Home Improvements

We've got our new, louvred-roof pergola up! Dale worked on it bit by bit over the last few weeks and now has it firmly anchored to the pavers. It provides a large shaded area right up against the pond. We have a selection of grills and two stainless steel tables in this space, which makes a wonderful outdoor kitchen and dining area. So comfortable!

We'd removed the rickety, past-its-prime, and too small version that served more as a plant support than a shade generator or rain protector a while ago, so we were without any shade at all for a few weeks.

This new addition is fantastic

Sheep Trim

Grazing sheep have trimmed the lower edges of these trees very precisely and neatly at their base,

because that's as high as they can reach 

Blast from the Past

A friend of ours from University in South Africa drew this sketch in about 1982, depicting a 'character' often spotted around the computer services division on campus. My friends and I referred to him as John the Baptist (how ironic), while my youngest brother couldn't remember his name as Dale, but described him as 'a guy who looked like a bird watcher'. 

Peacock Butterfly

 Look at these gorgeous wings on the peacock butterfly (Aglais io)- stunning

This is a common butterfly whose eggs are laid on stinging nettle for the larvae to feed on. It overwinters in buildings and trees.

This one was trapped in our conservatory, so I placed a jar over it and then slid an envelope across the opening. When I tried to release it outside, it sat on the envelope in the sun, giving me a perfectly plain background on which to photograph it.