Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Jul 26, 2009 23:43:08 GMT 1
Day 67 - and don't faint but the concrete was laid (or do I mean layed?) last week. There are also about three pallets or so of blocks now forming the start of the rear wall of the building.
A ditch has been dug, too. Only a little one, and fron the edge of the building towards the bird garden, and in an attempt to deal with the underground stream that is no longer entirely underground, or even under the foundations, but more around those... I suspect we may yet end up with a ford to cross between the field gate and the stables.
Today, Peter decided that escaping his two children was a priority, so he spent the day pulling up ragwort from the fields and in the pouring rain. (I've never met his kids but...?) Oh, well, if they were little angels, I expect there would still be ragwort filling the fields! ;D Of course, Bronnie kept him company. She probably though he'd morsels of feed in the bags, although she really does love human company. Enjoys giving them playful nips too, if they dare to ignore her.
Happy to report that Peter was treated to a close view of the lonely heron today, too. Nice to know that he/she is still around, despite some wretch having shot the other of the pair.
The resident robin family were busy on the fat balls and feeders again. Parents and two of their fledglings. I don't know what happened to one of the brood of four youngsters, but one was found by the builders and drowned in the footings a couple of weeks ago.
A couple of coal tits also put in an appearance on the feeders, and I think there were more fluttering around in the hedgerow, and think I caught sight of a tiny wren darting around amongst the ivy and roots of the hedge, but it was a fleeting glimpse, so could well have been a sparrow.
A few days ago I caught sight of a squirrel bounding over the grass down by the river. In the park in town the squirrels are quite tame and will approach people eating lunch looking for titbits, and perhaps some will grow tame once we have the garden established and they get the chance to see people more often. Mind you, with the idiots with airguns around, that may not be such a wise idea. Something else small and brown was spotted investigating for spilled seed from the feeders hanging in the hedge, and it wasn't a doormouse!
It (and probably numerous of its friends and relations) goes by the name of Mr. Whiskers. Personally, I couldn't tell you if it is a Mr or a Mrs., but I'm told the one spotted was exceptionally well endowed in the nuts department... Funny, that, as the hazel ones are far from ripe! ;D I can see we may well need to house Ferdie Ferret, and perhaps his sister, too, in the new feed room, if only in the hope that they'll keep Mr. Whiskers and family away from the feed bins!
The ramblers apparently have a competition every year to see who can spot the greatest number of hazel nuts in one cluster. I gather their record is thirteen, but only ten this year, and neither from the Llys Trerobert hedgerow. Alas, there no-one has spotted a cluster of more than three this year, although I'm sure I've seen four or five in other years.
A ditch has been dug, too. Only a little one, and fron the edge of the building towards the bird garden, and in an attempt to deal with the underground stream that is no longer entirely underground, or even under the foundations, but more around those... I suspect we may yet end up with a ford to cross between the field gate and the stables.
Today, Peter decided that escaping his two children was a priority, so he spent the day pulling up ragwort from the fields and in the pouring rain. (I've never met his kids but...?) Oh, well, if they were little angels, I expect there would still be ragwort filling the fields! ;D Of course, Bronnie kept him company. She probably though he'd morsels of feed in the bags, although she really does love human company. Enjoys giving them playful nips too, if they dare to ignore her.
Happy to report that Peter was treated to a close view of the lonely heron today, too. Nice to know that he/she is still around, despite some wretch having shot the other of the pair.
The resident robin family were busy on the fat balls and feeders again. Parents and two of their fledglings. I don't know what happened to one of the brood of four youngsters, but one was found by the builders and drowned in the footings a couple of weeks ago.
A couple of coal tits also put in an appearance on the feeders, and I think there were more fluttering around in the hedgerow, and think I caught sight of a tiny wren darting around amongst the ivy and roots of the hedge, but it was a fleeting glimpse, so could well have been a sparrow.
A few days ago I caught sight of a squirrel bounding over the grass down by the river. In the park in town the squirrels are quite tame and will approach people eating lunch looking for titbits, and perhaps some will grow tame once we have the garden established and they get the chance to see people more often. Mind you, with the idiots with airguns around, that may not be such a wise idea. Something else small and brown was spotted investigating for spilled seed from the feeders hanging in the hedge, and it wasn't a doormouse!
It (and probably numerous of its friends and relations) goes by the name of Mr. Whiskers. Personally, I couldn't tell you if it is a Mr or a Mrs., but I'm told the one spotted was exceptionally well endowed in the nuts department... Funny, that, as the hazel ones are far from ripe! ;D I can see we may well need to house Ferdie Ferret, and perhaps his sister, too, in the new feed room, if only in the hope that they'll keep Mr. Whiskers and family away from the feed bins!
The ramblers apparently have a competition every year to see who can spot the greatest number of hazel nuts in one cluster. I gather their record is thirteen, but only ten this year, and neither from the Llys Trerobert hedgerow. Alas, there no-one has spotted a cluster of more than three this year, although I'm sure I've seen four or five in other years.