Garage nest box
A birthday present to myself was a camera in the garage gable nest box.
A birthday present to myself was a camera in the garage gable nest box.
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Rob
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09:35
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Walking in the park not only makes us feel good, enjoying the sights and sounds of nature brings many benefits for our health.
In Japan, a forest bathing trip, is a short, leisurely visit to a forest; it is regarded as being similar to natural aromatherapy.
When walking in the park you will be breathing in the scents of the woodland. These include
phytoncides which have antibacterial and antifungal qualities which, when people breathe in these chemicals, our bodies respond to by increasing the number and activity of a type of white blood cell called natural killer cells. These cells kill tumour- and virus-infected cells in our bodies.
Spending time in woodland can reduce the negative effects of cytokines which affect the growth of all blood cells and other cells that help the body's immune and inflammation responses. It will also help to boost anti-cancer activity by sending signals that can help make abnormal cells die and normal cells live longer. Cytokines are crucial for fighting off infections and in other immune responses
There is a great deal of evidence that your walk in the park will benefit your heart and your immune system and contribute to reducing anxiety and depression.
The benefits to children are known to all teachers and parents, especially that children concentrate much better after being outside in first hand contact with nature.
So enjoy your walk in the knowledge that it’s doing you good!
Don’t believe me? Spend fifteen minutes listening to Just One Thing Podcast ‘Green Spaces’ BBC Dr Michael Moseley https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m000vy1l
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Rob
at
15:12
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Here's a 'mindful moment' from the Woodland Garden…
Posted by
Rob
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17:22
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Female orange tip on bluebell |
Gardening can be a lonely old undertaking but its delights are doubled when shared with others.
'We just want to say what a fabulous environment you have created and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Great work you have done. Today we went to buy wildflower seeds which we will scatter/sow. We have some photos to send but did not note the e mail to send them to! Also if you repeat your open garden event please let us know we have been telling people how wonderful your oasis is and we think more people would want to visit'.
Wonderful day at a magic garden, with great people and yummy cakes! 11 Butterfly species, Toad, Common Newt and my first Slow Worm!! Lots of insects feasting on the wild meadows and pollinator plants in the gardens. We will talk about this for years. A Huge Thank You'.
Posted by
Rob
at
11:52
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Sent 29 October 2021 |
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Sent 6 November 2021 |
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Sent 7 November 2021 |
Posted by
Rob
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08:37
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Jay |
I recently saw a clip of a jay vocalising: not the usual fingernails-down-the-blackboard squark but quiet, subtle, mesmerising sub-chatter indicating a lively intelligence that is confirmed in their eyes.
They are usually far too clever to be caught by our ringing nets. But, on those rare occasions when they are in the hand, the dusky pink of their plumage and the electric blue wing flash are truly beautiful.
This has been a poor apple crop - affected by the late spring and the prolonged dry spell: one fifth of last year’s harvest. Stored apples lasted well into spring last year tricking us into thinking that each year would see a similar abundance of apple juice, compote, cakes and puddings.Fly agaric
A smaller harvest too of our favourite pale blue winter Crown Prince squash. The fruits are so well armoured that it can be hazardous chopping off chunks for kitchen use. Thankfully no fingers lost or serious abdominal injuries as I carve into the 6 kg monster. The rich orange, oven-roasted flesh has already contributed to velvety soups flavoured with rosemary and bay. I served our first squash soup of the season with mountainous cheese scones. My public expressed approval. With luck the few squash we have will last well into the new year.
Although some harvests have been below our expectations, others have exceeded them: our best ever swede and calabrese (broccoli) for instance.
Of course, this health above ground is only achieved by nourishing the soil - the soul of the garden. By applying thick coats of our own compost to the soil surface we enable the essential soil invertebrates and mycorrhizal fungi to flourish and they are the reason our plants grow with vigour on Nottinghamshire sand.
The dampness of the autumn has probably contributed to the diversity of toadstools in the garden. Scarlet, spotted fly agarics have flourished. Shaggy ink caps have been abundant in the lawn.
This winter I intend to ‘re-skin’ the polytunnel. The old plastic is held together with tape and has lost its’ tension. This time I’ll refine the design to allow greater ventilation during the heat of the summer when the polytunnel frequently becomes too hot for ripening.![]() |
Crown Prince squash and Beefmaster tomatoes |
Now, the last tomatoes hang from the naked plants - all leaves removed to increase airflow around the fruits. They are still ripening and we continue to harvest when they show first signs of colouring then store at room temperature. Their flavour is intensified by oven roasting. Beans have been reluctant to dry.
There is a holistic connection between working to nourish the natural world and the growing of food that is within everyone’s grasp. As well as those of us blessed with gardens, allotments, balconies, community gardens all give the opportunities to grow our own wonderful nutritious, organic food cheaply and to nurture what is natural.
