Category Archives: Wildlife

At it again!

Posted on February 12, 2020 by

After a lull in crocheting, for wont of something to make, I hit upon the idea of pots for the kalanchoe I took to the office. The colleague who I share the office with is also a keen gardener and … Continue reading →

Posted in Crafts, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

RHS Slug count

Posted on February 5, 2020 by

I’ve just registered an interest in taking part in a slug count the RHS are doing later this year. They need 60 participants and a range of different garden types across the country. So, if you are interested, here is … Continue reading →

Posted in Gardening, Wildlife | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Holding on

Posted on February 3, 2020 by

This morning, I was in a restless state – four hours’ sleep a night for weeks on end and more tests in a row than since I did my ‘O’ levels had taken their toll. However, one constant comfort is … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, Wildlife | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Evaporation

Posted on January 27, 2020 by

Of course, as the rain subsides, the pond goes down, so I can imagine that mine will soon look like this: This would be a great shame for the birds that have started to visit the pond once again, now … Continue reading →

Posted in In the kitchen, soil management, Wildlife | 9 Comments

Muck in day at St Aidan’s

Posted on January 24, 2020 by

Until relatively recently, there was an open cast mine between the villages of Woodlesford, Swillington, Methley and Great & Little Preston, just southeast of Leeds. Then it flooded and was taken over by the RSPB, becoming St Aidan’s Nature Reserve. … Continue reading →

Posted in Days out, Good for the environment, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 12 Comments

A wreath for next Christmas

Posted on January 6, 2020 by

I’ve lost count of how many Wassails we’ve now done at Old Sleningford Farm but this one has to be the best I’ve attended. Perhaps this is in part because my daughter was an enthusiastic maker of headdresses, which was … Continue reading →

Posted in Days out, forest garden, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

How long will they take to rot?

Posted on December 13, 2019 by

The big apple tree needed a good prune: Branches were growing into the shed and the fence, cluttering up the centre of the tree and pointing upwards. So, the bypass loppers came out today and off came a fair amount … Continue reading →

Posted in soil management, trees, Wildlife | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Winter starts with white now

Posted on December 1, 2019 by

There seems to have been more frost this year than I remember for a long time. Thus, at the Old Sleningford Farm workday, I was glad for once to be wearing gloves when pruning the apple trees. Officially, it is … Continue reading →

Posted in Days out, Permaculture, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

A-buzz about something

Posted on October 12, 2019 by

Yesterday, we went to see what was on offer at Leeds Light Night, where the city centre is lit up in more or less interesting ways. With a tired and cantankerous child in tow, we ended up in the University … Continue reading →

Posted in Days out, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

It is what it’s supposed to be

Posted on October 5, 2019 by

As the apples on my daughter’s tree were falling off in September, I asked her to pick them before they were all lost. They were on the small side, or rather they were much smaller than the one we sampled … Continue reading →

Posted in forest garden, Wildlife | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments