GARDENER'S WORD

It's a busy time in my garden.  Oh, not for me, I'm a winter gardener and I sort of hibernate along with many plants and animals during cold weather.  But the local wild birds are active and the squirrels, coming into my garden daily, regularly, emptying the feeders.  I feed them as fast as the containers empty.  I love this first photo here, of a little fat grey squirrel.  I cannot decide if it's pregnant or just getting obese on sunflower seeds.  I don't know why people don't like them; I think they're cute but then I like rodents and most animal life on our blue planet. Pregnant or just fat cute grey squirrel!  January 2019 Over the last few days we have had icy conditions and a light amount of snow here on the Pennines of West Yorkshire.  Interestingly, the south of England and farther north seem to be getting the brunt of it, which is a nice change for us.  That's not to say that we won't be in for it some time soon....

This is my first post of 2019 so Happy New Year to all who are reading around now.  I've had little to report recently.  One thing that I would like to tell you is that a cheeky squirrel has bitten off the twine ties supporting my dwarf apple tree and taken it away, no doubt to line its nest.  I know it to be true as I saw it do it!   Cheeky little beggar.  Somewhere, up in the branches of a tree or in a cavity in a tree, there is bright turquoise twine!   But I don't resent it.  I welcome wildlife into my garden and if I can help them survive, well that's good.  Anyway, the tree doesn't need support except when heavily laden with blossom or fruit and by the time it does, the squirrels won't need my twine.  Grey squirrel in winter I feed the birds and squirrels all year around, and I make my own fat balls.  I came across a couple of Gardeners World (no, not my Gardener's Word blog) which I thought you might like as they ar...