Author Archives: Murtagh's Meadow

About Murtagh's Meadow

As an ecologist I have always had an interest in nature. I love gardening and would spend all day outdoors if I could. I also enjoy taking photographs and writing. I live in the west of Ireland with my young family.

Tree of Life

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I was actually going to write this post for last week’s Lens artist challenge but as I didn’t get time to post, I thought as Tina was offering “you pick it” it seemed a good opportunity to do anyway. This post is about our crab apple tree. In the spring it never fails to blossom and it is packed full of flowers. The closed buds are pink which open into white blossoms with flushes of pink.

  • apple blossom
    apple blossom

The blossom attracts bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

  • Bee on blossom

By Autumn the tiny fruit have developed.

  • Crab apple
    Crab apple

And now the blackbirds are visiting and are enjoying what is left of the apples.

  • Blackbird

And on top of all this pleasure the tree gives us, it is also our robin’s friend favourite tree.

  • Robin

Dedicated to David, who left this earth on the 27th November 2020, and always loved his garden and his garden birds.

Six on Saturday – 7th November

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A late six on Saturday for this week.

  1. Calendula – the only thing really left flowering and it is in the polytunnel.
  • Calendula

2. Still the leaves, what is left of them, are still providing some colour.

  • Sweet chestnut

3. More leaves

4. We are still enjoying brassicas too. Firstly a very mini cauliflower in the polytunnel.

  • Cauliflower

5. Romanesco

  • Romanesco

6. And finally my favourite to eat, purple sprouting broccoli.

  • Purple sprouting brocolli

Thanks to The Propagator for hosting Six on Saturday

Six on Saturday – Happy Halloween

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Of course it being Halloween I have to start with the pumpkins this week. Not home grown this year, but kids made good job with their carvings all the same.

There is also a full moon tonight. Not the best of photos, but this is it through the trees.

  • Perfect Halloween full moon

We had some gales earlier with Storm Aiden, leaving most of the remaining leaves on the ground.

  • wet leaves

However, I did manage to get a photo of the dogwood yesterday before the storm arrived (it is pretty much stripped bare now).

  • Dogwood

And the field maple, which always goes a lovely yellow shade too.

  • Maple

We have also started feeding the birds again too. Here a blue tit, coal tit and great tit all sharing.

  • Busy bird feeder

So wishing you all a very Happy All Hallows Eve. And special thanks to The Propagator for hosting six on Saturday.