A Murderer at Large

 Well, not really at large. He is just…large. I am referring to this chap…

One Bambino Bobble Wilson Esq. He might look all casual and nonchalant, like rodents wouldn’t melt in his mouth, but a mere hour prior to the taking of this photograph, he presented to me one small but very dead shrew, and very sad it looked too. It was Bambino Bobble Wilson’s first rodent murder and he wants, henceforth, to be known as ‘The Shrewminator.’

I suppose, given he is almost nine years old, the death of one shrew isn’t too bad a record for a cat. I did remonstrate with him most severely regarding his crime but he looked so pleased with himself that I didn’t have the heart to be cross with him for long. He immediately set up camp outside Shrew Manor…

…but you’ll be pleased to know that his kill list total remained at ‘One’ and that was that. Even so, I thought I ought to loiter around in the courtyard vicinity just to keep a beady eye on his feline shenanigans, so I set about planting out my latest garden centre haul, including sea thrift, anemones and more ranunculus, which are fast becoming one of my favourite flowers. I was very pleased to find the sea thrift because I remember masses of it in my Gran’s garden and I thought it was great! 

This week I also bought a Magnolia stellata and two peonies. I spent a bit of time wandering around the garden considering where to plant these but the jury remains undecided. I might put them in pots just for this year. I also bought a hanging basket of tiny pansies. I’ve put them on the hook by the back door so I won’t forget to water them. 

The courtyard flower bed is filling out nicely with primulas, forget-me-nots, violets, some purple thing (I have no idea what it’s called), evening primroses and the hellebores which have taken well. Basically, if I see a gap, I am filling it, hence the purchase of sea thrift and ranunculus. The anemones have gone in with the lupins which are putting on great growth. I have high hopes for the lupins this year. 

My next job is to pot on a few of my house plants. And crack on with the area in front of ‘Darling Buds.’ And sort out the laundry room because it won’t be long before the swallows make a return. And so the world continues to turn…