Nature notes!

Well there are some “nature notes” but really I couldn’t decided what to call this post! Himself is much the same and still quite confused. When he was home here or in hospital I somehow needed to write this blog but now I am assured he is as safe as he can be the urgency is not there anymore. However, I have spent more time in the garden, on walks and observing the natural world around me. Each day I drive to visit Himself and this entails a drive along twisty lanes until I reach the main road and a fairly long stretch of road that borders the sea. Across the Marsh I have noticed that in many ways we live in an arable mono culture of cereal crops. Wheat and Barley dominate the fields. This does not mean that we have depleted wildlife. The road verges, the Marsh ditches and the field edges and hedges are home to a wide variety of natural life providing a wide ranging set of habitats. Likewise dotted among the corn fields there are sheep pastures and in one case a field of lush meadow grass grazed by cattle and calves. They are a pleasure to watch – such beautiful creatures in so many ways. The fields still play host to Hares and on one trip along the lane a Hare bounded out in front me disappearing into the high grassy verge. On another occasion I chanced upon a cock Pheasant seemingly out for a stroll – in no particular hurry he scurried along the side of the verge and eventually disappeared into the hedgerow. In “no mow May”, which has extended into June, the verges are now very high with flowering grass and a wide variety of plant species in bloom that all add a welcome splash of colour. Among the reeds along the sides of the ditches frogs croak, reed buntings and warblers twitter and where there is open water Swans glide majestically along in a serene silence. I put the Merlin App on on my phone the other day and it identified nearly 15 different species of bird call in just ten minutes. Yes they were mostly birds that we take for granted but they are still there. On the pond the pair of Ducks swim around for a while and then paddle across the field among the sheep. The Jackdaws and Rooks caw away in the churchyard trees, while Gulls screech overhead. I am not much of an insect spotter or lover but we have bees and butterflies in some profusion.

Each night when I go to bed I open the window and look out at the night sky. A necklace of lights marks the course of the road along the seawall, an occasional house light pierces the gathering darkness but mainly it is still and silent. The village sleeps. The night sky at this time of year is not really dark and I can easily see the trees and plants – especially those with light coloured flowers. Pinprick stars and a silver moon illuminate the fields making coal black silhouettes of the tall trees.

The garden is gradually becoming weed free but there is still plenty of work to do. my vegetable patch has been something of a disaster this year. I have missed some planting times and what I have managed to plant has not been entirely successful. the Broad Beans are the exception – they are laden with pods and if all goes well I should have a really nice crop. They are my favourite vegetable and I could literally eat them every day. The tomato plants have perked up a bit and there is just a chance I shall have some tomatoes. Onions and Shallots are OK but the Carrots never “came back”, the lettuce got eaten by slugs along with the two French Beans!!! The Runner Beans are still with us but not exactly growing with vigour, rather they are scrawny and lack lustre and any expectation of a good crop is probably wildly optimistic. The Strawberries have done quite well, the Blackcurrants were pruned “wrongly” and therefore there will be little fruit, the Raspberries are being choked by bindweed and the Gooseberries look dreadful. All very dispiriting.

Tomorrow shall be used to try and sort out my “water feature”. Sounds very grand but I am not sure it will be. I started to try and sort it out this morning but soon found that I didn’t have the relevant equipment etc. Usually reliant on the tools and stuff I have in the garage from my father’s shed I rooted around but on this occasion I am afraid he rather let me down. The nuts to fit some bolts were the wrong size, I couldn’t find anything I could make a washer from and I didn’t have any mastic to seal some possible leak areas. I do now have all I need thanks to a quick visit to Homebase on my way home from visiting Himself. I have a small solar “fountain” that I am hoping I can get to do a sort of bubbling, I have found some chicken wire to put across the well head grill to support large pebbles, but I need to scour the field edges to gather more large stones – I just don’t have enough for my needs!! The weather forecast looks set fair so operation water feature will be in full swing tomorrow morning – if it works I will post a picture – if it doesn’t you will hear no more!!!!!

On Wednesday I went to Rye. As I usually do when I go there I walk around and re live my old life of long ago. Of course it isn’t the same – most of the shops I remember are long gone. Sadly Martin Channon’s the agricultural merchants in the market has closed and the antique shop in Lion Street is also empty and up for sale. Chunks of my younger years have gone for good!!! But somethings never change and Ypres is still there and the Gungardens still play host a cannon.