Courgettes and cucumbers survived their first night out

Yesterday I put out the 3 courgettes I had brought as small plants and one of the courgette seedlings I had sown. I also put in a pot the outdoor cucumber.

I used green slug collars round them all. I always worry that I have trapped a slug inside so it was a relief this morning when I found them all safe.

I also put the tomatoes out, including one tumbler.

Out of 12 beans sown, only two have grown. Did I soak them too long, or is it the coir plugs I put them in? I've started off another 10 in ordinary compost. I have love in the mist (usually rampant, but hardly any this year) and the only two californian poppy plants in the garden the bean bed. I think I will try gathering them up and tying the to stakes so I can keep the foliage from providing a route for slugs and snails over the slug collars.

a sedum roof where I didn't expect it!

Cycling back along the Lea Navigation this morning and I passed a small barge with the roof and the top of the prow covered in sedums.

I tried to take a picture but my camera's battery needed recharging.

Terrapins in the Lea

Kayaking today and saw a terrapin sitting on some rubbish by the side of the Lea Navigation (for anyone that knows the area just south of the railway bridge just south of Tottenham Lock). Then saw 2 more on a fallen branch the other side just north of the bridge.

I've seen them before in the Regents Canal, but this is the first time, after many years of kayaking up and down it and cycling alongside it, that I've seen them in the Lea Navigation.

Also first time this year I've seen a tiny coot chick (black with red heads) (though I have seen the older chicks with white throats and chests) and a large duckling family (close packed together and difficult to count, but I guess 10) and 2 pairs of Canadian geese with 9 goslings between them.

I've seen that before - two pairs of geese with their combined youngsters - I wonder how common that is? Would the adults be related? Or is it just coincidence?

Newt in the Lea Navigation

When I was young I never learnt about newts at school. Three times over the years I missed that lesson because of illness!

I was in my twenties before I saw my first newt. And I didn't see any again, which is a pity as I think they are amazing things to watch.

So really exciting today at Leaside (my kayaking club) to see a newt in the Lea Navigation right by the slipway.

Permaculture talk at News from Nowhere

News from Nowhere is a club in Leytonstone which has very interesting talks once a month. I haven't been for a while.Half way to the Epicentre I suddenly thought - what if it has moved venue? Luckily it hadn't.

I was going to hear Ros Bedlow give a talk on permaculture.

I first met Ros through the local Green Party. Meet her more usually now through Transition Leytonstone of which is is a founder member and very active participant. Last met her at a performance of "Three Acres and a Cow" at the Asian Centre in Walthamstow Village. (Thoroughly recommend "Three Acres and a Cow". the history of the struggle for land reform through folk song and story.)

The room was full and, although I know quite a bit about permaculture already, I very much enjoyed the talk.

Yet another attempt at getting welsh onion established has failed! The seedlings I grew in the conservatory and put out a few days ago have disappeared. I got them growing first time when I tried on the allotment I had years ago.

Blackbird chicks

I looked out of the window today and saw a female blackbird on the rotary dryer. She flew into my neighbour's clematis where it comes over my fence - possibly a nest there?

Then on the way to the station I found an egg shell. It was pale blue with small, pale brown flecks. My bird book doesn't describe eggs so I had to use the internet. It looks like it's a blackbird's egg. So at least one baby blackbird in the area. At least it is not as cold down here for it as it is up north!