Go Potty in the Garden this Spring by Chase Aqua Rural Enterprise

Course Aims, Outcomes and Contacts

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

Please read through our course aims and outcomes. We will cover all of these by the end of the course and will help you to identify and achieve your own personal goals too. Please leave us a comment if you have any queries below. Thank you.

Your new 2023-4 Learner Handbook

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

https://sway.office.com/mUvK8ci0imFGtMxr?ref=email

This handbook contains lots of really helpful information and advice, in particular support with safeguarding and contacts that you may need. Our CARE designated safeguarding lead is Carol Parkes, and our deputy designated safeguarding lead is Brad Parkes. You can contact us on info@chaseaquaruralenterprise.com or Tel: 07772 273033

Enrolling for your course

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

Here is the link to enrol for this course. Please use the following information:

Course Code: CFPCARE02

Course Name: Go PoTTy in the Garden this Spring

Provider: Chase Aqua Rural Enterprise CIC

Dates: 2nd March - 30th March 2024

Welcome to your course

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

Thank you for enrolling on your course, I really hope that you enjoy learning some new wellbeing, wildlife gardening skills. We hope that you will continue to develop and enjoy your new skills with your family once the course finishes.

Introduction to your course and your learning Padlet/Facebook group

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Some great ideas for Stone Painting

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Stone painting - Five Simple Steps

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Why not leave an inspirational message for others? Painted stones are a great way to do this.

Forraging can be great fun, providing hours of great adventure. Take time to record your journey so that you can enjoy it again, and again!

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

We hope you enjoy personalising your own linen forraging bag, and making a start in your very own journal where you can capture your thoughts and ideas throughout the course. Great to look back on afterwards too! Why try some art journalling or story telling to help you on your way.

On-line learning at home - Staying Safe, Tips and Guidance for Safety in the Home

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more online safety

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More online safety including advice for parents

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online safety

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https://www.getsafeonline.org/

Safeguarding information for learners from Staffordshire Community Learning / county council

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Scams and Staying Safe On-line

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Useful Learner Information - British Values, Protect yourself, Feeling and Staying Safe:

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https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Education/Community-learning-service/ProviderInfo/Safeguarding-and-Prevent-duty-overview.aspx

Using the internet safely and protectiing personal information:
https://www.deliveringforscotland.gov.uk/at-home/internet-safety/

Learning Group Agreement

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

Please take a look at our group agreement, we want everyone to feel safe, supported and included. We want everyone to achieve as much as possible by taking part.

To approve and to leave any suggestions please use the space below. It is important that all course members submit their approval of the Group Agreement

WEMWBS Wellbeing Survey

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

Positive wellbeing will influence many aspects of our lives, as well as being an important employability characteristic. Please complete and return the wellbeing survey form below. We can repeat this again later to see the impact taking part in this course has had on your well-being. Thank you.

Your journey starts here:

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

Please can I ask you to follow the link and complete the Google form - its a great opportunity to remind yourself and us why you are choosing to take part in the course, and what you would like to achieve from it.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdqT9X68bGARjb_2LrROijomOyH_rjBiJvIYe82pqy-s3Dm2A/viewform

We are all so very different and as tutors it helps to inform us so that we can build all learner needs and aspirations in as we progress through the course. If we can support you with any specific needs whilst you are on the couse please let us know too. Best wishes. Carol

Links to English, Maths and IT support here

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Numeracy and Digital Skills - The government have launched The Skills Toolkit, a collection of free online courses for adults to access whilst at home, to help you build new skills and boost growth and productivity.

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Support with your English for speakers of other languages

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Mental Wellbeing - Little Things can Make a Difference

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A really useful link especially during the busy spring months

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Wellbeing Walk in Cannock Chase

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Wellbeing walks in the forest

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This website is from Forestry England, and is linked to the walk that we will be doing this week. Take a look.

