Jack is back!

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Had the urge to do a little hoeing on Saturday evening after a rotten day so I went down to the lower level with my trusty Swoe and a very useful tool rather like a grass rake but only about 1’ 6" long that is handy for clearing up dead leaves etc.,

I started foraging about and keeping a lookout for Jack because I was in his territory. Nary a glimpse! His little stones were bare where he had been seen previously and I think they looked as if someone had dislodged them. “Not I”, said the Owl, “With my little trowel”

A few more earthbreaking slashes with the Swoe and a clawing towards me of a pile of dead, decaying leaves with the grabber and suddenly – whoops up jumps Jack or his double and looks at me as if to say, "Hmm! Should have gone to S—-s——s. "

I was so ecstatic to see the little fellow I nearly fell off my kneeling pad. As I was talking to him and asking where he had been, how was he etc., he jumped up again and beetled off towards the ivy and clematis next to the shed where he stayed under some root cooling stones for a while. Then while Roy and I were discussing his comeback and considering a barby in his honour he upped and hopped it again. Searched high and low but he had disappeared. Still, I slept more easily that night – got my 4 1/2 hours in.

Thanks for all the advice about frogs’ skin not being affected by ‘acidic’ things, like rain or water. What a relief to know I am not a murderess.

I am thinking of a way I can persuade Roy to sink a sink (ha ha) somewhere in the garden for the use and delight of Jack and friends. Old stone sinks available, anyone? Probably end up with an earthenware mixing bowl that has seen better days or a gozunder. Eat your heart out spell check.

Ventured to the big local Garden Centre up near J44 on M6 where we bought some nice black hooks to fix flower pots onto a trellis alongside the private patio. Also got a few plants, some replacement willow trellis as some of the panels have broken under the weight of the montana and honeysuckle this year and a surprise present for Jack. Planted some trailing geraniums in them then non stop begonias in other pots together with trailing lobelia, It really did me good to get my hands dirty (wearing barrier cream) until I was putting some plants in ’Mum’s garden’ and discovered Howard had dropped in, literally. Smashed up more moth balls wrapped in a piece of material, with a wooden mallet then carried them out and shook them over the nicely turned over flower beds. They will certainly work until we have a heavy shower. I’ve have got some Pepper Dust too. They don’t like it up their noses.

Nodding off now, night night
Simplylyn

Lower level with Photinia

Now empty blackbirds’ nest

Jack himself

• 22 Jun, 2009
• 7 likes

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