, so didn’t have any changes to make there.
Yes – my library habit is misplacing the books. 🙁
Oh dear!
According to the library computer I am “delinquent”. I must do better.
It would help if you want to borrow books 😉
It’s the”taking back on time” that I need to work on.
I see!
🙂
I love the description of magpies and baseball caps. 🙂
They seem to have adopted us. 🙂
I hate giving away books too. If I didn’t I would be buried alive by them now. Always breaks my heart though.
Yes, they have to go from time to time. I’m getting harder as I want to live a simpler, easier, less dusty life. 🙂