Wildlife in September

Red Squirrels are now frequent visitors, and finding anything to beat them into the spot of 'Highlight of the Month' is pretty unlikely. The low light of our time here was the Grey Squirrel visit. Through our volunteering work with Penrith Red Squirrels we are all kitted out for grey control and sprang straight into action, but it was never seen in the village again, so we can only assume it was on passage elsewhere.

Transformation?

The lads were here bright and early to get set up and start 'dashing'.

It really is exactly as was described. Mix up a slurry with the stone chippings in, and then throw it on the walls with a small shovel/trowel. If you look closely at this picture, you can even see the wet dash leaving the trowel!
They put in a long day, and were extremely diligent about tidying up after themselves, but by dusk, this:
Had turned into this:

Facelift or Holiday?

After a weekend down in the Midlands, celebrating Mum and Dad's Proper 50th Wedding anniversary (as opposed to the 'official' one that happened in June), we were back into the deep end this morning.
People often ask us if we are going on holiday. Our sickening response is always 'every day's a holiday to us'. However, not having been on holiday for the last two years is justification for spending money on a facelift instead.
The front of our house is not it's best feature. 'Public Convenience bricks' is how husband affectionately describes it. However, the back and one side are already pebble dashed, so we have thought for a long time that this would be a great idea on the front and remaining side.

With an evenings notice, to get everything out of the way (that'll teach us to disappear for a long weekend!), Dougi and pals arrived at 8am, on what has to be one of the best September days in recent history.


25'c this afternoon - hence Dougi's son being bare chested.

By 6pm, all the first coat of plaster is on and everything that matters (like windows) is covered in plastic, ready for the slurry chucking session tomorrow.

Lets hope the forecast for the next few days is right.

Planting a Triffid

You may remember the Acer we brought with us from Lincolnshire - the tree with rather a dodgy heritage. Well since being here, it has been sitting minding it's own business, on the front path. However, twelve years in a pot for a tree that was already over 20 years old when it went into that pot; it was high time it was potted on. The only sensible solution was to put it into the ground. The only sensible place was near the front door, as sheltered as anywhere in Windy City. Sounds easy doesn't it?

We moved it a while back, to see if we thought it had a hope of surviving in that spot.
So having decided that it was going to happen, the back end is the time to do it. 109mm of rain so far in September was always going to make it hard work, but if we don't get on with it - all the other planting that is waiting to happen in the front will be delayed. So, better dig a big hole (again!)

At the bottom of the hole, guess what? We found a rather large stone. As it was below the required level, we thought we'd leave it there. Then Husband changed our minds!

Having dug said hole and removed the stone, it was time to get the tree out of it's pot. That's a metre rule. It's a big pot.

We called the cavalry in. An ex forester and a landscape architect (and winners of the local gardens competition!) - pretty fitting really. After an awful lot of broggling, pulling, shoving, digging, scraping, huffing and puffing. One very pot bound tree was finally minus it's pot.

Loosen the roots, drop it in the hole, twist it this way. No, twist it that way. Back fill with compost/soil combined and then get the Gill the Landscape Architect to add the finishing touches. Voila! All that remains now is to dig up the remaining borders in the front, and replant them all!

Four (Mad) Women on Bikes

Our friend Joan, who owns the best holiday cottages in Cumbria, is in the process of biking the C2C with three friends. They have only chosen the week when Hurricane Katia has decided to makes it's presence in this part of the world.
As they were passing within shouting distance (I can shout loud!) today, it was agreed that we would meet them for a coffee at the local Cycle Cafe.
Timed to perfection, Joan leads the way as they cycle to meet us just as we arrive at the cafe

Suitably refreshed, the four intrepid explorers get ready to start the next leg of their journey. Hope the winds calm down ladies!

Not On Our Patch

It's out 6th Wedding anniversary today. Full of happy memories, and now one unhappy memory. Sitting having an afternoon cuppa, watching 'The View', we were gobsmacked to see a Grey Squirrel hoping towards the garden. (Picture courtesy of Penrith Red Squirrels Group )

As volunteers with Penrith Red Squirrels, Grey control in this area is partly our responsibilty, so to find one on our own doorstep is really frustrating. This is the second siting in the village in the last month. Attempts to catch the culprit on the first occasion were in vain, so at least it has returned to give us another opportunity.
If any of you think this is harsh - then think again.
This information is lifted from the Penrith Red Squirrels Website:

The facts
There are only about 20,000 red squirrels left in England, mostly in Cumbria and Northumberland.

There are over 3 MILLION greys!

The decline of reds is directly attributable to grey squirrels which were introduced from America in 1876 and whose population has exploded.

The bigger grey out competes red squirrels for food but more critically a large number carry the highly infectious Squirrelpox Virus (SQPV) to which they seem immune but is fatal to reds.

SQPV is similar to myxomatosis in rabbits (although not linked) and is identified in the initial stages by poor coordination and lethargy. By the second week lesions around the mouth, nose, eyes and genitals quickly followed by a pitiful death. (see the photo ).

They're Not Blueys, They're Mine!

We love Blue Tits. I think they must be one of the most recognised birds in the UK. I can remember them feeding from the coconuts Mum hung outside the sitting room window at home, We do the same here outside the sun room and are always really pleased to see them hanging upside down on the shells. In an effort to provide them with more varied feeding opportunities, we hang monkey nuts around the branch of the tree for them (and the Great Tits and Coal Tits) to peck at.

There was a loud drumming coming from the tree. It sounded like one of the many Woodpeckers we get

But no, it was a Nut Hatch, very determined to get hold of Blueys nuts.

Pecking with all his might to prise the little brown jewels from their shell

It looks as though someone else has suddenly found them too......
Looks like the Blueys are going to have to stick to the feeders in future