Meanwhile

Today they decided to cut the grass so, not only have we got horses clip clopping past all the time, but also tractors and the huge loader wagons trundling past every few minutes. It's quiet in the country! I just wonder what happens when horse meets wagon on our narrow roads. 

Meanwhile, in the peace and quiet of the back garden . . . 

 . . . a male Great Spotted Woodpecker was feeding at the peanuts, as usual (extra). Then I noticed a young one high above in a tree. Dad arrived (the male is identified by the red band on the neck) and fed it. What was interesting was that the adult fed the young on nuts, but then picked insects from a branch and fed that too - a good mixed diet. (See the two in the second extra.) Soon we will no doubt see the little red cap coming to feed by itself. 

Our boiler engineer arrived, not without several telephone calls for him to find out how to get round Appleby!