My garden

Thursday Thoughts – Winter Birds

/ Leya / 38 kommentarer

Some of my winter guests every year, photographed through my window. Of course Robin is my absolute favourite – and I have two of them. They eat on different sides of the house, this one outside my room and the other one outside my kitchen window. Fighters they are, so better stay apart…

Every year in January there is a national bird count, and everyone who has a feeder or a garden can participate and count their birds during three days and then report the results. For the last ten years the birds have been declining and some species are not here anymore. This is a fact all over the world. But, it is interesting to participate and follow your own reports as well as from the whole country over the years. Some years there is an invasion of a certain species, and this year we had a massive invasion of the Common Redpoll all over the Sweden.

Thursday Thoughts – Flowers at Summer’s End

/ Leya / 37 kommentarer

We have got three summer months: June, July and August. At least we should have three.

2023 has been a strange year and a strange summer. In my garden nothing has grown as it should, the birds have not succeeded very well in breeding and the butterflies have been few. Insects OK, but flies there used to be many more. I don’t think I have had ten of them in my windows. Less food for the birds…and that is just what scientists have found. A declining number of insects – and other animals. Because we are all depending on each other.

On the last day of summer – in Sweden and the Nordic countries, I am sending you pieces of what is left in my garden this year. After a cold Spring and a hot June and then… wind and rain. The farmers have not been lucky or happy either.

The weather continues to be unpredictable with rain, sunshine, hail, thunder and lightning – and everything at the same time. The weather forecast must be a nightmare to send. Almost every day they say ”it’s impossible, we just have to wait and see.”

So, I am happy we had Some flowers and Some sunny days. Not many days I have gone swimming though…but Milo has, every day. And if I cannot find him when we come back home, he might be in the glass house, waiting for me to join him. And if you find him in the glass house, you will understand it is not very warm outdoors…

I know many of you have had fires, floodings and storms in your countries. We have been lucky enough to have only severe floodings this year. Let’s hope for a sunny and soft Autumn/ Spring for us all.