The Orchard in September

Not only is the orchard providing an abundance of fruit - I have given away many bags of apples over the last few weeks - it is also looking absolutely beautiful with the wild growing cyclamen.  

 

September Already?!

 I'm not even going to try and do a review of the last few months...but just look forward, although will look back to 29th August when I was taking Peter for his walk we came across this buzzard on the path.

I tried to move it out of the way so that no loose dogs would get it, as it didn't want to fly off.  I managed to get it through the fence into the field with a bit of coaxing, but thought I would return with some gloves when I was walking Simon and if it was still there I would move it where it was safer.

On my return I saw a man and his dog and asked if he had seen it, he said no, so I thought good it had gone.  However, upon walking a little bit further on it had come back through the fence and was back on the pathway again.  Now I know it couldn't walk very fast, so I am astounded the man didn't see the bird!  Probably fortunately he clearly wasn't very observant.  

I tied Simon up, put on my gloves and carefully picked the bird up and put him up out of the way behind a stone walk and tree.  He was amazingly light.  I checked the following day and the buzzard had gone, and there was no trace of him, so I am guessing he was just drying out, perhaps his wings had got too wet and he was exhausted.  Once he felt better he flew off.  That is what I am hoping anyway.  He had the most amazing blue eyes.

So on to today, Monday 1st September, he was absolutely chucking it down with rain this morning and the gutters were overflowing again.  They have now been cleared out.  This seems to be a monthly job!

A little later I managed to get a photo of the garden.  The grass looks a tiny bit greener.

The sea was pretty rough today.  Amazingly by mid day the sky had cleared somewhat and it was just windy, but we had some blue skies and were able to enjoy lunch outside at a cafe we enjoy going to.

The triffod is growing well...actually it is the kiwifruit vine.  It is now completely covering our bedroom window, so once the kiwifruit are ripe we will cut it right back again.  We give it a harsh pruning every year.  The people before us really planted it in completely the wrong place, but I am not sure how successful we would be at moving/transplanting it now. 

I think we must have almost 20 fruits on the vine which is a first.  We have only had two or three before.

The blueberry is still producing.

Up in the orchard we have loads of apples, pears and plums, which I have been picking and giving away.  I still have a freezer full of apples, and a pantry full of jam.  We obviously eat some of the fruit as well.  I need to learn how to 'can' (using jars) fruit.

It is nice to have the fruit, especially considering I haven't really been able to do any gardening because of this thyroid illness and then falling severely back in June, which I could have done without and am still in a lot of pain as a result of the fall.  The rest of the garden was rather a flop.  I think I must be the only person that can't grow courgettes successfully...the look good, but then never amount to anything.  I have had a few beans, a couple of sweetcorn and that is it.

Oh and we had the most amazing crop of apricots this year, over 40, this is some of the first lot that I picked.  We completely enclosed it in a special strong net this year so nothing could get in at the fruit.  I really enjoyed these very much.

Forgot to add these couple of pretty plates I got from the charity shop.  

I am going to start to collect a few plates for use to replace the old chipped ones we have, so when I saw these two lovely plates, I thought they would be perfect.  

The end of February

Staying with my son, daughter in law, and little grand daughter for a week while I have more tests and a dental visit, it is nice to hear the wonderful birdsong in the garden.  Something I do miss on the Island, as we just don't get anywhere near the birdsong down there as we got up here.  

It was lovely to see a pair of woodpeckers in the garden

The following day we also saw a flock of long tailed tits.

We had one outing while up here, visiting the Verulamium and St Albans Cathedral.

We had a wander down and up to the Cathedral

Part of an old Roman wall.

You can't walk around the lake and haven't been able to do so for many months since before last summer I believe.

It is very badly flooded.  I do hope they will address this problem, as it was always so lovely to walk around it.

It was lovely to see a blue sky for once too!  It seems so long since we last saw one.

Well better news, than at the end of last month.    My latest results have improved to what they were the time before last, so that is good, even if the improvement isn't what the doctors hoped for.  I won't know the full results for a week or so.  It seems that yet again they might have missed out doing one of the tests, even though I reiterated to both the check in person, and the nurse who took the tests that could they make sure that every test was done, as they missed one last time.  I also asked the doctor I spoke to the following day if he could make sure the test was done. I mean how can they miss out a test when they have collected a vial for it and stuck the label on??

February!

Well it is February already.  January went quickly it seems.  Perhaps because I had to spend some of it on the mainland having more tests.  Looks like I will be having tests once a month for a while.  Hopefully next time they will show improvement.  

I should have taken a photo yesterday, quite the contrast to today which is as you can see overcast, dreary and damp.

I thought I would take a few photos of what is flowering in the front garden.

A rose!

You can see the buds coming on the rhododendron.

Catkins on the Hazel trees.

New Zealand Hebe which grew from a cutting of one of the first plants I bought when I came to England almost 30 years ago!

Some snowdrops. (Although not technically, I can't remember their official name)

Adorable, but naughty Peter.  Actually he is good at home, he is only naughty when he sees other dogs.  He is doing well at agility group, and is starting to calm down a bit quicker...maybe one day I will be brave enough to upload a video of us.

Simon who wouldn't stand still for a photo.

Well just a short post to give a bit of an update.  
I can't sit at the computer for too long as my back hurts and my arm starts flaring up.

So ta taa for now.