A wonderful find, and a 'what would you have done?'

Hello folks,

We've been a lovely ride out today and took a picnic lunch with us - just on the spur of the moment, the weather was perfect (for me) slightly overcast and quite warm.  We travelled a few miles over the county border into beautiful Shropshire, through the country lanes and mostly enjoying the peace and quiet and lack of traffic.  

We enjoyed the freedom of picking a lovely, scenic spot to eat lunch and settled down and chatted for a while, then off again exploring the villages and hamlets we came across.

(Sorry no photos as I'd left the camera at home.)

As we wended our way along we passed a plant nursery, Trev slowed down (even more) and asked if I'd like to visit it...he knows me too well!  To my utter delight we'd discovered Barlow Nurseries.  I wondered around in awe of the beautiful, healthy herbaceous plants absolutely covered in beautiful, buzzing bees :o)  

 Now, I'm still trying very hard to fill up my back garden border again (since the new fence was erected) and have decided it needs to be even more bee friendly! So it will come as absolutely no surprise to know that I came home with some beautiful  bee friendly plants.  In fact I was almost having to de-bee them to get them in the car ;o)

(Photos taken hurriedly at 8.45pm.)

Grouped en-masse.  

(Please excuse the barbecue cover)

A HUGE clover - like flower

Trifolium Trichocephlum

Erysimum linifolium variegatum

Two beautiful, healthy Lupins. 1 x pink and 1 x red (above still in bud)

and finally for the worlds biggest courgette hater (me)

Courgette Parador

I'm determined to like the blasted things and figured if I grow them I'll eat them!

If you are ever in the Newport, Shropshire area do please give them a visit - you won't be disappointed :o)

Now, a few views of how the borders have filled out a little more.

Aconite and yellow Corydalis Lutea

blue self-seeded aqualegia, corydalis and aconite

various pots surrounding my arum lily

The apple tree - no blossom this year :o(

The opposite border against the garage

with pulmosa (lungwort) forget-me-nots (amongst others)

Gorgeous foxgloves, and behind the bottom of the ivy where the robins nested...

(I can't remember if I updated that situation?  There were two babies that fledged the nest, unfortunately one of them landed inches from a sleeping Sid cat who awoke before I could do anything to save it :o(  

(The other did well.)  

Finally, beneath my kitchen window.

* * *

Now for the 'what would you have done?'

I received an email last night asking me if I had any information about a female Staffordshire figurine, similar to one I have (which I posted about here).  I happily agreed to help if I could and was duly sent some photos of the figure in question.  It had been in the wars, the head had been off at one point and stuck back on.  I studied the photos carefully (they were quite detailed) and came to the conclusion that I believed it was a copy and not an original.  There was no signs of wear or dirt ingrained on the base, the crackles in the glaze were perfectly bright and clean even though the gold appeared to be rubbed, and the expansion hole (to me seemed) to be in the wrong place. It also appeared that it was made from a hard paste body and not a soft paste.  I gave a potted history of Staffordshire flat backs.  

I was really in a quandary.  I wondered if I should go ahead ?  I would certainly like to have it queried if it had been the other way round. So I  mentioned my doubts(in more detail with photos to support) and decided to question  it's authenticity, BUT I stressed that I'm no expert and it needed and expert evaluation as it was difficult to tell the difference with any certainty from a photograph and needed 'handling' to confirm one way or the other.  

I was not surprised therefore to receive another email questioning my thoughts.  I again stressed I believed it really needed expert evaluation, and I would be truly delighted for her if I am wrong.

I'm neither cross or upset by the reply I'd received, in fact I thought it was very well written.

My question to you is this,  do you think I was right to tell her?   Or should I have kept quiet about my doubts?  

Please let me know your thoughts, I'd appreciate them.

* * *

Very quick update on Mom.

The appointment has (finally) come through from the Memory Service for next Wednesday.  Of course she doesn't want to go ("I haven't got a problem with my memory - everybody forgets things"), but her Doctor (bless him) asked her to humour him and go to see them anyway :o)

I shall take her and see what happens.  In the meantime she's lost her (replacement) false teeth!  They've vanished into the ether again.  So it's back to the dentist for another £200 set :o(

* * *

Hope you all have a great week.  

x x

P.S.

I've been having a change around on here and haven't finished yet..

