THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

17 July 2012

THUNDER AND REPTILES


On Saturday, we were struck by lightening and have had no phone and intermittent internet connection. I haven’t read anyone’s blogs and am writing this in ‘Word’ because I can’t connect when I want to. Better to cut and paste later. If I don’t reply to any comments, it’s because I can’t! Builders are back this week to finish off in the kitchen and the drain men are coming again to see if they can locate the source of the damp that caused the rot. Nice week ahead then. At least Sunday was passable and we had two reptilian encounters in the garden. Firstly, this lovely little palmate newt hiding behind all the rubble bags that have accumulated during the removal of the kitchen; those tiny webbed feet are so beautiful. Then, later on, whilst hacking down my lovely but weather-beaten geraniums in the hope of a second go, I spotted this common frog hiding amongst the stalks. I thought it was a toad at first, but having examined the photo more closely, I think those leg bars give it away; that and the fact that it was definitely leaping as opposed to walking. 





On Friday, Snippet and I trudged out in the pouring rain down into the little valley that takes the stream down to the main river about half a mile downstream. I hoped to avoid the howling wind and horizontal rain, opting for the vertical but hammering variety. It was hideous but we saw an amazing fallen beech branch which blocked our progress. It was the size of a full grown tree and my partner has his eye on it for future fuel. Unfortunately, Trigger would have to take a crash course in logging to get any of it out and given his hind leg issues I don’t think that’s really an option. Fabulous sight though and the scar where it came away is about four foot across. Great fungi attached to it too; years old and timber-like itself when tapped.




Woody fungi



Here are some pictures from our other rather brief walks since my last post. I’m starting to feel achy from lack of exercise!


Approaching Snippet



Pelting rain


Inquisitive foal number nine


Foal number eight having just woken up and realised the rest of the herd had moved on out of sight


A rambling rose in the rain


Betty today in the wind


Lizzy now looking definite with the four stockings and also gradually going brown like her mum


Lizzy and foal nine


Number two not looking very foal-like any more


Chief gelding drinking from a peaty puddle


The herd from a distance


On our way home today

And finally, my son made this fantastic origami spider over the weekend. Origami has been a bit of an obsession for months now. Thank goodness for paper recycling because our house would be a mass of birds, cars, flowers and many other folded items. He’s really very good for an eight year old I think but then I am biased. Here it is and let’s hope we don’t lose the connection again too soon. Sadly, I fear it will be gone again by this evening; I’m writing in a tiny window of time before it crashes again. Sorry if I haven’t been visiting your blogs by the way – I will catch up when I can. 


Origami spider


Till next time....



14 comments:

  1. wonderful photographs ;0)...makes me want to go for a good walk x

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    1. Thank you and it WAS a good walk at last, after so many wet ones. I'm really enjoying the extra large function with the pictures and I think I'm going to go back through all my old posts and change them too!

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  2. great photos. I love newts, we had a huge pond in our last garden with several newts. They all had names LOL
    I do like th e markings of foal 9, with its white body and red neck.

    Well done origani-boy, great spider!

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    1. Isn't it odd the way they're all changing colour though. I have to admit to total ignorance in that I've never followed them so closely before and seen it happen. Lizzy is definitely going from chestnut to brown, as are the other chestnut ones and this number nine appears to be grey under the red. I think Origami-boy should be his new name and I think he'll like it a lot! He's off camping with the school tonight but I'll tell him tomorrow.

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  3. Great photos as always. What a clever son you have!

    The foals are certainly growing up now, and shedding their foal-coat colours. Foal 9 looks like he will be blue-and-white, bless him. Lizzy is such a pretty lass. I bet you'd love to take her home with you : )

    I managed a slow walk to the top of our hill today. I think that means I am on the mend. Plus I am lasting more than 12 hours between inhaler medications, which is GOOD, because I intend to drop back to my old strength inhaler when I am healed. Probably another month on the strong one yet though, but it's a good sign.

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    1. Love Lizzy & Tor-would makee nice drawing?!
      Origamiboy v funny today-will tell u when see you
      Like rambling rose too-nice card pic x

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    2. Jo, I think you're right, it would make a good drawing although I might have to get rid of a lot of the background and bring the rocks closer. Look forward to hearing about Origami-boy, who has made it through the night camping without a phone call!

      BB - that's great news about the inhaler - you'll be out striding soon I'm sure. It does take time though when we're no longer teenagers! I'm amazed at the colours all the foals are going - very interesting. Off to look at your blogs while the computer is working!

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  4. Oh, cool spider! And I love your foals and the countryside.

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    1. Isn't it! He's done some amazing stuff and seems to be able to remember 50 instructions at a time. I can't remember more than about 3....

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  5. I am very impressed by your son`s origami spider!

    Lovely photos of your walk. I expect the birch tree had been riddled with the bracket fungus for years and that probably finished it off it in the end, along with wild winds and rain.

    I hope you soon have your internet connection back and that the workmen sort out the house problems quickly.

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    1. There are still two huge bits of the tree left to come down in the next few years. The reason there are what look like four fused at the bottom is that originally it would have been a hedge and it's just been allowed to get out of control over the last forty years or so. Internet okay this morning.....

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  6. My Goodness, that rain is bucketing down! Your son's fine motor skills are superb - as also must be his ability to follow instructions. That's a very good piece of origaweather clears for you, and the internet connection improves.mi... I guess you've had such ghastly weather he's had plenty of indoor time to practise! Aren't the foals growing apace. They're looking so much more sturdy and less gangly.

    Thanks for the photos. Hope the weather clears for you and the internet connection improves.

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    1. How is the weather in NZ? I can't believe it's worse than here! It's absolutely tipping down again and the poor drain men are drilling away as I write this. Time to make them another cup of tea I think.....

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  7. Hello Em. I am so happy you left a comment on my post, or I would not have known you had your own journal on blogger. Thank you for doing so, as I have read a couple of your posts, looking forward to reading more Love your photos and drawings. Please send over the rain, and I will pass some dry over the "pond" ! Good day for you.

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. It's great to read them and I will always try to reply.