Wednesday, June 17, 2020

Lockdown Diary: Wednesday 17.6.20

Today was a day where I didn’t go beyond the garden for my wildlife fix. I popped out there at lunchtime and spent the whole time attacking a huge amount of brambles which have been smothering some of our fruit trees (figs, apples, and plums). Hazel suckers are causing similar problems so I removed some of the offenders, too. A Robin was my main companion, seeing what I revealed with my cutting and raking.
Every fourth Wednesday, the council ‘brown bin’ men come to empty our garden waste. So, I was hoping they would come soon, and I could stuff the bins with at least some of my bramble pile. But they never came… So, in the evening, I had to move the great pile to the side of the garden, again accompanied by the same Robin.
Eventually, all was moved off the lawn (well, to the side of the lawn), joining the already burgeoning ‘stick pile’ (actually one of two). So, I settled down with a beer and watched the newts in my newly revegetated pond, apparently laying eggs among the surface vegetation, rolling over to reveal their spotted, orange bellies.
A Blackbird started singing, then a Robin, then another couple of Blackbirds in the neighbourhood joined the evening chorus, and several more distant Robins joined in from distant gardens. Such a soothing chorus to enjoy as I surveyed my giant stick piles and gardening detritus!

No comments: