Friday 18 April 2014

Friday Work & Play


Fuelled by my 'super' juice I was eager to start work this morning dismantling the picnic table and swing chair.


Sadly both were full of rot and are actually dangerous, so they had to go. Some will be salvaged and put to some use, although not quite sure what that use will be yet, the other will go to the tip with a load of other rubbish I have been clearing.


The area looks so much more spacious now and the garden is looking bigger each day.  Amazing what some long overdue clearing can do.

Next up I decided to make my own 'Insect Hotel'  I had seen some in the shops and knew just what to use to make one.


This old bird feeder had seen better days, so I gathered up a load of old bamboo that is no longer suitable for stakes and cut them all into short lengths.


One Insect Hotel with vacancies!


The side bits I stuffed with old leaves and twigs.  The wire wouldn't come out easily so I left it there.


Our ladybird was still around today.


She looks like she has had an injury to her wing/back.


Pretty pansies in the front garden.



They are looking really pretty.


The pond and rockery this morning - yes it is still there I didn't dream making it!


Mr Blackbird busy in the garden.


A rather dishevelled looking Blue Tit



The Dunnock is also busy looking for grubs.


I'm hoping they have a nest nearby.



Lovely markings on the wing and boddy.


A lovely Great Tit also came to inspect goings on.


While dismantling the picnic table the Robin kept close company and was always on the look out for any grubs that may emerge, and they did!  Quite a few tasty morsels were collected and flown off to a nest I presume before he was back for more.



Are you looking at ME?




After a morning of hard work what is needed?  Well I had planned on making a carrot cake but discovered I only had one egg and I needed two, so I made some sultana scones instead.



I love that these can be made so quickly and easily.  I freeze them and then can get one out of the freezer and heat up as and when wanted.


Perfect with some homemade plum jam and clotted cream. 

Will have to make the carrot cake tomorrow!

11 comments:

  1. My gawd woman you're a builder extraordinaire lol! I do miss the British birds sometimes. Ohh and proper clotted cream.....drooooll! :-D

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    1. Ah yes the British birds do have a little something special about them. I love the NZ birds very much, but I did enjoy coming back to the morning bird song we get here. Even though Mum & Dad live in the country the bird song is quite different and not as 'sweet' as here.

      Oh and clotted cream is my weakness...I don't generally like cream as a rule, but clotted cream IS different!

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  2. Your garden is really taking shape ... looks great.
    Oh that's clotted cream ... I thought it was butter for a second ... and I love butter MORE than the next person ... but that would still have been too much for me ;0)
    xx

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    1. Ha ha, it does look rather a lot, but isn't as much as it looks, probably the angle of the photo, and yes someone else thought it was butter as well! Ooh, that would have been a bit gross!

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  3. That super juice looks just like the one sitting on my desk at the moment. Apples, spinach, kale, celery, cucumber. Still can't get over how delicious these veggies taste when juiced. How are you getting on with the juicing?

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    1. Loving the juicing, it is surprising how good they taste! Just don't enjoy having to clean the juicer afterwards! Juicing made a huge difference to how I feel and to my weight. How about you?

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    2. Agree with you on the cleaning (my first one was an M&S one passed on to me from Mum who couldn't be bothered) but now I have a Philips juicer from Jason Vale's site and this one is really easy to clean (it can even go in the dishwasher but it's so easy I usually don't bother). Feel much better and it's such a good way of getting the good stuff in the body. I have a veggie one in the morning and a fruity one at lunch time, and you know, I think I actually prefer the veggie ones!

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    3. Ah yes, I have that one as well, and it really is brilliant. I also bought Jason Vale's video and mini-tramp, although haven't used it for a couple of years now due to lack of space!

      I especially love the vege ones as well.

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  5. I love the photos of the lady bird. What sort of lens do you use? Yay for colourful gardens.

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