Last week *GR and I had a walk in the rain with Rosie, Little Bud and Little Bean (well he can’t walk yet of course, but he participated from his pram). We were at Wellholme Park in Brighouse – it’s well known for its spectacular floral bedding displays. Part of the park has only recently opened to the public again, following major works over the last couple of years, delivered through the Brighouse Flood Alleviation Scheme. The Environment Agency and Calderdale Council have worked together to reduce flood risk for homes and businesses in Brighouse, working with nature rather than trying to fight against it (David Attenborough will be impressed). Happily all this work has resulted in a beautiful environment which is already attracting wildlife including rare moths, butterflies, kingfishers and heron – we were lucky enough to be able to stand and watch this one for a while.
Now as you know, little bud is only two and so he sometimes gets a bit frustrated, resulting in the odd tantrum. He wants to walk, but then he wants to be carried – the pushchair won’t do, but he’s far too heavy now to carry any distance. I swear he can run at the speed of a cheetah and doesn’t obey signs that say ‘please keep off the grass‘ or more alarmingly ‘Danger!‘ Sometimes reins are a necessary evil – well that’s how he looks upon them (until he forgets about them).
Now that he can get about so nimbly, he loves climbing frames and slides. They put the fear of God into us. GR and I run round these sizable pieces of equipment, trying to reach the spots from which he may plunge to the ground, before he does. He’s had a couple of spectacular tumbles recently. He’s very nosey (takes after GR). A few weeks ago, in a playground in Elland, he’d climbed to the top of a slide, and hung on to the overhead rail, but at the same time his head was turned, watching a little girl on a swing he also had his eye on. He manoeuvred one leg onto the slide, but seemed to forget he had two, let go of the bar and promptly did a dramatic sideways somersault from the top of the slide. My heart was in my mouth as he hit the ground. Thankfully it was made of that rubbery material used in a lot of playgrounds now. After much screaming (little Bud, not me), checking of body parts etc, it seemed he had escaped with just a small graze to his elbow.
After our walk round Wellholme nature reserve we went to the playground in the park. By then we were all pretty wet. Up Little Bud went onto the climbing frame, spending some delightful time selling imaginary apples to us from his shop window. Then he decided it was time for the slide. His shiny onesie rain suit and the wet slide did not make for a good combination. As soon as he set off he was flat on his back, moving at the speed of light, ending up on the ground with a thud, prostrate and winded. There was much drama for a short while, but mercifully nothing injured, except his pride. By this time Little Bean was tired and screaming too – but we had a lovely time and will gladly do it all again!
And in fact, Rosie, Little Bud, Little Bean and I were in a park again today – this time Temple Newsam (Leeds). We had a short walk, admiring the ducks and moorhens and searching for bears among the rhododendrons. We then had lots of fun in the Play Barn before visiting the Home Farm and talking to baby cows, several varieties of pigs, a billy goat on a picnic table and some sheep. On our walk back to the car park we passed some very pretty donkeys in a field. By this time Little Bud was weary enough to consent to travelling in his pushchair. The donkeys were right up by the fence so we stopped to chat to them too. Unfortunately this was just as their keepers entered the field. One of the donkeys let out the loudest hee-haw I have ever heard. Had Little Bud not been strapped in, I think he wouldn’t have been seen for dust! He was so shocked I am surprised he didn’t need an immediate nappy change! The keepers explained that this was a happy sound because the donkeys knew they were going back to their stables for food. Little Bud was not convinced!
At home I’ve been continuing my tidy up time in the garden. I decided I better check in on how my leaf mould was progressing. I discovered that only 6 months into my experiment, the bottoms of my expensive hessian leaf mould bags had well and truly rotted. I’ve now decanted the contents into a couple of empty compost bags. AI told me this is as good a method as any, as long as I poke some holes in their sides and bottoms (sounds painful!) – only potentially another 18 months until I’m rewarded with beautiful leaf mould.
GR and I visited our local RHS garden, Harlow Carr, last week. We took Lily as it was the final Walkies evening of the year. I suppose understandably, dogs are only allowed into the gardens on a few spring to autumn evenings. The borders there are still magnificent – full of colourful flowers and beautiful seedheads. The RHS is adopting a chop and drop approach this year. They won’t cut everything back until February and then they’ll leave the plant cuttings on the soil to decompose – composting and mulching all in one. This will improve the soil, support wildlife and save time and effort, which sounds just the job to me!
I’ve been keeping a close eye on the long range forecast because there’s so much still flowering that will need some protection over the winter. If the BBC and Met Office can be relied upon, it doesn’t look as though we’ll be anywhere near frost temperatures this month. It just seems a shame to be bubble wrapping pots and preparing plants for overwintering in the greenhouse, when they’re still happily flowering away – hope I don’t get caught out!
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