A date for my op and a date for a PIP assessment.

 I finally have a date for my op to have my gallbladder removed, 23rd July. That is, of course, providing they don't change it again.
This morning I received the dreaded letter saying my filled in application for my PIP renewal was not enough, I have to attend a face to face assessment on 30th July. This is so they can see if what have put on the form fits with what they think. I should have a good day just a week after the op. Oh and just to make things more inconvenient, I have to travel to Barnsley, it would be too simple for them to do it in Wakefield.

Since I last wrote there has been a couple of changes!

Lynsey has managed to succeed in securing herself a job. She started today, she knew a couple of weeks ago the job was hers and has been very excited about it.

 I have a new shed!
It stands where the greenhouse used to stand. The school bought it for me. This is because of one of the boys at the school decided it would be a fantastic idea to smash our greenhouse. The school headteacher was very apologetic and was very quick to replace the greenhouse. Tony asked if we could have a shed instead because it would be harder for the boy to smash the next time.

My New Shed/Hide.

It took Tony quite a while to put the shed together, it had a few teething problems, the door didn't fit properly, there were knotholes the size of a bottle cork (luckily we had some of those!).
As you can see Tony has done a very good job and I have a new place to sit and watch the garden.
We have at the last count 6 young squirrels who are not quite sure what to make of the new shed.

From the small side window, I can look out onto the birdbath. A female sparrow landed on it and took a drink, I took a photo. She must have heard the shutter. The sparrow glanced over her shoulder, did a double take then realised she was being watched and flew away into the bushes.

Sparrow is taken by surprise.

Also from the small side window, I can see the sunflower heart feeder. The young blue tits and goldfinches love this feeder and there are usually two or three on there. The young blue tit almost copied the sparrow move by move. It glanced at me, did a double take, then flew away into the bushes.

Young Blue Tit is taken by surprise.

The hot weather is not my favourite weather, it makes me swell and ache but I have managed to go into the garden a few times.

I keep trying to get some shots of bees and butterflies, I have managed to get some but I think I will keep trying to improve.

Hoverfly on an Aster.

The butterflies were easier to photograph than the hoverflies because they kept still longer.

Small White.

I have seen these Small White butterflies in the garden on many occasions.

Comma.

I have not seen one of these in the garden before, although it is said to be widespread and common.

We have had a bit of sad news in the family, Mums partner Trevor died at the end of June. She is coping extremely well and has the full support of her family. 

Oliver, the dog is also coming to terms with the disappearance of his friend. He is happy so long as he gets his food, has a bed to sleep on and the right ball thrown. I have never known a dog with so many tennis balls. Oliver decides which one he is playing with and if you try to throw the wrong one he will not play. He is certainly a little dog with a big character.

Until the next time...

Surprise...

Well here I am, it's been a while but like the proverbial bad penny, I am back.

I have a few photos for you to see, some are good (if I say so myself), some are a little bit gruesome, some will make you go awww and some might make you think wow.

So let's begin...

In Scotland they had 

Very Cheeky Coos

Very Very Cheeky Coos.

However, in my brothers garden, we spotted a very cute badger.

A Badger in the garden at The Rural Retreat.

Back home we discovered a feeding frenzy going on in the garden.

Robin was busy collecting food for the chicks ( which we haven't seen yet)! He flew down to the table, landed gently on the box of mealworms, then grabbed a beakful and away he flew.

Robins landing on the box of mealworms.

Then across the garden, I spotted the Sparrows, both the male and the females were busy feeding the young.

The Male Sparrow feeding one of the young

The Female Sparrow feeding another.

It didn't end there for all of a sudden a great hullabaloo could be heard in the garden as the Starling flew down from the rooftops and trees.

 Young Starlings being fed all over the garden.

From time to time we get unexpected things in our garden. We had a Green Parakeet a couple of years ago, a Pheasant unusual for where we live, this time Tony looked out of the window and shouted: "quick come and look at this".

Three Mallards in the garden.

One female and two males were sitting in the garden looking perfectly happy as if it was the place you would expect to find them. Every so often they would have a wander about eat some seed off the floor then settle down again before suddenly disappearing again.

This happened over the next couple of days, we never saw them come and we never saw them go. Tony put out a wheel cover so there was more water for them so he was very pleased when he looked outside and saw this...

Drake goes for a swim.

Well, it was more of a paddle really, it wasn't big enough for a proper swim. Tony was really pleased that one of the ducks had used his pond!

The next time I spotted the ducks I was in the shed, they were on the top of a roof on one of the houses behind the school.

Upon the roof.

