Go away from my window, leave at your own chosen speed

[venta]

I live in a second-floor flat, and outside on a little brick balcony I have some window boxes. Right now they're rather sad, owing to post-winter and me not having had time/legs to plant them up for spring. Dad is bringing me some strawberry plants for one, but I could put flowers in the other.

Last year, I was surprised to find quite a large number of monkey nuts in my window boxes. I'm pretty sure they don't naturally grow among the roots of begonias. I gently asked ChrisC whether he was secretly stashing monkey nuts among the plants. He denied it and blamed the squirrels.

Squirrels? We're on the second floor! There are no trees close enough by, they'd have to run up a vertical brick wall!

I underestimated the average squirrel. Obviously needled by my accusations, ChrisC produced photographic evidence that squirrels make it up onto our balcony. While working at home yesterday, I caught one in the act myself. Not burying nuts, but cheerfully running along the wall and up onto the bird table.

I noticed the other day that quite a lot of the soil from the window boxes is not, as such, actually in the boxes any more. It is all over the balcony. Bloody squirrels!

But no, I am maligning the furry little beasties. Having got up relatively early this morning, I was treated to the sight of the world's largest magpie industriously digging in my window box, soil flying in all directions. Bloody corvids! Like yesterday's squirrel, he scarpered when I attempted to take his photo.

My balcony herb garden - growing in an old Belfast sink - is also looking terribly neglected and not quite as alive as is ideal. It needs some tidying up and maybe some replanting. And there are bits of beautifully-painted glass everywhere; the stupidly strong wind the other day blew the lovely ivy-patterned tealight holder (a keepsake from undyingking's wedding) into the wall and it broke. And having considered taking photos of passing wildlife, I notice that the glass doors onto the balcony could do with a bit of a clean...

I may be stuck on the sofa at present, but I'm generating quite a to-do list :)

As regular readers might deduce, I am not in Manchester this weekend. I decided the sensible money was on not going to DERT. Mabel Gubbins are up there, and posting deeply terrifying photos on Facebook.
Edit There are DERT live streams broadcasting from 11, if you're interested! I had no idea. I am delighted; me and the Chromecast are settling in for the day :)
Edit edit As I might have guessed, live streams not working quite as well as hoped!

Comments

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

Squirrels are definitely not the ones you want, nor magpies the ones you need. (My favourite Dylan song! Possibly. The title is in a state of constant flux.)

[venta.livejournal.com]

One kudo to you :)

I only discovered a month ago that it was a Bob Dylan song; I only know the version by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. Fundamentally, pretty much everything was written by Dylan if you look closely enough.

[huskyteer.livejournal.com]

It really was! I did Mr Tambourine Man at karaoke last night, which I may attempt to write up in due course...

[lathany.livejournal.com]

I think you should start filming your balcony. They may be other things to watch. (I'm hoping for owls.)

[venta.livejournal.com]

I've never seen/heard an owl here... out bird life round these parts is limited to rooks, magpies, and pigeons. Although we get blue tits on the bird table.

But we do have an unused raspberry pi around, so that's currently a solution in search of a problem. Maybe I should try and set up a motion-detecting camera :) Guess I'd need a night camera for owls though.

[ringbark.livejournal.com]

No, no, no.

I never cease to be amazed by what crafty burgers the squirrels are.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

We've got a bunch more of those down in the cellar, if you'd like a replacement?

[venta.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'd love a replacement if you have a spare! (At least, assuming you mean tealight holders, and not magpies or squirrels). That's a really kind thought. Although the logistics of handover might be tricky :-)

I love my flat, but I am still terribly envious of people who have cellars.

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

Hopefully the logisitcs will prove surmountable... it'd be lovely to see you!