My little pal the curious robin was back yesterday as I worked in the garden. I got a lot done, trimming the neighbor's gigantic rose that overhangs our patio (aka "the monster"), putting away some of the dahlias in the shed, and raking leaves. That's what got the robin most excited -- lots of bugs and worms are revealed by leaf-raking, I suspect.
I also pulled the zinnias, which were done, and do you remember the mystery plant I repotted last weekend -- the one I eventually identified as a crassula? Well, I've been thinking about that plant all week. I decided that I put it in the wrong soil by planting it in garden compost. From what I've read it prefers rockier, grittier, less nutritious soil. So I unpotted it and repotted it again, using dirt from the rock garden (where it was growing before) mixed with grit and cactus compost. And this time I removed the cyclamen so it really is alone in its own pot. I may have demolished the cyclamen in the process, but we'll see.
I was going to water the indoor plants as I usually do on Sundays, but they don't really seem to need it. I think everything goes a bit dormant during these dark days of almost-winter. I'll wait a few extra days until they dry out a bit more.
Isn't this exciting?
Oh, some of you said you wanted to see a map of where I'm walking on the Green Chain (which I wrote about yesterday). So I made this using Google Maps:
It should enlarge if you click it. The purple point (upper left) is where I live. The red point (middle right) is Thamesmead, where I began walking last weekend. See what I mean about how it's diagonally across the city from me? Now you can understand how it takes me a while to get out there via tube and train. You can see Erith, where I walked on Saturday, even further downriver at the very edge of the map.
Finally, I took Olga for a long walk on Hampstead Heath. She was funny -- I intended to go to the main Heath but she kept pulling me toward the West Heath, so that's where we wound up. (Because Olga RULES.) I have no idea why she wanted to go in that direction.
I took some video because the Heath is so beautiful right now. My footage includes a couple of squirrel-chasing sequences. You can tell that Olga's ardor for squirrels is somewhat diminished these days -- she lets a few of them venture pretty close without being challenged, and she can't run as fast as she used to! At the very end, when she's sniffing around the base of that tree, she's looking for water -- the tree's roots form a small pool where she sometimes drinks, but the water was too low this time around.
49 comments:
You know, I'm ashamed to say that I haven ever been to Hampstead Heath. Its a fair way from em now (ha ha) but there was once a time when it wasn't - opportunities missed.
I like Olga’s new attitude. She knows she can’t possibly catch a squirrel, so she lets them be until they‘re up a tree and THEN she acts tough. She sure looks happy. The European robin is so different from the American robin.
Those woods are just so beautiful. I love how Olga is barking up at the trees now that the squirrels have gone.They would not have got so close to Alexi! Will send a photo of " our" woods that I took yesterday.
That is some walking! Good to do that in sections though, then you are fresh for each but and can observe more.
Great to see Olga enjoying herself!!
Wow, that is a long way to travel just for a walk. And I complain when I have to walk up the street to start my walk of 6km.
Steve - it is exciting. It's the quotidian things that count. We've still got out Aarons Rod - might cut the stalk down but leave the leaves (!) to see if it comes up again. I've also collected and scattered its seeds in the countryside around.
In translation, Olga was barking, "Jesus Christ Steve! Stop taking pictures of me! I am a pet dog not Leonardo de frigging Caprio!" The "Green Chain" walk around the Furniture Outlet Stores near Dagenham should be interesting.
It's so nice to see Olga in action. She has a lot of pep for an older girl. It's a beautiful time of year.
Robins are such aggressive little birds
If they weren’t so pretty humans would probably hate them
That's quite a hike, buses and tubes notwithstanding, to get to your hike start!
Ambitious walking goal. I enjoyed the map and getting a sense of where things are, like the district of Poplar of PBS’s “Midwife” series, and Chelsea where I lived briefly at 16.
I just read John's comment. I did not know that robins are aggressive. That one looks so very sweet.
The area looks nice and peaceful. That's a nice photo of the robin. I enjoy watching the birds. Olga looks wonderful. I'm glad she can still enjoy her walks. You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.
Well, if you ever find yourself back in this neck of the woods (as they say), it's worth a visit! I used to go almost every weekend with the dog. Now we go less frequently.
Ha! It's true. She doesn't want them to think they can get the better of her!
