Category Archives: Garden

A flower

We have one solitary flower in our garden. A half hour ago, we had several. However, my second in command decided that she’d cut the grass while I was applying PVA to the spare bedroom walls. 

I did point out the locations of plants of beauty, but it was to no avail. All but one were mercilessly cut down.

I’m now sitting in the evening sunshine with a beer, overlooking a scene of devastation. 

Tits

We seem to have a couple of pairs of bluetits nesting in the bush adjacent to the pigeons’ tree. There are many noisy hatchlings. 

I’m so glad I didn’t prune the bush/tree this year. 

Pigeons

Lately, a couple of wood pigeons have been hanging around in our garden. And, earlier today, my second in command noticed that one appeared to be building a nest in the tree. After a half hour’s observation, this was confirmed. 

My knowledge of the world of nature is extremely limited, but it feels a little late in the year to be building a nest. 

An attempt to capture a picture, through the kitchen window, was something of a failure. 

There’s actually a bird in the picture, but it’s not easy to spot. 

Gardening

I’ve just finished what will probably be my last Sunday gardening of the year. The garden looks pretty empty now, well apart from the trees. 

I’ve removed all of the purple flowering plants (I’ve no idea what they’re called) that I was so fond of. I was given some when I moved here and they’ve thrived in what is a pretty shady area. 

The problem was that they grew too well, spreading beyond their allotted area. The flowers, around May, are great, but for most of the year I have to admit that they look like dock leaves. 

So I’ve reluctantly removed them. Along with the pile of rotting, weed and wood lice infested pile of wood. I know it’s supposed to be a good thing for birds, but it was a bit of an eyesore. 

Now the garden’s all sorted, I can begin to plan my winter project. A man needs a project, you know. 

Fence

Although I have holes to fill-in after new concrete has set, and old concrete to dispose of, we have a fence again.

The fence needs painting and the garden looks like a battlefield, but cosmetic stuff can wait a few days. 

I do need to leave feedback for Wickes though. The fence posts are great, but the past feedback from builder types all says that two people are needed to move them. While it might not have been easy, one unfit office worker erected this fence alone. 

Well, my second in command may have mixed and carried concrete after a day at work.

Concrete

Today was spent digging concrete out of the garden. A task made more arduous by a huge tree root wrapped around one lump. However, I have successfully excavated the various layers of concrete archeology from our garden. 

In doing so, I found the base of the old extension, demolished in the early 80s.

Mondays is for drinking to  the seldom seen kid

And Sundays is for gardening. Well, I’ve not actually done any gardening today, but most of my day has been spent in the garden.

We now have no fence. It has, half an hour ago, been deposited at the tip. The hard part wasn’t removing the fence, it was breaking it down to fit into rubble sacks. 

But it has gone now and I’m left with a view of next door’s jungle and some aches. 

Weather permitting, next weekend will involve fence construction. 

I may have sprayed some weedkiller next door too. 

Jesus & Gordon

Gordon’s chair in the garden. It hasn’t moved since he last sat in it a week ago. He was only here a couple of weeks, but it’s a little empty here since he left. 

Changing the subject, I’m now home after watching the Liverpool-Barcelona game in the Tuns. My second in command was extremely happy with the 3-0 score, although I was mildly disappointed that no one was bitten. 

We left with five minutes (plus lying down time) to go, but my significant other was feeling tired (early start) and hungry (she’s experimenting with vegetarianism, so can’t pick while at work). 

I’m now, as can be seen above, sitting in the garden with a bottle of Beck’s (correct use of the apostrophe). While we were out, our beer was blessed by Jesus.