Talking of upon the roof the school has still been having children climbing on the roof and wall at the bottom of the garden. I phoned the police one day because I was worried for the boy up there. He was jumping about like a gazelle, none of the staff were watching him or even anywhere near in case he fell. The police came out very quickly I don't think the school was very happy that they had been called. We have had a little bit of success with the school the fence along the wall at the bottom of the garden has been extended to 10 feet. This makes me feel a bit safer when I am in the garden, there is less chance of abuse from the children now.



It's that time of year again when Gypsies travel for miles around to take part in the biggest and best horse fair in the world. Appleby in Westmoreland is simply taken over by this every year on the first Thursday in June, the busiest days, of course, are the Saturday and Sunday.

Gypsies on the road to Appleby.

Bow Top Caravans camping on the way to Appleby.

I have never been to the horse fair, I like to go and try to get pictures as the Gypsies travel to and from the fair. I could not stand the thought of being in the middle of all those thousands of people that flock there every year.

We had a ride to Grange Over Sands while we were over that way. Tony likes a pie shop there (although not as much now the prices have increased). We always like to have a walk around the pond in the gardens because there is always something unusual on it, or cute.

A Bar Headed Gosling.

This is cute.

Bar Headed Geese with Gosling.

This is also cute.

Mallard Duck with ducklings.

This is cute too.

The next pictures are gruesome you have been warned.

Every so often we get a Sparrow Hawk in the garden, it often leaves without catching anything.

On this visit, however,

it caught a sparrow!

The Sparrow Hawk caught a Male Sparrow.

The Sparrow Hawk sat on the fence and ate it.

 The Sparrow Hawk made a meal of it.

The Sparrow Hawk did not leave until he had eaten all the Sparrow.

A little bit too gruesome for you?

I thought they might be so here's a picture of Biscuit to make you feel better.

Lynsey's cat Biscuit.

He doesn't like to leave her side for long even when she is in the bathroom!


Until the next time...

Dreaming of a des res.

Today's Photo Of The Day.

Feeding Time.

 I think when you see the lambs in the fields it is a sure sign that spring is here. This little one knew exactly what it wanted. The lambs tail seemed to be attached to it's mouth, the faster it sucked, the faster it's tail wagged.

We were on our way to Morecambe to visit Tony's son Carl, and his family. When we set off the weather was not brilliant, it was quite foggy most of the way. When we drove up over the tops above the fog and clouds the sun shone and it was a beautiful morning.

We spotted a couple of places we wouldn't have minded living in.

The white house in the first photo looked nice and secluded, a good place to live where nobody would bother us.

The second photo shows a Des Res that needs a lot of TLC, but what a spot no neighbours for miles, peace and quite.

I know somewhere like this is really not a good idea for me, I wouldn't stand a chance on my own and if anything happened to Tony, well I would be well and truly knackered wouldn't I!!!

Until tomorrow...

Why golf balls?

Today's Photo Of The Day.

RAF Menwith Hill

(or as we call it the giant golf balls near the dales.)

Royal Air Force Menwith Hill is a Royal Air Force station near Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, which provides communications and intelligence support services to the United Kingdom and the United States. Wikipedia

Address: Birstwith, Harrogate HG3 2RL

Battles/wars: Cold War

Year built: 1954

Owner: Ministry of Defence

Garrison: 451st Intelligence Squadron

In use: 1958–present.

When we drove past these as children we always used to whisper to each other about what happened in there. Sometimes we said it was American spies, other times it was aliens from space. None of us ever really knew what they were or what the place was used for, I don't think we really cared it was just something to pass time on a long car journey. Even now I don't fully understand or really have must interest, I suppose really I probably should! Oh well maybe one day I will but not today! Today I am thinking about red squirrels and dolphins...

Until tomorrow...

The trouble with squirrels

Today's Photo Of The Day.

Squirrel Has Been In The Mint Again.

Photo by Tony.

Squirrels can be a real pain sometimes, they get me into all sorts of trouble with Margaret who lives downstairs! She plays hell with them for digging in her plant pots, she covers them with wire mesh, puts washing powder on them, but nothing stops the squirrels. I knew how she felt when they began to dig in my pot of mint. I lifted it off the floor and stood it on a stand thinking it might stop them, no such luck. Although it is amusing watching them pour themselves out of the pot down to the floor when they have finished. I wonder if their peanuts taste minty??

Until tomorrow...

A prediction.

Today's Photo Of The Day.

Robins Found His Mate.

Robins little gifts of mealworms and suet have worked! He has found his mate. Maybe thats why he was being so nice yesterday. So I think I can predict that we will have Robin chicks in the garden this spring!

Until tomorrow...

Robins being nice.

Today's Photo Of The Day.

Robin Is Sharing For A Change.

It was nice to see robin sharing the mealworms today, I think it was probably just because it was a bigger bird than him. Mr blackbird isn't easily pushed around by any other bird in the garden!

Until tomorrow...