Mist

Although I do not really like or enjoy the cooler weather we are experiencing, I cannot deny that it looks amazing when the mist covers the field in thin layers. It is easy to understand that many can see the elves dancing around in white, long dresses. Mystical!

Cattle invasion

The new road has now been tested by our neighbor's cattle. We heard a loud "muuuuu" and saw a small herd of cattle walking slowly pass our plot. It was headed by a big bull who looked a bit like my favorite "Ferdinand" but he did not stop to smell our flowers but showed some interest in a Mercedes parked not far from us. Maybe the owner will get a Smart some months from now?

August 2010

August 2010 is almost history. Nothing much has happened in Svångemåla. Surprisingly few animals have showed up around my house and no other major events have taken place. It is slowly getting colder and darker. The dew makes the grass glitter in the morning and the well known August moon is as bright as it always is.



As you know, my apples were early destroyed by insects but a few were spared and made into a delicious apple pie.

There are berries in the forest and we made a couple of blueberry pies and have seen, but not picked any lingonberries.



The most typical Swedish tradition this time of the year is the eating of crayfish and fermented herring (smells like it is rotten!) called "surströmming".

Despite all the rain we have had, there are not as much mushrooms as usual but it is still not too late for them so we just have to be patient.

Mid August

Many birds, including the swallows are getting ready for their long journey south. Right now, we can see them gathering and practicing their flying skills.



This is also the time of the year when we can start harvesting all kinds of fruits and berries. Not so many of us harvest any juniper berries but they can be used for spicing up all kinds of meat and also to make lemonade.



Even the birds that are not going as far as the swallows are also gathering in huge flocks.When they land to pick food they look like a huge mass of feathers and it is almost difficult to separate one from the other.

Wasp / hornet trap

I am not sure how effective this trap is but I have already caught a few wasps so it is worth a try if you feel that the wasps are getting a bit too many. Take a 1.5 liter PET bottle, cut off the top, turn it around and put it back like a funnel into the bottom part of the bottle. Use some cello tape to keep the construction together and add a bit of sugary water or lemonade to it and the trap is ready. I am been told not to use honey since it attracts the valuable bees that we must do everything to protect.

Hornets

Life in the forest is not easy. One day badgers are digging up your lawn, the other wild pigs attack and right now hornets are chewing on the timber my house is built of. They are amazingly large and able to kill and eat ordinary wasps and bees. Last night their attacks on my bedroom window made me anxious that they might even break the glass. I have made a trap of a cut off PET bottle with some sugar and lemonade but they are not that easily fooled and more drastic measures will be needed soon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_hornet



Note how small the very large fly to the left of the hornets looks!
As always, click on the picture to enlarge it.

Argyresthia conjugella

It has got a fancy name but it makes me both sad and mad. The few apples I usually can harvest are in danger of being food for a small insect that digs a small hole in the apples before they are ripe and leave me with nothing. Not fair.

Butterflies

I am not the only one who is attracted to Mrs Bear. Today, when painting windows, a butterfly landed on her arm, rolled out its trunk and started to "nibble" on her arm. It seemed very secure and comfortable and did not move until I had fetched my camera and taken some pictures. If you click on the picture, you will get an enlargement and can see that it has a small droplet on its trunk. Is it sweating?



Half an hour later, a second butterfly landed on her hat and spent some time just sitting there, enjoying the nice weather we have. The trunk was now rolled up or is it a ring in his/her nose?

Holes

The badger has not done any damage to the lawn for a while but I strongly suspect that he has started to dig big holes in, at least, two places. I am not sure why but guess that his search for food has made him go much deeper than he used to. They are big enough to be dangerous if you happen to stumble into one of them so I have had to fill them to prevent people from breaking their legs.

Hops

My hops pole is a constant source of joy and reflections. First it is amazing how fast the plants grow and the intricate way they wrap themselves around the pole. Secondly, when the top is reached (4.4 m !) they continue out in thin air until gravity brings them down or at least sideways. Just like we all do when we have climbed fast thanks to solid support and suddenly are on our own.