Posted on by activejon

Flew out the window!

Well my blogging schedule went out the window well and truly, didn’t it? I spend too much time in front of this damn machine and sadly the other things I do are more essential than this blog. But I will try and do better in future; promise. I’ve been on my own most of the summer but with notable visits from friends and guests and a short vacation in July to drive my Peruvian mates  around the UK on a short tour. So below are some pictorial highlights. It is now the beginning of October! See you again on November 1st!

I took a trip through Serbia and finally got to see this remarkble spomenik. Yes It not technically part of Barabrith but I am trying to work out some Spomenik tours and showing folk others besidea the ones close to home. These are close to the city of Niś in Serbia.
This Spomenik sits atop a hill overlooking Veles not far from Skopje. The building represents a poppy flower bud breaking open, needless to say it’s seen better times but is still impressive. Check the Spomenik Database website for details. Known as the “Macedonian Guernica”.
Nancy is the queen of boxes – in this case the grass box that came with my Lidl electric lawnmower. Sleep on you crazy cute cat.
I couldn’t mention the Peruvians in my intro without following it up with a picture because this lot are CRAZY for taking photos. Always staged or posing. Here they are trying to straighten up one of the Avebury stones that is leaning a bit.
Scarlet has visited a couple of times before. This time she was bit dismayed that I had failed to maintain the pathways.
Yours truly on the top of the Petrova Gora monument captured twice by Scarlet using the panorama photo trick!
Sid know’s he’s not meant to be in the wooden house bedrooms (in case of visitor’s having cat allergies) and yet here he is proving he can jump up through the open window if he has the mind to.
This bush by the gazebo had so many gorgeous big purple flowers this year that it was a mecca for bees and other little flying creatures . But check out the big black beast wallowing in the pollen fest! That’s one creature you do not want to annoy!
Phil returned and once again insisted on doing something helpful. Seeing as how I bought the wood to replace the metal stairs side panels about six months before it seemed a no brainer to ask if he’d like to tackle this task. And he did, thanx Phil!
Spot the cat makes a welcome return to this blog.
I wish I could get both Sid and Nancy to drink from the spring water tap in the garden all the time but only Sid will and only on occasion!
The new woodwork on the metal stairs gave me the chance to add a little table for cups of tea and even a bowl of museli. Not a bad view whilst munching on the healthiest breakfast in the Balkans!
My favourite German photographer – Jennifer – visited again but brought her son and mate with her this time. We did Petrova Gora and the Partisan hospital – of course – and this casual pic I rather like.
For those of you who have visited Petrova Gora this will be readily recognisable, everyone else may be think WTF is that? Spot the tour guide looking through a skylight hole.
The hornets and wasps make short work of much of my fruit. They often leave the skin behind, hanging like an empty promise waiting to be squished with surprise when someone tries to pick it.
What do you reckon? Have they just copulated? Are they arguing about which direction is best for their next meal? Have they just fallen out discussing trans rights and gender critical feminism? Or perhaps they are fighting invisible foes and are standing back to back gladiator style? Any other daft suggestions, please keep them to yourselves.
The hornets chose to nest in the apex above my bedroom door this summer. Not a problem during the day when they tend to keep to themselves but at night when the light comes on they swarm like morons to a Maga rally. Still I only got stung once this year by one that walked over my open toed shoe and stung me on my middle toe ; twas very painful for a few moments!
The preying mantises are practically invisible on the lawn or amongst the long grass but as soon as they go climbing up my walls they stand out for the funny looking critters they are!
The mosquito nets get an airing.
Despite the furry fiends being fitted with bells they are still racking up an impressive kill rate. Here is an Edible Dormouse they left for me to find one morning, thankfully uneaten. Check out the length of his whiskers, I think Sid may have killed him in a fit of jealousy over them!
The furry freaks make the most of any rare times I sit down in their company and invade my lap with a determined attitude of “now just you sit there whilst we have a nap and don’t even think about getting up for at least half an hour!”
I dug up and replanted 16 little beech trees that were growing on paths in local woods. Hopefiully they will end up forming a line that follows the path down my hill. It’lll be interesting to see how many survive through to next spring.
The hornets that were buzzing around my bedroom door for the last few months are now dropping like flies (?!). This one dropped onto my shirt and sat there looking at me as I walked around. When I finally relocated him onto the bench he just sat there staring at me. Autumn makes them dopey then they die!
I’ve been tempted by this very ornamental plant for some time and couldn’t resisit splurging out 10e on this fine specimen of Pampas Grass (aka Uruguayan Pampas) at the flea market last week. I do hope it survives the winter and multiplies but we shall see. Nancy checked it out as soon as it was planted and gave it a pass.

And there you go up to date again! The pampas was planted 3 days ago. Thanks for reading.