Saturday this and that . . .

If you were to look down into my back garden very early on most mornings, you would see a slightly deranged looking woman in her night dressing wandering around with a camera in her hands, hair all askew . . .  that's how I roll.   Not afraid of what anyone thinks because I am confident enough in myself to know what they think doesn't matter all that much in the scheme of things!

Seriously the real reason is that most, if not all, of my neighbours are the type you wouldn't find up that early on any morning.   And if they are, well . . . meh!

We had a really funny day weather-wise yesterday.  The sky was a mixed bag.  I was almost afraid to hang the laundry out, just in case.



This was the sky to the right of me  . . . bright blue with some fluffy clouds . . .



And then as you panned around . . .



This was on the other side.  Menacing.

It did not rain though.  I did hang a quilt on the line and it dried and it smells luverly, absolutely luverly.



We have the most interesting creatures in our garden this year.   If you squint really hard you will see a black and bright yellow caterpillar nibbling on the ragwort (which most people think is a weed, but we let it grow because it's beautifully brilliant yellow and quite cheerful.)



This caterpillar is quite striking in it's appearance, almost dangerous looking.  I suppose that is a part of it's built in protection . . . you are less likely to tangle with something that looks a bit menacing.



This is what they will grow into eventually . . . Cinnabar Moths.  Actually when you read about them, you find out interestingly that they are quite unpalatable . . . perhaps even poisonous, because the caterpillars feed on the under-leaves of the ragwort.  I find entomology quite fascinating, even though I am not that fond of insects . . .  and I hate to watch television programs on creepy crawlers because they give me the creepy crawlies!  But I still find them fascinating . . . Cinnabar Moths are a type of day flying moth.   Their bright colour makes them unattractive to predators such as birds.   Colour is often a protection in nature.   That it what I have learned.   It either helps you to blend into the background and not be seen, or it gives out a danger signal to your predators.



For days I have been trying to catch photos of our fish in the pond when they are being fed.  I finally hit the jackpot yesterday!  They are usually really shy, probably because of the neighbourhood cats.   We had seven and now have only five and we haven't seen any floating on top of the pond so . . .



When they see shadows lurking above the pond, they tend to go into hiding . . .  food is an enticing lure however and I did manage to get a few snaps where you can actually see them popping up and opening their mouths for it.  Had to take a lot of snaps to get these few good ones though, as they are pretty quick about their business!



I had never realized that you could keep goldfish in a garden pond, but we have been very successful with ours and even had our breed and have babies, several of which survived to adulthood, which is pretty amazing.



We have blackberries ripening in our hedgerow, a sure sign that autumn is not far behind . . .  just as the bumblebee is the harbinger of spring . . . the ripening blackberry is the harbinger of autumn . . .



Who will win this war . . . well, I hate to tell you little snail . . . it's not going to be you.   The birds will get your first no doubt . . .

Nature sometimes has to be cruel to be kind.  It's the law of survival.

Our Jess used to love to play ball in the garden.  Todd could throw a ball, and throw a ball, for hours and hours and Jess loved to catch it and bring it back.  She was amazing.   She was a beautiful retriever.

Mitzie is not.  This is how SHE plays ball . . .



You throw the ball and she runs eagerly after it.  Once she is upon it, she plunks herself down and trys to look all nonchalant . . . as if she is just smelling it . . .  enticing you to come and get it and throw it again . . .



As soon as you begin to get closer to her . . . she picks it up and looks at you . . . almost daring you to come closer and so . . . you do.  You think she is going to give it to you but . . .



No, she darts off to another part of the garden, with you in tow . . .



Again with the beckoning tease  . . . come and get it, she is thinking . . . come and get it.



Hmmm . . . come on, come and get the ball.   You know you want to . . .



Closer now . . . closer now . . . you almost have it in your hands . . .



Ahhh . . . tricked you again.  I'm now back on the opposite side of the garden and you can't catch me
nanner, nanner, nanner!



She'll even let you think that she is going to let you take it . . .



But nope . . . she isn't.   Up she goes and she's back on the other side of the garden, hoping to entice you again.   The whole game of ball is . . . you throw the ball once, she catches it, and you then spend the rest of the game trying to get it back from her.

 

And she's not giving it up for anything . . . except cheese that is.   She might drop it for a bit of cheese.  She's not stupid.

Oh we do love her so . . .

A thought to carry with you through today . . .  (which looks like it might be a rainy one)

~•●♥ƸӜƷ♥●•~—~•●♥ƸӜƷ♥●•~—~•●♥ƸӜƷ♥●•~—•●♥ƸӜƷ♥●•

"Practice the art of knowing that all is well and you will remember, 
just like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, that you have known this all along."

~•●♥ƸӜƷ♥●•~—~•●♥ƸӜƷ♥●•~—~•●♥ƸӜƷ♥●•~—•●♥ƸӜƷ♥●•


 

Baking in The English Kitchen today . . . A rustic Cherry Cobbler Tarte!   Simply delicious!

Have a wonderful Saturday come rain or shine!