Monday 1 November 2010

Nature ~ inside-and-out


This is one of the small apartment blocks on the new development nearby and as you can see, the local pigeon population really like sitting on the roof. They do this on the other blocks, too, which is normal enough for pigeons ~ what I find just a teensy wee bit disturbing, though, is the way some of the little blighters have taken to peering in through the roof lights some of the buildings have!

After I'd taken the photo this group, along with those on the other buildings, suddenly all took off together just as if they had been waiting for the secret signal to fly away LOL

I think this now-golden yellow leaved shrub is a spirea ~ I can't remember, to be honest, even though I'm pretty sure my friend Olive did tell me what it was called some time back! It has really pretty frothy white flowers in spring but I think it's looking just as good right now :-)

This houseplant usually lives beside the patio door in the dining room, but it had a little holiday during the summer out in the back garden ~ not least because I discovered the poor thing had unwelcome visitors in the form of some kind of scale insects. Anyhoo, outside it went and everytime I remembered, I'd spend a few minutes picking off said nasties. By the end of the summer, though, it still had a lot of the little horrors hanging on for dear life so I decided to take drastic measures. Oh yes, dear readers, out came my trusty (or should that be 'rusty' LOL) secateurs and I chop, chop chopped it right back. I did try to make amends, though, by repotting it in nice fresh soil ;-)

I remembered to bring the plant back indoors before the first frosts turned up and then I took a long, hard look at what I'd done.....and frankly, my dears, I wondered if I'd hadn't gone just a tiny little bit too far with my cutting and chopping! The poor thing sat there in its pot looking bare and forlorn, and I felt more than a tad guilty every time I looked at it :-(

But yesterday, dear readers, I let out a cheer because I spotted that the brave little soldier had started to send out tiny fresh shoots ~ hip, hip hurrah!! Hopefully it will now grow and thrive after its drastic pruning by your's truly and I will endeavour to restrain my sometimes over-enthusiastic chopping tendencies in future ;-)

The Christmas cactus, who also lives in the dining room, is coming along very nicely ~ those buds are getting bigger every day. I wonder how long it will be before they start to open!

The buds on the African violet are openingtoo, dear readers, and there are more snuggled cosily beneath the leaves :-)

I can't say, in all honesty, that I've ever looked at an African violet flower so closely before ~ they are rather interesting, though, aren't they! I do like the texture of the petals close-up, and just look at those stamens (? ~ it's been many a long year since my school biology lessons!) and leaves. Isn't nature wonderful!

A perfectly peachy pumpkin :-)
It was only 50p from Tesco this week, so I bought it for the girls ~ they love getting their beaks stuck into veggies like this. Actually, they love to get their beaks stuck into most things, including my garden plants, but that is beside the point! The only problem is that Mr Pumpkin just looks so nice with my kitchen ornaments, that I feel rather reluctant to cut him up just yet. Still, I shall have to do so sooner rather than later, else the little chickies won't be getting their pumpkiny treat as it'll only be good for the compost heap!
Oh well I can always make myself some ever-lasting fabric pumpkins, can't I :-)

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