Jackie and I spent the morning on an enforced feat of forestry. With the head gardener’s advice, guidance, and assistance I sawed off a myrtle branch that had been twisted by the gales, and then performed an autopsy on the snake bark maple. This latter tree has, sadly, died. We performed emergency amputations last autumn, but it failed to recover. I therefore cut down the highest branches, leaving the skeleton as a frame for climbing plants yet to be determined. I protected my left hand with a padded cycling glove purchased by Jackie in the lucky dip that is Lidl’s central aisle. With a certain amount of trepidation I teetered on the step ladders made stable with a wedge or two. It is amazing how hard this dead wood was to cut through.
The thinner limbs I chopped into combustible sections for the next bonfire. This afternoon I sawed up the thicker ones for our wood burner pile, and Jackie continued with her creative planting. After a few yards amble down the lane, I called it a day.
In the lane, a bee flitted from dandelion to dandelion as I tracked it, eventually catching it.
Wherever you look in the garden, a wide variety of alliums is to be found.
On the back drive, we are hoping recently planted antique parchment pigmented irises will thrive, thus emulating
the rather more strident valerians and wallflowers.
The Chilean lantern tree is a-whirr with leg-loaded worker bees.
How many can you spot in this shot?
And in this one? Clicking on the images will help.
This evening we dined on tangy smoked cod, creamy mashed potatoes, piquant cauliflower cheese, firm sweetcorn and peas, and crunchy carrots. We both drank Heritage de Calvet white cotes du Rhone 2014, and a good accompaniment it was.
Even though I’d been on an eating marathon today I still like the look of your dinner.
I thought you might 🙂
Being an obedient reader I attempted a bee count. Some of them are hiding behind leaves and petals and some appear to be half inside a flower ….. My total therefore = Quite A Few. 🙂 It’s great t see them so busy!!
Nice one Pauline – especially as we can’t make our minds up how many there are. ‘I like that’ said the head gardener.
then I am content! 🙂
There are four bees. So now I’m going to hive off and have breakfast.
Wrong! But I shouldn’t worry, because we keep seeing more ourselves. I favour Pauline’s answer. But – have you read the question properly? 🙂
Initially I had read the question properly, and then I got carried away on the one picture. I was looking for a selfie – in the hope I could be funny and add another B’ to the list! (I bow to Pauline – she is a fellow New Zealander. Over the years I have come to the realisation that women are always right!)
Amazing pictures and it was fun searching for bees in the flower photos. I think it’ about…maybe…fifteen? I tried to spot 5-6 at least per photo with the red flowers or are they pink? Very nice post.
Thank you Anna. You must be somewhere near right. We can’t even decide ourselves – I like Pauline’s ‘quite a few’.
The one I like best is on the dandelion. It looks like some little farm animal. Perhaps a small pig.
Thank you Lisa
I’m going on a bee hunt … Well, there’s the obvious one on the dandelion – though it isn’t an obvious species, not in our cold, northerly climate at least. I couldn’t spot any on the wallflowers or the allium. On the first lantern tree shot I could see four and on the second shot, six, … so I make that a total of 11 wonderful bees, though I’m sure I could hear the buzzing of more 🙂
I can imagine the recent wild winds have taken their toll on trees. It’s always sad to see them damaged, though my son sometimes retrieves fallen timber for his woodturning projects. I hope your hand is healing well, Derek.
Many thanks Peggy. You were very thorough, and somewhere near right, although we spotted one more in the first lantern tree. My hand is doing pretty well, and I am a bit more mobile
HA! I knew there’d be more hiding among the flowers. Good to hear you are mending well.
Thank you Peggy
Bees and flowers, a perfect pairing Derrick – great shot!
Thank you Mary
Wow bees and flowers make wonderful combo and amazing clicks….
Thank you Chitra
Wait… is there a bee in that last photo? 😉
I hope not, Crystal, cos if there is I’ve eaten it