The wanderers return....and friends visit

Back from a half-term break in Finland, and summer is definitely here. The garden is buzzing with damselflies (mostly Common Blue, we think!), and the odd dragonfly.

Mating Common Blue Damselflies

Soldier Beetle

The Great Spotted Woodpeckers have young, there are junior Greenfinches about, we heard a Cuckoo (species number 81), and there is an unspeakably cute baby bunny rabbit hanging about the bird feeding area.

Cute bunny time - and Simon stalking it!

Best of all, we ran a moth trap, and caught an excellent 133 moths of 44 speces - highlights included four species of hawk-moth (Poplar, Eyed, Lime and Privet), Buff-tip, Figure of Eighty, White Point, Pale Tussock, Small Seraphim, Sharp-angled Peacock and stacks more.

We got lots of clearing up done (the last run to the tip for a while!), and also installed a new sunshade, petrol mower and picnic bench - DIY-tastic.

New garden furniture

We also had to perform some impromptu tree surgery on one of the ornamental cherries, which had half collapsed. Was it trying to tell us something?

Dealing with the fallen tree....grrr

Sunday was further enlivened by a very welcome visit from Jon and Carol, who arrived for coffee and were pleasingly enthusiastic about everything - including the lawn mower, which got yet another test drive (or two!). We had an excellent (if hot) walk around the lakes, and then enjoyed a slap-up lunch back home.

Jon and Carol and Tony

With the house now basically tidied after the building works, and with Rupert and Adie GONE (well, nearly - slight glitch with the central heating to be sorted out....), we are really starting to enjoy the place a bit more! It feels like ours again. Rubble cleared, tiles gone, floors swept, electrician booked for this week - almost ready to decorate.

Julia enjoying the summer heat and the fantastic flag irises