Flighty's plot

This blog

is one year old today, and I’m sitting here looking out the window just as I did then at the same weather!

The plot has given me much pleasure since Week 1 back at the end of last June.

The past couple of weeks I’ve not been, or done much, there for one reason or another and it looks like it’ll be Thursday before I next do any further plotting!

I was there briefly yesterday morning, soon after 6.00am, and was delighted to see one of the lilies in flower

a few splashes of colour in the jungle and that there were bees on the aquilegia

Plot 124 certainly looks very different now to when I saw it for the first time!

My thanks to everyone who stops by to read this blog, and especially to those of you who comment!

Frog ponderings (8)

After last weeks wanderings and wonderings Frog has returned to the pond.

and

I think that Frog has discovered that there are a few taddlers in there!

Thanks to Glo (Porcelain Rose) for these images.

Next Sunday’s Wild China, on BBC2 at 9.15pm, is 3/6. Tibet. I’m sure that it will be every bit as enjoyable to watch as the first two programmes have been. That’s especially so as one of the rare animals that will be featured is my favourite cat, the snow leopard.

Springwatch starts on Monday BBC2 at 8.00pm, and continues throughout the week. It goes without saying that it is among my favourite wildlife TV programmes. Don’t forget the webcams on the website, which include the infamous Heligan Gardens barn owls!

On the plot Monday afternoon I was pleased to see a blue tit on the peanut feeder little more than arm’s length away. I can identify these favourite birds but I’m not so good with bird sounds! That being so I will make a point of listening to A Guide to Woodland Birds on BBC Radio 4 Sunday at 2.45pm.

Readers of this blog will know that James Stewart is my favourite film star. He was born 100 years ago on the 20th May, and is number 3 in the American Film Institutes 50 Greatest Film Legends. Barry Norman wrote in the Radio Times that he was probably the most beloved star in cinema history.

I’m off for a cup of tea and a couple of plain digestive biscuits which you all know are another of my favourites!

Have a good weekend!

Spitfire Women and Bomber Boys

I bought Spitfire Women of World War II by Giles Whittell as a present for myself last December and finally read it a couple of months back.

It tells the story of the female pilots of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) which ferried thousands of aircraft throughout the UK during WWII.

Earlier this year the survivors were honoured with a long overdue special badge, and very recently Diana Barnato Walker sadly died.

I found this book to be a thoroughly engrossing read and have no hesitation in recommending it. [My friend Jim spotted that one photo is captioned as an Avro Anson but is clearly an Airspeed Oxford!]

Bomber Boys Fighting Back 1940-1945 by Patrick Bishop is a compelling book about the air crews of Bomber Command throughout WWII.

Many of the facts and figures quoted really do make sobering reading. It’s little wonder that two members of my family who were Bomber Boys said virtually nothing of their experiences.

As well as the crews stories it tells that of Sir Arthur Harris , who headed Bomber Command throughout this period.

This was a more weighty book to read but again I would recommend it unreservedly to anyone interested in this period.

Frog ponderings (7)

and pond-frog14

So now we know what Frog wants! I wonder what the bird will do to help him!

Thanks to Glo (Porcelain Rose) for these images.

[Did you notice that this week it’s Frog Wanderings (as was last weeks) and Wonderings, however it’s back to Ponderings next week!]

Far and near

Wild China continues on BBC2 Sunday at 8.00pm with 2/6. Shangri-La. It shows the mountain forests and remote valleys of Yunnan Province where elusive red pandas and wild elephants live. If you missed the first programme last week, which really was excellent viewing, then you can catch up with it on BBC2 Saturday at 7.00pm.

Also on Sunday is series three of the entertaining Meerkat Manor with 1/13. On Dangerous Ground and 2/13. The Mission showing on BBC2 Sunday at 7.10pm. Note that this series was first shown on Animal Planet.

Last week I overlooked that a new series of The Trees That Made Britain, with Kew Gardens intrepid duo Tony Kirkham and Jon Hammerton, was being shown. The second programme is on BBC2 tomorrow at 7.30pm.

I notice that the Radio Times for the week after next will have an eight-page special on Springwatch and that the programme starts Monday 26th May on BBC2 at 8.00pm. This year it will based in Norfolk, not Devon, whilst Simon King is in Strathspey which is home to ospreys, pine martens and wildcats.

Lastly don’t forget that it’s National Be Nice to Nettles Week!

Have a good weekend!

Taking it easy

Unusually for me I’ve been sneezing, had a runny nose and a sore throat for a day or two. What with that and the fact that I don’t like it too warm, say over 25C, I went to the plot early this morning and did an easy few hours.

I sowed some more flower seeds, continued weeding and took plenty of breaks for a tin mug of tap water whilst trying out my new log seat which Joe gave me, along with a fewer smaller ones for the log pile.

I’ve let the area at the top right-hand (north-east) corner of the plot get rather overrun with grass. However there are plenty of poppies there as well as some knapweed, meadow cranesbill and other wild flowers. I’m going to leave it pretty much alone until the autumn when I’ll dig it over properly then probably sow a packet of perennial plants mixture.

Some of the lettuce and beetroot that I sowed have appeared, there are some well hidden flowers on the rosemary and two of the roses have the beginnings of flower buds on them. A blue tit put in a fleeting appearance at the peanut feeder and there were ladybirds everywhere.

I hope to be there Tuesday, Thursday and Friday next week when apart from taking it easy I’ll be making good use of the log seat!

Frog ponderings (6)

It’s good to see that Frog and Jackey bird sort out their previous misunderstanding !

and

Thanks to Glo (Porcelain Rose) for these images.

I’ll be watching

the following on terrestrial TV during next week.

Wild China is a new series of six programmes starting on BBC2 Sunday at 8.05pm with Heart of the Dragon. It is a wide ranging documentary showing the countries amazing diverse landscapes, wildlife and human cultures.

That is followed by the 2002 film Hero on Channel 4 Sunday at 9.05pm. It is the Radio Times film of the week and is a visually dazzling martial arts fantasy.

Legends:Doris Day is on BBC2 Monday at 7.00pm which features clips from her varied film career to illustrate this biography. This ever popular actress is still the all time top female box office star!

Superfish is the Natural World programme on BBC2 Wednesday at 8.00pm. Billfish is the collective name for marlin, swordfish and sailfish which are magnificently weird, weigh up to half a ton and can swim at speeds up to 70mph!

Have a good weekend!

At long last

it looks like the weather here is doing what we want it to do!

I spent the morning both yesterday and today on the plot. Much of the time I was weeding, but even after all that effort it still looks as though I’ve hardly touched it, mind you it seems that I’m not the only one!

Whilst removing the empty plastic compost bags that cover the compost heap I was surprised to find a mouse that decided it didn’t like being disturbed and disappeared down into the far corner. The only other wildlife of note were a number of spiders scuttling over the log pile.

The grape vine is showing signs of growth, and in the same planter are some seedlings which I didn’t sow!

I’ve noticed a few flowers on the strawberries and some of the early potato leaves are appearing

I’ve transferred the sweet peas, the aquilegia is about to flower and the lilies(?), that Joe gave me in autumn, which died right back have reappeared.

I’m letting this tree(?) grow at least for a while, and here’s the first flower on the plant in the stone centre feature.

Birds(?) ate all the leaves on this plant when it was in the grape vine planter but is now regrowing, and I do like daisies!

I hope to spend at least an hour there most mornings during the week when I’m working from now on and should be sowing some seeds each time I’m there, as well as doing a bit more weeding!

Happy gardening, and relaxing lawn lounging afterwards!