Pond Boys go Large

I know, late as ever with the photographs.. sorry, life and work got in the way.

Last week, on Tuesday, the Pond Boys and I walked up Carn Marth again, this time past the quarry, heading for the top where I had been told there was a larger pond.

Here are the boys enjoying themselves, and as you can see much larger than the other pond

Both of them enjoyed themselves immensely and I want to go back there again soon.

Saturday Satire : To Wake a Cat

A school teacher was speaking to her class about what they had done at home over the weekend. Did they have any pets etc. She asked little Freddie who had thrust his hand up eager to answer and to to say what he had done.

Freddie said. "Well Miss my job on Sunday tea-times is to wake the cat up so it can go and have it's dinner".

Miss replied. " Thats good, you helping out, how did you wake the cat?"

Freddie replied. "Easy Miss. I just pissed in each of it's ears.

Miss, a little taken aback said. "Freddie thats not nice is it I think you had better come and speak to me".

So Freddie trots off to speak to the teacher who says to him. "What you said in class was not nice was it just how did you do it

Freddie replies. That's ok Miss. I just leaned over the cat and went Psssst in each of its ears.

At last it's Friday

A long week, well actually all of two days work, but not done yet as I am working tomorrow in Truro with a student who wants the peace and quiet that is to be found there.. that and do some shopping afterwards.

The weather has been a bit up and down here, with fog and mist in the evenings but that has quickly gone as the sun came up and today it is hotter than inside the oven. Not complaining though it is nice even if it feels too hot for anything.

I spent four and a half hours, with a fellow tutor, teaching a group of students enough to pass their literacy portfolio; it was a warm and stuffy room and were it not for the location being where it was I would have suggested going out into the fresh air. Bless them, despite their apparent distaste for some of the activities they battled it out to get through so we finished 15 mins early. 

A nice cool drink, something to eat and I now feel more human.

Plantings

On the left are the fuschia cuttings I took, out of the six I got four growing and all now have been planted in the garden.

On the right are the wigelia cuttings, they have been slower but are still getting there.

 The big bush on the left is my potato planter, actually a plastic bag with 5 spuds in it.. they are just about to flower so hoping for some homegrown tatties soon. Just need to find out when to harvest them.

The last planter, also another plastic bag, contains runner beans. This year decided to try this method as the dogs sometimes run riot in the garden, but have a cunning plan for next year involving raised beds which will also improve the soil as underneath the grass it is very poor and contains lots of stones.

Pond Boys II

I hope to load up the pictures later so please excuse my tardiness. We had an extra day off, something for being good little people and it is a nice idea, better than an extra day at Christmastime when the weather is definitely not for doing outdoor jobs.
The boys and I set out for Carn Marth again yesterday, the rains had eased and it was just a little damp with the hint of a blue sky and hopefully sunshine we headed off up the hill.

We took the same route up as last time, staying off the main roads in favour of the footpaths and bridleways and the growth of the flowers (Weeds and nettles) since the last visit is truly spectacular. This time instead of turning off the bridleway towards the quarry we carried on up to the top and to officially mark the top of Carn Marth is a Waystone. We carried on around the trackway to the right of this stone and Murphy could smell the water, pulling harder in an effort to get there faster.

Eventually we arrived at a point where we could see the water, only it was about 15 ft below us, not that Murphy would have minded but he and Jasper stayed on the lead until we reached the beach location at one side of the quarry and then I let them off. It was like watching two teenagers in action, anything and everything had to be explored and then they would shake themselves causing mini-storms and rainbows in their paths. Jasper is quite keen on water it seems, he is happy to put his head under water to explore what is underneath and came out with a large branch wagging his tail in joy.

However when this was thrown back in the water, it immediately sank again this time without a trace. Shame on me as I didn't bring a tennis ball which they could have fetched but it does give us a walk to a swimming place as now many of the beaches are off limits to the boys until late o clock.

From the side of the pool there is a viewing platform, with views out to Bodmin more, the Falmouth estuary, Stithians reservoir etc even the tip at United Downs is listed as a viewpoint for some strange reason?

We eventually headed back down the hill, stopping at the little quarry for a runaround to help them dry off in the now warmer sunshine before heading further down and home via a bridleway/right of way which may or may not offer a short cut.

The boys were tired out yesterday evening, stirring only for their evening meal and then curling up together to sleep again. I would get photos of this companionship but I never have the camera to hand and as soon as one of us moves they wake up.

Back to work today.

Late Spring Bank Holiday

So much for the weather forecast of rain overnight clearing by 9am, it has only just brightened up here but we still have threatening skies.

The pond boys and I went for our walk earlish this morning, later than an early and earlier than a late walk. We met up with Ruby who is a brindle dog, some sort of terrier but I wouldn't like to say quite what; she is the size of a boxer and on first meeting can 'talk' very loudly. The pond boys are used to her now and knows her talking means nothing. We strolled along together through Victoria Park and into Trefusis where all three dogs were let off the lead and had a fun time playing with each other although when the tennis ball made an appearance I had Jaspers full attention.

Tomorrow, subject to the weather, we will take a walk up Carn Marth to the big pond that is up there, my back which has been aching since carrying a heavy box on Friday is finally recovering helped by me not a) overdoing it and b) a two day course of painskillers and inflammatories; such are the joys of old age.

As I type, the pond boys are sleeping off their early morning exercise. Although if I move an inch, they are wide awake instantly expectant of either more walks or treats, they don't mind which and in any order.

I am taking it easy today, just concentrating on the hoovering, and some much needed craft time. How are you all spending your Bank Holiday?

