These goldfish can mean only one thing: yes, I'm back at the dentist's
for my regular check-up again.
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I wanted to photograph these poppies in the border before
the petals fall.
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 The
poppies can fend for themselves but some
of the perennials that we put in under the bird feeders are
getting knocked about a bit by the pheasants.
As he ambles about his long stiff tail catches on the new
plants. If they can get established the new plants will be
able to shrug off such 'knock me down with a feather' scrapes.
The new salvia, a relative of the sage,
seems immune to all the activity and is already a mass of
purple flower. |
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Barbara's pleased with the way this hanging basket which she planted
up for the patio is coming on.
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 It's
a lovely evening to sit outside for our meal. The birds are now
so used to coming to the feeders that they don't bother about us.
The chaffinches and greenfinches
are usually about, a few feet away from us, although the goldfinches
seem to be more shy, watching from the top of the crab apple tree
as if they're waiting for us to go in.
The woodpecker hasn't come down while we're there yet but it has
become a regular when we're not sitting out. It appears mornings
and evenings but also at times in between (when we're less likely
to be about to spot it anyway). I say 'it' but there are at least
two great spotted woodpeckers visiting, a male
and a female, the difference being the patch of red on the back
of the head of the male, which is just plain black in the female. |
Male pheasant 'grockling': a sudden gobbling cackle, followed by a
shake of the wings. The garden would be SO peaceful without birds!! |
Lupin
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The lupin is one of the plants most effected
by passing pheasants as the stalks of the palm-like leaves keep
getting broken.
The poppies have closed their petals again by
this evening. I can't draw them without thinking of Art Nouveau
designs of the early 20th century, so I find myself adding a border
and lettering to make my sketch more of a design. |
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 Besides
the visit to the dentist's we have lots of errands to dovetail in and
I'm amazed when I get everything done by 11, in time for a coffee break.
But as usual I take my small shoulder bag and snatch each chance I get
to draw.
The view through the door at my mum's hairdressers and
while my mum pops into the pharmacy I have chance to sit on a sunny grassy
verge and draw cocksfoot grass in flower (there are little
stamens hanging from the flowerheads, they look like tiny figures hanging
from ropes).
Richard Bell, richard@willowisland.co.uk
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