birds, birthday

Yesterday Biddle and I enjoyed our birthdays. We both had great presents



Biddle had chocolates from John and a very colourful scarf from sister ( I had one too). John gave me a dvd of Coraline that we saw at the cinema last year. A metal cat an elephant wall hanging with pockets and a very interesting book with alternative knitting etc included. We all had coffee and cake in town and bought an M&S Chinese meal for tea and a naughty pudding. (No weighing this weekend!) Sister Angela also bought me some very nice fabric.

The baby sparrows are keeping their parents busy yesterday a very harassed mum was trying to keep two babies fed. One was sat on the peanut feeder and one on the fat balls and she was flitting from one to another trying to please them both. The photo is not very clear because its taken through the voile curtain

The one on the fat ball container eventually slipped and landed on the window ledge and was peering through at me.


We still have not had rain to speak of just a few jungle spots and some drizzle. Nothing that was measurable. I discovered last Friday morning that someone had stolen our two watering cans overnight so they obviously had plants to water too (what a cheek).
We had these with our salad last weekend

Half term begins tonight so I am hoping to catch up on some creating. Poor Grace is still awaiting her cardigan and various other things need to be finished.

If Tia slept here all the time I could get on so much better!


Thank you for stopping by

Its warming up

but for how long? At the moment the temperature is well above the average for May and this looks as if it will continue over the weekend. Looking back over the records I noticed that early May last year was not over warm either. The difference was that the nights were not quite so extremely cold.

As predicted we feasted on salad leaves on Sunday and Monday I felt like
Alys Fowler as I cut Monday's portion. Although I enjoyed the tv programme that accompanied this book she did rather irritate me at times. The dog was cute though! If you know me you will realised that is unusual as I am not enamoured of dogs as a race.

There was great excitement earlier in the week as we had new birds on the bedroom window feeders. A quick check in the bird confirmed my suspicion that they were greenfinches. John took some great photographs the following day




They have been back since so I am hoping they will be regular visitors. Tia is being driven mad by pigeons. They sit on the railings and she watches them from the front room window. They seem to think the other birds are dropping bits especially for them.

John was disappointed to find that the newly planted caulis at the allotment had been stripped of their leaves by ... slugs? All that wild vegetation around and they have to have the plants.

My fish hanging is almost finished it needs embellishments. The Easter one awaits a bunny for the spare corner. Grace is cross because her cardigan is not finished. I keep telling her she will have to remonstrate with Tia.

Next Thursday Biddle and I have a birthday. We are both getting far too old and so will commiserate with coffee and cake.

Finished...

... well I think it is. Unless I find anything else to add to it.


there is a gap in the bottom right hand corner so watch this space!
It has not turned out quite like I thought it would. I found the yellow bunny heads in a set of craft things that I bought ages ago and forgotten.

Despite the cold winds plants are still growing and at this rate we will be able to have some salad leaves at the weekend.


The radish are not quite ready yet.

Nothing much else to report.

Allotment/garden update

I finally made it down to the allotment. John had more than he could carry so it was a good opportunity to take some photos. What change from when we first took over the plot John now has two beds one with green shoots and early potatoes. The other ready for main crop potatoes that were planted later the same day.



As you can see Biddle and Gardener Bunny inspected to make sure all was well.


They were looking forward to some of this rhubarb until John explained that it should not be picked in its first year.


The apple tree has some lovely blossom and we are wondering if it will fruit. It is a bit of an old battered tree so maybe not.

John had put up feeders for the birds, the one containing peanuts has been stolen. We know that because it was tied on with a piece of rope. Unless of course a squirrel untied it and took away the container.

Flushed with a successful inspection of the allotment our intrepid two turned their attention to the back yard. ( or walled courtyard in estate agent speak!) To avoid wet paws the sat on the bird cage

However gardener decided that she might get better view from the pieris

She saw an intriguing container for a tomato

newly planted sweetpeas

and a view of everything

well almost



here is the view facing the other way.


When I came home though the back way yesterday everything looked so lush and green, so much more pleasant than the yards filled with junk that surround us.

My owl cross stitch is almost completed. I am very pleased with it. It is a shame I have to post it off really.


thanks for dropping by