We wanted to identify this little bird – it was so tiny and hard to spot in the fir trees. Such a loud alarm call for a tiny bird.
Even harder to find with my phone, look at the top of the video and it will come into view
We searched the free App ‘Chirp’, I have on my phone, once we were away from the bird. (we should not play recorded birdsong near birds as it confuses them) The nearest we found was the Willow Warbler and the Chiff Chaff, but ‘Chirp’ did not have their alarm calls
So I looked on You Tube and we found this clip
We think it is a Chiff Chaff, what do you think?
After a glorious gentle summer’s day in the sunshine, a last wander before bed
A friend has been staying near the beach in Weymouth this week and we have been been meeting for walks and al fresco lunches.
A favourite place on mine is the The Lookout where it can be a bit breezy but the view is worth it, out to sea and looking over Lodmoor.
Before retirement, I used to work in Weymouth and often, Â if I had an appointment with a colleague, rather than meet in a stuffy office somewhere, I would suggest The Lookout. Very few people are there during the week outside school holiday times, so confidential meetings could be had whilst looking out to sea.
Seeing Lodmoor from here made me realise that having lived here all my life, I had never walked around the Nature Reserve, so yesterday I put that right
There seems to be only one path that just goes straight across and you don’t really get to see much for the reeds, although I do get fascinated by the lines and patterns they make
and the reflections in the water
They turn up in my doodles
The path leads to a crossing over the road, then up the steps, over the wall and onto the beach
where every day a digger pulls back the pebbles from the sea. The following photo was taken in October.
Then, back along the beach to have fish and chips at Cafe Oasis.
and later as the sun was beginning to set, a siting of Sammy the Seal.
He has become a local celebrity this year. He appears on Facebook pages, on the News and in the papers. Friends have seen him and even been swimming with him but up until yesterday I had not seen him.
He was not lying in the most photogenic position, and one can’t get too close as there are Marshalls standing near to protect him and people and their dogs.
If you Google ‘Sammy the Seal Weymouth’ you can see loads of You tube clips and all the links to his appearance in the newspapers. In this clip, you also get to see the huge dormant cruise ships that have also been a Lockdown feature of 2020
I chatted to the Marshall and she told me that Sammy has been checked by the Marine Biologists who say he is 2 years old and comes from the colony that lives on Portland (the island you see in the background). He goes back to visit but seems to prefer contact with humans, coming up onto the beach in the early morning and at dusk. Apparently he won’t mate until he is 4 or 5 years old, so I wonder if he will be on or near the beach for the next couple of years.
What a blessing a garden is at any time, but most particularly at this staying-at-home time. I give huge thanks every day.
And look who I discovered in mine yesterday, a very welcome resident
I put the photo onto our family WhatsApp group for the children to guess what it is and to give him or her a name. At his second guess, Big Bro got it right and decided it was a male called Walley.
Having found this description on the internet:
“The slow–worm is much smaller than a snake and has smooth, golden-grey skin. Males are paler in colour and sometimes sport blue spots, while females are larger, with dark sides and a dark stripe down the back.
Average lifespan: up to 20 years
Length: 40-50cm”
I think it might be a female, although it doesn’t have a stripe down its back. Amazed to see that they can live up to 20 years.
I am very happy to see her, but wish she would eat more slugs as I am finding masses of the little blighters munching away at my irises and hostas.
My daughter and her children brought me a wonderful food box full of delicious goodies from a local vegetarian cafe called ‘Feed The Soul‘
The box included some delicious cakes, and drinks, boxed mixed salad meals and chia pudding – health in a box YumYum!!!
The children had picked the flowers for me from their field of scented narcissi. My daughter calls herself a beginner gardener and you can follow her progress on her Instagram Page – @newgatenarcissi
You might like to see the fun we had with the narcissi last year – here
This year is different.
How are you doing during this time of lockdown?
So far, I’m loving it. It feels like a gift to me. Time for quiet crafting and gardening with very few interruptions.
