2022 Project 365 // Days 176 - 182

 

25th June 2022
Day 25 of 30 Days Wild.
Our mini pond is done! Well, it's started.
I've been meaning to get this in for a while so although it's not exactly how I want it yet,
it is at least in using what we already had.
I'll add to it a little over the coming weeks and work out what is best but the main aspects
are there - water and exit points for anyone who needs them.
I chose to put it at the opposite end of the garden to the wildflower lawn as this spot is sheltered
and shaded by our little cherry tree and has a small patch of other wildflowers under it.
The water looks murky because there are pebbles in the bottom and
I couldn't want for it all to settle before getting a photo obviously ha!

Another wild book was also finished today!
The Wild Before by Piers Torday.
Again a book for those of us who are environmentalists as well as for those who are not yet... 🌍

26th June 2022
I'm really enjoying now doing Sundays rather than Saturdays with the cats, so far.
Solero, Minim, Kiki, Cossie and Miles & Ronnie were all completely fantastic and made it extra hard for me to leave today.

Day 26 of 30 Days Wild.
For 30 Days Wild I'm showing my wild garden and combining it with my annual photo for our house-iversary!
As of today, we've lived here 3 years and I've taken a photo each year to show the progress of our garden.
I decided to take a photo from Baker's bedroom window too, to show the garden a little better.
 Obviously, we're country folks stuck living suburban-ly, so we do what we can with the spaces we have.

27th June 2022
Day 27 of 30 Days Wild.
Another early morning, solo exploration at Marsden Bay.
I also managed to squeeze in a nature mandala for this year as last year I made a one from found feathers and the year before from petals and plants from my garden.
It's a little sad climbing across the rockpools in 2022, because as I child who grew up on the coast it was a common activity in the 90s
for me and its highly noticeable the reduction in tidal pool creatures or life.
I did spot a few winkles, the odd anemones and the remnants of one birds lunch -
a single crab, as well as this sea slater but other than that all was rather still.
The Kittiwakes have dropped some egg shells and from the few little noises I could hear between the adults, I think babies are here.
I couldn't see any but some parents were swooping in with food for the other...
I love a Wagtail too, so it was a nice goodbye to see this Pied guy gathering food near my car as I left.

28th June 2022
Day 28 of 30 Days Wild.
My extended family 🖤
I love all the beautiful array of British birds that choose to frequent my garden and I'll never not be excited to see any living creature, especially at home.
Of course we also get smaller birds not pictured today, but I want to appreciate the unappreciated.
I'm feeling a bit sad that 30 Days Wild is coming to and end... but then I remember that pretty much every day in this house is a wild day.
My gardens evolve each passing month and I'm proud to welcome those that others may deem a nuisance.

29th June 2022
Day 29 of 30 Days Wild.
The last Wednesday (Mr H's only day off) of 30 Days Wild and we decided to visit St Paul's Monastery.
 We also took a walk along part of the River Don, past Jarrow Bridge and got soaked by the wet grass.
 We got to see a lovely little Squirrel, hug some awesome old trees and added an Oystercatcher and Curlew
 to my 'spotted' list for this month, bringing my total species seen in June to 41!

30th June 2022
Day 30 of 30 Days Wild.
😢 Its all over. 30 Days Wild is done.
However, as I said the other day, pretty much every day is a wild day in the Hallow Household.
Today started with a fantastic rain shower helping to top up our waterbutt, and this lovely snail was exploring the garden.
I thought it'd be cool to end the month as we started with a big wild breakfast, so as my parents were down they joined Baker, a Robin and I for toast in the garden.

We then drove over to the cemetery to leave one of my painted stones for Grandma.
A ladybird welcomed us as we tidyed the place up.
As we had a walk through the trees to visit my great grandparents grave, a Jackdaw landed to pose with my Grandmas grave perfectly in the background.
Although I didn't get a photo, I also saw a Treecreeper (taking my bird species spotted in June to 42!).

 Ending the day was a moth on our backdoor while I took Baker out for the toilet.
Moths and Butterflies are a big phobia of mine so it takes courage to photograph them haha.

That concludes my 6th year taking part in 30 Days Wild! 🐌🐦🐞🦋

1st July 2022
A Forest Bug (Red-legged Shieldbug) has set up camp on our gigantic Hollyhocks which are nearing bloom time!

