Estate Agency

Today I watched recordings of the Rugby World Cup matches between Georgia and Uruguay, and between Wales and Australia. Taking breaks from these matches I made crops of Jackie’s photographs, and took the nesting box one myself. It is so good to employ a most competent Assistant Photographer.

Jackie carried out planting, mostly in the Weeping Birch Bed – such as White Ladies asters, and grass panicum Warrior – hindered of course by  Nugget who at one point nipped neatly onto her chair when she left it.Those readers who have missed Nugget in the last couple of posts have nothing to fear, our little robin is here. The scale of this picture showing a flash of Jackie’s jeans and a glimpse of her arm, the trowel beside the tufa on which he stands, and the pair of gardening gloves demonstrates just how little he is.

The tufa on which he stands is, according to Wikipedia,  ‘ a variety of limestone formed when carbonate minerals precipitate out of ambient temperature water.’ Plants grow on it.

He doesn’t take up much room on a trowel, but he can delay the Head Gardener using it.When Jackie was sitting in the chair mentioned above, Nugget would dart from this stone under her seat in search of fodder.

The finely woven wicker-work of his plumage is most intricate.

Whilst at the south end of the garden Jackie also photographed the Back Drive;

its Japanese anemones against the white wall of No. 5 Downton Lane;

raindrops on its out of season poppy

and convolvulus:

clumps of chrysanthemum buds;

sprigs of bright hawthorn berries;

a wood pigeon basking on the warm gravel;

a volunteer nicotiana sylvestris;

and a further clump of chrysanthemums against hot lips.

She photographed the garden as seen from the Heligan Path;

her stumpery;

and one of two pots of pansies in the Rose Garden.

Not satisfied with the third teapot she has offered Nugget through her estate agency,

when she popped out for more plants at Otter Nurseries she bought a purpose built robin nesting box to increase his choice.

Now, “Where’s Nugget?” (31)

This evening we dined on Jackie’s minced beef topped with Lyonnaise potatoes, crunchy carrots and broccoli with which she drank Hoegaarden and I drank Doom Bar.

 

94 comments

  3. I believe when a cat or dog nip into your vacated chair as soon as you leave it is for one of two reasons – or possibly both – warmth and/or because your scent is there and because they like you, they like your scent. I wonder if that applies to robins. Nugget looks like he may be checking out the latest choice in apartments on offer. Personally I want him to go for the quirkiest teapot Jackie can find – but that just might be what I would do if I were a robin. You’ve done rather splendidly with your choice of assistant photographer Derrick, well done! 🙂 Oh PS: the closeup of Nugget is stunning what beautiful colouring you captured. He’s a most handsome fellow!

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  7. Beautiful photos, Jackie! Raindrops, berries, buds, the stumpery, etc.! All wonderful! 🙂
    Derrick…good photo of the nesting box!
    OH! I think the Assistant Photographer should be called THE Head Assistant Photographer as I can’t imagine anyone better! 🙂
    I’m so glad to see Nugget! I’ve been missing him! His close-ups are so stunning! He is a gorgeous little guy! Those feathers! I love how you described them!
    And he’s so intelligent and so interested in everything his “Mum” is doing. 😉 🙂 Wonder when he will pick a “pot”. He has some prime real estate to chose from! 😀
    In the Where’s Nugget? photo I see him perched…but I will not say where or on what or by what, so others can find him, too. 🙂
    HUGS!!! to both of you human-beans! 🙂 🙂
    TWEETS!!! to Nugget! 🙂

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  16. From your photos Derrick, I can see the beauties of each season 🙂 …wonderful flowers and I love how Nugget is always there to control every single movement of the gardener 🙂
    The close ups are wonderful! He’s a model by now 🙂
    This time he choose to stay a little bit higher so that he can have a better visual of his garden 🙂

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  18. The backdrive looks like I could have spent many an afternoon there tinkering with my bewildering childhood collection of playthings. Why is Mr Nugget bang in the middle of the Quiz Image?

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      1. Me, too. I’m so very sad. He was such a good, caring, kind friend. When I began my Cancer Journey (it started 4 years ago) he was such an encouragement and help to me and he continued to be. 🙂
        (((HUGS)))

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  24. A most competent assistant indeed – Jackie’s shots of little Nugget are superb.

    Your out of season poppy is such a beautiful colour – one i have not seen before.! 🙂

    Nugget seems to be trying to blend in with the statues of his avian relatives in today’s Where’s Nugget, although i did need to biggify to spot him this time. 😉

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  27. I was triumphant when I finally found Nugget! (Being able to magnifiy the photo even more than previously helped a lot!) I love his close ups!

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  36. My compliments to the Head Gardener AKA the Culinary Queen, AKA Assistant Photographer! Your garden is splendid, and the photos are fabulous. Nugget is adorable , as always, but unfortunately I do not have time to look for him.
    I apologize in advance for sporadic communication during the next two weeks, as we will be on the road and in the midst of holidays.

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  38. Love the photos of Nugget and the garden of course. I eventually found him on the where is nugget picture, but it took some doing!

    Reply

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