birdie hunting the easy way

Bingley

[Note: Mrs H would like it to be known that this here birdie box is due to be fixed to the wall out of reach]

Thursday in the garden ~ going potty

Tis the season for potting up! I have had so much snoopervising to do! 

Darcy

First I had to 'botty' warm the potting up tray.

We chose to plant tomatoes - Black Cherry and Purple Russian sent from a friend in Cornwall. Small black with a really delicious kick.

This is one of my old litter trays!

Mrs H used it cos its the perfect size. The seeds are being started off in the conservatory not the greenhouse because it is warmer.

Another job was checking on the compost

(actually I chewed some - a sign of my dedication).

.. then I sat in some of the garden items as part of the sizing process.

Bingley

My brother did very little to assist

(he snoopervised the neighbours instead).

We love Spring.

knock knock

I fell in love with this beautiful door and its floral display when I saw it in Kingsand, Cornwall recently.

Who lives inside I wonder?

paint reveal

 Mrs H didn't get outside much this weekend because she suffered a crazy spell over Annie Sloan chalk paint and spent hours, literally HOURS, painting the cupboards.

She didn't even take out her clothes, just taped up black bin liners!

(slapdash comes to  mind)

Darcy ~ toe warmer

... nor did she use a ladder, but this meant that I could keep her feet warm while she painted!

it wasn't all plain sailing especially with all the slats

(at one point she even appeared to regret starting, I heard her moaning...)

... to top it all she ran out of paint with only a small bit left to cover and so she had to change all her plans the next day so she could go get more paint!

(poor planning comes to mind)

You can see how she tried to make it spread by rubbing an almost dry brush! It is a good job it isn't her main job around here.

Eventually it was done. She used Old Ochre.

Then she went outside to look at the flowers!

night stalker

Here am I. Little Darcy.

Last night I stayed out late! apparently causing considerable angst to my family and even my brother! But I reckon he loved initially monopolising MY most loved inside spots before he decided he did quite miss me. 

Darcy as Spring evenings beckon

I love the scent and birdie preparations for the most lovely period of Nature and am quite distracted and madly excited at this time. When I came out in the afternoon I just had to dash and do a somersault!

I was on the wall chilling as dinner time came... went.... and....dusk began!

Mrs H tried to tease me inside with my most favourite stick.

But I didn't care. The secrets of dusk are everything. 

Then I went forth ..... and was gone... only to return at 11.00pm (an hour after Mrs H is usually asleep but she loves me SO much she was there in the garden to escort me home when I came back (to finish my tea).

one way to spend a lovely weekend

... When we woke up it wasn't raining! We went out to stalk

 ... in the absence of ready birdies a brother makes a useful enough target.

Darcy

I spent some time sat in the tree as the Great Overseer of all birdies garden-wide

Bingley ~ was a mere baby brother watcher below

Darcy - deputy gardener

.. as Mrs H got gardening underway I kept check on progress

(got to help cos she leaves forks and things in the bags)

Then it did rain.

Mrs H took the most special chalk paint in the world (seriously) ...

... and covered the bright blue bookcase in it (with Country Grey).

On Sunday we stayed at home but Mr and Mrs H went to The Vyne, a National Trust property open extra early, they enjoyed soup and some air. Mrs H says it is such good news that the NT are opening up earlier this year; conservation and work on houses and lands can surely be witnessed and appreciated, ... she says

the wetland Hide (along with willow birds?)

and some real ones (just need binoculars)

and then the most amazing old root - a perfect star on a perfect weekend.

hot dog

This is Teasel. She comes to work with her owner.

We all adore her. Taking turns to walk her in the woods at lunch times.

But she does HOG our little leg heaters!

"Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself"

 ~ Shakespeare

.... one of us needs to tell her.

Bingley's stretch manual

the upside down Supermancat pose

the horizontal paw stand

the eye rest pose

the eye open (you still there?) pose

valentine birthday boys ~ hip hip hoorah!

bring on the colour

At the local Sue Ryder Hospice Sale I discovered this sweet little Beswick tomato dish.

A bargin at £2.

... and now for a little tour around the garden because we finally got outside when it dried up.

I couldn't wait to plant up some colour....

... one frosted pot casualty...

... and lots of colour.... hoorah!

Thursday in the garden ~ fatty

Bingley on a fat hunt

... what do you mean its for the birdies NOT me!?

key to a cat

Darcy

... what you looking at?

Thursday in the Garden ~ bushtucker trial

Mrs H plays eye-spy

... do you think she has seen us yet?

rain and no shine

... soggy grass, muddy flower beds ...

so let us both snoopervise behind the shed and then go back inside

sales fest

Darcy

A certain someone has been buying in the sales!

Online purchasing is the worst kind of addiction because this someone doesn't know when to stop.

And its Boden.

But the boxes are great and I get to help rip things open! 

This certain someone has been looking for a gift for us too (naturally)

The one she loves most is a beautiful wooden indoor tower.

It is very expensive and I heard her saying

"but what if they don't use it?"

... and there is some truth in this.

We used to LOVE sitting on top of the cupboard

but now we don't.

We used to stare at the pipes in the airing cupboard

but now we don't.

We used to sit on the back of the chairs

but now we don't.

We used to ....

feline PC picket

Bingley laying claim to the Senior Havens PC

Blogging dear friends is proving difficult on account of our Mrs Haven and the 'so called' demands upon her time! We sometimes feel she fails completely to fully appreciate that we have people to see and things to do. After all, we have entertained visitors over Christmas and New Year for her (scratched no one); assisted with the clearing up in our inimitable way (pressing the newly washed and folded sheets with our bottoms); nursed her through her cold (extra fluffy hugging on Doctors orders) and showed utter patience while snoopervising the house in her absence (we don't know where she goes nor why).

Is it too much to ask that we can use the PC to visit you all again?

a new year unfolding

New Years Eve

May 2011 defy the doom and gloom outlined by the politicians and be a wonderful one for you all.

I think it will be! 

Boxing Day with dear friends

"The merry year is born

Like the bright berry from the naked thorn..."

~ Hartley Coleridge

festive seek and find

Our Christmas Day was truly lovely.

It was a family affair - blended with freedom, love, food, laughter..

All our most cherished people came to stay.

Bright parcels appeared. We (as chief feline hosts) checked them out....

Bingley ignoring the 'fragile' note..

(care not)

Bingley and Mrs Senior Haven 

...gotta BITE this one...

Darcy

... tissue paper, decorations... bring them on..

A hectic, exciting, joyous and ultimately peaceful day...