​I maintain the pathways, a circular path around the edge and a diagonal that I cut across the woods.
A spring line rises in the top of the woods within about 5-10m of the northern boundary. When we have had a lot of rain there is surface water and it ponds near the southern edge. Sedges grow in the area that is wettest.

Trees identified in a 1994 survey include Ash (dominant), Field Maple, Oak, Sycamore. Wild Cherry, and Willow. Shrubs include: Hazel, Elder, Blackthorn, Dogwood, Buckthorn and Buddlieu. There are also climbers – ivey, old man’s beard, sweet byrony, bramble and woody nightshade.

The herb layer contains stinging nettle, coltsfoot, forget-me-knot, gromwell, sauide, creeping buttercup, figwort, bedstraw, sedge, cuckoo pint, dogs mercury, burdock, self-heal, medick, penny royal, thistle, sorrel willow herb and bluebell. Fungi include clouded agavic, cramp apple, dryads saddle, antley and pinwheel.

The three acre field, has until this year, been largely left alone. Consequently, it was well on the way to becoming a woodland again with oak, wild cherry and hawthorn saplings springing up all over the place and large areas being taken over by blackberry brambles. On three sides of the field are thick thickets of tangled bushes and trees often accompanied by nettles some of these thickets cover large rabbit warrens and provide hiding places for deer. I cut a path around the edge the field to make it easier to walk or jog around and I walk most days around it several times.
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​I notice there are many more wild flowers along the north side where I cut the grass short in March.  Most days I go for a walk around the field to see what animals are using it. I see lots of rabbits and birds, including a hawk that uses the pylon and transmission cables as a look out post and the occasional fox or deer. If I walk through the long grass I sometimes spot a field mouse scurrying away. Today I heard grass hopers, saw a lady bird and some butterflies and I'm hoping that we will get more over the summer.

It was another lovely day and I spent a good hour sitting by the pond being entertained by nature. First up where the geese. The goslings are now quite big and full of energy. I noticed something I hadn't seen before. As they were paddling across the pond first one then all of them would duck beneath the water and swim under the water for a couple of meters before surfacing. I wondered whether they were exercising their wings ready for flying.  I didn't have my camera so I wasn't able to record this behaviour but I will watch out for it again.

Its now Saturday 19th. It's a warm and sunny day and I was standing next to the pond when the big carp surfaced and patrolled the edge of the water lily's

Every so often I would hear a plop and see ripples moving out from where a fish had broken the surface. I decided to feed the fish some bread. I wasn't disappointed within about 30 seconds the pieces of bread I had tossed in the pond were surrounded by small fish - probably roach and rudd. Even big pieces of bread didn't last long. I was hoping to spot one of the large carp. I walked to the other side of the pond and saw a dark shape - like a submarine in the water. It was one of the carp but I didn't manage to catch him on camera. I will try again.

Another magical afternoon in my garden. As I was cutting the grass a deer plunged from the thicket by the railway and bounded around the curve of cut grass to another thicket at the bottom of the field.I thought I'd be clever ad sneak up on him by walking towards where he was with the wind blowing towards me. He let me get within 20m before he jumped over the broken fence and plunged into the woods.

​​I suddenly noticed a blizzard of white seeds dancing in the air. I tracked the source of the seeds to the three 'cat willow' trees in my garden. I later discovered that the seeds germinated in hours and I now realise that they are the source of all the willow saplings that sprout up around my garden and in the meadow. These few trees have given birth to literally hundreds of willows that I have chopped down.

Depending on the direction of the wind they float into the paddock or onto the lake. On the lake they float on the surface and accumulate around the edge which is where I often find willows growing. 

I assume these wind blown seeds germinate everywhere but notice that where they seem to grow and flourish is at the margins of the garden - by the lake or along the fence line where they are protected from my mower - until they become too big to ignore and I cut them with a saw. But such is the power of regeneration that they sprout many new shoots unless I can remove the roots.

I am glad I had the time to watch the dancing seeds for a while. It inspired me to make a little movie which I set to a piece of music by Hans Zimmer called 'Light'. 

I have always been intrigued by walls and fences - perhaps because they are often the most prominent man made feature in rural landscapes. I'm sure my fascination with walls stems from my days as a geologist since they provide valuable clues as what lies beneath the soil. I have very few walls but I do have lots of fences and the demise of one of them and the construction of its replacement, provided the inspiration for a new era of my involvement in my garden that eventually led to this blog.

The fences around my garden are a mixed bag. We have weatherboard some of which are new and some are old and we have one very dilapidated panel that is on my list of jobs to do. We have unglamorous wire fences along the back of the paddock. sawn wood field fence and  a fence with split chestnut rails - my pride and joy which you can see in te header photo.

The trouble with fences is, over a long period of time, they succumb to the weather and beetle damage and eventually fall down. Here are a few of my fences.

Watching animals go about their own daily life can be quite entertaining sometimes. While I was making breakfast I saw the fox sidle up to the geese in a very disinterested way hoping to nick one of the goslings. But one of the adults reared up.. flapped their wings and the fox beat a hasty and undignified retreat. It looks like she might have a den with some cubs behind the paddock on the railway line as she is making regular journeys across the garden to active rabbit warren. My wife caught her with a baby rabbit in her mouth so she must be waiting by the entrance to catch those who have yet to learn the rules.