This and that

We have had slow worms breeding in our garden in all the years that we have lived here. We know that they breed here because every year around March we see the tiny baby slow worms. I saw them this year in March but by the time I grabbed my camera they had gone.

Throughout the summer months we see the slow worms gradually getting larger, long and slim. Occasionally we will see a really big slow worm, long and thick, so we have them at all stages.

A few days ago I saw one that was long and slim. It was probably one of the tiny ones I had seen earlier in the year. This time it was still on the path when I returned with my camera.

I definitely think this is one of this year’s babies growing up. It was perfectly still and I couldn’t resist gently stroking it on the centre of it’s back. It wiggled it’s way, at speed, into the undergrowth. There is nothing slow about them when they want to move.

The garden is looking amazing at the moment. This is when the garden looks at it’s best.

I love all the different heights, textures and colours in this part of the garden.

And on to chicken news. After a week of being broody I put Sugar in the broody crate for three nights. That was all it took to break her out of it and exactly a week later she is laying again.

Smoke also started laying again a week after she gave up being broody. Flame started laying again after her one month break. Ebony and Shadow are laying. Spangle has laid one egg after a two week break. Spangle is an erratic layer. Salmon is still on her post broody break.

We have gone from next to no eggs to back in the swing again. We are in one of those lovely periods of no broody girls which we have to make the most of because it won’t last long.