On the Plastic

Think there were teasels in one of the bottles

Good use for old wellies

This was part of the Bug Hotel at Croft Castle.  The sun was in the wrong position to take a picture of the whole thing, but it was impressive.

Des Res?

Grid Lock

How about this for a bit of inspiration for you based on a 'Grid' theme?

Work in Progress

Berrington Hall are currentluy making an Auricula Theatre in their walled garden and this is as far as it had got.  The blackboard has a rought sketch of rows of flowerpots on it to give the impression of what it could look like!!  The wonderful wall behind was home to lots of bees popping in and out.  They looked like honey bees, but guess they were more likely to be masonry bees.

Dinosaurs

I was in Harrogate yesterday and saw this ! It took me back to those 'high and far off days O best beloved' when I was teaching in primary schools and often used this poem - 

         The dinosaurs are not all dead.
         I saw one raise its iron head
        To watch me walking down the road
        Beyond our house today.
        Its jaws were dripping with a load
        Of earth and grass that it had cropped.
        It must have heard me where I stopped,
        Snorted white steam my way,
        And stretched its long neck out to see me,
        And chewed, and grinned quite amiably.

This 'dinosaur' wasn't eating grass of course, but the old Sunwin House building, being demolished to make room for more restaurants and shops.

Blue skies and Blossom

The moment may have passed - google+ refused to upload my pic last week because of the inadequency of the security on my (cheap) phone - but this glorious sight last Tuesday needs a viewing !

I was walking with my friend Judith - a monthly meeting that began 18 years ago - on the disused railway track between Wetherby and Spofforth, when we came upon this fabulous blossoming loveliness set against the bluest sky I have seen since last summer ! It lifted both our hearts and , I would imagine, the heart of anyone who was lucky enough to be walking there on the same day. As it is so early I presume it must be Blackthorn though we couldn't see any thorns. I will make a point of looking for sloes there in the Autumn . The only other possibility I can think of is that it might be a garden escapee and be a variety of Japanese Cherry. There are some flowering around here - though sadly not in my garden. I will have to wait a while until my potted miniature one will be in flower.

insect house

Finished and mounted ! The wrong time of year of course for hibernation but perhaps it will attract some solitary bees this summer.
I have had to mount it on the West facing side of my hut. I thought it would be better on the South side for the winter but it is too big to go on it.

Even if nothing uses it, it looks jolly and my DH has enjoyed making it for me.