THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

25 July 2014

NEW DOG & THE RETURN OF THE HOUSE MARTINS


45 minutes with the Snippers clippers and what a difference. These are the before pictures:



Too hot...........


He wasn't happy.........


Much better:


Do you remember the muddy patch the house martins left on my neighbour's wall last year? Well, they're back and seem to be finishing the job. Bit late in the season but perhaps they're building it for next year having had their brood. I'll keep you posted. This was a couple of days ago:


These were today; good progress:


A bit shy to start with:


But soon back to work:




I know this is out of focus but I had to show you the multi-bug business going on here with the Large Red Damselfly being joined by these two friends playing piggy back:


I saw this young blackbird yesterday, preening in the sun:



Mmmm - much better:


Obligatory Meadow Pipits:



Another enormous and disturbing looking meal!




Spiders' webs covered in morning dew. That's a LOT of spiders:


Sheep are trying to keep cool in the dusty bowls, previously muddy puddles:


Bees mating:


Couldn't resist those Sword Thistles in the sunshine:


 Craggy Kestor in the sun: 


Today we went down to the river to swim. It was glorious:


We weren't the only ones swimming:


Bracken  wasn't much help pulling him out:


The light was exquisite on the parched heather:


Some people turned up with their dog. It turned into a mad chase and the dogs are out for the count tonight.


Like a very stretched out version of Jack:


Today is the first day of the summer holidays and it's started well. Tomorrow we're off to the seaside if it's nice. Last night I had a dream that I found a kitten in the washing machine being strangled by a belt. I saved it but then kept finding kittens in peril all over the strange and labyrinthine house in which I was staying. Freud would have a field day with that. Have a great weekend and until next time, here are the dogs again. 



55 comments:

  1. Very strange that the house Martins are building so late in the season. The moor looks so big and quiet and empty in your lovely photos

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They've nearly finished it today so we'll have to wait and see if they plan to fill it.

      Delete
  2. That was one shaggy dog. Our cairns always loved summer hair cuts.
    Until I saw them, I was thinking purple martin, which is a lovely swallow we have. They nest in cavities, and folks devise all sorts of homes for them. including hollow gourds.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Much cleverer of them to save their strength for feeding rather than spending weeks building with bits of mud!

      Delete
  3. Snippet must be feeling much happier for his hair cut!

    I have never seen bumble bees mating before. What an interesting photo.

    Hoping that you and your son have a lovely summer holiday on the moor. What a place to grow up!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'd have loved to grow up here DW and I've never seen bees mating either!

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. He really is Chickpea. So sweet natured too.....with humans anyway.

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. Isn't he? We didn't know that when he was a puppy though.

      Delete
  6. Love that spider web photo!
    How fun it would be to take a dip in that river.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's absolutely amazing swimming in the river. It takes half an hour to walk there so we're desperate to get in when we arrive, sweating like pigs!

      Delete
  7. couldn't pick a fave...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I like the racing dogs best but I wish I'd cropped it tighter so you could see their faces.

      Delete
  8. hahahahahaha,
    I looked at your heading and the photo and I though did you find a cousin of Snippet ? Then I put my glasses on and saw Snippet.
    He looks very handsome. And you must tell him that because some dogs get embarrassed. My friends dog was always upset for several days after a cut. But she only had her cut twice a year.
    The Square Ones love they way they look after their grooming they know they are looking GUD !

    cheers, parsnip

    Cheers, parsnip

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The square ones always look immaculate Parsnip. Immaculate Snippet is not, but he's a lot happier now.

      Delete
  9. I bet Snippet is feeling cooler now (hah - especially after his swim!) Great that they have doggy friends to play with but I bet that Greyhound (or racing Whippet? as they are BIG) won all the races! That moth or whatever the Meadow Pippit had must have half choked the chicks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I thought the same BB. It sat there cheeping with it hanging out like that for absolutely ages. I don't think they're very bright to be honest.

      Delete
  10. That reminds me, I need to book a hair cut lol

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's his last for the year. One in Spring and one now. It'll all have grown back in a month.

