more wild-life

When I went to move my boots today I found this tiny little mammal, I think it is the one I thought was a Pygmy Shrew, though it's possible it is some kind of mouse. A lot less timid than a mouse, I even managed to pick it up, though he wasn't very happy about that and leapt off my hand fairly quickly.

He/she is about 4cm long, with feet that looked more splayed than a mouse.

Then when I went for a walk I discovered some gentian, Marsh Gentian I think though it wasn't marshy. I found them on the edge of the old football pitch.

I also saw a bird taking her young for a walk! Like ducks do but not a duck I think, probably a game bird though I don't know what. She moved away too quickly for me to take a photo. I will definitely try to remember my camera each time I go out.

leeks!

It's incredible, the leeks that I sowed last week have germinated!
All those that I sowed outside did nothing. I suspect that the ground outside was too dry though I did water them every day. I'll watch the carrots carefully now, I'm trying to keep them well damp.
Everything else is doing well, my Gardeners Delight are keeping me in tomatoes and soon I will be overwhelmed by all of them.
Being away in the Spring was not too serious!

The birds re-appeared as soon as the weather improved, I don't know where they were hiding, they'll be going properly any time now.

fruit and veg!

I now have had my first tomatoes and my lettuce are ready to start. The plums are ripe as well, I think they are earlier this year, though it may be that I am here and I know they are Green gages so I'm not expecting them to change colour!
I've sown some more carrots in my top plot and some leeks indoors, I'll see how it goes this time.

Finished digging!

At last I have finished digging up the roots of the ferns. I don't for one minute think I have got them all but I've got a lot!

Now I have piles of fern roots and grass bulbs ready for burning in the autumn. The pile at the very end will be my compost heap. Now I just have to find a way of using this plot advantageously and of keeping on top of the weeds. Below is the root of a plum tree that I have also removed.

The House Martins that had disappeared last Sunday suddenly re-appeared today,there were about 40, sitting on the wires and milling around, then they suddenly disappeared again. Very starnge!

The weather is very strange for July, it's like it has been most of the year, a day or two of sunshine then cloudy for a few; not much rain though, so I'm still having to water the vegetables.
I've had my first courgettes and the first leaves off my lettuce. There are loads of green tomatoes and the pepper are flowering. If August and September have better weather than July then I will have salads at the right time.

The birds!

Yesterday I suddenly noticed a silence, it was quite uncanny, then I realised that the birds had gone! During the summer we have House Martins, usually until August, I think, but they have gone. The weather has been unseasonably cool and I suspect they have been conned into thinking it was time to go. Usually they sit on the electricity wires for a few days, planning the move but this time there was very little planning, just a sudden silence. I hope the latest broods were strong enough for the long journey!

wild animals

Today I saw, what I am sure must be, a snake. It was smooth, orange with a black line down either side, small, about 20-25 cms in length and 1cm in width. It moved like a snake and dissapeared into the soil where I had been digging. I can find nothing that resembles it either on line or in my books but, as usual my camera was not to hand. I have previuosly seen a Slowworm in my garden but this was not the same. I have absolutely no idea how to identify it. It was very frightened of me!

Early summer continued!

I saw my neighbours garlic yesterday, they are enormous, at least twice the size of mine. My onions aren't doing very well either so I think next year I will plant them much later. I have given up on the idea of carrots and leeks for this year and try again next year, those I will have to sow earlier. I should not have been away in spring, not the right time at all, even my lettuce aren't happy this year, I have a few but they are reluctant. The weather has been very, very dry I wonder if I am watering enough.