A day in the meadow

Saturday 21st July 2012
The first day of the summer holidays

Devil Birds
A barn owl briefly floated over the meadow at first light this morning as a party of eight swifts shot through at amazing speed. One of my favourite birds, these all dark, screaming aerial scythes are also known as Devil Birds. One of the last migrants to reach our shores in late Spring, swifts are always in a hurry. They don't even stop and land for sex, preferring to do it mid-air (an amazing sight that I have only witnessed a couple of times). Amazingly, this morning's party of eight may well have been on their way back South after their brief breeding season foray into Britain's insect laden summer skies.
And this year, who would blame them for heading back to warmer climes early? They really can't have enjoyed their usual insect feast this year. In fact, I heard today that 11 of the 12 cuckoos satellite tagged by the BTO are already on their way back to Africa, most lining up on the northern shores of the Mediterranean, their departure dates on average almost two weeks early than last year.

The Heat Is On
But of course, we Brits know never to give up on the weather. And just in time for the beginning of the summer holidays it looks as if we may finally be getting some appropriate seasonal weather. If you've already hunkered down for winter, and who could blame you for prematurely hibernating, wake up, get outside and feel the heat!
I'm sure every gardening and veggie blog that's been bemoaning the weather just about all year will by now be celebrating the sun, the light and the heat, as will the limited selection of plants that have bravely soldiered on for weeks with little promise of reaching maturity.

Down In The Meadow
As people headed for the beaches or their allotments, I had other plans. Sue's holidays had started and I was going to make the most of it, so into the meadow we headed. It seemed the perfect day to enjoy a sip of our delicious cider ...
after a long, hot day pulling ragwort, that is!!

With the ground still sodden and the ragwort's yellow diskettes of flowers shouting out from the tall grasses, there was no time like the present. We headed in, waste deep, trowels in hand, wheelbarrow at the ready. Armed with reinforcements for the day, I decided to tackle some of the sow thistles too. Their roots give easier than the ragwort, but when I decided to grapple with a monster of a plant there was only ever going to be one winner. Well, that's what I thought until I felt that big muscle at the base of my back give a sudden twinge as something gave way to the strain. Maybe I really did get a year older yesterday!

At this point, I decided to concentrate on the ragwort, suspecting that I had a day at most to get the job done before my back refused to allow me to easily reach the ground.

When we reached the far end of the meadow, we did allow ourselves to stop and take in the beauty. There is something special about spending time in a meadow. Butterflies skipped through the air all around us, mostly ringlets at the moment, and a Marsh Harrier hunted the surrounding fields.

After a while, we headed back towards the house on the final stretch, and by the time the job was finished we were most certainly ready for a glass or two of ice cold cider.



Sue lays exhausted after the first day of her holidays!!

With renewed energy, I set to work trimming some of the lower branches from the ash trees, a treat which the pigs certainly enjoyed.

Ash - a rare treat for the pigs.

Meanwhile, Chick of Elvis has started laying again
and has left her two chicks to fend for themselves.
She doesn't even roost with them any more.

Eventually, as late evening approached, I gave up and stopped work. And that was the cue for the aching and twinging to begin as my poor back took centre stage, complaining most vigorously! I normally look after my back very well and rarely does it let me down. Right now though, I really do have too much to do. This is not a good time for an injury.

Tomorrow the polytunnel begins. I've got a deadline of Wednesday for the cover to go on. That's the first day this year when, hopefully, heat combines with not a breath of wind. The first job... Dig 18 holes. That'll test the back!