We've had some visitors since I last posted.
A couple of weeks ago we had been out for tea and when we got back as we walked into the garden there was an almighty clucking noise. We had moved our chickens and given them free range of the land at the side of our house after our dogs had dispensed of one.
As I walked up the path there was a jackal with one of our ladies in its mouth.
It was broad daylight it must of known we were out and the dogs were in the house.
I ran towards it shouting and waving my arms about and it eventually dropped the chicken and did a swift exit over the fence into the woods behind. Scary creatures.
The chicken thankfully was none the worse for wear.
A few days later I was merrily weeding my strawberry patch which incidentally are now bearing fruit. I looked down and my biggest fear was realised I was stood next to a snake, the air was blue, my hoe went up in the air and for those around the same age as me will know what I mean when I say my legs were like Billy Whizz.
Julie was shouting "what's wrong" I replied " Julie my dear I have just seen a snake in our vegetable garden" ( read FUCK ME THERES A MASSIVE SNAKE)
I don't like snakes I wouldn't hurt one, but sadly this one Although I didn't know it at the time had got caught in my strawberry net and was dead.
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| Much scarier than a jackal. |
After Julie had examined it she shouted to me whilst I was on the roof of the house that it was dead. This brought the next problem we had to get rid of it. So being the macho man I am I let Julie do it. It was 4 foot 6 inches long so she tells me.
A few days later we found another snake that seemed to of taken up residence in one of our garden walls that had a lovely flat gap in it perfect for it to sunbathe in.
After the day had cooled off I swiftly pointed the gap and we haven't seen it since.
We have had some amazing thunderstorms and rain lately and the other night as we were watching TV we had the door open and a big fat toad walked into the living room. Im sure it said "what ya watchin".
Anyway that was shown the door too.
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| Terry the toad given his marching orders |
We have had others come to see us too. My bird table is getting more popular as more birds are finding it.
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| A greater spotted woodpecker tucking in |
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| A much safer picture of our first strawberries |
We have some compost bins in our garden which we are using, however im still undecided as to wether we will keep them as compost gives ideal conditions for snakes to lay their eggs. As I was cleaning one out the other day I struck gold. Black gold that is not the Ged Clampett kind but a compost bin full of compost, who'd of thought it. Lovely stuff it was too.
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| Black gold. |
My other find Is, when my brother was here in April we were discussing some daffodils that hadn't flowered and wether to cut them down. That very week good old Monty Don on Gardeners World said just leave your daffs to die back, so I did.
This week im thinking these daffs should of died back by now.
So I pulled one up , there not daffs there there garlic !
We now have enough garlic to keep Dracula and his dog away for about 3 years.
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| Lesser spotted Bulgarian daffogarlic plant |
Shows what I know about plants.
Oh and we also had a lizard watching us the other day
See ya soon
Take care
Mark and Julie
