I just love these edible containers at our local train station,
especially as folk are encouraged to help themselves when the crops mature!
The hollow log planters, in the back garden border, have almost disappeared. They are doing an excellent job of protecting the plants from our three boisterous dogs.
I was fascinated by this hornet hover fly, it was enormous!
The courtyard is back to being a wilderness, how quickly everything has grown, especially after being cut back hard to accommodate the new fencing.
Did you know….
that when bumble bees get chilly, they can control their body temperature?
They produce their own body heat by detaching the muscles that move their wings and then generate heat by rapidly moving those muscles. This is why bumblebees are often seen motionless on a flower or on the ground. If seen in this state, they can’t fly while the muscles are detached, so if it’s chilly, it’s best leaving them alone, as usually, they’re fine.
Aint nature amazing?
Hubs and I meet up with my sisters’ partner, in Liverpool each month. He jumps a train and doubles up with his family here.
How we all still miss her. It’s lovely that we get together though, it would’ve been awful to lose a brother too.
Eight heavily pregnant guinea pigs arrived at the rescue recently. Fortunately, a member of staff took them home, ensuring they got the peace and quiet they desperately needed.
So far, one mother sadly lost her babies, another gave birth to three and the other six are due any day….watch this space!
Fruit is also swelling here and there is a distinct feeling of autumn creeping in!
And Finally….
This post is somewhat hurried, as packing needs sorting and the house needs cleaning, given our wonderful neighbour will be in each day checking all is well. She will also be taking care of Curly Cat, who is back to hanging around the garden all day.
YAY!
Poor Buddy has to be kenneled, as our dog sitter is unable to sit at the moment, I’d love to take him with us, but he screams and is utterly hyper on walks around Sam and Annie. He’s making marvelous progress, now he’s being walked alone, so I have high hopes that one fine day he’ll walk well with them, and we can take all the dogs away, although it’s always difficult getting a cottage for three dogs, usually two, small well behaved dogs are welcome. We push our luck with our two!!!!
Needless to say, hubs is taking him in the morning, I simply couldn’t do it! If I had to hand him over, I wouldn’t go away!!!
Heidi hog and my tiny hoglet are being looked after by the rescue director, so all is sorted, on the animal front.
Phew!!!!
I’ll catch up with you all when I return, until then…be good, if you can’t be good, be careful!
I never knew that about bees, the things you know. I love coming across train stations that have made an effort to grow things. Edible plants is a wonderful idea.
It’s always lovely seeing people growing free edibles, seems to be quite fashionable! Bees fascinate me! Thanks Chloris.xxx
I laughed at myself. When I read “edible containers,” I assumed that the containers themselves were edible, and couldn’t quite figure out… Now I’m up to speed on that wonderful idea!
I knew that bees could regulate their temperature, and that of the hive, but I didn’t have a clue about any of the details. Very interesting. I’ve come across a bee from time to time that seemed perfectly content to just sit and be photographed, and never could figure out why it was so stationary. This might have been the explanation.
Happy and safe travels — many around here are just hunkered down, waiting for the heat to break and hoping it doesn’t take a hurricane to do it. There are rumors, and rumblings, but of course the weather gurus only are speculating. It will take a little time to see if something whomps up. In the meantime, you’re free to enjoy a holiday!
Now you have me laughing!!! It’s the bumbles that detach their muscles, I may be wrong, but don’t think honey bees can do that. Oh my…I do hope there is no hurricane!!!! Fingers and toes are crossed!!! Thanks Linda.xxx
Have a wonderful time…Sending hummingbird love. Janet XXX
Thanks Janet, hoping you are getting stronger by the day!!! Lots of love, as always.xxx
Wonderful and creative planters, especially for a public train station. Have a great trip!
Thanks Jason, a lovely idea that seems to be spreading! It’s a huge yes from me! xxx
Here’s to hoping you have a wonderful time away with your two “small, well-behaved dogs” — tee hee!
I’m glad you can meet up with your sister’s partner — seems like a lovely person. And it looks like some delicious food to share as well.
I’m loving the lushness of your garden and how well the plants have sprung back after that severe pruning. Seems that’s often the case. That buddleia probably scents the whole corridor. Mmmmm.
Hahaha….two, small well-behaved dogs indeed! They are incredibly well behaved-ish when we go away, especially as they get older. Can you believe they are almost seven? Where do the years go??? Ahhh, yes, sister’s partner is a real gem, just like her, so easy to be around.
The buddleia is scented, I just love sitting out there with the first cuppa of the morning. Thanks Anne.xxxx
Very interesting about the bees … I didn’t know that either. Lovely that you are able to keep in touch with your sister’s partner, he is a link in your family chain.
Have a lovely holiday…. and hope you get good weather. 🌞😀
Thanks Gerrie, the is so much to learn re bees, incredible critters. Yes, keeping in touch with sister’s partner is just lovely as he has always been a brother to me!xxx
That’s an interesting fact about bees.