The biophilia hypothesis suggests that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems. We certainly feel that connection after time in our green world and the healing power of the natural world has entered the national consciousness.
Another benefit of growing one’s own food is that food miles and waste are eliminated. Up to 30% of all vegetables are rejected by the supermarkets as crops are not the right shape or appearance. This waste contributes directly to climate change through the breakdown of food in landfill and the production of harmful methane and wasteful and unnecessary use of fertilisers and transport.
We can all take small steps like reducing food waste to contribute to combatting climate crisis.
As we enjoy the harvest at the end of this growing season, like all gardeners and growers we are already planning for the next.
This time we hope to move beyond our established organic and no-dig methods - we will be trialling biodynamic ideas. These include much more attention to the moon and cosmos and extend to the use of the biodynamic preparations used to give extra health to soil and plants.
Posted by
Rob
at
21:49
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Posted by
Rob
at
12:45
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Dry.
No-dig vegetable beds on our dusty sand continue to yield - but are getting desperate. The farm field irrigator harasses me along the footpath on my morning walk. It is watering a field of unharvested potatoes where the haulm was killed by spraying at least two weeks ago. Prior to that they received a weekly fungicide spray.
In a rare short shower a robin in mid-moult bathes on the wet leaves of winter honeysuckle (lonicera purpussii). A whit-whitting nuthatch. On the pine stump a glorious male kestrel on its' regular beat. Fluting young buzzards. The deep grunt of ravens.
Our recycled water tanks still provide stored rainwater for afternoon or evening watering of Container Garden pots, polytunnel and recent transplants. I’m behind so my ‘Watering Wednesday’ is performed the following Sunday.
Senshui yellow multi-sown overwintering onions |
In the biodynamic calendar we are still within ‘Northern transplanting time’ (descending moon) which we are told is a good time for planting and for applying compost to the soil. Multi-sown Senshui yellow onions and onion sets are now in the ground. The grumpy toad I re-homed from one of the compost bays disagreed that this was a good time for moving compost. I explained to her that on some days you're the pigeon and others the statue.
We are adopted by a vocal, tiny, baby grey squirrel. It stumbles about following us. It must have tumbled from its drey. These animals are pests capable of doing a lot of damage to a home with wood gables and cedar shingles on the roof. I gentle it into a bucket and release it in a corner of the Woodland Garden where cyclamen hederifolium splashes the floor in colours from white to magenta..
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Frosted orange moth |
Our moth light registers the turning seasons with ninety five moths of twenty one species including:
Dusky thorn
Black rustic
Frosted orange
Orange sallow
The light was a magnet too for coupling crane flies. And parasitic ichneumon wasps which performed death dances around the moths.
I mowed the lawn and now a mountain of mowings has joined the piles of invasive red stemmed parrot feather dredged from Georges Pond waiting to be composted.
Every dip of the net into the pond brought dragonfly and damselfly nymphs and smooth newts still in their aquatic larval stage.
Next doors lawn has been ploughed by badgers.
Cyclamen hederifolium |
Posted by
Rob
at
10:51
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Natural honey bee hive |
Posted by
Rob
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09:23
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Posted by
Rob
at
10:48
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Enjoying refreshments at Goldcrest. |
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Small skippers on marjoram |
Rosa 'Simple Peach' |
Was a smashing day! Cake and tea on the lawn. Beautiful setting, so tranquil, dragonflies swooped over Georges pond....perfect❤
Wonderful day at a magic garden, with great people and yummy cakes! 11 Butterfly species, Toad, Common Newt and my first Slow Worm!! Lots of insects feasting on the wild meadows and pollinator plants in the gardens. We will talk about this for years. A Huge Thank You to Rob, Jill, Judith and Roger and all the helpers.
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George's Pond |
I’ll not lie had a tear. Your dreams came true. Love to you all,it was a privilege to be apart of it .
We just want to say what a fabulous environment you have created and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit. Great work you have done. Today we went to buy wildflower seeds which we will scatter/sow. We have some photos to send but did not note the e mail to send them to! Also if you repeat your open garden event please let us know we have been telling people how wonderful your oasis is and we think more people would want to visit. Best wishes
A view through Waxwings Woodland Garden |
Really enjoyed my afternoon wandering around this beautiful garden and woodland, absolutely stunning.
Thanks to Helen and Mike for use of their photos..
Posted by
Rob
at
12:18
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Cold, drying winds. Frost most mornings.
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Amelanchier 'Lamarckii' |
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Excavated vole nest |
Pipistrelle bat |
Posted by
Rob
at
21:11
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Posted by
Rob
at
21:24
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Baking bread has been done for thousands of years. It remains one of the most-satisfying human endeavours. It is magical and never loses its' fascination.
Posted by
Rob
at
11:16
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Posted by
Rob
at
10:37
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