What a week; more relentless but pleasurable socialising
with origami-boy’s (Kath’s name for him) friends and families. Today, as he was
helping my partner wash the car for the first time in years – it just isn’t
worth it usually but we thought we should do it for our London
trip next week - he said:
“Mummy, you look in your mid-thirties when you wear that
dress”
Bless that boy. Normally he jokes about me being ninety six
(the age my maternal grandmother died), so it was very sweet of him and made my day as a 48 year old!
Yesterday, with it’s very strange drizzle and sun combination,
produced this stump of rainbow which I spotted through the bedroom window. A
rainstump I suppose.
Later that afternoon, my friend spotted this fledgling
blackbird striking a rather unattractive pose outside the back door by the
raspberries. It sat like this for about 20 minutes all fluffed up in the chest
department and occasionally opening its mouth for a few seconds. Any
suggestions as to the reason for this behaviour gratefully received!
Although I haven’t been managing to get out very far, we often
go out up the lane with a bike (not me), so I have a few pictures to show for
it as well as anything I might see in the early morning's short, Snippet-poo
related walks.
Stonecrop in profusion on Middle Tor last week in the sun
Foal number four
Spear Thistle
Clover
raindrops on a spider's web
The foals early one morning this week The sun has generally
gone by 9.00am , replaced by rain or
drizzle
The herd this morning being disturbed in their snooze by this very loud sheep
A lone hawthorn
Snippet, eyes closed against the sun
Geraniums in the garden
And finally, I must show you my orchid on the kitchen window
sill. It was a present just after I came out of hospital last year and, as
someone who can kill a houseplant just by looking at it, I didn’t have high
hopes of its survival. I pruned it as instructed and tried not to look at the
ugly stumps over winter and this is the result. I’ve had to prop it up with
damp newspaper in another pot because it was falling over with the weight of
the blooms. This is about triple the size it was last year so goodness knows
what it will be like next year. Does anyone know anything about re-potting
them? I’m completely clueless when it’s not in the garden! It just seems to be
a mass of roots in there and I don’t know if I should just leave well alone.
Till next time, have a great week. I don’t think I’m going
to manage more than one a week until school starts again!
Blimey - whatever you did to your orchid, you made it Very Happy! Normally potting on just involves going up one plant pot size. When it comes to orchids though, I am clueless (I normally kill house plants too . . .)
ReplyDeleteI loved all your photos but the one of the Hawthorn tree is ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT. It screams DARTMOOR to me. You should have it made up as a print to sell.
I think I'm going to have to do some on-line research on the Orchid front and I'll let you know. I've probably jinxed it by showing it!
DeleteSo glad you like that hawthorn. I suppose I could start doing prints on Etsy too. If I can get organised with some photo paper rather than the stuff I do the prints on, which is more like water-colour paper, I'll do you one.
So pleased I'm not the only house plant killer! I just can't be bothered if it's not in the garden.
Thanks for sharing all the wonderful photos, Em, thoroughly enjoyed them. I too have the Johnson's Garden Geraniums, however in blue. The Orchid is amazing ! Yours are back to school in another week? our schools go back the first week of September here.
ReplyDelete"Just Me"
Our children are back the same time as yours; early September, so I still have lots of weeks to go. I do love that Johnson's Blue too. Not so keen on the pink ones but it was a present so I don't feel I can get rid of it!
DeleteEm, they are fabulous photos - what do you use? I'm sure Origami boy is right, you don't look a day over 35 . . . If it were me, I shouldn't risk a close up with that wonderful camera - it would show the truth in too much wrinkly detail!!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the hols,
Hi Virginia! I use a mixture of two Fuji cameras. One is a little point and shoot thing with only a 2x zoom while the other is the one I've inherited from my partner which has a 6x zoom. That's the one for the birds! Both are really ancient now by most people's standards. The better of the two is over ten years old now. What's great about both of them is the VERY good macro lens for close up work. That lizard shot a few months ago that looked like a tiny crocodile was using the cheaper little one and I think it's fantastically good, The lizard was about an inch long. So....I'll stop rambling now but they're both from the Fuji Finpix range. I wouldn't dream of taking a close up of myself - it's pretty terrifying when I make the mistake of looking in the mirror with my specs on!