2022 Project 365 // Days 169 - 175

 

18th June 2022
Day 18 of 30 Days Wild.

Pebble painting. I wish I'd kept painting and drawing after high school.
It's frustrating to not be able to translate what's in my head through my hands.

19th June 2022
Another week has come and gone already and again it's Sunday, my Cats Protection day.
The little babes I visited with today were some of the most loving I've ever met.
Every single one was huggy, kissy little sweethearts and I hope their future furrever families appreciate and love them immensely.
In order they are Doja, Angelina (who curled up completely and lay in my arms like a baby), Nessy, Sapphire, Rosie and my only boy of the day, Ted 🖤

Day 19 of 30 Days Wild is a wasp.
I think most people just flap them away and run from them but this one (assuming it's the same one)
 comes pretty much every day and very loudly 'chews' the bamboo screening on our fence.
I can hear them from across the garden and love to watch them! It's so interesting!

20th June 2022
Day 20 of 30 Days Wild.
I did attempt some cloud watching today, but the sky was unusually clear and blue.
Yesterday I saw a cloud that looked like a whale with a calf but I was driving and had no camera.
 However, I did have a sky photo ready for today...until Mr H shouted me when he had Baker out for the toilet.

Reepicheep was back on the bird table again!!
They seemed very hot so I brought out a smaller bowl of water for them and was shocked at how close I was able to approach.
It makes me a little sad (as well as insanely happy) because as much as I adore wildlife and love them to
come near me, I do hope they retain a fear of humans and stay away as not all of our species are nice.
It was lovely to see you again though Reep 🐭🖤

21st June 2022
Day 21 of 30 Days Wild.
Happy Summer Solstice 🌞
They've not been featured in my daily photos for a while, so here are
Eos, Aurora and Baker enjoying both the sun and shade.

We were also able to release Ludo tonight.
In comparison to Hoggle, he's a very timid, shy guy despite being so big!
We left him in the front garden, near the hoghouse with food and water in the proximity and
upon checking this morning he's completely gone - so fingers are crossed for a long, healthy life.

With Summer being fully here now and climate change bringing record temperatures, I implore you to look after pets and wildlife even more.
Make sure both have plenty of options of for access to fresh, clean water.
Keep pets indoors, don't walk your dogs, provide shade for all, make sure to pay close attention
to small animals and if hutches etc are outdoors please get them into the shade.
For all pets, there are numerous options for keeping cool, but a good free option includes filling bottles
 with water and freezing them, then wrapping them in a towel and leaving them in a place where your animal frequents.
 Search the internet for anything else you can do, please.
It is literally life and death.

22nd June 2022
Day 22 of 30 Days Wild.
It's World Rainforest Day today, and as I don't live in a country home to the beautiful rainforests of our planet we decided a normal forest and wildlife walk would suffice.
We visited a new reserve today and it was brimful of wonderful wildlife, including lots of babies.
 Mallard, Buzzard, Grey Wagtail, Mute Swan, Coot, Moor Hen, Common Tern, Robin, Bullfinch, Raven,
Wood Pigeon, Dunnock, a rabbit, bees, butterflies, dragonflies and probably more I'm forgetting!
It was an eventful and lovely visit and I'll share the rest of the photos and story of in a blog post soon.
 They may not be in our country, but we need to protect the Rainforests!
Home to millions of animals and a pivotal cog in the climate change emergency, please do what you can to help. 🌲🌳🌲🌳🌲

23rd June 2022
Day 23 of 30 Days Wild.
We got a new bug hotel for the front garden and have nestled it in below our Hawthorn bushes which are in front of our wild lawn!
The Birdsfoot trefoil is a big bee attractor and lots of other bugs love to flock to the wild lawn
in general, so hopefully, they'll make use of the hotel eventually.

24th June 2022
Day 24 of 30 Days Wild.

Our rain dance worked!
We got rain and we went back out to dance in it - literally 🌧️
It's been so hot and dry, the waterbutt was empty and I've had to refill the bird baths thrice a day and we really needed a downpour.
Rain is so, so important!! I think people take for granted where our water supplies come from.
They turn on the tap, flush the toilet and have a shower without half a thought of where the water came from. I
 hope plenty more rain comes next week to help water our plants and provide puddles for the wildlife.
My Blue Cross Rescue Run medal also finally arrived today, yay!