Reflect on your wellbeing too

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

The Five Ways to Wellbeing has been a very important corner stone for this course and you may remember we started by taking a look at where you felt you were on the WEMWBS scale. It would be really good if you could pause again now and complete WEMWBS again to see what impact taking part in the course has had on your wellbeing. If there is anything that we can help to support you with on-going as a result please let me know. Link to the form is here:

Wellbeing Link

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

A great series following Robson Green around the countryside, might inspire you to get outside and explore a few places :-)

More community Learning?

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

Now that you have successfully completed your course why not take another step and try one of the other learning courses available with Staffordshire Community Learning. Please follow the link for details.

Adult Community Learning Feedback 23-24

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Hi everyone, please find the link to submit some feedback on the course attached to this post. The course code you may need is CFPCARE02 Any questions please get in touch, many thanks

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Beat the cold - some links you may find useful

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Beat the Cold provides energy advice and guidance to address fuel poverty (https://www.beatcold.org.uk/).

Support with Cost of Living Resources: https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/Community/Cost-of-living-support/Here-to-help.aspx

Hypothermia Advice: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hypothermia/

Cost of Living Advice

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Volunteering can help improve your self-esteem and emotional health

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Careers Advice and Information

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Please see the link for information about current local vacancies that might be of interest to you.

National Careers Service West Midlands

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The Skills Toolkit from Department for Education provides access to free, high-quality courses to help build up your skills in digital and numeracy. Find out more: gov.uk/theskillstoolkit #TheSkillsToolkit

WeRecruit is Launched!

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:04:15 UTC

https://careers.staffordshire.gov.uk/jobs/latest

WeRecruit is the new Staffordshire County Council's career hub which will improve the recruitment experience for you! It is accessible on both mobile and desktop devices, and will include all candidate communications and show your application progress. You can now easily: apply for jobs, manage your profile, find information to support your job search. It will also allow you to set up job alerts, so you can quickly access jobs matching your chosen criteria.

Manage your own mental wellbeing with new wellbeing hub

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Help your wildlife move around more easily and go undetected from preditors by making this simple mammal tunnel

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Look after your garden worms, they do a very important job in our soil!

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Feed butterflies and they will return to your garden

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How to make a bumble bee nest

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Have you found one of these?Find out more about the beetles in your garden and how to identify them

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Beautiful Butterflies - explore this fab link to learn about all of the following:

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Butterflies found in UK gardens
Identification of common UK butterflies and key facts
How to attract butterflies to your garden
The Red admiral butterfly – ID and recording sightings

Some great links to explore which will support today's session:

CAREcic — 2024-02-15 23:31:38 UTC

Bird Identification made Easy
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/wildlife-guides/identify-a-bird/

Name that song - Identify the birds singing in your garden:
https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-songs/what-bird-is-that/

https://www.british-birdsongs.uk/

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/04/identify-bird-song/

How to care and rescue injured birds - what to do if you find an injured bird

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/injured-and-baby-birds/if-you-find-an-injured-bird/

CCTV Nesting boxes – live link to nesting birds:

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/webcams

Do birds fly into your windows - help them not to crash land - make these simple window hangers

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Watch the birds from this simple bird hide that you can make in your garden or outdoor space

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Get to know your birds - have you seen any of these?

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How many insects can you find?

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Videos to watch - how to make a hanging or low level bug house.

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https://supersimple.com/article/bug-hotel/

Chester Zoo – using cardboard tubes:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OexxoXo9uFk

How to make lots of different homes for insects and invertebrates:
https://www.preloved.co.uk/blog/inspiration/inspiration-bug-hotel/

If you want something that looks more like a mansion:

https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-build-bug-mansion

https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/give-nature-a-home-in-your-garden/garden-activities/build-a-bug-hotel

A fun quiz - find out how much you know about nature. Let us know how you get on

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What's on this month at Cannock Chase

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Session 1 - How to choose, and clean a pot for growing your herb or flower seeds

CAREcic — 2024-02-28 14:39:11 UTC

Please watch this video. It will guide you on the best pots to use in the garden, how to clean them and the importance of cleaning them.