DeleteAlmost chucked my birthday orchid out this year, but still have it. There are feeds for them a flowering one and a leaf one, £3.99. each expensive though..
ReplyDeleteWhat is the little blackbird doing, he has just stuffed himself on raspberries probably.
Fascinating photos, love the ones of the ponies, apparently the New Forest ponies have very gentle natures according to a tv programme yesterday, so are the Dartmoor ponies good?
Enjoy your trip to London, we are off to Whitby tomorrow to see the family.
I've met some VERY feisty dartmoors and some wonderfully placid ones too, so I'm not sure. Generally more placid than not though I think. I've heard that about New Forest ponies too. Shame I didn't get one instead of Trigger! I nearly went to see a mare the day I saw Trigger but cancelled because I was drawn to his araby, chestnut looks!
DeleteEnjoy Whitby and your family.
lovely photos as ever, I always enjoy seeing Snippet. Always looking so stylish (like my 2), you can't beat "the natural look", as my Mum calls it :-D
ReplyDeleteHe's a bit more 'natural' than he was meant to be! Took some good ones of him today, running around with a ball. Till next time.....
DeleteBless you for offering to do me a print if you get organized. I will have to try and trade you something (just occasionally my photos turn out as I see them!)
ReplyDeleteI have the black thumb of death when it comes to house plants. DH would just as soon that I not walk past his knock-out roses, hostas and hydrangeas. Love the photos of the ponies. So different from our wild horses in the west.
ReplyDeleteIt seems I'm certainly not alone in the house plant killing department! I'd love to see your wild horses though. I love the dartmoors but it's rare to see them doing much more than grazing or standing in a trance. I'm glad to have spent so much time with them this year and actually seen some action!
DeleteThe orchid looks even better on here! The young bird was hysterical! Has he been back? Great pics as usual-I'd say you dont look a day over 35-I may ask him how old I look next time I see him ;)
ReplyDeleteHe's been back and I'm hoping it's going to be a regular thing, if only to find out if he is a 'he'. You can try asking Origami boy but he may not be in such a good mood when you catch him!
DeleteSuch great photos. I've always thought Fuji was the best and older lenses tend to be better. My Canon is a 10X but doesn't get nearly as good results as you do. The lone tree is stupendous!! Hawthorns have such interesting shapes. As for the blackbird, I think Thelma is right. We sometimes get young birds who stuff themselves at our feeder and then have to rest a half hour or so. I think they are too heavy to take off!
ReplyDeleteThanks Chris. Given the choice, I probably would have gone for a Canon but having had Fujis I'm now a convert. I tried a Sony one last week and HATED it. I think you're both right about being stuffed! It was there again yesterday afternoon but not looking so weird. It's obviously its favourite perch.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful collection of photos this week Em. The Dartmoor foals are growing well.
ReplyDeleteI love the stonecrop on granite photo and the spiders web.
All of our New Forest ponies , in fact all the ones I`ve ever known, are real characters and can certainly "try it on" if they think you are not concentrating well enough. Like all natives they are bright and independent and have a strong streak of self preservation, but they can also be friendly and loving if they like you enough!
Enjoy the holidays with your origami boy. When they grew up I did miss having them around and doing lovely things in the school holidays.
I do love ponies and their independent spirits. Horses just aren't the same. My old horse was great but he was just a dope really. I loved him to bits but he was never cheeky in the same way.
ReplyDeleteYour'e so right about them growing up. He's already changing so much and I kind of miss him wanting to be with us all the time!
Your orchid is thriving! Oh, good for you! I've never had one. Love your pretty little geraniums and that foal #4.
ReplyDeleteI'm putting success down to pure chance and damp newspaper packed around it!
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous horses!
ReplyDeleteAren't they! There are so many I'd like to take home. Lovely to have a new follower; I've just been to your blog and I LOVE that background. Off to have a really good look round it.
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