Journal Entries
Free to good garden....
Posted Jun 15, 2007
One Chiff-chaff.
Small, compact and VERY loud 
Excellent alarm clock.....if you have to be awake at 3.30 in the morning 
Can say it's own name, which it does for around 15 hours a day!
Can catch it's own food, so no feeding required. Any takers?
Please bring large net, binoculars and deerstalker hat. May require patience and a long wait to catch it.
Disclaimer:
No responsibility will be taken for loss of sleep once ownership has been established.
Ear plugs not included.
Discuss this Journal entry [14]
Latest reply: Jun 15, 2007
Whats in your kitchen cupboards?
Posted May 2, 2007
While i was at Kew at the weekend, i bought a book. 'How to grow orchids from seed' 
I only glanced at the book quickly, because i did'nt want to keep the others waiting at least an hour while i browsed every book 
Anyway, the reason the book caught my eye was the statement 'grow orchids from seed, using ordinary household implements' Great i thought, i can propogate the wild orchids in my garden and have loads of them 
Now, i think my kitchen carries the usual run of the mill implements and utensils......though maybe not 
How many of you have lurking in the back of your cupboards an Autoclave? petri dishes? glass stirring rods? powdered agar jelly? PH monitor? and digital scales that weigh .01 of a gram?
If you have any of those items in your kitchen, then all i can say is: Do you want this book i've bought? 'Cos it's no use to me, my kitchen on has KITCHEN stuff in it!!
Discuss this Journal entry [19]
Latest reply: May 2, 2007
Happy Weeble day
Posted Mar 9, 2007
Today my grandaughter (affectionately known as Weeble) has reached the grand old age of 11. I can't believe how quick she has grown up. In just a few years she will head out into the big wide world 
In two years she will be a teenager, with hormones and stuff 
Thing is, i can still remember this little girl, full of beans and not a care in world. I'm a bit sad that this time has now passed and my little Weeble is maturing more everyday. I hope that growing up does'nt change the personality of this sweet girl, to me she will always be my little Weeble 
Discuss this Journal entry [15]
Latest reply: Mar 9, 2007
Put the fire brigade on standby!!
Posted Feb 19, 2007
I had a new cooker fitted today 
A new toy on which to practise turning out charred remains!!
Discuss this Journal entry [43]
Latest reply: Feb 19, 2007
Pond dipping.
Posted Feb 15, 2007
A couple of days ago, i noticed a large amount of extinct pond snail shells in my pond. The shell turns white once the snail has gone. Anyway it started me wondering if there was a problem with the water, if it had somehow become contaminated.
Today i took the rash decision to clean out the pond before spring starts. Anyone that has ever had the task of cleaning out a pond will know that it's not the best job in the world.
So i started bailing out some of the water into a large container, the idea being that anything living would stay in that while the pond was cleaned. I found plenty of 'live' snails, which was a relief. There were also some shrimp type creatures and also some very ugly round water bug things 
i've no idea what they were.
The biggest surprise, that kind of made me wish i had'nt started this job, was the number of newts. There were 10 adults, including 2 males and numerous babies, which were obviously from last years batch. It's not unusual for some newts to remain in the 'infant' stage when food is short and then develop to an adult the following season.
Once i had started to bail out the pond, i had no option but to continue as i had already dumped a large volume of water, even though it was clear there was no problem with it. There was a inch build up of silt on the botton and i can tell you now, the smell was vile! 
How anything can live in water with that is beyond me
So, the pond is now clean and the newts back in thier home. I just hope the intrusion they suffered and the now 'clean' water, is'nt enough to make them vacate the pond altogether 
Discuss this Journal entry [17]
Latest reply: Feb 15, 2007
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