New additions

Hi folks, once again I apologise for my lack of posts.  Last time I mentioned that I was going to release another two hedgehogs from the local hedgehog rescue centre.   

You probably know that I have already built and installed three hedgehog houses into the garden, but because two of them were already inhabited I'd decided to build a fourth one :o)

(I really should make a plan of them in case any of you would like to make one too.)

Anyway, here is the completed house.

It has been placed at the side of the conservatory (as this is the only place left to fit one in!)

Joan arrived with two boxes of precious cargo on the 6th May, and I transferred the two ladies into my own (cat) carriers so that they were secure until darkness fell.  They were then put into the darkened laundry until the evening came and I could release them into the world.  They had both been hand reared and didn't really have much knowledge of the outside world.  As you know I name all the hogs I release and of course these little girls have names to, so may I introduce the two little wrigglers:

Mavis

(who now sports a white spot on each side)

and her buddy

Myrtle
(who has an inverted 'T' on her behind)

Little Myrtle again.

Once darkness came I placed each one into a new home, and waited for them to pluck up the courage to come out and investigate.  Mavis was the bravest, and was out and about devouring food within five minutes, Myrtle however was a little more shy and it was around 30 minutes before she came out to investigate.

Here's Mavis

Just about to hoover up the pile of mealworms.

(Sorry the shot is out of focus)

Since then Mavis has been a regular in the garden, either by over-nighting and also feeding.

Myrtle must have ranged further away as I've only seen her twice since release.

Archie is also a regular, and likes the ladies ;o)

You can probably, just make out his stripe - he's the hog on the left, the other one I've called Spotty as he has a lighter spot on his right bum cheek.  They met up in the feeding box.

I've started to keep a log of each hog I see, and also the over-nighters sleeping in the boxes.

It appears we have a neon 'Travelhog' sign placed by the gate, visible to hedgehogs only!  They seem to spend a night or two in one box, then disappear for another couple of nights when another moves in, in it's place.  Some nights, like last night all the boxes were empty.  It's amusing me no-end :o)

Here's another few visitors...I wonder if Wilfrid, Winifrid or May (some of last years releases) are amongst them?  I'm afraid I no longer have any way of knowing as their paint marks would have long since rubbed off.

Who ever they are, they're in good condition :o)

* * *

I have been amusing myself this afternoon trying to get shots of Mommy and Daddy Robin as they frantically flit in and out of the nest feeding their brood.  We have no idea how many little ones there are as the ivy has now covered the hole completely.   Here are the better shots.

I was trying to get an 'action' in flight shot, sadly this is the best I could do:

and if you think that's bad, this was the worst!

So, help need please.  Some of you have the MOST astounding photographs of animals in action shots, come on - HOW DO YOU DO IT?  I use a Panasonic FZ38 set onto outdoor sport mode.  I've tried other settings but to no avail, can anybody point me in the right direction please?

Well, I truly hope I'm not boring you to death with my very own 'Nature Watching'.

I'll be back again as soon as I'm able, again please forgive me not visiting and commenting too often   I'm really missing visiting you, but some days I don't even get around to switching on the laptop at all.

Sending my very best wishes to you all.

x x

Remember this?

Our back garden 01st March this year after the new fence had been erected?  An awful lot of bare earth and no plants.

Well look at it now!  It's filled out a bit now.

I know the archway need trimming somewhat, but I was too late - we have house sparrows nesting there.

There's an arum lily in this little bed, the daffs come every year (over by now though) and the polyanthus are just filling the gap until lily returns.

The lush green leaves in the raised border is monks hood (aconite).  The rock that makes the border was once upon a time our fireplace.

A golden delicious (hubs favourite) apple tree on dwarf root stock in the blue planter

A peach in the foreground and cherry to the right (both on dwarf root stock)

The ivy growing up the garage...notice a hole about an inch from the top of the photo?

You may just see the robins eye peeping, she's sitting on eggs :o) (Possibly 4 to 6 eggs)

She will sit alone for up to 13 days until they incubate, the male has been very busy bringing her food.  Looking forward to baby robins.

I still have a clematis montana to plant and allow to scramble along the fence, another clematis to plant against the house wall along with three small holly bushes to put in.  I tend to fill borders with all sorts as I don't like to see bare earth.

Have a good week folks.