A Little Friend

that is a very welcome garden friend. I'd love to have them in my garden but sadly not to be.

yes turn your back for a week and the brambles are all over the place.

Now Younger son's had some practice wold he like to come and do my brambles? They do seem to have a genius for getting established in really awkward places don't they? I love your slowworm - quite a big one! They look as though they've been polished! Next door's cat is adept at catching these - carries them home dangling from its mouth like a puffin with a a fish... Haven't seen any this year.

How lovely both your children came to help . Yes nature beats us every time if not tamed . Thanks for showing the slow worm first I ve ever seen.

The slow worm is very interesting to see.
You are very lucky to have your children coming to help you in your garden. Our children live a long way from us so they are unable to help so we have a very helpful gardener called Andy who will do anything to help us.
Look after your back, I hope your new chair support will help.

Seaburngirl: Do so agree. Really should get the cultivated sort planted but the lanes around are good foraging grounds for blackberries

Steragram:Yes, this one had a very polished appearance. Sage our cat has never seen one, She has never brought one in but she was interested in the adder the other week.

Thrupennybit: Our Older Son comes to Dorset to fish. He cleared one area thoroughly in January and my OH filled it up with lots of camellias! Over the years Older Son has become very interested in his own garden.

Marjories: Our gardener is slow but very thorough. He does landscaping so I am somewhat reluctant at times to ask him to weed which is what is needed. Think we will have to increase his hours.
Yes, I hope the cushionwill help. The physiotherapist had one and I tried it. Excellent reviews from office workers! One doesn't appreciate good health and sound limbs until something happens!

That was good of your older son to come Eirlys to clear it all for your hubby to plant Camellias one of my favourite plants too. Yes funny how when our kids age they seem to get into things they would nt of when younger it's seems you both have give him the bug for gardening lol. Hope he was rewarded with catching big fish. A lot of men fish top of my lane in the canal my lane leads straight on to the canal a dead end.

Sounds like you have very supportive family Eirlys! Thanks for the photo!

Oh dear Eirlys - I hope your cat doesn't find any adders!
I've never seen a live one but I know there are some on the coast path.(a long way from Dorset...)Is your cat a hunter?

Thrupennybit: I misled you. The area he cleared is under a gazebo. It was supposed to be where we could sit and have a cuppa. OH took it over with pots of camellias and rhododendrons. Older Son cleared and swept it! Looked great, then OH filled it again with pots of plants. They will be moved to permanent ground soon!

Older Son goes trout fishing and puts them all back!!

Karen: Yes, they are great offspring and we are fortunate to have lovely, helpful neighbours also.

Steragram: Last year we had a LARGE adder on the terrace. Thought it was a grass snake it was so big. I tried to get a good head shot but it kept moving to watch me as I focused my camera. We were both wary!!

Nice to see the slow worm. I've never seen one.
It gets difficult as we get older, to get things done. Your children are very good to you :)

Ooo-er Eirlys - I would like to see an adder but not perhaps a big one on the patio....Did you get a good shot?

Steragram: I thought I had put up an image last year but I can't find it!! The snake did the perfect "rearing up bit" and I wanted a good side view . It didn't want to co-operate!

Hywel,: When we first came here we found so many Other Half used to have to watch out for them when he strimmed path edges. That was after he accidentally killed one!

I have developed a lower back pain as a result of sitting in a desk chair that should have been replaced some time ago. I now have a Togu Dyanair cushion and already feel the benefit. I intend to get a new chair also. What price health, eh?

I'm glad the cushion is helping you. Back pain is more painful than people realise.

I have also to be careful how I sit down. I have a special cushion for driving the car. Don't know if it has a name but it's in the shape of a cylinder and it goes behind my lower back. I couldn't be without it. I'm thinking of getting one for the house.