The ending of another year

The year is coming to an end, Christmas is over for another year (yippee, yessss). I don't like Christmas as you will have guessed.
The New Year we always hope will be better than the last, it seldom is, in my opinion anyhow!
Oh dear I do sound very dismal and downcast don't I!!!
So maybe I should shut up and start again.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, spent time with your loved ones and received the gifts you hoped for. I send you greetings for the New Year I hope it is filled with health and happiness.

Was that better? I thought so.

Well I am going to try for a photo a day in the new year so that should be interesting, I did it a couple of years ago and I did manage it. I have bought a new camera, a Canon M5 this is the camera I will probably use for this project.

My doc Marten collection is up to 9 pairs I have been looking in the sales, but so far I have resisted. Tony bought me a Doc Marten Tassel bag for my joint birthday and Christmas pressie, which was very nice of him. This is my special bag for special occasion's and days out to special places. The M5 fits inside very snugly.

The squirrels have still been visiting on an almost daily basis even the snow and cold could not keep them away. I bought them some hazel, cob and walnuts for Christmas, but this year there wasn't a Brazil nut to be seen anywhere.

I made cards for the neighbours this year and all of them seemed pleased with them except for the pompous ones next door who seem to think they are a step above just because he has been on telly. Well next year they won't get a card at all, "thrummpp" to them...

We had a trip to Scotland in November, it was very cold, it snowed but we enjoyed ourselves. We did have a couple of mishaps while we were there. We managed to lose the exhaust pipe on the car going up the drive to the Rural Retreat. Tony slipped in the Rural Retreat garden and fell on his back, which is never a good thing to happen. A few days later we went to Tesco Tony began to climb out of the car, put one foot on the ground and slid out of the car hurting his back, arm and head. The ground was just like a sheet of glass where there had been no salt or sand put down. I think Tony may have had concussion for a few days following that slip.
We had stayed at a cottage called Squirrel Lodge before going to the Rural Retreat. They told us they had red squirrels visiting the garden and the cottage was a beautiful comfy home from home.
There was no red squirrels to be seen, the cottage was not comfy it was cramped, and on an evening as soon as the daylight dimmed there was noises in the walls and ceiling. All night long something was running about above our heads, whether it was mice wearing pit boots, rats or something else we never found out, all we do know is we will not be going there again!

I took a photo of a Curlew and some Redshanks then Over head there was a flock of what seemed to be hundreds of Geese flying overhead.

Curlew

Redshanks

Flying Geese

I am not sure what kind of geese they were but I think they were either pink foot or Greylag.

I like the skies in Scotland, they are wonderful colours. We haven't managed to see the Northern Lights on any visits yet but the colours are still amazing anyway. They can be very grey and dark but there is always a bit of light in there somewhere.

Scottish Skies

Sometimes it is hard to tell where the mountain ends and the sky begins, the mountain just seems to keep going up and up never ending.

Scottish Snow

Of course you have to give a mention to all the castles and ruins you see in Scotland and on the way home. There is so much beauty to be seen in everything.

Castles & Ruins

Oh and of course you have to give a mention to The Mermaid "Arria" that stands arms out stretched at the side of the A80 at Cumbernauld. You can't really miss her. She stands an amazing 33feet high sparkling in the sun. Arria pays hommage to Cumbernauld, which in Gaelic is Cumer nam allt - the coming together of the waters.

Arria The Mermaid

So yes that is something you will all look out for next time you are up that way. It is Scotlands answer to the Angel of The North, but so much prettier.

The squirrels soon got back into the swing of things,

She's back

Nuts on the window ledge

Got them!

A happy squirrel again.

Until the new year...

Some very busy squirrels

The two squirrels in the garden have been very busy, playing, emptying the nut boxes, burying the nuts and even coming up to the shed window to help themselves to nuts.

The squirrels payed chase round the garden.

I don't know why but this usually ends up with one or both squirrels hanging from a tree or sitting on a fence with a nut sticking out of their mouths. I wonder if this is a sign that they have won or lost the game?

Nut boxes are emptied and the nuts distributed throughout the neighbourhood.

The squirrels are not tight by any means they bury the nuts in all the surrounding gardens as well as ours. The neighbours can often be seen scratching their heads after finding sprouting peanuts in their plant pots, I can imagine them thinking, "I don't remember planting that!".

Regular rests are needed.

All this running about and nut gathering is very tiring, so of course squirrels have to take regular breaks. Some like to just chill out on the fence, others like to relax with a ready shelled nut or two.

Ready shelled hazelnuts a treat.

The ready shelled hazelnuts are a special treat only found occasionally on the shed windowsill, so only the bravest squirrels managed to get these.

A very special treat.

There was a small Dunnock enjoying some seeds on the table when all of a sudden a very wicked Robin flew over and attacked him. 

