Both yesterday and today whilst mowing I have disturbed tiny little red-brown toads. Yesterday's was about 1.5" long with legs extended, today's was smaller at about an inch. I only see them when I catch sight of a movement in the fresh windrow - goodness knows how many I might have sliced along the way, none that I am aware of. They jump away into the mown grass cuttings seeking shelter.
Cycling up here a heron flapped away from just the other side of a field gate at the bottom of Trebursye lane. Yesterday Terry, the neighbour, a semi-retired farmer, from along the lane to the west about a mile, called in whilst out for a walk to chat whilst I was picking raspberries. Nice bloke. Invited us to the village (Tregadillet) 'Safari Supper' next week. I think we might go to meet some of the community and show our faces.
As I write this a strange bug is crawling over my knee, black head and rear, brown in the middle, six legs and 2 feelers on the head, a pair of wings well hidden till they unfolded suddenly and it flew away. About 1cm long in the body. I wonder what it was.
Grass growing apace now the rain has returned and it is still warm. Mowing ok these two days, I seem to have got the hang of the 85cm but I've not got the edge right yet.
Courgettes have just about finished. Runner beans very tough where I let them grow too big. Many of the early ones are in the freezer though. Maincrop spuds coming and some decent looking carrots from the last thinnings. Two more rows of onions to dry off. Loads of green tomatoes in the tunnel - next year I must pay more attention to the instructions about supporting and thinning them. Hoping a decent number will ripen - I see a potential glut coming...
Also aubergines look good. Picked one melon and it is in the solar to ripen. 3 or 4 more on the way. There may be a second batch of french beans but they are very caterpillar of slug eaten - as are some of the cabbages. A few squashes buried in the long grass. Another batch of damsons to pick and the raspberries continue to crop.
Not at all bad up here.
