Out and away and all over the place!

We didn't mean to be away so long. No, really, we didn't. We've been so busy with the long summer in spite of the grim wet weather.
Freezing early mornings at the coast ... the birds have long since known it's Autumn - We've said our goodbyes to the Swifts and Swallows! There has a been a bit of Hero worship on the beach...
Garden snails bleached by their seaside holiday....
An abandoned Gull's egg - and later, a lesson learned about putting eggs in pockets!
A tragic jelly fish...
delicately coloured Sea Holly....
and tens of thousands of Knot, Oystercatchers, Ringed Plovers, Cormorants ... all wheeling about as the tides chased them in off the flats of the Wash which sits between Norfolk and the coast of Lincolnshire.
The Beautiful Boy would also like it noted that he made his first Gannet sighting and later, further around the coast, was lucky enough to be on hand as the reserve warden netted and ringed a Pied Flycatcher on it's way to Africa! A rare sighting around here indeed!
Our next trip to the coast gives a better picture of the weather we have been enjoying.....
Yes, we could barely stand in the on-shore gales! In the few minutes we stood to see the wave heights we were both drenched! Thankfully our favourite eaterie had plenty of hot autumnal food to thaw us out... in August! I ask you?!!
 Later we were supposed to be enjoying an evening of Moths - of course no self-respecting Moth was anywhere to be seen but we enjoyed a superb evening courtesy of the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and a good number of Moth fanatics.
We are now hooked and intend to set up a Moth trap for the Spring next year to start to sort our Prominents from our Hawks and get to grips with all the little brown ones too!
And what of the house?
Well, when the boy is home we are staying at Hotel Granny and being spoiled rotten (although the Woodlice Colony was a step too far and they were relegated to the garden!)!
Progress is fast although the list of jobs is growing as we pull away layers of the oldest part of the house.
This beautiful reeded ceiling which had sadly reached the point of collapse....
Is now a much less scary view with solid timbers and high value insulation...
We visit most days and check progress, make a preposterous quantity of decisions and generally try not to get in the way and try even harder to stay calm when anyone mentions budgets! The plumber has been cancelled so there is every chance when we move back for good that it will be to a single tap establishment! On the upside, today we discovered that we have new neighbours....
The field to the back of us which has been a beautiful meadow, is used as a nursery field by the local cattle farmer so the Beautiful Boy is delighted!
Meanwhile I have a power-tools of my own to play with. I'm not knocking out walls but the hedges are getting the better of me so I'm off to wave this thing around until my arms turn to jelly! Whoever named it the 'Homelite' was having a laugh!
Hope you're all enjoying the holidays with or without sunshine! t.xx

Comments

Anonymous said…
Poor broken egg, I love gull's eggs, so pretty!
Pea Green Kitty said…
What lovely wildlife adventures yourself and your beautiful boy get up to.
You must be so proud of his passion for the natural world, I think it shows a very caring and selfless nature.
(I find it odd when people claim that they do not like animals for instance!!!)
x
Just love that boy's passion!! Love Posie
Frances said…
You are very kind to post this outdoors, indoors update.

May I thank you for that picture of sea holly. I have never, never before known of this beautiful sea plant. (Remember, I do live in the middle of NYC.)

The work on the house does seem to be moving along at a reasonable pace, with lots of evidence of your making very reasonable decisions.

Keep on! xo
andamento said…
I love how your son is so keen on nature, I hope mine will be too when he's a little bigger. Much more interesting than football or cars.
Planet Penny said…
Oh, I bet you are a scary woman with that hedgecutter, and have found muscles you never knew you had! I remember having reed ceilings removed. The dirt! The dust! But it will all be worth i in the end. Penny x
Jeannie B. said…
I loved going on holiday with you! Makes my life seem boring to me though. Living life through the fun of others.
Gilly Tee said…
Sounds like your having fun. I'm banned from using a hedgetrimmer since I cut the cable on ours.
Giilx
Sal said…
I love to see children so interested in nature! It's usually all for free and I think it's a lovely interest.
Glad all is going well...take care...especially with that hedge trimmer!!

;-) xxx
A time to dance said…
My Mum, 75, has her very own chain saw because my Dad, 76 wouldnt let her use his!! She says no woman should be without one so perhaps that should be your next toy!
I have my own strimmer because "he" won't let near his! What a superb post re your son's interest in nature and your house is looking very good already.....
A Thrifty Mrs said…
You seem happy. x
Unknown said…
Looks like you have been having a fabulous time. You can't beat a bit of hedge cutting with beefy power tools - you get such a sense of almost instant satisfaction - even if you do have jelly arms for a couple of days - oh don't I know that feeling.


Have fun