Quote from: Mups on April 04, 2026, 12:35:02 PMSounds lovely, Vlad, especially the Frogs.    I would love to have those. Haven't seen any in years.
I wouldn't know how to look after all those Koi,  but I'd be happy to encourage the birds. 
Have you seen any signs of Rats this year?    I've had the damn things here.

I remember several years ago my oldest dog went outside for her bed time wee,  and when she came back in she looked awful.  She was literally foaming at the mouth,  shaking,  and her eyes looked peculiar.  She really scared me.
Then I remembered the big Toad I had seen near the back door that morning. He must have come back and she probably grabbed it, and toad skin can emit a nasty toxic substance. 
She looked so ill, so quickly.  I phoned the vet for advice even though it was late at night,  and he said its only the foreign toads, like Cane toads, that kill,  and very quickly too,  often within 15 mins! 

Luckily I remembered something from the archives of my mind about milk being an antidote. I bathed her nose, and lips, and poured some in a small bowl for her to drink to hopefully soothe her tongue and throat,  and do you know what -  it did.  It was like a miracle.  I could have wept. 
She slept with me that night so I could keep an eye on her and by morning she was back to normal.
Telling you this  incase Fang ever touches one.

Yep we did have rats when we moved in, but we laid out traps caught three not seen since...thanks for the info on toads.. I haven't seen my frog for a couple of days, I suspect he ended up as lunch  for either the koi or the crows.

Quote from: Mups on April 04, 2026, 12:47:14 PMVery nice Vlad, pretty.    Though I think I'd have to have a tree surgeon and trim then down a little as they look very close to your roof?

Odd you should say that...we did....


The roof behind is actually a shed..tilled roof a double glazed windows...weird, we will convert it next year

David Attenborough has a programme about gardens starting Easter Day BBC1 @ 6pm

You are a clever lot.  

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Very nice Vlad, pretty.     Though I think I'd have to have a tree surgeon and trim then down a little as they look very close to your roof?

But one day he had to laugh
He couldn't recall if he'd had his bath
Lyn soon told him he'd started to reek
And must have missed for well over a week
And kicked him out down the path.


So he now knew he mustn't forget
But on the way home bought a baguette
He sat in the park in the sun
And munched  his grub there for fun
When along came a lass called Jeanette.

Quote from: Vlad on April 04, 2026, 08:54:21 AMNew garden new creatures, lots of different birds, crows, mating pairs of blackbirds. Doves, Robins, Pigeons, lots of great tits, squirrels, frogs no sparrows, I like sparrows,  21 koi fish.

Sounds lovely, Vlad, especially the Frogs.    I would love to have those. Haven't seen any in years.
I wouldn't know how to look after all those Koi,  but I'd be happy to encourage the birds.  
Have you seen any signs of Rats this year?    I've had the damn things here.

I remember several years ago my oldest dog went outside for her bed time wee,  and when she came back in she looked awful.   She was literally foaming at the mouth,  shaking,  and her eyes looked peculiar.  She really scared me.
Then I remembered the big Toad I had seen near the back door that morning. He must have come back and she probably grabbed it, and toad skin can emit a nasty toxic substance.   
She looked so ill, so quickly.  I phoned the vet for advice even though it was late at night,   and he said its only the foreign toads, like Cane toads, that kill,  and very quickly too,  often within 15 mins! 

Luckily I remembered something from the archives of my mind about milk being an antidote. I bathed her nose, and lips, and poured some in a small bowl for her to drink to hopefully soothe her tongue and throat,  and do you know what -  it did.   It was like a miracle.  I could have wept.  
She slept with me that night so I could keep an eye on her and by morning she was back to normal. 
Telling you this  incase Fang ever touches one.

I have trees...

Y

Quote from: Scrumpy on April 04, 2026, 08:57:50 AMCloudy... Just popping to the Co-op.. Making a treacle tart ..Putting it in the freezer ready for a family gathering next month.. In the week I am making a butterscotch tart , like we had at school, to put in the freezer..
Many Camelia blossoms fallen around here too..

According to what I have read, and also what happens to my own,  the couple of late frosts we've had can damage Camelias.    Frost won't usually hurt the tight buds,  but if its frosty when the buds are starting to crack open,  it damages the emerging flower petals and they go all brown and often drop off.

I have several beautiful Camelias,  one covered in opening buds, and like an idiot I didn't cover them in time and now most of the buds are on the ground.    Gertie, being the avid gardener that she is,  keeps collecting them all and filling her bed with them!     

Quote from: Alex on April 03, 2026, 01:14:00 PMI suppose because it would have been her 100th birthday ?

I agree.  That is something worth celebrating.

I'm really not sure how our royalty will progress now.  Charlie is rather weak, but of course he is (or was?) suffering from cancer.  I wonder how William will perform when he takes over.  I sincerely hope that he can live up to his grandmother's level, but times are changing sadly.