PEAR TREE LOG

pear tree log: I started this blog to keep my younger son, Jonny, in touch with life in Lincolnshire, while he spent a year working in China. That year turned into five! Now he is home and training to become a physics teacher. This is simply a patchwork quilt of some of the things I enjoy - life in rural Lincolnshire, our animals, friends, architecture, books, the gardens, and things of passing interest.



Monday, 21 May 2012

A Boy in the Butterbur

The sun was not shining - it was cold and dull, rain was threatening to fall - but we decided to go for a walk anyway.

Arnold was waiting in his paddock.   He was looking very well, someone had given him a good grooming session - just a little mud marred the perfection.

He was keen to check out my pockets,  to track down his treats.  When I was a little slow in getting them out he gave me a helpful nudge.

Treats finished, pockets were checked (by Arnold) just in case there was a little something.  Disappointed, he remained close, but stared off into the distance.  I was dismissed!


A visit to the the fish ponds and the rickety-rackety bridge (it isn't, but we pretend that it is)   resulted in  a game of poohsticks ...




Just across the bridge I found these pretty purple flowers...




I almost lost Harry in the jungle of Butterbur leaves - he loved it, of course!




Eventually we headed home - Harry to run around and have a good time, while I got on with the gardening.





I am, of course just showing you the prettier sections, like this little side garden, one of my favourite areas.

Things are starting to grow in the vegetable garden - we have to protect the young plants from the hungry jackdaws and crows, hence the wire cages.  The plants in the polytunnel and the greenhouse are growing well, but they will form another post.
A newly mown lawn -  the daisies, dandelions and buttercups will soon be decorating the lawns again,  all will return to normal - but just for a brief time the lawn looks pretty good.  The sky is so dull that the poly tunnel is almost invisible.

I'll post about the poly tunnel later in the week.     Some raised beds have been built and everything is much more organised.

If the promised good weather happens, a lot more plants can go outside, which will please George.  He has more plans for his poly tunnel.

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26 comments:

  1. Susan21 May 2012 at 05:06

    Thank you for a lovely walk along. Those butterbur leaves do look inviting! We had rain here today too, but chores inside kept me busy. XOXO

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    1. Elaine21 May 2012 at 07:57

      Hello Susan, It is one of our favourite walks - I'm so pleased you enjoyed it too. The butterbur leaves have really shot up in the last few weeks - all the rain has obviously pleased them. x

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  2. Cro Magnon21 May 2012 at 05:30

    It all looks wonderful, and so very 'English'. The average Frenchman/woman really doesn't have a clue about gardening. In England it just seems so natural.

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    1. Elaine21 May 2012 at 07:59

      Hello Cro, It is probably my favourite part of the garden, especially in Spring. I love it because the flowers do their own thing and look beautiful, no torture required.

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  3. The Owl Wood21 May 2012 at 07:24

    Hi Sis! Didn't Dad used to call the Butterbur "Elephant's Ears"? Seems appropriate!

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    1. Elaine21 May 2012 at 08:02

      Hello Ian, I can quite see why he did, that's such a good description of them - I must pass it on to Harry. Their growth rate is pretty impressive - remember my previous post on them?

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  4. Mrs Thrifty21 May 2012 at 07:25

    Similar weather here in Suffolk - apparently now really hot in Suffolk. Your garden looks wonderful - mine is verging on rainforest xx

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    1. Elaine21 May 2012 at 08:04

      Hello Mrs Thrifty, Oh how it has rained! The butterbur is thriving because of that, the ground is soggy and boggy. It is amazing what miracles can be wrought with a lawnmower and the garden shears...the trouble is that it doesn't last very long!x

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  5. John Going Gently21 May 2012 at 09:44

    that title intrigued me!

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    1. Elaine21 May 2012 at 12:30

      Hello John, Great, it worked then! I do my best.

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  6. Meggie21 May 2012 at 10:50

    Hello Elaine...It seems we are always fighting with one pest or another when living in the country. The bugs have been in abundance here in Texas. What a clever way to keep the jackdaws and crows out of the garden. And, my compliments to the person mowing the lawn....it is beautiful!

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    1. Elaine21 May 2012 at 14:42

      Hello Meggie, Those cages are made from recycled fencing. So far, they seem to be working very well - we have some very frustrated jackdaws! That particular lawn is flat and easy to mow, unlike some of the others...I do the mowing, George does the strimming and the composter eats the cuttings!

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  7. Elna21 May 2012 at 11:13

    Beautiful pictures and it really looks like Harry is in a jungle. Have a nice day.

    Hugs
    Elna

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    1. Elaine21 May 2012 at 14:44

      Hello Elna, Harry had a wonderful time in the jungle - I am just about to take him out there again.

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  8. Moving with Mitchell21 May 2012 at 11:30

    Your lives there look magical. All the photos are a delight, but I especially love the one of Harry in the jungle. What memories he will have!

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    1. Elaine21 May 2012 at 14:48

      Hello Mitch, Thank you! I do tend to play up the fun bits, I admit. We are trying to ensure that Harry's memory banks are filled with fun and laughter, as well as a sprinkle of magic.

      I'm sure I must look very odd when I am chasing trolls, looking for dragons, or hiding from gruffaloes - it's why I take Harry out, he provides a good cover story.

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  9. Anonymous21 May 2012 at 15:31

    A games of "poohsticks"? Wonderful trip through the woods and garden, thanks.

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    1. Elaine21 May 2012 at 18:10

      Blame that old teddy bear 'Winnie the Pooh'... you drop a stick over the side of the bridge, then rush to the other side to watch it whizz off downstream. It gets surprisingly competitive. I sometimes wonder whether all the small sticks which we have dropped in, over the years, have managed to form a dam yet.

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  10. Ms Sparrow21 May 2012 at 16:58

    I was impressed by the size of the butterbur leaves and wondered if it's related to rhubarb or wild horseradish. I googled butterbur and got dozens of sites selling it as a migraine remedy. Thanks for the pictures of Harry in the butterbur patch and Arnold.

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    1. Elaine21 May 2012 at 18:13

      Hello Ms Sparrow, That is a really good question, I shall investigate! It is amazing how these very old remedies are being found to have truth in them. I wonder whether they would also find that it does help in cases of the plague - another thing it was used to treat!

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  11. LindyLouMac21 May 2012 at 18:24

    Those Butterbur leaves are enormous, thanks for sharing your walk.

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    1. Elaine29 May 2012 at 16:53

      Hello LindyLouMac, They are even bigger now - they go right over Harry's head, as we discovered yesterday!

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  12. Heidi21 May 2012 at 20:25

    Hi Elaine,
    I love your pics, they are all so beautiful!
    Have a wonderful week.
    Heidi

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    1. Elaine29 May 2012 at 16:54

      Hello Heidi, Thank you very much. Glad you enjoyed them.

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  13. Pauline Persing22 May 2012 at 14:10

    What wonderful leaves.

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    1. Elaine29 May 2012 at 16:56

      Hello Pauline, They are pretty spectacular! They have grown even over the last week and now he really could disappear under the canopy!

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