Once you have watch this video find a pot at home, give it a good clean and then bring it to session 2.

In session 2 we will decorate the pots with your designs from week 1. So make sure you collect and then bring with you all your organic resources.

Session 2 - How to sow herb and flower seeds

CAREcic — 2024-02-28 14:40:36 UTC

Following session 2 you will be able to sow your chosen seeds into your beautifully decorated pots (once dry). This video will guide you through step by step so watch carefully.

Your space

CAREcic — 2024-02-28 15:00:10 UTC

Please use this section to record all your activities from this week. It is really easy to upload photos of your work. Just click on the '+' below where it says 'your space session 1' and follow the steps through. If you need any help please ask one of the tutors and we can show you what to do.

We can't wait to see all your work !

Your space

CAREcic — 2024-02-28 15:01:23 UTC

Please use this section to record all your activities from this week. It is really easy to upload photos of your work. Just click on the '+' below where it says 'your space session 2' and follow the steps through. If you need any help please ask one of the tutors and we can show you what to do.

We can't wait to see all your work !

WELCOME TO YOUR COURSE

CAREcic — 2024-03-02 11:45:41 UTC

Please take a look at the tutorials below they will help with your activities that you are going to be doing at home this week.

Cleaning your pots: Please can everyone clean and bring a pot(s) with them for next week,
Foraging: Please can you collect some interesting items from your garden, local park, when you are on a walk, things you find that interest you so that we can use these to decorate your pots and your gardening journal.
Gardening Journal: These are in the post to you - when then arrive you may like to spend some time decorating the front cover ready for next week.
Photographs: Please share how you get on each week - post your photographs to the Your Space Session 1 - work in progress pics, and photographs of your finished projects are all great.

Thank you and looking forward to seeing you next week.

Workbook

glennlfc73 — 2024-03-06 19:20:08 UTC

myself and Finleys Handywork

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-08 12:02:25 UTC

We have started to decorate our notebook and been out on our nature walk spotting so many signs of spring. We spotted our first bee 🐝 collecting pollen from the daffodils, hellebores and crocuses. We’ve also had birds coming in pairs to feed on our bird feeders (bullfinch and nuthatch pairs)

Week 1 activities

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-09 16:00:35 UTC

We haven’t collected any organic resources yet as we were unsure how to stick them onto the pots. (Pine cones, twigs or stones). But we have found one pot each. Sammy has gone with a glazed terracotta pot and I have gone with a normal terracotta pot. We are just cleaning them to make sure there are no bacteria as they have both been outside all winter and we spotted that although Sam's is glazed, it has had some frost damage.

Week 1 Activities

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-09 16:04:49 UTC

We are going to try to clean our pots with Milton and have decided to put them in a sunny spot in our back garden. Sam has chosen one side and I have chosen the other side. Our pots are not big but we’re hoping for a good display that we can see from our kitchen window.

RHS online advice

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 22:40:53 UTC

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has a wealth of knowledge available via this link. You should also find help on what jobs need to be done in the garden to help you get ready for spring.

Chick development inside the egg

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 22:41:27 UTC

This video takes you through the 21 days of chick development inside the egg. Showing you how a chick develops/changes each day from a tiny cell into a chick which we will see soon.

Encouraging wildlife into your garden

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 22:41:56 UTC

The RHS gives us lots of tips and advice of how to encourage wildlife into our gardens/outdoor space.

Spring Gardening Jobs

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 22:42:18 UTC

Here are some more ideas of the jobs which need doing in your garden this spring

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 22:42:41 UTC

Great app to go on your phone that helps identify flowers / plants in your garden! A great free tool and well worth getting!

Make a plan for spring

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 22:42:52 UTC

This website takes you step by step through making a plan for your garden.

