After a long holiday in the heat of the South East, we returned to Helmshore with its familiar “pie crust” of cloud over the valley.
The garden has flourished in my absence, with the purple emperor buddleja as the star of the show.
It’s been alive with butterflies this week. I have seen many large whites, red admirals and bees all feeding on the array of flowers.
The birds have also been visiting. It took several days after our absence and the lack of regular food, but they have returned in earnest!
Much excitement was had on Monday, when we had our first ever visit from a greenfinch. These beautiful birds have been in decline in the uk which has been linked to an outbreak of trichomonosis, a parasite-induced disease that prevents the birds from feeding properly.
We’ve also had plenty of fledglings; a particularly scruffy sparrow and some starlings.
The starlings were fighting, until a sharp word from Mum stopped the battle!
On Tuesday, I varied my usual walking route to investigate some crows mobbing another bird. I was delighted to see a beautiful juvenile peregrine standing up for itself and fighting back.
As summer rolls on, the foraging opportunities are increasing. The wild raspberries are already fruiting; I’ve indulged in many on my walks around the village! My apple tree is also looking good as it bears its first ever fruits, after 6 barren years. Only 9, but here’s hoping it’s the first of many 🙏🏻.
My forgotten potatoes are also approaching harvest. I planted them last year, but neglected to dig them out. This year I topped up the buckets with some natural fertiliser (horse shit!) and have diligently watered them. I’ll try not to forget them this autumn!
Finally, we have a reasonable amount of rhubarb to harvest. Pre-Pepper joining the family, we always had plenty. However, the crunchy long stems and huge flapping leaves were always too much to resist playing with and the fruit seldom survived her administrations. This year she has left us with a few to eat! Rhubarb crumble will be on the menu come Sunday 😊
A Dull Woman's Van Life 
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