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Diary – 2013 March
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All my diary pages going back to 2009
DRAWING & PAINTING:
1 March
These are last year's nests in some nearby trees. It was on quite a busy
road but at the time they would have been hidden by all the leaves. The
second one was very small and high up, and seems to be made of a lot of
fluffy bits. I can't work out what bird made it, though.
3 March
At the boot fair I found this beanbag dinosaur trodden in the muddy
gravel. I wrapped him in a tissue, and once home he enjoyed having a
soapy bath and drying off with a soft towel.
Brown Teddy had the good idea of letting him dry off on top of a hot
water bottle, sitting on the fleecy material to spread the heat. He was
dry by bedtime and he stayed with us on our big beanbag.
4 March
This is one of my favourite parts of the river. The main river is going
from right to left, but this arm of rocks diverts some of the flow into
a boggy pond. I think the force of the flow stops the boggy bit from
getting stagnant and keeps all the water fresher.
This dandelion is the first wild flower of spring and reminds of the
lichen on the walls nearby. It is definitely not a weed, unless it is in
my lawn of course!
Today is the first really warm day of the year, and there was a lot of
sleeping going on in the park. The geese enjoy settling down on the warm
asphalt.
Inbetween rests, they continue with their job of trimming the grass. I
have never seen any of this grass being cut by the gardeners, as the
geese keep it very short.
5 March
I was very pleased to get this photo of a Yellow Wagtail by the
riverside. He was on the other side by the waterfall, but the camera
zoom is very good. We stayed very still and got a lot of good shots.
These are the first daisies of spring that we have seen.
My favourite parts of the river are where the water is flowing over the
smooth weed, looking like long green hair. The brambles and nettles
along the riverside walks are all cut to the ground, and they are just
starting to grow again in the warm sunshine. These are the nettles. I
won't be getting as close as this when they grow bigger.
6 March
All my pots of bulbs are coming out. I keep wire netting over them to
stop the squirrels digging them out. I have to remember to go out and
admire them, even when it is cold, because they do not last a very long
time. At the moment I prefer to get photos and admire them in the warmth
indoors. The first wallflower is out, but there is no scent yet until
they open a bit more when it is warmer.
8 March
The frogs are back again. They definitely need their photos taken
straight away, as they can all disappear very quickly. These ones only stayed
a few days, as the weather began to get colder. You have to creep up
slowly towards them with the camera, otherwise they will disappear under
the water.
10 March
The almond blossoms are beginning to come out, but it was quite a cold
day and they are all hanging back until it gets warmer. I hope they wait
a bit so that I can go out and see them when it is not freezing cold! We
bought some more pyracantha bushes at the boot sale, and our resident
blackbird came to eat the berries as soon as we put the pots outside the
kitchen door. Only birds can eat them, and people and teddies have to
buy red apples and orange satsumas if we want to eat these bright
colours!
11 March
We have had a sudden change of weather, with high winds and cold grainy
snow blowing about. We have a pair of blackbirds and a pair of robins
who know where to get the bits of bread under the nearby bush, as well
as a dunnock who comes quite close to get his share. There is also
another blackbird who dives in to grab a bit and flies away at top speed
before our resident one chases him off. I was surprised at this photo of
the robin on the flower pots, as the camera caught him just about to fly
upwards, with a really good view of his beautiful wing feathers.
About midday the temperature rose slightly, and I made my shopping list,
but then it all froze again so I decided to stay in and work on the
computer. If I had gone out I would have felt like these icicles on my
garden shed. Every time the wind gusted, the frozen snow particles were
blowing off the roofs like swirling smoke. I am so glad that my robins
will be safe and warm tonight in their mossy nest inside the shed.
12 March
The main snow has gone but we still keep getting dustings overnight. I
have to get up early to make sure my resident blackbird and robin get
their crumbs. Later on all the frost melted and the sun came out. This
blackcap was with some sparrows in the bushes. It is the first one I
have ever seen. He looks like a sparrow the dark stripy markings washed
off!
14 March
Another frosty morning and someone has tipped the ice off the garden
chair. I don't think they were going to sit outside on it for their
breakfast! I like the frosty leaves, but a quick photo is best, so I can
get back in the warm.
Some more icy crystals on tulip leaves. We knew this chaffinch was
around because of his chirruppy song, and here he is pecking about on
the lid of the pond filter box.
We have been very surprised to see the bluetit taking bits of bread and
he was very pleased to find some bits caught in the cotoneaster
branches. The icy cold bath was not fun to watch! He has also been
eating the berries from the orange pyracantha bushes that we bought last
week, which he has been sharing with the blackbird, but I think the
blackbird has had most of them.