Gardening - Health and Wellbeing

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 22:45:43 UTC

This article explains how gardening can help with health and wellbeing. It also has some real life stories how it has changed peoples lives.

Further decoupage projects to explore and new techniques to try:

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Art therapy explained

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Art for Wellbeing - A great link to explore

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Art is a fabulous way to make contact with others and to share our ideas and creations too. Our sketching and drawing skills can help us capture really special moments in our life, and importantly our reflections too. Its a fantastic wellbeing tool and something that we can enjoy at any age. Please take time to explore this really great link.

Session 2 practical:

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 23:00:53 UTC

Today we will be sowing herb seeds into your first cleaned container. Please watch the video tutorial and contact me with any questions. Please take photos of your own project and share with us on Padlet in the Your Space Session 2 column.

Session 3 Practical: How to create spring/summer containers

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Activity sheet and top tips from the session

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Help your wildlife move around more easily and go undetected from preditors by making this simple mammal tunnel

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 23:12:03 UTC

Nice and simple - quick and easy way to create a hanging bug hotel for your garden/outdoor space.

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 23:13:16 UTC

Another great idea to try

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Looking for something a little grander for your bugs? Try this one ....

CAREcic — 2024-03-11 23:13:38 UTC

Newspaper Pots

CAREcic — 2024-03-13 15:05:59 UTC

Today we looked at alternative recycled plant pots, and we all had a go at making this fab newspaper pot. Very simple to make and very effective. Also as it is newspaper you can put the pot with the plant in straight into your garden soil/container. Over time the newspaper pot with decompose in the soil and disappear.

Harry Potter Pot

CAREcic — 2024-03-13 15:07:35 UTC

Well done Finley with your pot. You have used decoupage to decorate your pot and it looks great.

CARE pot

CAREcic — 2024-03-13 15:10:42 UTC

Glenn we love the way you have used your foraged items from the garden to decorate your pot. It will be interesting to see what happens to your leaves over the next few weeks as they dry out. You could have dried the leaves out using a flower press or microwave first before you stuck them to ensure they do not change.

Garden window box

CAREcic — 2024-03-13 15:12:42 UTC

Harry you and your dad have done a fantastic job on this window box. You had the biggest pot to decorate, but you have made a beautiful job using decoupage to decorate it. Well done.

Beautiful pots

CAREcic — 2024-03-13 15:31:37 UTC

Well done girls you have done a beautiful job of these pots with your dads help and support.

Sidley's

CAREcic — 2024-03-13 15:32:28 UTC

Some beautiful designs and all so very different great work.

Seed bombs

CAREcic — 2024-03-13 15:40:50 UTC

Last week we spoke about making seed bombs with our wildlife seeds. Here is a tutorial on how to make them. Post us your photos of your seed bombs.

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Our cress is growing

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We also planted some seeds from a rotten tomato and they've also started to grow :)

katjaintenerife — 2024-03-16 08:52:56 UTC

We've sown our seeds

Enjoy Cannock Chase this Easter

CAREcic — 2024-03-22 16:32:54 UTC

We are so lucky to have this fabulous resource on our doorstep, please take a look at the events for this Easter - so much to take part in and to enjoy.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust has plenty going on too this Easter!

CAREcic — 2024-03-22 16:34:55 UTC

Session 4 Practical - how to make a simple bird cake

CAREcic — 2024-03-22 17:47:29 UTC

Some great links too that support your knowledge on feeding garden birds:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/feeding-birds/safe-food-for-birds/

https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/inthewild/feedinggardenbirds

Try making this simple lollypop stick bird feeder

CAREcic — 2024-03-22 17:47:51 UTC

How to make a toilet roll bird feeder

CAREcic — 2024-03-22 17:48:03 UTC

Cheery bird strings - so simple to make!

