Time to sit and stare

Time to sit and stare

I have studied spotted flycatchers a lot over the years here in the Kennet Valley, and a warm June evening is the best time for me to quietly sit with a glass of wine, watching their comings and goings in the garden. Luckily this unobtrusive creature, which may have flown all the way from Namibia, favours our row of mature lime trees, stretched along the valley floor, which judging by all the swifts, house martins, and swallows somehow traps or attracts an abundance of insects.

That is my luck, but what is deliberate are the blocks of wildflowers and uncut lawn interspersed with mown paths, creating a patchwork of habitats. I am blessed with a large garden, but I have created the oxeye daisies and white clover now humming with bees, which are just coming into their own and the rewards are bountiful and beautiful.  The flycatchers, so quiet and unassuming all day, that I suspect many people never notice, launch their aerial assaults from a favourite branch to chase their prey over the insect-rich grass. If you listen carefully you can hear their bills snap as they make their catch.

Feed well little birds your population has dramatically fallen over the years and this garden is here to boost your numbers before you fly South in the Autumn. They nest around the house in creepers and boxes I put up on the house and I fret every Spring in case they do not return but am so joyous upon their arrival. I garden directly for them and all their cousins and indirectly for these quiet moments I can sit and stare.

Don’t mow in May is nice alliteration, but I mow in May and then leave for June and July. That way I remove the lush Spring growth, giving the flowers more chance to emerge later than the grass, and with them the insects so essential for our birds, damselflies, bats and amphibians all who prey on them.

A male and female bullfinch appear (how cute are they always together) finding some ripening seeds and families of Goldfinches are twittering constantly. A young blackbird is hunting on the strips of short mown paths, together with the dandiest of green woodpeckers hopping after ants. My lawn is not green, it is a wash, a tapestry of tweed and brightly coloured dots of white, orange, pink, and yellow, but most of all it is alive. I just sit and stare. This is my lawn, it could be yours. But you need to start now by not adding any moss killer, pesticides, weedkiller and grow fast lawn nutrients


1012 comments


  • George Jenks

    Bitcoin Recovery Testimony – From a Retired Sailor

    My name is George Jenks, and I want to share something deeply personal that I hope might help someone out there. A few months ago, I fell victim to a binary trading scam that ended up costing me around $180,000 worth of Bitcoin. It was one of the most painful and disheartening experiences of my life. I truly believed I was making a smart investment—everything looked legitimate, from the website to the so-called “financial advisors” who kept reassuring me. But the moment I tried to withdraw my funds, everything went quiet. They stopped replying, and reality hit me hard. I had been scammed.

    I was devastated. Not just because of the money, but because of how helpless I felt. After doing some research and reading stories from people in similar situations, I came across a company called Cloudstrike Cyber Service. At first, I didn’t get my hopes up—let’s be honest, after losing that much, it’s hard to trust anyone. But I figured I had nothing more to lose, so I reached out to them at [Cloudstrikecyber@gmail.com]

    From the beginning, they were incredibly professional and straightforward. They didn’t promise miracles, but they did assure me they would do everything in their power to trace and recover the stolen assets. And that’s exactly what they did. Through careful blockchain analysis, technical expertise, and persistent work, they were able to track down the stolen funds and successfully recover a large portion of what I had lost. It felt like waking up from a nightmare.

    To this day, I still don’t know how to properly thank them. What they did went beyond just helping me get my money back—they gave me back my peace of mind. The best way I can show my appreciation is by recommending them to anyone who’s going through something similar. If you’ve been scammed or lost money in crypto fraud, I strongly encourage you to contact them. Their email is [Cloudstrikecyber@gmail.com]
    WhatsApp:+1(260) 408-3923

    They made a real difference in my life, and I believe they can do the same for others.


  • Williams Marionette

    How I Recovered My Hacked Wallet and Life Savings — My Story with Team Redeemed Hacker Pro.

