BON VOYAGE

Just a quick one to say farewell for the week and thank those of you who left very supportive comments after the last post, particularly those who confessed their own car related shame. A brief update......am still wrangling with the insurance company having decided we'd like to keep the car and get it mended ourselves with the settlement. A local mechanic has said he can do it. It amazes me that the insurers can write it off without even seeing it but there you are. Doesn't look like it will be sorted before we go away. Our lovely neighbours will be looking after Trigger and the plants. I spent an hour I could ill afford today making bracelets out of copper wire to put around the bottoms of all the vegetables; they do seem to be helping and without M's nightly slug patrol for a week, we're going to need something. 

Camera news......I sent the birthday one back to the supplier on Tuesday, they got it yesterday and fingers VERY tightly crossed, they have sent the replacement today. This means it COULD be here tomorrow. I MIGHT have it for Scotland. In the absence of anything other than my phone and the little point and shoot, here are some shots from the garden when it was sunny yesterday.

Billy's Button/Water Avens

Astrantia Major beginning to open:

Hydrangea:

Astrantia....possibly Red Ruby but I'm not sure:

Chive:

I saw this tiny lichen when out with the dogs yesterday and wanted a closer look. The cup was only about 3/8 of an inch or half a centimeter wide. Just beautiful:

Jack cooling off in a stream:

Wide angle from the little camera:

Phone slug. Fascinating if disgusting and destructive:

So, I'll be away for a week and am unlikely to have a phone signal or internet access. I'll miss all those other blogs but it's a holiday from everything. First proper one since 2010. I had my back shattering accident four days before we were due to go away in 2011 which was most inconvenient. The forecast for Loch Goil is cloudy for the next ten days but no rain. Do I believe that? I do not. Keep your fingers crossed for me regarding the camera and until next time, here are the dogs tearing a bank apart; ecologists they are not. 

BAD HAIR AND SHENANIGANS

 

Today I decided to go to the marsh below Thornworthy Tor in search of the lovely Marsh Orchids I found there last year. What I found instead was a huge collection of ponies, only half of which I know, and a lot of newly shorn sheep. The pony above, a two year old I think, and its mother, are a bit behind the current summer hairdo fashions. What a state they look!

At least the sheep are feeling cool if not looking it:

I noticed Foal A, Isaac and Foal number 3 from last year relaxing:

But suddenly, further towards the Orchid site, all hell was breaking loose amongst a largish group, including rival males; geldings acting like stallions, careering about annoying the mares and posturing with each other. 

Some of them have pretty bad hair too. Foal A and Isaac look on without much interest. Both are getting browner by the day. 

A brief break for a nuzzle..........

..........then back to it.

Believe it or not, that last one is poor little foal number 3 being chased. I remember Anna Bonnage telling me that any tolerance of childish behaviour from a young horse within a herd disappears when it hits a year old, which he has now! He looked very shocked poor thing. 

Things then settled down as I made my way home without the orchid pictures I had hoped for. 

 Pink snow up the drive...

Lovely red Astrantia in bloom in the garden. My mum reminded me today that as well as being Masterworts, all Astrantias are also known as Hattie's Pincushion. What a fabulous name. 

The word has passed around the Chaffinch flock:

After a weekend of rain, the sun is out a little today. Saturday was the school fete, which was held indoors thank goodness. I don't know the total takings but, if the book stall I was manning was anything to go by, we did pretty well. All the money goes towards trips out for the children and other stuff the school can ill afford. It was combined with a farmers' market which swelled the numbers too. 

Trigger seems a bit better today. He cantered over to me with the others when I blew my dog whistle. Amazing how a tiny bit of food can train the wildest of ponies so quickly. Sometimes they are far away, but one blow is all that's required. Better than Snippet! Talking of the little scruff, until next time...........here he is with a borrowed toy. Five seconds earlier, it was on the end of his nose. 

PRINT GIVE AWAY AND A PAIR OF BULLFINCHES

So, just leave a comment to be entered for the draw or, if you aren't able to do that, send me an email to emparko@gmail.com with your details. I think it was a great idea of Country Rabbit's to suggest other bloggers who publicised her giveaway would be entered twice so let me know if you do and I'll do the same. You never know, I might get a few entries. Just cut and paste the above picture! I'll put the entries in a hat, or something similar next Tuesday July 10th. 

Today, whilst looking out of the kitchen window, a pair of bullfinches landed amongst the Geraniums and Solomon's Seal. I grabbed the camera and got a few decent pictures. I'm always staggered at the vibrancy of the male's colouring. Absolutely stunning.

It hasn't stopped raining all day; just varying degrees of drizzle and downpour. The poor ponies were looking a bit depressed here this morning, backs to the wind.

Some more pictures from the weekend.....

Snippet in the sedge

Moorland grasses

Snippet on a walk along the river Oke on Sunday

Ferns growing in moss on a Rowan tree nearby

Astrantia in the garden....one of my favourites

My shoulder operation date came through today. My son is just really excited that he gets to spend the night at his friend's house; his concern is touching! Good luck in the draw.......

Beautiful, if ominous sky this afternoon