She would stand there and bark for ten minutes if I let her.
Yes, it's great the way the walk is laid out in manageable pieces.
It IS kind of funny how the preparatory parts of our walks somehow "don't count"! LOL!
I cut the stalk of ours and shook the seeds over various parts of the flower bed. I didn't see seeds come out but maybe they're just really tiny, like foxgloves.
Yeah, I wonder why Furniture Outlets (and Capitol Karts and Gravity Wandsworth, whatever that is) all warranted a mention? They must have paid Google to stay on the map even at relatively distant magnification.
Love that video of Olga. It's quite beautiful there. It always surprises me how different the robins there look from the robins here. And I don't look like any of 'em. LOL!
I water the indoor plants on Sunday too, and yesterday I took a look at them and thought I'll wait another day. They just didn't need it. I think it must be the change in light here too.
She does put on a good show, though she is literally all bark and no bite.
LOL -- I wouldn't say "aggressive"! It's not like they attack us! In fact I'd say they're friendly.
Yeah, it's a schlep, but it's fun to go to a part of town I never see otherwise.
Yeah, it's cool to see things in context, isn't it? I forgot you lived here for a while!
I wouldn't say aggressive. I think John is overstating things. :)
That video was wonderful. I've been to London in November and the Heath looks exactly as I remember it. I loved seeing Olga roll in the leaves. When I was a little kid, my sisters and I loved doing that. We rolled around in the piles of raked leaves much to the dismay of my dad who had raked them. I also enjoyed how Olga just watched the squirrels before deciding to bark at them.
Olga has more energy on some days than others, but she does still enjoy herself!
I forgot to mention the robin. The English robins are so cute. Yesterday, I saw that the robins are back here in the courtyard. I'll need to get down there to see if I can get some photos.
You are your own Robin! It's funny how plants just slow down in the winter.
It's interesting that you've been here at this time -- it's not a popular month to visit! English robins ARE cute. When I first moved here I didn't even know what they were! Olga always loves to walk through dry leaves.
What a gorgeous video! As usual, having that lovely black & white dog in the middle of it is what makes it so great.
Autumn is putting on a good show this year. The trees are looking so fabulous and the crunchy leaves are so fun!
I know I've said this many times before but I'm so envious that you have the Heath to walk in. Such a cute little robin, ours are much bigger and their breast is really more of a rust color. I was sifting through a pile of dirt I had the city leave me when they dredged the ditches and when I would come across a grub I'd throw it out. It wasn't long before a mockingbird started hanging out and would snatch up the grub and fly off only to return over and over. I gathered it was feeding its young in a nearby nest.
Fantastic Walks And Dig The Map For The Reference Aspect - Righteous Video - I Forget How Peaceful A Location Becomes Through Photos - The Video Captures The Serenity Of It All - And Of Course The Star Of The Film Rocks The Casbah - Well Done Brother Reed
Cheers
That really is a beautiful place. I can understand why Olga wanted to go there (and she probably figures she doesn't owe you any explanations!) Squirrels would NEVER get that close to most of my dogs! Well... maybe the couple who are more mature, like Olga.
Thanks for the map. It's good to see stuff in context.
Olga , I wonder what she is thinking. Barking up a tree must have had some kind of result somewhere in her DNA, but it is just not producing squirrels anymore for the family fry pan, is it. The video is so beautiful i had to freeze frame it several times. Just gorgeous! The kind of beauty that you may see on a poster of a perfect world and just know it is contrived...
I did google map your walk yesterday . I remembered that Sarah and I went around that area a little but not like you have!
The fist photo of the little English robin would make a lovely holiday card.
They are as powdery as foxglove seeds but dark in colour.
Hampstead Heath is so beautiful.
I'm glad you think so!
Yeah, it's looking good! We mostly get yellows in the trees here -- not much red because there aren't maples in the forests.
Birds are pretty smart -- they know how to scavenge a meal! I'm sure the grubs weren't too thrilled, though.
It really is very quiet out there on the Heath, except for all the barking!
She gets quite insistent sometimes and I just follow her lead!
Glad it helps!
I'm not sure barking up a tree EVER did any good. I think it's just sheer frustration!
It really is -- "the green lung of London," as it's known.
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