SIGN FROM THE WINTER GARDEN - A BURNING BUSH?

The mid-day sun is heating the water laden branches and making a column of steam.

But what is this? It's certainly not my next door neighbour having a bonfire.

This steamy column was amazing to watch as it rose vigorously into today's still air. It brought to mind the holy cloud that guided the Isrealites in the wilderness. Am I being led into the garden? Oh dear, perhaps this is to be my 'burning bush' experience.

But I've 'seen the light' and this Christmas the Lord has quietly blessed me on my 'pilgrim journey'. So, what I see here has a 'down to earth' explanation (I'm relieved to say :-)    .

Yesterday brought plenty of rain. Now the ground and the leaves are soaking wet. Today the skies are more or less clear with the mid-day sun shining down at about 33 degrees above the horizon.

The fence is sheltering the hedge from any light wind. The drenched conifer leaves are warming in the sun to provide an extensive area evaporating water. Volume for volume moist air is lighter than dry air. But it does look spectacular.

It is but a microcosm of the weather. Indeed from the same window I have observed clouds climbing into the sky over nearby woodlands. Why? Because the trees are dark in colour and they shelter the ground making it warm. Add to this lots of moisture from the tree leaves and you get a rising air current of the type sought by glider pilots.
A happy new year in the garden to you all.

ONE CHRISTMAS TIME MEMORY OF EXERCISE

I took my bicycle for a ride to the local mere yesterday. By the time I got there, I may as well of jumped in too, as it had started to rain and I had left my water proofs behind. Circles rippled on the water's surface. The seagulls and the coot were oblivious to it. But ducks and geese were no where to be seen.

I ate a piece of Christmas cake that I'd brought - the birds will not have any I decided. Then I discovered that the man I had passed earlier on the road was nearby also eating his Christmas cake while sheltering under a tree.

Time to go: I rolled downhill to the bridge and over the brook. The noble trees towering around the road gave good shelter. The clinging green Ivy is fruiting.

However, after climbing the next hill the way crossed open fields. My hands began to ache severely in the wet cold air. I had no gloves either. Doggedly on I pushed out into the countryside for 6 or 7 minutes. I had a cold coming on that left me reaching for tissues. The way back led past the local golf links. With not a soul about, all was strangely hushed and very still.

Then the challenge was a long run down to pedal all the way up the steeper hill beyond. I took care on the wet road not to lean the bike into right turns where the camber provides less grip. I had learned to lean forward and steer rather than pull back as if a crash was imminent. Then I power up the other side at a good speed while changing down gears and following a smoothly controlled line near the curb. If only this precision was an olympic sport.

Did that feel better than last time? At the top; wow, that felt better. That exercise will set me up for the whole day. I know from taking blood sugar tests that its effect continues for many hours afterwards. Its just what I need when on holiday and after Christmas festivities.

Home was in sight, and although it felt prudent to make haste, the pain of cold was long forgotten. It had been a bit of a stretch to face down the weather and the distance, and on this simple journey - to do small things well.

Sean's snowman from last February 2006

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO SEAN & RYAN

Well made Sean - Now you can show all your mates this picture of the snowman that you made last year in your Grandma's garden. It melted a bit before I got the picture.

Go down page or click link to see a picture of a Kestrel in my garden. Kestrels have a sharp hooked bill, sharp talons and, they can see small things from a distance. This Kestrel was looking to catch small birds to eat. It also eats mice.

WAITING FOR SUMMER TO END

Well I complained about the short dark days and the wet (I hope it means we avoid summer water shortages). But really it is so warm I hardly need put a coat on when I go out. Gardening would be very comfortable. Conditions are far from the hard frozen ground and biting chill one might expect this time of year.

SOME GARDENING
A week or two ago I planted 2 new Gooseberry bushes, the thornless red berried 'Pax' and the renowned apricot flavoured Hinnonmaki Yellow - to add to my collection.

Gooseberries fit nicely into a small garden. They arrived in good condition as bare rooted plants available to UK gardeners here.

I also received 15 Strawberry plants from Suttons 4 month collection comprising varieties: Mae, Flemenco, and Alice. Actually I got an extra plant. I've been able to plant these too. I think it is good to order early.

If all goes well I intend to construct a new greenhouse this year. Then the strawberries will be planted into the greenhouse beds.

NATURE

I was out early evening along a dark country lane when I was surprised to see light coloured moths fluttering in the car headlights. They were quite numerous along the tree and hedge lined roads. I had expected such creatures to be confined by the cold at this time of year. But not so. Then last night there was one outside on my window. Nature is certainly thriving.

Some predatory birds nearly became extinct when DDT was used as pesticide. But how did it get into these birds?

The garden birds are very numerous and active - the sparrows have made a big come back after almost disappearing. Much is due to my neighbours who keep the bird food topped up in several feeders. The Robin has been very prominent and makes its prescence known every time I go into the garden. But there have also been Kestrels sitting on my garden posts waiting for a kill.

Like it or not we live in an interdepedent existence with the animals and plants that share the planet with us. So I'm thrilled to see life prospering in the garden and the countryside.

Thinking as a biologist for a moment: we describe the ecological niche of different animals, but we never ask of ourselves - what is the human's ecological niche? What is our place in nature? Are we predators, organic recyclers, farmers, or just a horrible disease? Shouldn't we try to fit in somewhere rather than twist and disturb everything? We disturb the interdependency of life at our peril.