      Delete
  11. All the dogs are lovely and that water looks inviting in these very hot days. The Moors look peaceful. Like the Dragonfly and bugs shot. Have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You too Margaret. I wonder what that little beetle was doing?

      Delete
  12. That picture of the bees doing their thing is amazing!!!! I hope that you have a great weekend and a nice day at the beach today. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I tried to get closer to the bees but they flew off.....in the same position! Impressive.

      Delete
  13. well Snippet you look very smart with your new hair-do. I just loved the photo of the dogs all chargung about enjoying themselves, what a wonderful place for dogs to live.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They are so lucky. I saw dogs in London and felt very sorry for them but I guess it's all they know.

      Delete
  14. Snipper goes look like a new dog. How good to see to see the house martins return. Sarah x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so pleased to see them too Sarah. It's 7.30pm now and they're still at it. x

      Delete
  15. Snippet looks very smart and great news that the House Martins have returned :) I love the photo of the spiders' webs - have a great weekend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The whole moor was covered in those webs that morning; hundreds of thousands of spiders. Amazing.

      Delete
  16. You are brave with the snippers Em - I always take Tess to the hairdressers - daren't do it myself.
    I love that photograhp of all those dogs enjoying that romp. No wonder they were all tired out - does them good though. Enjoy the seaside today.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm too mean Pat and since we had a spare pair of clippers, I thought I'd give it a go. It's the scissor work around the muzzle he really doesn't like though, poor boy.

      Delete
  17. Hi Em, reference the House Martins, its not unusual for them to produce three broods between April and September.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. But would you expect them to build a new house to do it in Roy? I'm fascinated to know if this is normal as they've been here for months wheeling around the barns up here, so this can't be the first brood for them can it? They only started the build a few days ago. Would love to hear you opinions.

      Delete
  18. Snippet is looking VERY handsome!
    Love the spider web shots,the doggy romping,the bird shots...well everything really!
    Jane x
    PS Your dream sounds like living in my house!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kittens being tortured - remind me to pop in when I'm in Canada Jane and I can freak out at the reality of my Freudian hell!

      Delete
  19. Snip looks fab :-) Great pictures as always and I am v jealous that you have a river to swim in. Our local one is perfect, but it's always filled with fishermen :-( xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh no! What a shame - there's nothing more refreshing. My hair is stiff with salt tonight from sea swimming but yesterday all I had was weed and a swimming costume full of mud. Nice mud though. xx

      Delete
  20. Love the spider webs, usually next month before we get them. Misty mornings and diamond encrusted webs :))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The conditions were exactly right that morning. I guess they're always there but we just can't see them.

      Delete
  21. Snippet looks so much cooler...bless him :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you ever clip William? I've only been doing Snippet for the last couple of years.

      Delete
  22. Snippet looks so handsome with his hair cut! I'm sure he is cooler also.

    Love the photo of Kestor in the sun.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's already showing signs of growing back!

      Delete
  23. Our house martins are back. Got a fabulous photo perching from the bathroom sink!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I need to hang out of the bedroom window really. See you in A&E!

      Delete
  24. love your sweet fuzzy pup! and his sleek haircut, too. laughed at the dog races. so cute!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The three of them didn't stand a chance against that greyhound blood.

      Delete
  25. Cute dog. Handsome little fella.

    ReplyDelete
  26. A fun post Em, sweet dogs you have there. Loved seeing them run around with their new friends. The birds were a delight and haven't those spiders been busy? Cute one of OB sitting on the rock, all the other photos were great too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We have an OB calendar every year and that looks like a good candidate for it!

      Delete
  27. Funny the Barn Swallows here make nests of mud right under the eaves outside our bedroom windown. Snippet did get the "snip" ! it has been a rather cool summer here with only a 9*C temp this morning. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is cool Cindy! We're having the best summer in years.....sorry! X

      Delete

Thank you so much for leaving a comment. It's great to read them and I will always try to reply.