Posts Tagged ‘bee’

5 February 2010 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman PEACE ON A SEAT, FOXGLOVES

Friday, February 5th, 2010

PEACE ON A SEAT Late morning, little over an hour before the noon. Castle Hill slopes, dark and cool in shaded glory, are ringing with the sounds of birds. On the flats, where walkers stroll and the grass is kept short, shadows are reducing towards the brambly foots. Jack-hammers up in town, planes overhead, background [...]

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28 October 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman HOT WEATHER AT THE END OF OCTOBER

Wednesday, October 28th, 2009

I don’t doubt for a moment that I’m not the only home-producer still picking delicious raspberries. Such has been the weather that my autumn-bearing canes still hang heavy with luscious fruit. I vied for a ripe ’un with a bee who was after flowers on the same bunch. We both got what we wanted. True, [...]

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21 August 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman BLACKBIRD IN THE GUTTER, BLOWSY BORDERS

Friday, August 21st, 2009

21 August 2009

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17 August 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman DUNCLIFFE LANDSCAPE ON MONDAY EARLY EVENING

Monday, August 17th, 2009

17 August 2009 DUNCLIFFE LANDSCAPE ON MONDAY EARLY EVENING A field below the engine stops. Farmer alights from tractor cab and walks to the yard. His hay is turned. I stop thinking and listen. Cockerels. Grasshoppers. Bees. Barking dogs. Vehicles. Birdsong. Rooks. Cows. Children’s voices. Not in that particular order, not continuous. Some more than [...]

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11 August 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman AN EXPLANATION FOR FAILING RUNNER BEANS?

Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

11 August 2009 AN EXPLANATION FOR FAILING RUNNER BEANS? My mother phoned the other day to ask me why her runner beans were not setting. She started them in toilet rolls in spring and planted out her strapping youngsters (“the best ever at that stage”) into enriched soil in a sunny place after all reasonable [...]

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6 August 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman A CLOSE ENCOUNTER IN THE SHED WITH FRED

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

6 August 2009 A CLOSE ENCOUNTER IN THE SHED WITH FRED I opened up the shed this morning to sort out bits for my day ahead. In the side room, formerly an aviary full of finches and other cage birds but gutted by me some years ago and converted into a vegetable store, a peacock [...]

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31 July 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ LOG by Joe Hashman OBSERVING FLOWERS

Friday, July 31st, 2009

31 July 2009 OBSERVING FLOWERS

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13 July 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman TREES IN CARDIFF

Monday, July 13th, 2009

13 July 2009 TREES IN CARDIFF My step-daughter graduated today with a high 2:1 reading English at Cardiff. We were all there to share her moment. The journey from Diana Street to The Hayes took place during a break in the showers in a vehicle with the sun roof open. I faced backwards and, rather [...]

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27June 2009 DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman WASPS IN THE BIRD BOX, WASPS IN ST JAMES

Saturday, June 27th, 2009

27 June 2009 WASPS IN THE BIRD BOX One of the bird boxes in my mum and dad’s garden, in the Vale of White Horse five miles south of Oxford, is home to a nest of wasps. I noticed it this afternoon on a visit while looking round the borders and beds. It’s on the [...]

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25 May 2009: DIRTY NAILS’ BLOG by Joe Hashman RAIN GETTING CLOSER?, SWARM LATEST, RAMBLERS & RHUBARB RUSTLERS

Monday, May 25th, 2009

25 May 2009 RAIN GETTING CLOSER? Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far. I heard talk of nigh on 25 or 26 degrees. The weather watchers amongst us were speaking of thunder storms this afternoon. It’s gone three o’clock and as yet we’ve had none. But it is close, or humid, and [...]

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