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A selection of photos taken from roughly the same place (ish) over 4+ years.

April 2005

May 2007

Feb 2009

Feb 2009

August 2009

Anyone know anything about scat?

Whose is this

We found this outside this morning. There has been a similar offering there once before; and Ursula found another one on a rock in the stream some months ago. I think it is from a pine marten; but wild cat and polecat are possibilities. I have decided not to sniff it today, thank you, though that is what I know I should do. Can anyone recognise it by sight alone?

Photos from recent family visits

With Tris, Jackie & Liz

Another Oak

Simon Whipple, visiting with his sons and walking down to the river with Roy, found another knee high oak not far from the other one, on the south slope of the knoll with the dead tree. Seriously, we are going to need a working party for fencing before the winter.

Some Ideas

It is pretty clear that, whatever happens, the wood will not just stay as it is now. The question for us is to what extent we intervene in its development. I must say, I am pulled two ways: regenerating the ancient woodland; and dropping choice exotics into it. I wonder if both can be done; and I suppose they can, if one is fairly rigorous about where the dropping is done.

Of course, there are huge temptations: draping clematis or climbing hydrangeas or climbing roses over dead stumps; introducing perennial flowering plants into the woodland: aquilegias, geraniums in the open spaces, astrantia, anemone; putting the odd exotic tree or shrub under the protection of the tree cover: rhododendrons, mainly; and adding exotic trees: liriodendron, swamp cypress, whatever else might survive the long and sometimes harsh, but perhaps less harsh than formerly, winters.

Then there is the temptation of growing things to eat, particularly soft fruit.

Obviously, we have already interfered with the landscape quite a lot. So I don't feel embarrassed at the idea of trying some of the wild daffodil types in a drift on one of the raw banks, or putting an exotic tree or shrub near the house.

I have mentioned bog plants for the places where raw peat has been exposed. I am also wondering what might survive on the dry banks. Miniature wild magenta gladioli, anyone?

Any ideas or opinions out there?

Photos from End of July trip

end of July 2009, outdoors

End of July 2009, Indoors