Lots of little surprises over the last week have kept us smiling.
In the garden four different types of poppy have emerged from their tightly furled heads.
I somehow thought they would all be red ones.
On the bird feeders a Great Spotted Woodpecker appeared. The first time we've ever seen one in the garden.
What a thrill. The feeders have been busy with adult birds and their fledglings, especially sparrows, starlings, blue tits, blackbirds and collard doves. We had to go out and buy more fat balls because they seem to be eating two a day at the moment. Such voracious appetites.
Including making strawberry cordial, strawberry preserve and strawberry and rhubarb jam. The surprise here is that the strawberry jam set properly as it is a particularly difficult one to get just right. We've had jam before that hasn't set firmly enough and also a damson jam that almost had to be sliced it was so solid.
This morning these two little badges came in the post from the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust as a thank you for being members for ten years. How lovely. I'll pin mine to my sun hat. Last week we visited RSPB Coombes Valley. I'll be back with photos later in the week.
Hues of purples and blues, always a lovely surprise.
I ove purples and blues in the summer but I have to say that this is a very "red" post and no less delightful for that. Super especially to have the woodpecker visiting you. x
ReplyDeletePurples, Pinks and blues are my favourites but the poppies and strawberries are such a bright, cheerful red, the woodpeckers head too - I loved that:)
DeleteWoodpeckers certainly like those fat-balls. Well done on getting the strawberry jam just right. I tried making some elderberry jam once and it was so thick and sticky that you could have mended your boots with it.
ReplyDeleteIt comes back everyday for a nibble and stays quite a while. Ha, your elderberry jam sounds just like my damson jam:)
DeleteLovely to see the different colours of the poppies and that is great news about the Great Spotted Woodpecker. It is always good to see a new species in the garden. I hope it keeps visiting :)
ReplyDeleteThe jam looks lovely - and something to enjoy especially when winter arrives. My damson jam overset last year too - perishing thermometer decided to stop working at a crucial moment!!!
Lovely little pin badges too :) I wear a bee on my sun hat!
Look forward to the photos from RSPB Coombes Valley - it is nice now to be able to get out and about a bit more.
We've caught a glimpse of the woodpecker a couple of times since so it is still around. The purple poppy is my favourite. We always make a little tester pot of the jams to sample and they are both lovely. Damson is a tasty jam but is hard to make, perhaps it sets well as there is a lot of pectin in the fruit. Lovely to have a bee on your hat. Back soon with Coombes Valley, now I'm off to have my hair cut:)
DeleteWhat beautiful poppies, each bringing a surprise with them! If you are going to get a glut of something, strawberries seem to be the ideal choice, your jam and cordial sound delicious. Fancy the birds being so hungry, maybe it's all the rain causing them a few problems. 😊
ReplyDeleteThe poppies are always a surprise as they are self seeded and you can never tell what colour they will be. The strawberries have done very well this year and the birds around the garden too, some of them have had second broods:)
DeleteYour garden must be lovely at the moment & yes birds do seem to have good appetites at times. What a lovely surprise from the Trust of your badeges. Take care & hugs.
ReplyDeleteThe blue tits especially are constantly feeding on the fat balls, the starlings take lots too when they all descend in groups to feed. Take care:)
DeleteHow exciting to get the Woodpecker in the garden and always nice to see unexpected flowers, the poppies are beautiful. You can't beat home made jam!
ReplyDeleteCouldn't believe it when we first saw the woodpecker, never had one in the garden before as far as we know. The jam will last for ages and perhaps make little gifts too:)
DeleteLoved the different colours of the poppies. The jam is looking good, a beautiful taste of Summer through the Winter months.
ReplyDeleteIt was wonderful to have so many strawberries to give away and make things from. The poppies are lovely although the purple one is quite a stunning colour:)
DeleteBeautiful flowers.
ReplyDeleteThank you William:)
DeleteA great selection of poppies! I only had one dusty pink self seeded one this year! How lovely to have the Great Spotted Woodpecker come and visit you! I don't think I have ever seen one in real life. Your strawberries were a great success and it will be a treat to have fresh strawberry jam come the autumn months. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Simone, have only just found your comment. The different coloured poppies were a surprise as we only usually have the dusky pink ones amongst the potatoes:)
Delete