Day 24 - Another day in the garden

Day 24 was another day spent in my garden. Not very interesting, but satisfying to see progress. This time next year, all being well, it'll be a lovely little space for wildlife!

I found lots of bugs as I worked...

I wonder who made a cosy home in the privet?

Some kind of spider... did wonder if it was a false widow, but I don't know.

It was nice to see a non-harlequin ladybird larva! I think this will be a 14 spot ladybird.

One of my hydrangeas has got two tiny flowers now. I thought they were both going to be white but this one is purple. I still think the other will be white but we shall see!

This moth was a dead one. A yellow underwing found in the kitchen.

Today's outdoor drink was my favourite San Pel (grapefruit)... I got through a couple of cans outside today, working for about 5 hours!

I also rearranged the slabs that were laid last weekend... just those four smaller ones. I decided I didn't like the order they were in and wanted the one on the left below to be at the front (it was at the other end) as it's the nicest of the four. They won't really be seen once the new shed goes up, but I'm very particular - I would have known and it would have irritated me if I hadn't changed them. I paid for my finickiness with a good bit of backache afterwards! Some of those slabs, though quite small, were very thick and therefore quite a weight!
 

I also dug up another pile of bricks from the back of the garden. It made me wonder if they were just dumped with other building supplies that I've been getting rid of or if there was once an outhouse of some kind here. I expect there are more in there but decided against digging any deeper to find out!

I probably won't use the bricks but I haven't got rid of them yet, just in case I find a use for them. For now, they're forming a little shelter for any creature who chooses to stay in it... there are a couple of entrances.

I finished the day, sitting on the shed base with a little outdoor snack before going home - I'd forgotten I had a box of these at the house so was pretty excited to rediscover it! 

Since I drafted this post, I've been told the spider is most likely Steatoda bipunctata (which is one of the false widows).

A look back...

On this day in 2016, I stopped on my way to work to enjoy a rain shower.

The previous year I was looking at the wildflowers at Hartington Meadows.

(female scorpion fly)