Here be dragons

Several blippers expressed interest in the bird-filled overgrown gardens on the properties uphill from Chez Mima after yesterday’s blip. 

This view is from the truck deck looking into the first of the three abandoned sections. You may recognise it from various sunrises over the years.

My boundary is the makeshift fence and beyond it is pretty much impenetrable. When I first lived here a local farmer had a dozen sheep in there, which kept paths open throughout the undergrowth and it was easy to explore all the old orchards and gardens. I have a handy gate (bottom right). However, the sheep were losing condition the longer they stayed there, and five years ago they were removed. 

Since then the paths have become overgrown with high grasses, brambles and gorse. I struggled through there earlier this year and am not encouraged to repeat it: it’s very uneven underfoot and it was a real effort to reach the first line of plum trees about 30m in.

But I’m content to leave it undisturbed. We know there are a trio of deer regularly overnighting in the upper reaches of the properties and I’m hoping they never find Chez Mima and all the delicious vegetables laid out in convenient raised beds for them. And of course there are possums in there. And a couple of feral cats. Other than that it’s birds. And maybe dragons…

By the way, the square box on a post is a nest box for native owls, Morpork. It was built by my predecessors here and I’ve only ever seen starlings in it.