Happy as a Boo in muck

Well, we haven't seen much in the way of fungi yet, but the sun is back (and that's perhaps why) and it's 'outside play' for us, aka gardening for mama.  We are enjoying the rich colours that are emerging in the foliage around us, and laying the ground work for some planting in the coming weeks.  It's so exciting to come to this point, after weeks of clearing, cutting and digging (thanks Dadda Boo!)  

We have two of these large flowering shrubs (Spiraea?), which had heads of tiny pink flowers when we moved in, now with the foliage darkening to purple, they are looking lovely.

We have a number of azalea bushes, but this one is the favourite right now, with its reddening leaves.

More of the Spiraea (at least that's what I think it is, based upon the 'Tree and Shrub Expert'!)

English Ivy round the side of the house, which seems to be weathering well having been cut back mercilessly in August as it was growing rampantly.

Boo prepares a wooden window box for planting, whilst on the look-out for creepy crawlies and wriggly worms, the latter of which I am ashamed to say she has a proclivity for squeezing to death.  Wood lice and caterpillars also often suffer the same fate in her hands.  I try to stop her but she's quick I tell you.

 
There's nowt so happy as a Boo in muck.

The empty window box becomes a boat for Black Bear to voyage across the garden ocean.

Looks cute doesn't he?  Well his excrement isn't, and that's what we are having the pleasure of clearing up on a regular basis from our lawn. Boo's beach ball has also been savaged, though she quite liked the idea of the raccoon posse playing football on the grass whilst we sleep.  Boo now has a new song, 'Goodbye raccoon, shoo shoo shoo, goodbye raccoon, we don't want your poo'.  Boo's fascination with animal excrement continues unabated, especially after we saw a huge pile of 'bear poo' in the park!

Much to look forward to, as the garden and the studio start to take shape in the coming weeks.