The weather here has been better than for friends "up north"
but not as good as for family "down south".
There has been some lovely sunny weather but often tinged with either
high cloud or a cool breeze to take the edge off the temperature.
Still it's dry and I've had lots of chance to get out into the garden
in addition to daily dog walks.
With all activity that does that mean I've exceeded my daily allowance
of exercise ?
Perhaps that's why I feel tired at the end of the day
!
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On Friday I noticed
movement in the Ash tree. |
Brilliant . . . the return of
a red squirrel to the garden. |
The auto focus couldn't cope with the branches and he
wouldn't stay still long enough to manually focus.
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Scampering up the
tree, hind legs tucked up for another leap. |
Clearly a red despite the blur. |
This must be a visiting red as we've not seen one in the garden on
a regular basis since 2018.
We didn't see him but he returned the following day as I noticed
two opened hazel nuts on the bird feeder . . . that's got to be a
good sign.
- - - o o o - - -
In the garden . . .
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New spinach plants
in the octagonal bed. |
Rhubarb is growing well but
will appreciate water soon. |
Dougal inspects the raspberry
bushes. |
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Shop-bought cauliflower
are now big enough to plant out. |
Potatoes in pots . . . no
digging, hopefully a meal in each pot. |
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- - - o o o - - -
Saturday the weather in the afternoon was stunning and Ann and I
headed off for the lake via the 'stone field'.
Dylan first up onto the rock in the field above High Park.
Doubly golden in the afternoon sun.
There's a lovely view from here . . . we could sit and day dream
for hours.
I've mentioned them before, but these cup marks on the rock are really
standing out in the low afternoon sunshine.
They are thought to be simple versions of the neolithic "cup
and ring" marks which dates these indentations to 5000 years
ago
when early man was sitting on the rock and or finding time to sharpen
spears or just daydream too.
[ No-one can really explain their purpose . . . but that theory is
as accurate as any I've heard.]
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- - - o o o - - -
Crummock Water looking south
across the lake to Rannerdale Knotts,
High Stile, Haystacks and Gable.
The sky is beautifully clear
and the clear shallow water allows
a view of the stones beneath.
- - - o o o - - -
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A second golden moment as we pass the deep yellow daffodils
at Muncaster House.
- - - o o o - - -
Saturday and Sunday I seem to have spent a lot of time
in the greenhouse.
Various bought-in plants are growing well, the other
pots are seed that are freshly sown by myself.
The "next tray" of spinach has just started
to sprout.
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Up till now the greenhouse has been set out
with staging . . . |
. . . which means it is easy to lay out seed
trays. |
I decided that I would like to build an internal raised
bed with earth, replacing growing tomatoes in pots with growing them
in the soil.
It would also allow me to inter-plant with salads and,
being under glass, we should get a better crop plus an extended growing
season.
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First clear the decks and build
a wall of timber. |
Empty a compost heap into the base |
plant tomatoes and lettuce . . . job done. |
It looks easy when you see it in three photos.
It took a day to clear the space, cut and fit the timber,
line it with cut recycled plastic sacks as a damp proofing and drop
in a few bags of autumn leaves.
Day two saw multiple wheelbarrows of compost, last year's
grass mulch, some ex-mole hills from the fields and finally a few bags
of fresh compost
in order to bring the level up to the mark . . . planting
the veg was a real relaxation after that !
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By the end of the afternoon on
Monday, the sun had gone in for our walk |
. . . making photos of primrose and blackthorn
a little subdued. |
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In the evening we had baked potatoes
with cottage cheese . . . |
. . . someone wanted to lick out the empty
pot ! |
- - - o o o - - -
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At this time of self-isolation and social distancing
a lot of folk, including us, have been talking to family and
friends
using programs like Skype and Zoom for conference calls.
This Easter cartoon was sent by one of my family
just after we had all met up on a five way internet link up.
It sounded vaguely familiar.
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- - - o o o - - -
Ann and I are delighted when you share your thoughts and photos . .
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Hi Roger and Ann.
I never thought I would see our Dawlish
as a ghost town, few people and very little traffic and on a
Good Friday.
We have been in self isolation for 34
days and only go for a walk after 2300 when most folk are in
bed. Missing being in the Lakes at this moment in time we should
have been moving from Dockray Meadow Caravan Club site to Borrowdale
for the next 21 days.
Hopefully we will be able to visit later
in the year.
Dawlish
seafront and railway station . . . that's the English Channel
beyond.
Dawlish Water as it passes the Lawns.
Thought I would share
this poem (below) with you, it was posted on a local forum here
in Dawlish.
Many thanks Ann and Roger for all the
great pics and please keep yourselves safe.
Steve & Michelle
Dawlish, Devon.
- - - o o o - - -
Hi Roger and Ann. Really enjoying reading
your local walks. Since moving from Frizington to Mawbray
on the Solway Coast in Jan 2018 we've been back a few times
to the Kirkstile Inn and Lanthwaite Woods. Seeing the photos
brings back both happy and sad memories. We used to walk our
2 Border Terriers several times a week in the Woods. We lost
Bracken in Oct 2018 aged 14 but still have Mac who is just
15 and nearly blind, but he still enjoys half hour flat walks.
I've nearly finished my 3rd round on Wainwrights
(only 39 to go), so hope to do some more later on this year.
Kind regards, Hugh & Sue Templeman
- - - o o o - - -
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Hi,
Sure missing not being over
in the Lake District due to the covid problem. Who
knows how long this situation will go but at least
I can look at your website.
So here in British Columbia,
it is easier to move around the country with not as
may restrictions on travel, so not far from my house
there are bighorn sheep, just the ewes and lambs,
the big males with the big horns are up in the higher
hills.
Anyway, here is a picture of
a ewe with its lamb, part of a group of 20 or 30 sheep.
The lambs are almost as big as the adult sheep now
and because the new grass is starting to push up we
have more food for the flock.
Hoping to be over as soon as
possible.
Dave Whalley, Oliver, British Columbia.
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Hello Ann and Roger.
Your many wonderful posts since quarantine
began have been so welcome. How you can manage to make every
photo fresh and interesting (in spite of the views not being
new to you) is amazing. As I'm sure you have learned by now,
the lovely little flower Roger thought might be Scilla siberica
is in fact Chinodoxera lucilea. I have a few of them in my
yard, but in my extreme hot/cold climate, they don't spread
as readily here as scilla. I love that intense, true blue.
Right now,
I'm trying to beat the predicted rain/snow
to get some lily beds cleaned up...do you know the wonderful
bob Dylan song "Everything Is Broken" ? Gonna make
it the theme song of my farm :-)
Hugs all around, including to the doggies.
Margaret H, (Wisconsin).
- - - o o o - - -
Dear Roger. Thanks
for your message and I’m pleased you were able to include
the photos I sent.
Yesterday I managed
to do a local walk alongside the Malton to Castle Howard road
and then on Broughton Lane, a green lane linking the Castle
Howard Road and the village of Broughton. Here are a few photos
including one of the gallops at Musley Bank training facilities.
I’m sure your
idea to construct a raised bed will be successful. Early in
the season I normally place frames within my raised beds in
the garden. Covered with glass it’s a great way of obtaining
early crops and giving seeds such as carrots a good start.
We are eating lettuce leaves already. Some of my tomato plants
are almost ready to be transferred to 7” pots and I
believe I’m about two weeks earlier this year than normal.
All the best to you
and Ann. Chris & Linda (Malton, Yorkshire).
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This makes interesting viewing at this time.
John Grayson.
Click here
or on the picture to run the short video.
[ It should open up in a separate window.]
My thanks to John and everyone . . . RmH
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