This fog gets me in a reflective mood!

I had the Blues because I had no Shoes  -  then I met a Man in the street with no Feet!

Middle age is when you have met so many people that every new person you meet reminds you of someone else!

I'm listening to a Leo Sayer CD.  'At his very best' Is that why I am thoughtful this morning?   'When I need you'  I like that track.  I have just bought the CD from Amazon, on the internet. The CD cost 1 penny, the postage £1.49!  How times have changed.

Yesterday we had a trip to Exmouth. We took Charlie, who loves going anywhere with us. In fact we feel very guilty now if we leave him at home on his own. It was still slightly foggy, but Exmouth is a nice place, and the sea air must have done us some good.

Exmouth  front

 

 

 

 

                                                           Exmouth Pavilion

Water Park

 

 

It got too hot to leave Charlie in the car in Exmouth, so we took him home and then went to Wetherspoons, at the Imperial, Exeter.  It was packed.  Mostly Students I think!  A great life it would seem!

 

Wetherspoons

 

I sold 2 stools on ebay. The auction lasted 7 days, and the winning bid was for 99 pence.

The buyer from Crediton paid by Paypal, and I will eventually receive the sum of 76 pence

.Did Alan Sugar started like this?

My 99 pence stools!

 

I took some photos of a nearby rookery. The rooks have just recently started to take the bird food, on the bird table close to the house. They are very clever, and fly away as soon as they see you. I don't like this bird.

 

 

 

 

 

I met a Dutch girl with Inflatable shoes last week  I phoned her up to arrange a date, but unfortunately she'd popped her clogs! 

 

Peter Kaye

 

Busy Busy days.

I have just received the very sad news that Mr Montague, from Peamore has died. He was 88 years old, and I had found him to be a very wise, travelled and knowledgeable gentleman. Funeral at Exminster Church - 20th March 2014 -  at 3.00pm.

The dry weather continues! (Carol said it would.)  Hence, I have been busy in the garden, and generally doing several jobs.

 With help from Tom, we took a trailer load of scrap metal to Sims Scrap Yard at Marsh Barton. Quite a procedure now. Every body has to register when disposing of any scrap. One has to produce either a driving licence with a photo, or your passport and a utility bill not more than 3 months old.
This done, we had to don a hard hat, and yellow jacket selected from a bin. Drive  on to the weighbridge, off load on to a pile of other scrap metal in the yard, weighbridge again, produce a debit card, as this is the preferred way for payment. Then home £78.94 richer -  and tidier!

The Farrier came today

 

Steam rising from hot shoe - but the horse doesn't seem to mind at all!

Comfort from Courtenay  

 

Am I next?

Cock pheasant on the bird table.

The leaves on the weeping willow are showing. Another sign that Spring is not far away. A lovely blue sky - and warmer weather to come!

Charlie with a Spring in his step!

 

 

Apparently, one in five people in the world are Chinese. And there a five people in our family, so I must be one of them! It's either my Mum or Dad. Or my older Brother, Colin. Or my younger Brother, Ho-Chan-Chu. But I think it's Colin!

 

Joke from Tommy Cooper.

Beautiful, Glorious Weather. Carol (BBC Weather) says so!

It is commonly observed that when two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather: when they are in a haste to tell each other, what each must already know, that it is hot or cold, bright or cloudy, windy or calm

This statement is correct, as I think that everyone that I met today, I couldn't help but comment myself on the lovely weather!

We have been busy logging the fallen trees. The ground is drying quickly, enabling an easier access onto the fields. We are going to extend our log shed and intend to fill it up ready for next Winter.

                                                            Think Green!

I continue to have bonfires. Tidying the garden up after the Winter, is always quite a major job, but this Winter has been one of the worst for many years I think. The ground has been so wet, and several trees and shrubs have been damaged. But  -   now we have another Spring, Summer and Autumn to look forward to.

A good old bonfire.

These daffodils are nice to see!

 

And some crocus.

And Charlie is always nice to see!

 

I enjoy playing skittles at the Alphington Club. Our team is called Pick and Mix, and is mostly made up of Pensioners. The team is organised by Jan and Mike, who do a very good job. We don't win many games - but I, for one, really enjoy the evening out! I must take a photo of the team!

 

A Long tailed Tit with a house Sparrow.

 

I tried to get a shot of this bird on a branch or some natural habitat.  But there is a saying that says

 

'A bird on your fat balls is better than none in the bush'

More memories of Sri Lanka Negombo

We stayed in our rented Dream house in a small village, called Kammala, which is near Waikkal. The nearest large hotel is The Club Hotel Dolphin where we had stayed previously, (3 times ) with the family.

 

Club Hotel Dolphin

 

 I have grown very fond of this village,
 and have begun to venture further afield and find my way around the surrounding districts, in both a more confident and an adventurous manner.   

I HEAR and I forget. I SEE and I remember. I DO and I understand.

My photographer friend and fellow traveller on this trip, Charlie,  planned a couple of visits to Negombo. Approximately 9.5 km away.
The safest and dearest mode of transport for 2 persons is the local taxis. Usually air conditioned and with 6-8seats.
The most convenient and best price mode of transport (and the most dangerous and exciting) is the Tuktuk. These are based everywhere, so it is never a problem to find one at any time.

 

Hence, we got a Tuktuk to the station. 1500 SLR  Then caught the train to Negombo  35 SLR (approx. 15 pence)  The English pound is roughly worth 200 SLR. 

