Visiting stick insect

I forgot to post this earlier this year, but I found the photos today so here we are:

My daughter was strimming a neighbour's garden, to get it ready to put the house on the market, and this is what she found:

It's a little green stick insect

He was about 6 inches or 15 cms long

Poor thing had already lost a leg, but Kath spotted it before she started up the machine

Amazing camouflage: he looked like a  little piece of grass

I carefully took him into the undergrowth next door, and let him free.  Kath was a little nervous in case there were others, but no more to be found.

And, incidentally, the house was sold.

Garden gone mad

We've been away to UK for a couple of weeks, well, actually been back 10 days now, but only just really got to grips with work in the veggie plot.  I decided to pick the courgettes - or 'torpedoes' and store them for the winter - here is a piccy of various types and some butternut squash, sitting in the wheelbarrow.  The cardboard was to protect the veg from scratching on the metal wheelbarrow: I've found the veg lasts much longer if undamaged, of course.

Still got more in the plot, but I'll leave them to get a bit bigger, plus the pumpkins. Am going out again in a bit to feed them with my secret liquid manure - actually, it isn't magic, just rabbit poo and nettle soup.  With 6 pet rabbits, at least I don't have to buy any fertilizer.

There is another photo, showing the scale, but no "oo 'er, Mrs" comments, please!

Summer 2013

 Started off with new kitten - she's just been neutered, hence this charming neck acessory

 And here she is taking liberties on the kitchen table - she is Minnie

 It's been all about our daughter really - she has given up her course in ceramics and is now considering gardening for a living.  This is early on in the spring - tidying up for a bonfire

 Here she is with her very first crop - fine bunch of radishes - and a huge grin!

 We turned our blackcurrants into creme cassis ie blackcurrant liqueur, for Christmas

 Here she is with her lovely fella, making a cake for OH's birthday

 No guessing how old he is!

And here is the barbecue with our special friends

 Here is Bleat, my oldest sheep.  Not a lot of grass left for her and her family - it has only rained twice since the end of June

 

 A town nearby - in full carnival plumage

 Fabulous moth - never seen one like this before

 The chateau at Rochechouart - the site of one of the largest and most ancient meteor sites

 A little etang - or lake near us, a peaceful place to walk the dog

 And finally, just to show that the other two moggies have accepted Minnie quite well - at least sharing food.