Mushrooms are taking over the garden...

This will be me when I am left to look after myself the squirrels will take over,

Better that than the mushrooms...

Mushrooms are taking over the front garden!!!

They started off very small in groups

Sometimes small groups

Then they grow bigger and bigger

Then bigger

Tony thinks they might be edible

but I am not trying them!

As soon as one lot of mushrooms died more grew to take their place, and the council gardeners came and cut the grass even that didn't get rid of them. I think they must have just bent down as the cutter went over them because the mushrooms were still there when the workers left.

I am still sorting through old photographs and things, I found something else I had forgotten about today...

If you look at the robin with the mealworm in its beak, that is one of my photographs that was the April 2016 winner in ArkWildlife photo of the month.

This is very rare, a picture of Lynsey laughing, I don't know how old she was at the time about the mid '20s at a guess.

This is my first photo of a fox, you have to admit the eyes make it.

Until the next time...
 

Breaking news & memories...

Reading the news this morning I came across this,

.https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/entertainment-arts-63067699

I was so impressed with some of the work the man had done in his flat that I felt the need to share it.

I hope the family manage to buy it, I would hate to think that it would all be knocked out and as one person said in the clip, "given a magnolia paint job".

Then I saw breaking news that human remains had been found on Saddleworth Moor which could be Keith Bennet, the only known remaining unfound victim of The Moors Murderers. I really hope it is to give some peace to his family.

So all this news inspired me to write a blog. I don't have much to write but here goes anyway...

A few old photos for you from Scotland,

Pine Marten from 2010

The Pine Martens were always a pleasure to see, they came every evening and early morning. If they were lucky they even got a freshly killed mouse left out for them.

Tess is forever in our hearts.

Tess was the reason we first began to visit the Rural Retreat, we went to look after her when her Mum & Dad went away. I miss Tess she was a beautiful cat.

Chased out of woods by a Buzzard.

Like a pro, I continued to photograph the Buzzard even though it was screaming at me and diving toward my head.

Highland Coo's

No visit to Scotland is complete without seeing the Highland Coos.

Red Squirrels are a must when visiting Scotland.

A game of hide & seek goes down well.

Seeing one for the first time was just amazing.

I had waited so long to see a red squirrel I was just so happy I just stood and watched for ages, Tony had to say to me "Soo, camera". Then of course I just snapped away and took so many photographs. That had to be one of the best days in Scotland for me.

Friends old & new...

The squirrels are making daily appearances now both at the front of the bungalow by the cherry tree...

Terrible Two

The Daring One

...and in the back garden on the fence and down on the ground, amongst other places.

Trying To Make A Getaway

 

The Weird One

There's always one that eats in strange places, when we were in the flat one ate in the sink, this one likes the big planter.

This is a Pretty Little Lady.

She has the sense to bury some nuts in the garden so if the box is empty she always has some to eat.

A Favourite Spot to Sit.

This is a spot where the squirrel likes to sit if it knows I am watching, or if the nut box is empty and he thinks it wants filling. It reminds me of the squirrel who used to sit in the fir tree outside the bedroom window when we lived in the flat. She sat there waiting for me to put food out. Or am I really giving them more intelligence than they deserve? I don't think so!

I found some CD's with some old photo's on the other day, quite a few I took while I was in Scotland catsitting for my brother & his wife, so don't be surprised if a few of them make their way onto here. So be warned Russell you will be seeing some old friends from the garden.

Until the next time...

We have inherited some gnomes...

The Bungalow is finally starting to feel more like home, the boxes have almost disappeared and we can move freely in all the rooms.  We have a new carpet ordered for the living room, and a few new pieces of furniture have been delivered. We have Emma & Alison on stand-by for the decorating, so things are starting to come together nicely.

My bedroom is still not completely done but I will do it in my own time, it is going in the right direction it's just so hard to part with things that I think might be of some use for something at some time. However, I have thrown a lot of clothes away, mostly because I don't think they will ever fit me again.

Tony put up a new nut box for the squirrels today.

The New Nut Box

Now we just have to wait for the squirrels to find it. It shouldn't take them long, hopefully!

We seem to have inherited some gnomes in the garden, it is a communal garden so I guess they might have to stay. I don't really mind the gnomes in fact I am thinking of buying some paint to brighten them up.

Gnome number 1

Gnome number 2

useful for holding suet.