Green Fingers

I know I have mentioned that my Dad was the gardener in my life, while my style of gardening is very much either grow or die.. take your pick :-)

Well, finances are hard (aren't they all for all of us these days) and buying shrubs and plants for the garden horrendously expensive so I have been collecting cuttings from shrubs and plants including two fuchsias (one red one white) as well as wigelia and a few others.. Not from people's gardens needless to say, but where they have grown wild or in public byways.

They have been thinking about doing something for a while now in the corner of the kitchen, but I am pleased to report that they have made up their mind and have decided to sprout new leaves. To be fair to them, the conditions are probably not ideal as it is a sunny kitchen so very warm but possibly too warm on occasion. Will try to remember to get pictures later on.

I had some rooting powder, which came down from the back of beyond, and it was kept for just such a purpose as this.

I am on the lookout for some box hedging, I miss my box hedge I will admit. One of my neighbours has got some in containers and I have asked for cuttings when she prunes them later this year.

My list includes a varieagated californian lilac as well as a dwarf lilac but I may have to bite the bullet and buy those ones.

Saturday Satire : West Ham and Football

........last night I was awoken by 4 West Ham players outside my house playing football with a hedgehog. I was absolutely disgusted and was just about to call the RSPCA

........then the hedgehog went one-nil up!

Today is

Sunshine and blue skies, a big difference from the grey skies and blustery conditions that we were inflicted with yesterday.

It is as though the weather gremlins are getting ready for the forthcoming bank holiday, "now what can we send to spoil it for a large number of people? I know, let the rains commence"

I am optimistic that here in the South West we will benefit from the weather passing through more quickly as I want to take the boys back to Carn Marth, which apparently if I had carried on up the hill would have led to a larger lake/pond for them pond boys to play in...

4.5 hours of teaching this morning was good, carrying a heavy box of materials up a flight and half of stairs has left my back feeling a little shell shocked but a nice bath and relaxation on the sofa is called for this evening.

Pond Boys

This morning, and with no work on today, the boys and I headed up the hill to Carn Marth and the smallest pond I had seen but probably the smelliest.

Jasper found it first, but it was Murphy who wallowed in it like a hippo in a watering hole -he loves the water.

Carn Marth is a quarry, with views back over to the North coast, it definitely worth a walk and the boys had fun once I had ensured that it was safe for them to play.

The pond boys (as they have become renamed) were running around the bottom of the quarry as though they were infused with a huge boost of energy and made me laugh at their antics. While we have been letting Jasper off the lead, it has been in controlled situations and usually involves chasing a tennis ball. This time although I had the balls with me, I didn't use them as they were both exhausted and willingly came back to me for a treat (or two).

The picture above shows Murphy in his red harness, and Jasper in the blue.. and very smart they look.

This picture on the right shows the quarry from above, and the view you first have of it, in the bottom of the picture you can see the steps going down and from the muddy earth at the bottom of the quarry in wetter times it would be a lovely pool but all we had was a small smelly pond.

This was a picture of the drilling holes in close up from the picture above it was bang in the centre of the wall opposite.. makes you wonder who was employed there, and what their lives must have been like.

We had a lovely walk back home, taking a more direct route but somehow the walk up through the footpaths was more scenic than the roadway walk back. On our return the boys were treated to a cold shower courtesy of the hose but we still have an aromatic pair of pond boys!

Compliments and Complaints

I have received both of the above in the past couple of weeks, through work. I was please with the compliment, as it was also copied in to my manager and was very good for my ego as after a few complaints I was feeling a little downhearted and it made me realise that each and every day is different, with new challenges and problems to resolve.

I also considered how and what feedback I give to my students, everyone likes a positive comment, and the odd occasion when I have had to remind them to get the work done I have tackled it in a way that encourages their participation.

I witnessed an incident today in a well known supermarket, where the person in question was so involved in her shopping that she completely ignored the checkout person who was very polite and pleasant and didn't deserve to be treated that way. I caught her eye and smiled in sympathy, and when it was my turn I made certain to respond to her questions, and when I had finished and she wished me a good afternoon I was able to wish her the same. It didn't take much on my part, we both left feeling happy and I hope she did too.

So today has been a happy day, perhaps we should start a positive movement whereby we are all nice to everyone else for a change... you never know it might catch on.

Fat Boy Slim & Slim Boy Fat

These are the pet names for the two boys, Murphy is Slim Boy Fat giving Jasper the Fat Boy Slim title but it is a close run thing for since Jaspers arrival in April, Murphy is trimming down and Jasper is gaining a little bit of weight; no longer are his hip bones sticking through.

They both have a healthy shining coat, and many people comment on it when they meet the for the first time. Murphy is a lunatic, just wants to play with other dogs, or anything come to think of it while Jasper is serious about a tennis ball (well until we throw two then he usually just stands there waiting for a ball to appear in front of him).

Jasper is therefore allowed off the lead, he doesn't show much interest in running off but that may be due to the influence of Murphy on him as he follows with interest what Murphy finds but as he answers to his name and comes back we are trusting him more and more.

Both boys now have smart new harnesses, Jasper is in Blue while Murphy is in Red with matching leads; both have tags on their harnesses as we are trying to get rid of the collar marks from Jasper's neck and not wearing a collar means the hair is slowly recovering. I promise to get some new pictures, preferably when the boys are out running, but either me or the camera is not around to capture those lovely moments.

Murphy will have been with us a year come 12th June, and the following week on 19th will be his 2nd birthday while Jasper came to us on 19th March and he will be celebrating his 2nd birthday on 28 August this year... what to get them for their birthday?