A mystery!

I really need to get out and mow the lawn ... so while I get on with it, instead of a written post, let me offer you a mystery instead. I went to take down a bird fat feeder and inside was a snail shell. No occupant. And the shell was huge - too big to fit between the bars or through the hole at the bottom. Maybe it slithered in as a smaller snail and decided to stay: but in that case what on earth had it been living on to grow to that size, where it couldn't escape?
There's been nothing in that feeder for a year ...

In haste ...

In haste this week as I'm supposed to be finishing writing an article for Your Dog magazine - So I'll post instead a picture of one of my dog-friendly favourites - Sempervivums. Thrive on neglect, look lovely all year round and during the summer these lovely flowers appear on triffid-like stems. Love them. These pics really don't do them justice - one day I'll learn how to take a decent shot!

A Thing of Beauty

The shed roof is finally finished, thanks to Bill the Builder, who also added new soffits and finials and replumbed the water butt to a more convenient place and then repaired the floor to the other shed as well. My contribution was to apply a bit of weatherproofing to the wooden bits, which took up most of the weekend. Anyway, three coats of Ronseal later and I was rather pleased with the final result. 
I fetched the camera to take a photo of it for posterity. 
The only thing that could make it look more beautiful, I thought, would be the addition of a couple of whippets in the snap. 
I looked round for them. Silly me .. they were far too busy harvesting the alpine strawberries to be interested in posing next to a garden shed!

Covering up

There comes a point where you just have to face the fact that you aren't going to get round

to sorting out some projects within a reasonable amount of time.

I was a bit embarrassed when I realised that the tarpaulin thrown hastily over the shed

roof when a leak was discovered had actually been there for over a year and a half.

On the plus side, the neighbourhood cats didn't seem to like walking on it let alone

doing any sunbathing. On the minus side, that leak wasn't getting fixed ... and after a while that blue tarp does become a bit of an eyesore.

What to do? Well I realised that realistically, even if I found the time to fix the

problem, I probably wasn't going to do a great job of it - more likely an

enthusiastic bodge which might be okay in the short term but was unlikely to last.

So, dear reader, I called in Bill (no relation to Bob) the Builder.

Archie and Angel agreed not to eat him on condition he shared his

slice of cake during a tea break,

They are still waiting for him to keep his side of the bargain.

He has done a brilliant job of fitting a corrugated roof - love those silvery stud thingys.

Looks like a very butch roof now.

In fact the only thing that could make it look even nicer is the addition of two whippets ...

Another first

Full of firsts at the moment - this week it's the first gooseberries.

Archie has quality checked them and pronounced them

perfect for crumble.

So please excuse the brevity of this week's blog  - I have some topping and tailing to do!

First of the season!

Not the first strawberries, but the first time this year that there 

has been more than one ripe one - which is quite hard

to divide between three!

Forget sugar and cream.

Best eaten freshly picked straight from the plants ...

It is well worth growing a few alpine strawberries - they'll grow in a pot, 

in hanging baskets, in crevices in the patio even, and they are hugely rewarding. 

They go on cropping month after month - right into November last year

in their sheltered spot by the back door.

And a handful is perfect for breakfast, scattered over cereal or with some yogurt

- as well as being a handy treat I can give the dogs while out in the garden.

I just have to keep an eye on them that they

don't sneak over and stuff themselves and give themselves upset tums.

A new toy

Archie found a new toy in the garden the other day,

and pounced on it with glee.

It wasn't really a toy - it was the Waspinator, which had blown down during the night.

It hadn't even been particularly windy, but nevertheless the fabric loop 

it was tied by had torn off.

It is my one complaint about them - they seem to do a good job of discouraging wasps from setting up home, and are perfect when you are trying to be as chemical-free as possible, both for the benefit of wildlife and safety of the dogs.

But they are ridiculously fragile - they never last a whole season and tear as soon as you so much as breathe on them. Okay so you can buy two for a tenner - but when you have to keep on spending a tenner each and every year, it starts to become irksome. And having to get the long ladder out to hang it up is a pain too, when you have other garden tasks planned. 

Would it really be so difficult to produce a more robust version?

Come on, Waspinator, we're sure you could do it!