Robin looking very pleased with himself.

The poor Dunnock was so upset he left the table and hid in the bush beside it not daring to come out.

Dunnock hiding in the bush.

Mr Blackbird across the garden saw it all

He just carried on eating his berries he didn't want the Robin bothering him!

Even the squirrels seemed to be talking about Robin

I think Robin being a bully in the garden will not be forgotten for quite a while.

We had a visit earlier in the week from my son Chris, his better half Joanne, and my grandson Logan. Logan came dressed as Woody from Toy Story. The only thing he didn't have was a hat. So Logan was very happy to borrow my hat to have his photo taken.

Logan as Woody from Toy Story.

Pepper update:-

Pepper is on the mend. He does not like taking his medication and makes it very difficult for Lynsey when she tries to give him the pills. Pepper still attempts to bite her and at times succeeds. However she still perseveres and asked the vet for an instrument to fire the pills down his throat, now she just has to catch him!

"Pepper what's that smell?"  "It's Lynsey's feet under this blanket Biscuit"

"Oh good I thought it was me or you!!!" 

Until the next time...

Relaxing at home...

Pepper, Lynsey's eldest cat went missing for 24 hours. As you can imagine she began to imagine alsorts of things. She was very relieved when he reappeared. There was a lot of blood on his fur but it didn't seem to be Peppers blood. Lynsey tried to check him over but Pepper was not having that! Every time Lynsey tried to touch him he would scratch, bite, or hiss at her. Having second thoughts about it Lynsey decided to leave him for a while after all he was eating, drinking and walking OK. She decided she would leave it till he fell asleep then try again.

Pepper looking healthy before going missing.

Biscuit Lynsey's other cat didn't seem too sure of what was happening. Lynsey said "Biscuit really isn't helping!" So I asked what she meant? "Well " she replied " He keeps throwing his toys at Pepper!" when I stopped laughing I told her maybe he has missed him and wants to play. I don't think Lynsey was amused with my answer.

Lynsey has just rung to say it cost £77:96 and she has to go back for xrays if he is no better.

Biscuit

Biscuit also has to go for an xray for respiratory problems.

The garden has had a visit from a beautiful Thrush,

Thrush in the garden

The highest number of birds at the moment are Goldfinches.

Sometimes just one

Sometimes in groups

My brother is training for the London Marathon in April, I am a lot more laid back.

Relaxing in my onsie and Doc's.

Until the next time...

School Problems & A trip to Ani-Mel-Haven.

Today has been interesting!!!
having a school at the bottom of your garden that caters for "special children" can be quite exhausting at times.
There is one boy who attends that is more of a handful than most. He is often seen standing on the wall at the bottom of the garden, swearing at the staff, spitting at them or throwing things at them, a really pleasant child. I have had things thrown at me on several occasions when I have been in the garden. He has also spat at me, swears at me on a regular basis, of course, the best course of action is to ignore him.
He has however now got a sidekick. A smaller, younger boy who follows him around and does everything he is told. So now there are two boys swearing, shouting, throwing and spitting at the staff and residents.
Today for over an hour members of staff walked in and out of our garden without asking or even a word to us, when they tried to remove these two boys from the wall at the bottom of our garden. The gate was left open banging shut in the wind, so now it is sprained and will not shut properly. It's not that we mind the staff coming in to the garden, but a bit of respect would go a long way. Once in the garden, they walk all over, across the lawn, climb on pots and boxes to see over the wall and fences on either side. One of the male teachers stood in the garden next door and climbed onto our fence to look into our garden, he had no regard as to whether the fence was strong enough to hold him. Two female members of staff in our garden as well as climbing on things walked around the back of the greenhouse for no apparent reason, walked on the gravelled areas kicking the gravel over the lawn.

This all came to a sudden stop when a neighbour who shall remain nameless ran down next doors garden shouting at the boys, "get back into that school now!". The two boys ran, one into the school and the usual suspect was so scared he ran clear across the playground and up the fence at the other side. He sat there looking back wondering where the voice had come from. Again the voice called out "come back here right now" the boy answered "f#ck off" and booming back my neighbour called "don't you swear at me, you come here right now" the boy climbed down the fence and ran to the school door knocking for someone to open the door to let him in.
There was a round of applause went up from the gardens, as the neighbour climbed back down herself with a beaming smile. Everyone agreed she should have been there an hour sooner. She had done what we all wished we had the courage to do!

Tony and I have had a trip to a caravan sited on a Garden Centre car park. We know how to live!
The caravan was cosy and warm, the garden centre had a small animal sanctuary attached to it, called Ani-Mel-Haven.  There were some beautiful animals in there that had been abandoned or abused.

Plop the Tawny Owl.

Plop was found by some children and taken to a vet. He had fallen out of his nest when he was only a chick, he will never be released back into the wild, he lives inside the garden centre.

Two Rescued Hedgehogs

These two will be kept inside until they reach a set weight, then they will live in an enclosure in the grounds of the garden centre.

 Ruddy Duck 

This Ruddy Duck has been resident for about 7-8 years. His beak turns this beautiful blue colour during mating season.

A Cute Face waiting for a friend.

There are a few ferrets in the sanctuary.

Smile for the camera.

These two wanted to know what Tony was doing, they made an excellent picture.

Butterflies in the Garden Centre

Sitting pretty the butterflies were easy to capture on photos.

Greedy Seagull

This greedy seagull tap danced on top of the caravan until one of us went outside and fed it. The Seagull was an ex-resident of the sanctuary.

 Honey Bunny

We called this little rabbit, Honey Bunny, no matter where we looked he always seemed to appear.

Until the next time...

A promise kept...

I promised Elvira a photo of a Traditional Gypsy Caravan last time I wrote, I completely forgot, (how unusual), so here you are Elvira just for you.

A Traditional Gypsy Caravan.

I took this a couple of weeks ago very close to home. I have just discovered that a Gypsy Horse Fair is held only a few miles up the road from us at West Ardsley. It has been held every year for over 800 years, I know I should have known a lot sooner. The name of it is Lee Gap Horse Fair. I have heard of it, I just didn't realise it was round here. I have also discovered that in the same field in September another Gypsy Horse Fair is held called Latter Lee Horse Fair. I will be finding out more about both of these now I know how close they are.

This sign always makes me smile.

We pass this sign when we travel to Huddersfield for me to go for my physio sessions at the BMI Hospital. It never fails to make me smile, I just can't help it. It is on a tailors shop advertising alterations to trousers.

Bee on Lavender.

I have been trying for a while to take a photo of the bee's that land on the lavender. There are usually one or two on the bush. I never seem to manage to get them in focus. However today I was happy enough with the picture  to share it. 

Robin & a Ladybird.

While looking through some of my photo's I found this one, I quite like it, but I like robins so I would. Then I noticed the ladybird that I had never noticed before. I liked it even more then, so I started looking at some other pictures and it surprised me how many others had things on I hadn't noticed before. My birds and animals were being photo bombed by insects and bugs. I wonder if like me this happens to you and you just haven't noticed.

Three Squirrels all sharing the food.

Tony took this shot of three of the squirrels that visit the garden. It is not often we managed to fit three into one photo, nor is it often that three squirrels tolerate eating together.

I would love it if either of us could take a photo during one of our trips to Cumbria or Scotland similar to the one below. 

Three Red Squirrels

(  © David Bailey Cumbria )

Lets have a catch up...

It's been a while so let's have a quick catch up.
My shoulder is healing well, although it is causing me a little bit of pain. According to the physiotherapist this is my own fault because I am trying to do too much too soon!

Tony and I had a day out to the Lakes a couple of weeks ago, we drove through so many small places it made me dizzy trying to remember them all. We did stop at a place called "The Squirrels Pantry" near Cockermouth, we had read that you might see red squirrels on the feeders there while enjoying a cup of tea. We did enjoy the tea, Tony enjoyed the scone with rum butter, we unfortunately did not see any red squirrels. However, there were some very cute baby rats in the bushes on the feeders.

Peek-a-boo.

We called at Grange-over-Sands,  there is an exceedingly good pie shop there. Tony bought plenty of pies so he could eat one for his lunch, and we could take some with us for later.

While there we called into the park where there is a pond with some ducks and geese. These are  more exotic than we find in Wakefield.

A family of American Wood Ducks

This duck didn't want to share the log and became quite vocal about it.

Driving along I took a few photo's, one of my favourites was this one, I don't know why it just made me smile.

Cow on the hill.

Our last stop before home was Morecambe Bay, where a couple of atmospheric shots were taken.

Across the bay.

Sunset over Morecambe Bay.

Back home all was well in the garden, 

Mr Blackbird is still chasing the young ones round trying to feed them.

Come and get your dinner.

The feeders in the garden are always busy, most birds have their favourite ones.

The young Blue Tit loves the peanut feeder

 Goldfinch on the nyjer seed.

The birds are usually taking turns at the water dish even though there are five water bowls in the garden.

Coal Tit

 Blue Tit

There is usually at least one bird sitting on the fence keeping an eye on the garden, today it was the turn of a Dunnock.

Dunnock on the fence.

You are guaranteed to see a squirrel at some time throughout the day. At the moment there are at least three visiting and we have some new babies and a small pregnant female coming everyday.

My youngest grandson Logan had his 3rd birthday last week and I finally managed to take a photo of him with a proper smile.

Logan Jack

It was my Mum's birthday yesterday, she was 80years young. I hope I look as good as she does when I am her age.  Happy Birthday Mum I love you loads. XX

Until the next time...