I feel extremely fortunate that I have a garden and neighbours who wander past and stop for a chat every now and then. They are all at home, so a close feeling of community is building like never before. It feels like it must have felt about 100 years ago. Everyone working in their gardens or on DIY projects – there seems to be always a power tool whirring away somewhere in the village.
My daughter lives just across the field from me, so she can come over with the children and we can have a catch up across the lawn.
It would feel very different if any of my children were in danger, out there on the front line. Or if any of my family or close friends contracted the virus. But for now the best thing I can do is stay at home alone and I am more than happy with that.
I do hope you found a satisfying way to celebrate Easter and wish you and your families and friends all the very best in the weeks and months to come.
On Wednesdays, after school, Â I take my granddaughter Miss E to her Gym Class. In the winter I am happy to sit for the two hours with crochet and a flask of tea, listening to podcasts on my iPad, but yesterday was such a lovely evening, I dropped her off and drove on for about 10 minutes and went for a walk.
After doing some drawing games with my grandsons, we went for a WALK, although we don’t mention the word ‘walk’ because then Big Bro will not move from the sofa.
We were not going on a walk, we were going ‘exploring’ to find badger sets…
luckily Granny knows Evvvvv–er–ry–thing – even where badgers live.
We talked about those families sleeping underground, we found back doors and front doors and neighbours doors, we made up stories about them, we imagined them all coming out in the evening and playing together, tumbling and play fighting and quarrelling and chasing….
Walking with my grandchildren comes very high on my list of favourite things to do. Seeing the world through their eyes. … …
Precious…..
….climbing, falling, getting caught in brambles, jeopardy – where are we?
who lives in these magical holes – under trees, in trees….
how do we find our way out of the wood?
Phew! we found the way into the field
now for some tracking
looking down – Â who or what has walked this way before us, was it last night by the light of the moon
looking up – at baby catkins
thinking of Spring
looking down
oh wow – an abundance of acorns, let’s pick some up.
Muddy puddles!
with tiny red wriggly worms in them
worms swimming, Â who knew?
squelch and splash and jump and laugh
Oh no! Where are we?
Look for landmarks to find our way home – ah-there’s the big oak tree near Granny’s house…… there’s her house!! – race you!
Cathy and  I have put together a list of One-Word promptsfor our One-a-Week Photo Challenge. You can join in by leaving a link to your Walk in the Comments, either here or on Cathy’s Post.
When I took Little Miss M and Little Bro to the park, after school yesterday, there was a Red Admiral butterfly that seemed to want to play with them. It kept fluttering back to them, around their heads, landing near to them: on posts, the grass and the climbing net – this went on for at least 10 minutes – it even landed on Little Bro’s arm at one point.
A school friend joined in and all three were first chasing, then leaping and dancing around with delight, then creeping up slowly and at one point the butterfly was on a post and all three were putting a finger on the post edging closer to the butterfly to see if it would hop on, totally focussed on that moment when time seemed to stand still.
Â
Magical, utterly magical.
But – did I have my camera with me – no!
A beautiful memory to hold in my mind’s eye.
As I was writing this I remembered that over 25 years ago, when I was doing a City and Guilds Embroidery course, there was a competition
to create a greetings card with butterflies as the theme.
(apologies for the quality of the photos, something has gone wrong with my ‘Photos’ programme and I am unable to do any editing – so far long phone calls to Apple, whilst they have tried to sort it out – with more to come)
We had to show our folder of workings as well (click on any photo to see it bigger)
and after much experimentation, this was the card I submitted into the competition, it has lost a few star sequins
these were some of my experiments made on thick watercolour paper
Well – I won!
It is the only competition I have ever won, so I’ve kept that folder dear to me and never used the cards – I’m wondering if I should send them now and let go ………..
…………… Â No, I can’t just yet.
Have you ever won a competition? Or danced with a butterfly in the park?
and the warmth the sun gave us
When I took Little Miss M and Little Bro to the park, after school yesterday, there was a Red Admiral butterfly that seemed to want to play with them. It kept fluttering back to them, around their heads, landing near to them: on posts, the grass and the climbing net – this went on for at least 10 minutes – it even landed on Little Bro’s arm at one point.
Ravelry
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