I love the smell of Tiger Balm in the morning OR The JOYS OF SUMMER

I bet the poor little thing is hungry but I don't want him to eat any of my sparrows!

Lovely, ww! We had a similar experience recently with a young buzzard! Yesterday a nestful of housemartins fledged too, so there was much excited flying about near our house

Most probably ww - as I don't think an adult Kestrel would get tangled up in Winter honeysuckle.

A wonderful sight though - he was quite pale and speckly so does that men he was a youngster?

It sounds as if it was a Kestrel fledgling - and you might have scared him!

I love the smell of winter honeysuckle.

Glorious morning - I was cutting back a winter honeysuckle and noticed a fluttery and tweety panic in the tree above me - which is largely inhabited by sparrows and about 1ft above my head was a kestral - he even scared me with his piercing eyes.

I followed the ring of bells on my walk this morning and came across four bullocks with heavy bells cling-clanging around their necks. No Alps here I thought!

Came home, picked four ripe tomatoes, 2 little onions and a baby courgette for a salad lunch, and chucked some fresh basil on top. White balsamic and oil dressing. Yum.

Peeled and de-seeded one green and cream striped melon which had been lurking on the side for (I though) too long - but it was juicy and still good.

Some Summer mornings are just very, very nice!

Good tip, notso - I'm going to try it if I can get all the ingredients here.

Found a moonbathing hedgehog this evening.

Returning by a long winding road to the beginning of this thread and biting beasties......

Since the weather finally became nice enough to get outside, I've been tormented with gnat bites. So I made some anti-midgy spray today. In a small travel size spray bottle...half water, half witch hazel. Then 5/6 drops each of Lavender and Eucalyptus oil and a good old shake.

I've been in the garden most of the afternoon and early evening and have sprayed exposed skin 3 times. No new bites and the smell is quite pleasant.

There's a thought! Haven't tried it yet. Usually I get some well-gripping footwear on, get the bin behind me, resting on my bum, and go down that way. I've recently devised a way of towing it down with the car though, by making the lid fast with a stretchy cord.

Sunbathing hedgehog is back. He's had his bowl of mealworms and now he's resting contentedly on the lawn. The grass is quite long as it has been too wet to mow it for a while.

Has anyone else come across sunbathing hedgehogs?

How do you get the wheelie bin down the hill, Bags? Just give it a push?

Hedgehog was fine after its nap on the lawn. Texted DH to take it easy coming up the hill in case it didn't know its Green Cross Code. It didn't. He had to wait for it to get out of the way of the car wheels (not to mention the wheelie bin that he had dragged up by attaching it to the tow bar).

Bags...wonder if your hedgehog is related to Rory's new pal. Both ate their supper side by side last night. Must try to get a photo. Hogweed - vile stuff!

I went outside to deal with some hogweed before it spreads seed everywhere but got distracted by a juvenile hedgehog. I gave it a dish of dried mealworms which it tucked into voraciously, then it meandered about for quite a long time, with me following it to see if it 'went home', but eventually it just curled up to sleep in the middle of the lawn! I hope it's allright.

...and having a grand time too, I bet!

Baby birds
Three species
In a flock
To a cherry tree
All at once
Across the garden:
Great tits,
Long-tailed tits,
And Willow Warblers!

Beautiful words, Butty

Exquisite words Butty

butty, How lovely to draw strength from a beautiful walnut tree.

Superb. I can see it.

Seas of wind
Shift, shape, dance with
Boughs of Walnut trees
Hanging low
Arching over
And above
Silent places
Shaded
Against sunlight's glare
Where movement
Gives dappled brilliance
Of light,
And their shadowed beauty
Offer arms that hold
Fragility,
And embrace strength and
Solidity
For future growth
In their constant seeking
Of growth
And life.

Lovely to see you, Butter! I'd steer clear of the pork scratchings, though....

Chilled Sancerre would be lovely! In a BIG glass, please .

Butter you are a very special lady. Now that I'm the chief cleaner of Lil's Bar, may I invite you to partake of a little light refreshment. You are assured of top quality standards...