You cannot create experience. You must undergo it!

 

First purchase was a Dongle to enable Charlie to continue writing his blog. www.wildlife in a suburban garden.com

We purchased Sarongs and shirts with Sri Lanka printed on them!  WHY?

Typical shopping place in Negombo

Vegetable stall, near the fish market.  Very cheap compared to English prices! Bananas  50 pence for nearly 3 kilos. We bought quite a few bananas on our stay to encourage the birds on to the bird table back at the Dream House.

Fishermen (and ladies) shaking the fish from the nets.

Fish Market. Every one should visit this place. Very busy and interesting!
  

 

On the train. cheap and can recommend this means of transport. Very interesting!

Another means of Transport!

We did travel on a couple of buses. Wouldn't recommend this though! They were absolutely packed. We didn't really know if we were on the correct bus as nobody seemed able to speak English on this service. You pay your fare (30 SLR  -  12 pence) when getting off  the bus.

 

The National flower of Sri Lanka.  The Water Lily.

 

Learning is a Treasure that will follow its owner everywhere. 

Chinese proverb.

 

 

 

 

 

   

Spring is just around the corner!

Today, with help from my Grandson, Tom - I feel quite pleased with the days work! Tom follows in his Fathers footsteps and is a great help when engines don't start, and he is able to resolve the problems! This is a common fault with most machinery in the Spring of course because  they haven't been started for a few months. Although I had charged the batteries on the 2 ride on mowers, the engines wouldn't start for me. However, eventually , with the aid of replacement fuses, improving the connectors on some wiring, the use of some heavy duty jump leads, and a gentle tap here and there, away we went - and I was cutting grass this afternoon! Plenty wet enough really  -  but it felt good to be able to make a start on the grass.

It was a treat to have a nice, dry day. I did go out with the camera this morning, and took some quite interesting photos.  I am surprised at the clarity and quality of shots taken from quite a distance away.
Arthur and his Suffolk prize rams were approximately 4 to 500 yards away.

 

This is the greater spotted woodpecker that I am trying to get a good photo of. When I saw it this morning I wasn't sure if it was a branch or a bird. It was about 150 yards away, I guess!  It is marvellous what a difference it makes looking through a 500mm lens on the camera - and the branch turned out to be a Woodpecker!  I will of course get a good photo soon. One where it is posing up close for me!

This sparrow was quite obliging and I thought took a good photo!

 

 

Tomorrow - perhaps another bonfire, if the wind is not blowing my neighbours way! 

Thought of the day

By the time you pass sixty years you are supposed to have finally got your head together, but then your body starts falling apart.

I am one of many, many people that has Sciatica.
Sciatica starts in the lower back, and travels down the sciatic nerve and down the leg. Sometimes the pain is almost unbearable. The discomfort and sharp pains certainly restricts a lot of daily jobs. I started with the acute pain after my holiday in Sri Lanka. I blame sitting  / slouching on the 'plane for 12 hours. Pulling and carrying luggage , for what seemed to be miles at Gatwick airport, and then a further 4 hour coach journey back to Exeter. I have been informed that sciatica can last for a long time. Many weeks, if not months. God help me and all who are also suffering!   I have watched supposedly beneficial exercises to do - on You Tube. I do try them, and yes, I think that some exercises do help the discomfort and the pain.

However, life goes on, and today I have done a few more jobs .At  least the weather has been cold but dry.

I drove the quad and trailer to the woods and brought back a thick branch to support a log for another bird table. I placed it in a good spot to take more bird photos. Usually the sun will be behind me, and I can sit in amongst some fir trees in my portable hide. I have drilled holes in the log for the peanuts, and fingers crossed, the woodpecker and other birds will find them.
I will test it out tomorrow.

Today, I sowed my tomato seeds, and a couple packets of flower seeds. There were 4 varieties of tomatoes in one seed packet. I have had this assortment in the greenhouse before, and to have a variety is quite a good idea. I've forgot the names, but there are Yellow, Large, Gardeners Delight and Ailsa Craig.

Because the weather is still cold and Winterish, I stayed indoors this afternoon and made some pickle.
An easy recipe -   - 1lb cooked beetroot - then  cook together 1lb of cooking apples - 1/2lb (half) onions - 1/2lb brown sugar - 1/4pint of malt vinegar.  Looks and tastes good!

Jimmy is still looking for his nuts. I do like to take his photo!

Jimmy posing.

Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful!

Fox's. To feed or not to feed?

We feed the foxes most nights with any food scraps that are available. They seem to enjoy any thing, from meat. bones. bread or any stale cake. I usually go out into the garden, and adjoining meadow, at about 7.30pm (weather permitting)  There are always 4 or 5 foxes waiting for their scraps. They have become quite tame and confident with us. I wear a lamp on my head, which is very bright. This must be the sign that the foxes wait for, and their eyes are the first visible sign that they are watching and waiting for their treats. Many people will not agree with foxes being encouraged to come into their garden to be fed. I question it myself, but when I am actually throwing them the scraps and watch them, I know that I would hate to see this lovely animal disappear from our Countryside.

 

Spring is definitely not far away.

 

 

Polyanthus in the garden.

 

 

Lovely to see the daffodils 

 

 

Helleborus   -  Christmas Rose

 

 

Prunus  -  Cherry blossom

 

I had a ploughman's lunch the other day.  He wasn't very happy!