CAREcic — 2024-03-22 18:35:10 UTC

End of Course Review

CAREcic — 2024-03-22 20:14:28 UTC

Congratulations on completing your course -with so many new things tried and achieved its always good to take a moment and remind ourselves just how far you have come and how much you have achieved.

Aili and Tomi's Easter grass

katjaintenerife — 2024-03-23 00:05:57 UTC

Making bird feeders from juice cartons - theme them and hang them in your wild garden area

CAREcic — 2024-03-23 06:27:37 UTC

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Fabulous well decorated table with a lovely feast of treats for the birds

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 15:44:26 UTC

Well done Emma, Rob, Caitlin and Charley with these wonderful wildlife treats. Please try and record just what species come to your table to take a look and enjoy your feast if you can. There's certainly lots of choice - everything from halved apples with giant sunflower seeds pushed into them - looking a little like hedgehogs! - to cheerio strings with tempting apricots, blueberries and grapes. I'm sure this display will also attract some new species into your garden. Water is always a really good idea too - even when its cold the birds still love fresh water to drink.

Ground feeding is a must for blackbirds!

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 15:45:49 UTC

Making sure you have something for everyone in your garden is really important. Take a look at this fab, simple idea created in the session today, and well placed in the garden so that the birds have some cover against possible predators too. Well done Caitlin.

Bird feeders that offer a good variety of nuts, fruit and energy will certainly appeal at this time of year as birds start nesting and preparing to feed young.

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 15:47:20 UTC

Well done Charley and Caitlin for your very careful work on these bird feeders, let us all know who comes to visit please!

Session 2 - Wind Chimes

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 18:01:36 UTC

Wind Chimes - a simple idea to try at home. Hope you enjoy, any questions please let me know.

DIY Dream Catcher

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 18:01:53 UTC

This is a great video showing you how to make a simple yet really effective dream catcher at home. Incorporated into this you can add your own upcycled materials from home such as beads, fabrics, shiny objects, feathers, anything really to add some colour to your craft. Any questions please ask.

How to make a dream catcher

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 18:02:07 UTC

See below for instructions on how to weave the centre of your dreamcatcher

Weaving a dream catcher

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 18:02:19 UTC

Activity Sheet - Rainbow Windchimes

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 18:02:58 UTC

Rustic Wind Chimes

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 18:32:57 UTC

Scroll down to find a fantastic idea for a simple garden windchime, something to hang in your favourite tree, or where you sit to enjoy hearing the breeze.

Lots more ideas - simply Google garden art sun catchers - so many fabulous ideas for you to try at home

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 18:38:49 UTC

Inspirational recycled garden art projects

CAREcic — 2024-03-27 18:43:25 UTC

Please take a look as there are some fabulous garden art projects that will inspire you to try them at home - many use recycled materials. Or why not create a few garden art ideas of your own - and please share them with us too!

Congratulations!

CAREcic — 2024-03-28 00:14:33 UTC

More family fun - Courses at CARE

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Bird feeders

glennlfc73 — 2024-03-30 10:51:13 UTC

Week 2

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:11:26 UTC

Log pile and compost heaps

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:12:23 UTC

Animals to attract to our garden

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:13:03 UTC

Bug Hotel

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:13:49 UTC

More ideas for bug hotels

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:14:34 UTC

Bird feeder ideas to try

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:15:56 UTC

Our bug hotels in the garden

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:21:19 UTC

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:23:27 UTC

Planting basil herbs in tin cans

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:53:23 UTC

Herb planting

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:54:12 UTC

Bumblebee in the pulmonaria plant.

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:56:43 UTC

Unusual spider in one of our plants!

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 15:58:30 UTC

Bird nesting material

rzhrgxmzg7_ — 2024-03-30 16:01:02 UTC

Rabbit foot prints in snow

katjaintenerife — 2024-03-31 07:50:48 UTC

Fun in the snow

katjaintenerife — 2024-03-31 07:52:04 UTC

We built snowmen

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