Quince in flower, fig not dormant

My quince is in flower - so I am not expecting any quinces this year as they are unlikely to be pollinated and frost will kill them if they are!

We've had two heavy frosts this week - and some mild mornings like this morning.

At least I think the little tree is a quince. I always thought it was a medlar until after having it for years it fruited and the fruit definitely wasn't a medlar! I asked my friend Maureen, who gave me the plant she'd grown from seed, what it was, but she said she hadn't given it! So, I compared the one fruit with pictures in books and the liklihood is that it is a quince.

I am supposed to prune my fig when it is dormant in January. Another January and my fig is not dormant!

Frosty cars, frost-free water

This morning there was thick frost on the cars - but no ice at all in the wildlife water bowl.

Woodpile empty of logs, off-cuts only left

I took in the last of the logs this morning. There have been so many slim bits of log that burn quickly that I've got through the pile quickly. The last two (admittedly mild) winters I have used about 15 bags (from an original delivery of 30), with off-cuts as well.

I noticed that the 20 bags I got this year filled up the wood store and didn't spill out on to the pallet in front - the small bits meant a tighter stack.

There is several weeks of off-cuts. I had a few weeks of getting quite a bit of wood from skips.

And of course I have the central heating and can afford to use it.

I am hoping I was unlucky this year, and will get better sized logs next year. This is my fourth log supplier (first disappeared, second supplied Surrey and London, but didn't really like delivering to East London especially someone who didn't have a driveway to dump the logs in) and the third, if it still exists, was so chaotic I wouldn't want to use them again). I would have problems finding another.

Winter has started

The first heavy frosts this winter in Leyton this week.

I had to go out for two mornings to take in one of the casserole dishes I use as a wildlife (and cat) water dish, leaving it in the conservatory to thaw, and take the other one outside. The third morning I found a huge chunk and fallen from the side of the dish in the conservatory, presumably the frost had found a weakness. Luckily it was mild(ish) that morning and the dish that had spent the night outside wasn't frozen. Though a fox had shat in it again!

I am two thirds through my wood pile and it is only the beginning of December. Luckily I have had some success with rescuing off-cuts from skips. Luckily also, of course, that I have central heating I can afford to run.

One morning I wore some wristies while I ate my breakfast as I needed that extra warmth.

Leaf mould and wood foraging

Because of back problems I didn't want to risk kayaking this morning but was able to be fairly active with Alexander Technique lie-downs every now and then.

I went up the road to get some plane tree leaves from round the corner for the front flower bed.

Just up the road was a skip, uncovered with quite a bit of wood in it. Most not suitable for a fire but a bit was that I took back and left outside the door while I carried on to gather my leaves.

All small bits - no substitute logs. And one wide bit, that would have been great for making a shelf for the large drawer I have. Unfortunately it is warped.

It was quick to get enough to fill the collapsible fabric bin I have. Because of pollution for cars I only use the leaves I gather from beside roads on the front bed. Their main purpose is to provide hibernation cover for beetles, toads, etc.

What did the squirrel bury?

Yesterday morning I was looking out of my bedroom window to see a squirrel bury something in the earth near the pond. It scampered away.

Within a couple of minutes there was one of the foxes digging up what the fox squirrel had buried and eating it!

What could it be?

Getting wood, getting wet

It rained last night and again while I was getting washed and dressed this morning.

I got ready to go kayaking prepared to make my decision whether to actually to go when it was time to leave. The rain had stopped so off I cycled.

The rain had obviously put people off coming kayaking as there were only 3 of us, but the weather got nicer and nicer and it was soon lovely and sunny.

On the way home I passed a skip with clean off-cuts in, so I stopped and put 3  x 18 inch (45 cm) lengths on top of the bag on top of my panniers. When I got home I changed into jeans and a fleece and took a small shopping trolley to rescue a few more bits.

Just as I started home again it started to rain. When I was half way home it was chucking it down. I am not a runner but I even ran the last bit down my road.

My socks, which had stayed dry kayaking, were now wet through, wetter even than my fleece and jeans!

I got enough off-cuts for at least 2 evenings burning.