A Sneak Peek into A City Garden

The summer weather continues to defy the UK's reputation, (unless you live in Scotland), and it is doing wonders for the garden. Not only are things growing better than ever, but it is going to be a good year for all fruit at the same time.

The apple harvest seems to have really cheered up since I cut out 40% of each tree. A few decent sized apples rather than truck loads of tiny, unhealthy ones. The pear tree has also responded to some tough love and there are more pears than ever.

The damson tree seems to be overloaded to the point that it might snap again. It is amazing how fruit trees do that so often. Almost like a final dying statement of intent. Our plum tree killed itself a couple of years ago by loading up with fruit and then snapping right down the middle. The damson tree similarly overloaded itself and then ejected the whole branch. I never realised they would do this or I would have staked it up earlier. My mother has the perfect plum tree, laden with fruit and surrounded by props to protect the branches. Don't go to sleep!

But this year is certainly going to be good for jam unless a terrible plague comes along to destroy everything. I might even get to produce apple juice or cider using my magic apple press. So far it has only cost about £40 per bottle to produce.

A Vision of Beauty

Last year we planted four Verbena in our new raised bed. They grew ok and then died back for the winter.  There was no sign of them in the early part of spring but then all of a sudden …..

The raised bed is now a vision of beauty. The actual stonework is pretty awful but it does now at least stand up. But look at what has grown inside it. Almost as if we planned it. The colours are quite magnificent.

Once all the beds are covered it flowers it is incredible how quickly you forget the pains we had getting there. It really does make quite a feature in the middle of the lawn.

Now on to develop the garden further.

A Slippery Visitor

Last week I described a quite extraordinary week in this blog. But what I didn’t realise was that it hadn’t ended.

I worked at home on the Friday and just finished a teleconference when I came face-to-face with one of the cats carrying a strange brown and white animal.

At first I thought, “Oh my god he has brought me another large rat!”, but then I looked closer and it had no long tail.

At this point he flopped down on the ground to rest and opened his mouth. The seemingly lifeless animal opened its eyes, wiggled its nose and then set off into the lounge.

The cat lay there as if to say, “there you go – catch that!”.

The problem was I didn’t know what “that” was.

I hurried back to my iPad to look it up.

Baby Otter – No.

Pole Cat – No.

Stoat – No.

Weasel - … Yes.

“Oh shit I have got a weasel loose in my living room”.

I fetched a long handled broom, and crept into the room to find the cat jousting with the weasel behind the large cabinet. I grabbed the cat and locked him out. He complained bitterly.

The weasel made a run for it and hid under a small coal scuttle.

I spent over 20 minutes fighting with it. I was pretty nervous of being bitten, and kept a handle’s distance away, but it kept trying to bite the broom, before returning to cover.

I sneaked across the room and opened the French windows.

Then I went back to the jousting and tried to get the broom behind it to force it out. Finally, he saw the daylight and took off out of the windows and across the garden – diving under a bush.

The relief was palpable. My stomach sat squarely in my mouth and I felt strangely queasy. How could a furry animal cause such angst?

A weasel is a beautiful creature. It runs in a distinctive manner and sits up when it looks around. But it has gnashing teeth and moves quickly and I hope I never seen another one in the house.

I never saw him again.

But I did see the snake by the back door again. This time I got a picture – excuse the quality.

Morning Web of Intrigue

This morning I heard the usual commotion when one of the cats decides to jump on the window sill and cry to be let in. This usually lasts 10 minutes and then I relent and open a door nearby. Once the cat is in, he wanders around for a few minutes, checks out the food bowls and then goes out again, only to appear at the window within 15 minutes.

On the third round, I pretend I am deaf and ignore him. Finally, he usually disappears.

This morning we played this game with a twist. The second time he jumped up, he cried in a funny way. A bit like a strangled call. I looked up to see the cat calling with a vole in his mouth. “Let me in – I have something for you”.

Deafness descended like a fog and I ignored him.

5 minutes later he was still there calling to me. I took pity and opened the door to let him in. He jumped down from the window sill and ran towards me like a returning hero. Just as he arrived at the door I shut it in his face. Well the look he gave me, said a thousand words.

He ate it in front of me. I left him to it as it was clearly already dead.

It obviously didn’t have a lasting impression as he is now trying to rub his head on my mouse as I write this blog. A memory of a goldfish and the instincts of a tiger.

A Day Lilly

I’ve slept with the windows open again this week when I have been here and the owls have been hooting. Still looking for love I think. Sadly, I think he is on his own and the ladies have deserted him. Either that or he has taken a fancy to my better half.

Gooseberry Fool Here We Come!

The first garden produce has ripened this week. The courgettes are flowing, the beans are sprouting and the gooseberries are bulging.

Gooseberry fool is on the menu – well it will be at the weekend.

If you have never tried it, you have never lived. A sharp gooseberry crush, mixed with custard. Ohhhhhh!

I can practically taste it already. They will be in the shops if you haven’t got any in the garden.

U2 Show

Well the big event last weekend was the U2 concert in London. What a show! Supported by Noel Gallagher singing Oasis classics.

It was by far the best staging I have seen, and the music was awesome. Sadly, I spent most of the show being touched up by two drunken ladies, but life’s been worse.

The song to remember this by is linked below. I never thought I would hear this supported by U2 as the last encore – shame about the video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmpRLQZkTb8

The group opened the show with the following.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM4vblG6BVQ

Finally, a shout out for my step grandmother who sadly died recently. She was 100 last February. Not many people live to that age, and even less enjoy life as she has. A much travelled painter and theatre lover, she had many stories to tell and enjoyed talking about them. Sadly, that has all gone with her except a collection of family paintings.

Sleep well and god bless. Your recent pain is over.

Have a great weekend all!

Live Action Mixed With Animation

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