Zoo Day.

While the sun shone it felt quite pleasant despite the icy easterly wind but when the sky turned grey it was not nice at all. At least it was good for drying the washing out on the line.

The first aquilegia flower.

I toyed with the idea of cycling to the zoo but in view of the strong wind opted to drive instead. I began by weeding some of the narrow strips around the aviaries and then turned to my main job, finishing off the gravel patch by the guinea fowl. I had cleared two thirds of it last week but the final third is hard to do and needs a whole session. It's awkward because it has a lot of mud, not enough gravel and is the direct route along the main path to the animals. 

Today I brought my heavy duty hand hoe and was able to turn over all the muddy gravel and remove even the tiniest seeding. I surprised myself when I found an old rusty nail which I lobbed successfully through the opening of a litter bin six feet behind me. (I'm generally quite uncoordinated.) 

After getting that done I went round to go over the paths in the grass maze and was saddened to find that all the self sown lemon balm (covering an area 6ft x 4ft) was gone. I suspect there had been a goat escape at some point as surely nobody would have pulled it all up especially around a stone with 'Please do not pull up the plants.' written on it.

I had a quick walk around afterwards. Mr Pea ate a dandelion flower I gave him but didn't put his tail feathers up.

Okay, which one of you was it? 

I suspect the Welsh mountain goats as they are forever ramming their fences and shelter walls.

I've just been down to the boatyard waiting for two other people to turn up for a meeting about the carnival. However despite an email this afternoon confirming the time and place the other people did not turn up. I waited almost half an hour before coming home. I don't understand how people can make arrangements and then not turn up.

I'll be off down the road again in less than an hour for Pilates. At least I can depend on that.

Sunset last night.