Author Archives: smallPaws

About smallPaws

A tumbleweed from Canada who's been living in London for twenty or so years.

shoe mystery solved

Posted on August 11, 2020

We’ve been cursing our neighbourhood lately.  Pandemic aside, our little leafy corner of north London is awash in rubbish.  Missed garbage collections on the circus makes for growing tides of swirling garbage.  Drives super-dude nuts – to the extent that … Continue reading →

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feeling plummy

Posted on August 6, 2020

It’s plum harvesting season on the plots.  We don’t have a tree on our plot, but many others do. Earlier this summer we harvested greengage plums from the bottom plot we’ve been keeping an eye on for the nice couple … Continue reading →

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high hopes for Echium

Posted on August 5, 2020

Earlier this summer.. or was it spring..?  Probably late May, the big dude did a wander through the plots to the end – looking for foxes and butterflies and what-not – and spied an end plot that had absolutely magnificent … Continue reading →

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July’s over…

Posted on August 4, 2020

July ended with a mini-heatwave.  We arrived at the start of this week and simply had to photograph the temperature – partly to prove to ourselves it really was over 36º – and this from the thermometer installed on the … Continue reading →

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blooms out back

Posted on July 27, 2020

The back patch gardens are left to take care of themselves with very little attention given, now that we’re constantly heading to the allotment. But that’s not a problem really, as most of the back patch planting is of perennials … Continue reading →

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second brood of sparrow fledglings

Posted on July 25, 2020

It’s been variable in London – spells of cool weather, then hot and humid, then more cool and rain. Today started with sun but quickly turned overcast then wet. We’d been tricked by the forecast for rain later in the … Continue reading →

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stargazing day & night

Posted on July 24, 2020

The stargazer asiatic lily has finally come into bloom in the back patch.  All through April and May I monitored for the dreaded red lily beetle – which did manage (again!!!) to completely strip a few of the garden lilies … Continue reading →

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beautiful, beguiling butterflies

Posted on July 23, 2020

At the plot we’re waiting for things to grow…   It’s all looking lush and bountiful.  Alas there have been disappointments and failures too.  Due to the cool conditions this summer, things are taking a little time to get going. … Continue reading →

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plot developments elsewhere…

Posted on July 20, 2020

Our work at M’s plot has really paid off – she’s back at it, so as the big guy says, ‘Mission accomplished.’  She came up with us after working with the woods volunteers, and returned on her own to go … Continue reading →

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other July fliers..

Posted on July 19, 2020

It’s not all just about butterflies.  Another interesting event we witnessed up at the plot was evidence of ‘Flying Ant Day.’  There were at least two nests we witnessed erupting into activity as a new queen ant took to the … Continue reading →

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