May 2 2012

Another Tunnel!

At the weekend Stephen, Phil and I put up another tunnel. This one will be referred to in future posts as Stephen’s Tunnel. He wanted to contribute to the collecting process but was unable to put one up in his own garden. He offered to buy a tunnel and for it to go up in my garden. I was thinking of one any way so this worked out for all of us. 🙂

As I had no room at the back of the garden, we put it up at the side of the house where I have a few display stands. The recent removal of my now grown kids trampoline had created space for it.

The proposed site for the tunnel.

Unpacking, note to self, don’t let Phil open the box for the next one! A knife and tunnel cover don’t mix 🙂

Smudge and Rufus giving advice and generally getting in the way.

Another note to self, don’t let Phil play with golf balls [don’t ask!]

Cover going on

Job done

No post with Stephen in it would be complete without the obligatory cup of coffee shot 🙂

All that was left to do was to shift a few of the collected trees into it to allow for more space for access into the 3 tunnels.

May 1 2012

Sunday Signs!

On my usual Sunday walk I couldn’t help but notice just how often we came across signs telling us what not to do. I’m aware signs are helpful but I am getting a little tired of being ‘SHOUTED AT’ in capitals everywhere we go. For example….

and this one was kinda hard to miss!!

This was the only one I liked for obvious reasons 🙂

OK rant over, here are some more calming photos taken on the walk.

Wild primrose

Would love to know what this is..

A close up of the flowers

and now for the wildlife, Spotted this Pheasant in a recently planted field.

A Buzzard circling overhead.

Gulls

Mallard Ducks in flight

Hooded Crows

Evil looking crow 🙂

Pied Wagtail

Wood Pigeon

The hardest one of all was trying to capture a photo of a House Martin in flight. These are the only two that look even half right.

and this big fella to finish. He was keeping a close eye on my dogs.

May 1 2012

Conkers, Bonkers!

I always thought Ben was a little bonkers 🙂 This photo proves it…

This also proves it, a horse chestnut as a bonsai.

That’s maybe a little unfair of me to say this. Ben inherited this tree from his Grand Father who got him started in bonsai and, as you would expect, he’s rather attached to it. The tree is over 40 years old and has an interesting base. Leaf size can be made smaller and it is already getting there. I can hardly say it’s not suitable as I have plenty of trees that I’m sentimentally attached too and will never sell.