Chipping Camden Churches

Reaching in the archives to share these old photos from 2014 and our walking tour of the Cotswolds.

Here are some of the pathways into Chipping Camden.

A thatched roof with something perched on the chimney.

Through the Brussel sprouts.

And then looking back to where we came across.

Passing garden allotments.

The Catholic Church in town.

The pub where we got a beer or two and lunch.

The "Wool" church.

Joining Inspired Sunday.

If you read my Thursday post about the copperhead and wondered what we did with it, Dan used a sharp edger to slice it up.  It bothered him to do it but since it had taken residence in a hole in the wall we couldn't take the chance of it biting a visitor.  He tossed the carcass in the woods.

Is This the Year of the Snake?

I spotted another snake this morning on our gravel front walkway.

I stood inside the vestibule to take these photos.

It's not the same one as the other day. 

I think it's a Copperhead - a poisonous snake here in Maryland.

You decide.  Here's a photo from the MD Dept of Natural Resources.

Or is it a corn snake?

Don't think so when I compare the markings.

Whatever it is I hope it goes away.

[post script: as of Friday the snake was still there.  It found a hole in our rock wall to hang out in.]

Saturday Critters with Eileen

Looking at the DNR website I think the one I posted about earlier this week was a garter snake.

Another Snake!

Saturday my son-in-law William spotted a snake at the pond.  Daughter Emily captured this photo of it.  You can see its head in the middle of the photo.

Granddaughter told William she wanted to hold it.  She showed no fear.

I'm not sure what kind of snake this is.  Anyone recognize it?

On Monday, what did I find in the garage?

The snake caught in the mouse trap!

I contemplated leaving it for Dan to dispose but then took a shovel to move it out only to discover it was still alive.

I managed to release the trap without getting my hand close and it wriggled away.

This is the second time we have caught a snake in a mouse trap.  The first one wasn't so lucky.

Tuesday Treasure #13 - Going Out the Door

Preparations for our move continue.

The weekend just passed was filled with household items heading out the door to populate the daughters' homes.

Below the trailer son-in-law Matt rented and hitched to his Outback was filled on Friday evening with things to go to Sarah and William's on Saturday morning.

Saturday afternoon it returned and was loaded to travel to NH to Emily and Matt's home.

House is looking strange now.

Other things we are not taking are being gathered by category to be sold at auction online.  More on that later.

Joining Tuesday Treasure.

First Harvest of 2016

Saturday I had my first harvest of spring crops.  Since we are moving by the end of June, spring crops are all I will have this year so you can say this is some of my last harvests.

Both daughters, sons in law and granddaughter were with us for our last family meal here at this house.  In honor of that I picked lettuce, arugula, spinach and tiny radishes for a salad.

I have never grown radishes in this garden but I planted them this year because I knew they grew quick and would show up in the garden as we marketed the house for sale.  These were tiny things but very good.

Here's the salad with feta cheese, chives and pomegranate dressing.  It was very good.

Joining Harvest Monday.

A Battle I Won't Miss

I give up!

The ground hog has won for this year again!

It has persevered - returning and returning despite my plugging the holes it dug, to dig a front and back entrance for itself under our deck.

This hole at one end of the deck was not here this morning.

Don't know if its the front or back entrance but the other hole is at the other end of the deck.

It wasn't here this morning either.

No more plugging!  I'll leave the battle to the buyers of this house.

Tuesday Treasures #12 - First Iris

The flowers in my gardens are treasures because I planted everyone of them.  I am enjoying each new blossom this spring as it is my last here with this garden.

Today I noticed the first iris blooming and knew it had to be featured as a treasure.

Other blooms just showing are the bleeding hearts, not in the profusion they have been in past years because of heavy frosts we have had in April.

The grape hyacinths have never done much but here is one lone stem of flowers.

These daffodils have been blooming for a week or more.  

And this volunteer in the rock path, one of many, was in focus in my viewfinder.  Don't know why the rocks took the focus instead.

Here are some treasured plants potted up for my daughters: peonies, irises, and lily of the valley.

And in the Glen Garden the May apples are up next to the hosta.  Nice to have those spring wildflowers.

Joining Tuesday Treasure

and

Our World Tuesday

Bird Watching Continues

I can't help but watch the birds.  They have always intrigued me.

My earliest memory of birdwatching is in grade school.  My brother and I would watch out a window as we had breakfast.  We kept track of the ones we saw and my love of birdwatching had its start.  I don't keep a list as I did back then but if I see an unusual one I look it up.

The cardinals are paired up around here now.  I captured this pair out the window enjoying the buffet of tulip poplar seeds.

Joining Saturday Critters