The birds seem to prefer the orange berries, but it may be because those
ones are lower down, as the lower red ones are gone as well. I have seen
the blackbird reaching up from the path to get the nearest berries. Dino is
doing the same with apples and satsumas from the veg racks.
15 March
Two starlings having a very cold bath early in the morning. I am sure
they know of some warm chimney pots where they can preen and dry out.
18 March
This old tree has a notice on it saying that it is going to be taken
down. There are already fallen bits nearby so I will be glad when it is
all done and safe. This is my Before Photo and I am going back for an
After Photo later on. This second tree obviously had too much ivy on it,
which weighs down the branches and make them break, especially when it
is windy. The Parks people have cut the ivy stems to stop it climbing up
the tree any more.
There is often a puddle across this path but this one was too big to be
able to walk around, so we had to go through the mud. The river outlet
is full of pondweed and bits of litter washed down from the main pond.
It needs a clear out.
This lovely old mossy tree is leaning over Priory pond. It is very
interesting, but only the birds can walk on it as it is so slippery,
with old branches that would break very easily.
20 March
I really like all these decorated Easter eggs. I wonder how long I
would save them before breaking them up to eat? I would have to take a
photo from every angle, and then eat the plain bits first!
The blossom is trying to come out but it is still very cold with grey
skies. This swan was sleeping on the pond along with his friends. The
pond birds all take naps when there is no-one about to throw bread.
This is the pond weir. As the flow is so high, the edge of the water has
not broken into bubbly bits. You can see all the mossy algae plants
waving about at the back of the flow, and it is just like looking at an
under-sea TV programme, with the seaweed waving about.
22 March
They are rebuilding the shopping centre. These machines are crunching
everything up behind a tall fence. There is a lot of noise and I am
looking forward to seeing the steel frame going up.
23 March
Another cold day with snow flurries. A car turning from the driveway
into the road has left some very interesting patterns in the snow dust.
My daffodils have had buds for ages, but it has been too cold for them
to open. The ones in the pots are trying to flower, but they keep
getting frosted, which makes them sag. I might have to pick a few so
that I don't miss them altogether whilst we are stuck indoors.
The blackbird has passed by outside my kitchen door. Here he is in the
bushes, where he knows crumbs keep appearing. He is very patient, and he
prefers to eat under the branches where other birds can't see him. Then
he has it all to himself, at least for a while.
25 March
I just love these chicks, I am going to get some before they disappear
out of the shops. The chocolate bunnies are good too, but they will
disappear too quickly in my house!
I like to make my own decorations, and these Easter baskets in the craft
shop have given me some good ideas. This Easter Egg Hunt notice in the
park was laminated against the rain but I think the water has got in
through the holes they punched for the string that ties it on. There was
another one in a glass-fronted noticeboard case, and so that one stayed
dry. But I really like all the colours that have run. The park flowers
will look just like this later in the year.
27 March
More Easter goodies in all the shop windows. We all like the chocolates
but the toy chicks in their nests would last a lot longer.
Here is before and after demolition at the shopping centre. I am sad to
say that the tree will have to come out, but they are going to plant
some others in a different place, with lots of seats for the shoppers.
29 March
I have been waiting ages for these park daffodils to come out. This is
the circular boating pond (model boats). I like to take photos of water
patterns. If the pipe was a bit longer, the ripples would be a perfect
circle.
We had to go a long way round this big flooded puddle and found out that
there was a water leak nearby, although quite often the rain makes a
puddle across our path. I was glad to see that the river water outlet
has now been cleared of rubbish and pondweed.
I like this stump in the park because it would make a good hiding place
for Teddies my size, although it would be a bit draughty and messy
underfoot.
30 March
Another chilly day, with some more grainy snow coming down. I am calling
it frozen rain, as it is not big enough to be called hailstones. Time to
get the picture books out and pull the beanbag closer to the radiator.
31 March
It was a very bright sunny morning at the boot sale. There was a lot of
frost on the grass but it soon disappeared.
In the afternoon, Dino opened our Easter chocolate and broke it into
squares. Brown Teddy counted the pieces and divided them into four.
Blue Parrot shared some of his with the beanbag dinosaur. I offered some
of my pieces to my Easter chicks but they were not sure what it was!
Here are my Easter chicks in closeup. I like their little wings pointing
up as if they are flapping.
My garden birds are a lot more interesting and seeing a chaffinch on my
lawn is quite unusual, as they are normally very shy birds. The cold
weather has made him a bit bolder and the supply of crumbs and suet
pellets was just too tempting!
Where to report a lost or found teddy or
toy
"Special Toys - Lost and Found"
https://www.facebook.com/
groups/1218406094843556/
You can use the space on your 404 page to help find missing people by embedding info from notfound.org See Yellow Teddy's 404 page
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