Bees are endlessly fascinating to me….so many species with such different lifestyles! Thanks Sue.xxx
Wishing you all a wonderful holiday. I don’t seem to get around to some of my favorite blogs nowadays… and then sometimes, I remember and feel the distance, and try to catch up. But I suppose it’s like exercise. If you don’t do it regularly, you forget. with love
Just wonderful to hear from you, my friend. I think of you often. Hubs and I are trying to organize a trip to your part of the world, so hopefully we may yet meet! Hope all is well with you, I think of you and Nechama often, and still miss your posts. Love and hugs…as always.xxxx
I love the edible containers. At our local train station you are encouraged to buy something sugary from the vending machine.
Amalia
xo
Thanks Amelia, oh, free edibles as opposed to sugary poison is certainly the way to go!xxx
Great post and fantastic images.
Thanks Peter.xxx
I do like the train station edibles.
Nice to see the pictures of the guinea pigs … takes me back to childhood days when I had a pet white one 🙂
I think that’s so nice to have a regular get-together with your sister’s partner.
Finally … I wish you a brilliant break. Have fun and safe travels.
All the best Jan
Free edibles is a lovely idea. Oh…I had guinea pigs as a child too along with a host of other critters, my mother was as bad as me, thankfully! Thanks Jan.xxx
Bees are amazing!
The gardens are looking so lush and full, Dina. Autumn is on her way, that’s for sure. That wisteria is to die for!
I love the train station edibles…I wish our world would do this more. It’s lovely, healthy, and kind.
Hooray for those adorable guinea pigs and their minders; here’s hoping the next litter will be safe and well.
I am so happy to learn of your monthly connection with your sister’s partner; how precious and important for all of you…he looks dear.
Buddy will probably make all kinds of new friends, have merry adventures, and charm hearts in abundance; sounds like all the other lovebugs are in good hands, and Sam and Annie are good troupers, so have a glorious break with them!
Bees certainly are amazing, the more I discover about them the more I really how little I actually know. Such complex little creatures. Free edibles are wonderful, I’ve seen this idea in action in several public spaces, just lovely! Ahhhh, yes, sister’s partner is a one off, as lovely as her! The staff did love Buddy, I’m not sure how he felt though, he was exhausted and somewhat manic when he came home, but healthy and safe so I suppose that’s all that matters. At least he knows he’ll be collected by us now and won’t feel abandoned if we have to kennel him again. Looking into new dog sitters as I type! Thanks Kitty, love and hugs to one and all. xxxx
The guinea pigs are emotionally evocative aren’t they. Loved the idea of grow boxes to help yourself to at The station.
Your flora and fauna are vigorously thriving. I have a book waIting to be read called the life of bees. When I have plodded through my current one, the bees are next.
It is hard to leave one behind. Your reasoning is sound. There is so much to take care of before you takeoff for a break.
Have a lovely holiday roaming, exploring and taking ‘time to smell the roses’.
Xxxx
I am a fan of guinea pigs, I had a couple as a child, they fascinated me! I loved the free edibles, it’s something I see popping up more and more these days. Such a lovely idea. Ooooh….that bee book sounds good, you must post on it! Thanks Menhir.xxx
I never cease to be amazed at nature!
I am fascinated by your comment on bees. When I was on retreat recently there was another lady there who spent ages outside crouched down on the path watching a bee that wasn’t doing anything. She got to meditating on bees and what they were teaching her and it was fascinating, and now she and I exchange bee stories. I shall definitely be passing on this piece of info as it makes so much sense of bee-haviour!
Lots of love for a brilliant jolly xx
You and me both re nature, utterly astonishing isn’t it? The lady on the retreat sounds similar to me…I’m always staring at something! How lovely that you share bee stories! Loving bee-haviour! Thanks Gill.xxx
Lovely post and pictures. Enjoy your holiday. xx
Thanks Flighty.xxx
That’s fascinating about bees controlling their own body temperature, Mother Nature has thought of everything. How lovely that you meet up with your sister’s husband each month, I’m sure that has helped both of you after the loss of your sister. We don’t see my sister’s husband any more, that dropped off quite quickly after my sister died, but we are on speaking terms and we’re in regular contact with his children (who are now in their thirties). Oh, I know what you mean about kennels, we’ve always taken Archie with us everywhere, I know he’d pine if we left him in kennels, but I’m so soft anyway, I used to cry when we left our cat in a cattery whilst we went away. I’m sure Buddy with be fine though, he’ll be having a whale of a time. Have a fabulous holiday.
The animal kingdom is fascinating isn’t it, I’m sure we only know the half of it! It is good to keep in touch with BIL, it would have been awful to lose them both and it’s lovely to talk about my sister. Glad you are in touch with your sister’s kids. I hated kenneling poor Buddy but didn’t really have a choice. I suppose it was a compromise. Thanks Jo.xxx
I always feel the need to scrub the house when our neighbours are house sitting too! Your garden is looking fabulous – ours is a bit windswept and sodden at the moment. How lovely that you get to meet up with your sister’s partner, and as for the bees – who knew?! Incredible creatures aren’t they. Fingers crossed for the baby guinea pigs, and gave a fantastic holiday. xx
Thanks Veggiemummy. The gardens here are looking a little worse for wear and tear too, wind and heavy rain sure wreak havoc! Nature is amazing for sure!!! xxx