I've spent the whole day weeding. I find it very hard to stick to doing one thing and keep seeing other jobs that need doing but today I stayed on task and cleared several of the heather banks. I did have a senior moment after lunch when I spent about 10 mins looking for my secateurs. I'd raced indoors at lunchtime because it was raining , leaving them - so I thought on a bush. I did find them eventually, under some leaves lower down the bank. There have been a few arial interruptions today. First it was a low flying fighter jet plane probably on its way over to Wales where they are allowed to skim the deserted mountains. Then a helicopter flying low. It was the red air-ambulance helicopter, (funded by charity and very necessary in this rural location). It flew low over the valley up to Indicott, turned and came back at about tree height, turned at the corner of the garden, slid over Paul's hill (I'd walked up the road by this time) and flew at minimum height towards East Down. Then it came back and headed off north, they were obviously having difficulty finding the place they had been called to. I hope the casualty got to hospital safely.
Having decided not to show boring weeding pictures instead I thought I'd show some rock pools from yesterday.
Snakelocks sea anemones. I have to admit to teasing them a bit with some dried seaweed which they grabbed in an alarming manner. I didn't use my finger because the book says that they do have a painful sting.
A more gentle beadlet sea anemone sharing its pool with at least 5 kinds of molluscs.
Finally, a group of dog whelks guarding their eggs with another beadlet sea anemone. All these rock pools were no more than 2 or 3 inches across but contained a wealth of life. Isn't nature wonderful ?