Gnome number 3

Gnome number 4

I am not sure about the other two figures I think I might have to hide them behind a bush or move them over to the other side of the garden, I am sure Ann our new neighbour wouldn't mind she seems pretty easygoing.

We have a few ideas for a couple of feeders to bring in some birds, Ann & Adelle the neighbours don't mind in fact Ann is looking forward to it, she spends a lot of time sitting with her door open that looks out over the garden.

There are new people in our old flat so I will call and see Margaret, make sure that she is ok.

We haven't been out on the scooters much over the last week the weather has not been good enough, the weather forecast looks good this week so we should be out and about, maybe even a picnic in the park could be on the cards.

Anyhow enough waffling, take care stay safe,

Until next time...

The boxes are going down...

 We are slowly getting the boxes out of the way, Now I just have a lot of folded boxes on top of my wardrobe because Lynsey asked me to keep them for her as she is determined she is moving again soon. She needs to move somewhere near a train station so she knows she can travel to work if the buses strike again. I don't know what she will do if the trains strike!!

Tony has found he doesn't need to use the cooker and has not cooked a meal inside since we moved into the bungalow.  

Tony's Spot.

Just Chilling with a snack & a beer while on the phone with May (his sister).

Sausages, mushrooms, onions & of course some garlic.

One of Tony's special curries, always too hot for me to eat, that's a two-day curry.

Tony is very happy cooking on his gas stove with his frying pan, just think of the money we're saving on the electricity as well, there is one thing you can say about Tony when it comes to saving money he knows lots of tricks.

I have asked the neighbours if it is ok with them to put up a nut box for the squirrels in the back garden, they are happy with the idea so that should be up soon. I had to ask about it is a communal garden.

Robin likes to come & show me the bugs he catches, he uses the car as a perch.

The neighbours are all easygoing & we seem to get on with them ok. I think this was a good move.

The scooters arrived we have been to Mum's on them, we visited Margaret who lived in the flat below us, we went to Outwood to see Elvira & for a ride through the park. 

There were some beautiful blue skies.

Tomorrow I have to go to a clinic at Pudsey for a Gastroscopy appointment. I am having a camera put down my throat to see if they can find the cause of my problems with swallowing & reflux. I am not looking forward to it. Now I have probably put you all off your dinner I will love you & leave you.

take care, stay safe, 

Until the next time...

At last something has gone our way...

 We moved into our bungalow on Monday 27th June 2022. We are however still living surrounded by boxes, why is it you never realise how much crap you own till you move house? I thought I had thrown a lot away but I seem to still have so much left.

I will really miss my garden and shed, I loved going into the garden to watch the birds & squirrels. However, all is not lost, outside the front of the bungalow is a beautiful big cherry tree. I took a few photos of it,

A Little Bit Arty.

The Blackbird Loves Cherries.

Just look who else is up the cherry tree !!!

They didn't take much encouragement.

There is a communal back garden as well, I have not ventured out there yet but once we are sorted out I will. There is a large birdbath at the bottom of my part of the garden and a few spots I have picked out for feeders. I am sure we will be happy here, Tony has no gardening to do the council do it for us, so that's a bonus, and neither do we have to take the bins out. 

We are expecting delivery of our mobility scooters any day now so there will be no stopping us. Just watch out for the bear in the air, followed by the rubber duck.

Until the next time...

The Daring Squirrel...

The Daring Squirrel.

This squirrel spent about 30 minutes eating the buds on the bush, I suppose there will not be many flowers or berries on it this year. I think he is protesting because I am having problems finding them any monkey nuts.

The Male Sparrow.

This Sparrow spent a lot of time in the bush as well, however, he was singing between rushing about chasing the female Sparrows.

Peanut Butter.

The peanut butter went down a treat this week, the birds were queueing up for it.

The Robin.

The Robin was the only bird that realised I had put up a new jar.

The Crafty Squirrel.

The squirrel thought I hadn't seen him, crafty little bugger.

I was amazed watching him run down the shed, then when he ran and jumped into the bucket with the pampas grass in. Peeping at me I just cracked up it was one of the funniest things I had seen for a while.

I don't know what he thought when he came over to the window in the shed to see what I had to offer him. He was pleased to see nuts were back on the menu, but I don't know what he made of the bit of breakfast bar, he had a good sniff and ate it so I am assuming he liked it.

Tony cut the grass.

Robin helped him clear up any worms that got in the way.

Keep safe & well,

Until the next time...