    I recovered over USD 2.8 million in cryptocurrency after my wallet was hacked, all thanks to Team Redeemed Hacker Pro. I highly recommend them—they are exceptional at what they do. After my wallet was compromised, I was worried about losing my funds, but their expertise turned everything around. If you want to protect your assets, reach out to them. They are true digital heroes. 🔐 Tested. Trusted. Proven. 📞 Contact Team Redeemed Hacker Pro:

    Email: redeemed.h.p@hackermail.com
    Web: https://redeemedhackerpros.wixsite.com/redeemedhackerpro
    Website: https://temp-viljfeztaahbonivekem.webadorsite.com/

    Don’t wait—your digital safety is invaluable.


  • Williams Marionette

    How I Recovered My Hacked Wallet and Life Savings — My Story with Team Redeemed Hacker Pro.

    I recovered over USD 2.8 million in cryptocurrency after my wallet was hacked, all thanks to Team Redeemed Hacker Pro. I highly recommend them—they are exceptional at what they do. After my wallet was compromised, I was worried about losing my funds, but their expertise turned everything around. If you want to protect your assets, reach out to them. They are true digital heroes. 🔐 Tested. Trusted. Proven. 📞 Contact Team Redeemed Hacker Pro:

    Email: redeemed.h.p@hackermail.com
    Web: https://redeemedhackerpros.wixsite.com/redeemedhackerpro
    Website: https://temp-viljfeztaahbonivekem.webadorsite.com/

    Don’t wait—your digital safety is invaluable.


  • Masego Vanessa

    I was deceived and got robbed over $290,000 I talked with this guy for 8 months. I sent him money via Bitcoin ATM and bank account for crypto investment purpose, I almost lost everything. But for the timely intervention of the Swift Hack Expert Recovery, who just in kick-off on time got back my $290,000. He is really good at what he does, I have recommended him to friends and co-workers who all became satisfied customers. He has helped me a lot in the trading industry, you can reach him for Everything. Hacking and Funds Recovering he is the best and has different skills in funds recovering and exposing the fake imposters. Am glad and happy to recover my money, there is no shame in becoming a conned victim of one of these sophisticated and predatory operations. By reporting you may be able to recover some or all of your lost funds and prevent these Evil cone men/women from targeting others. To recover your Scammed Bitcoin funds, Scammed funds, Clear or Erase Criminal Records, Mobile spy remote control access, Bitcoin Mining. Contact this Genius Recovery Advocate: swift1@cyberservices.com Or WhatsApp +1-845-224-5771


  • George Jenks

    Bitcoin Recovery Testimony – From a Retired Sailor

    My name is George Jenks, and I want to share something deeply personal that I hope might help someone out there. A few months ago, I fell victim to a binary trading scam that ended up costing me around $180,000 worth of Bitcoin. It was one of the most painful and disheartening experiences of my life. I truly believed I was making a smart investment—everything looked legitimate, from the website to the so-called “financial advisors” who kept reassuring me. But the moment I tried to withdraw my funds, everything went quiet. They stopped replying, and reality hit me hard. I had been scammed.

    I was devastated. Not just because of the money, but because of how helpless I felt. After doing some research and reading stories from people in similar situations, I came across a company called Cloudstrike Cyber Service. At first, I didn’t get my hopes up—let’s be honest, after losing that much, it’s hard to trust anyone. But I figured I had nothing more to lose, so I reached out to them at [Cloudstrikecyber@gmail.com]

    From the beginning, they were incredibly professional and straightforward. They didn’t promise miracles, but they did assure me they would do everything in their power to trace and recover the stolen assets. And that’s exactly what they did. Through careful blockchain analysis, technical expertise, and persistent work, they were able to track down the stolen funds and successfully recover a large portion of what I had lost. It felt like waking up from a nightmare.

    To this day, I still don’t know how to properly thank them. What they did went beyond just helping me get my money back—they gave me back my peace of mind. The best way I can show my appreciation is by recommending them to anyone who’s going through something similar. If you’ve been scammed or lost money in crypto fraud, I strongly encourage you to contact them. Their email is [Cloudstrikecyber@gmail.com]
    WhatsApp:+1(260) 408-3923

    They made a real difference in my life, and I believe they can do the same for others.


Leave a comment