there are thieves in the orchard today

as Prince sang that nice song about....well, kind of anyway.

These birds are real artists. They are eating the elderberries (I don't mind, I have loads of 'em) just so they can cover everything in purple poo. Which is classy AND the reason that Prince wrote the song. You see?

Today I delivered 46kgs of damsons to the farmers' coop so they can be made into schnaps and caught and killed two mice - but not all at the same time. The wincy baby mice were, of course, terribly cute but they do have a habit of growing up into big mice who chew my books and shit all over the kitchen, keep us awake all night as well as stinking the place out. So, as these littles were too small to spring the trap that got their parents, I used a rather more brutal method that isn't approved by the Vegan Society.

Apart from that the Battle of Wasp's Nest is still ongoing. I think we have about a thousand wasp deaths on our conscience and they have only managed to sting me five times.

So, in all, I think I'm happy to say that humans are winning out at the moment. The rest of the week will be spent trying to get as much fruit stuffed into jars as possible in a feeble attempt to gain some power over Winter. Though I have to admit that, when the temperature hits minus figures I tend to roll over and surrender.....I'm loving the hot weather but already dreading the cold. Which can only mean one thing. Autumn is approaching with Winter hard on its heels.