I sat quietly by the pond today, watching nature at its best. As I sipped my cup of sweet tea, I was amazed at what I saw.

     A lizard scurried past me, stopped for a rest then made its way beneath the old summerhouse. He was the biggest lizard I had ever seen in our garden for waifs and strays.

     Tadpoles in the pond had come to the edge, to sun themselves and to show off their developing legs. There were hundreds of them and newts too, and lots of other things I can’t always name.

     Bees buzzed in the roses which are now in abundance, climbing and crawling over everything around the pond. Even the foxgloves hung empty but deliciously beautiful....if it’s ok to say that!

     And as I lay back on the swing to soak up the sunshine I watched breathlessly as a red kite, the colour of autumn, flew gracefully overhead. This amazing creature with a six foot wingspan, was once, almost extinct in Britain, but thank heavens they have made a comeback.

      Then finishing my sweet tea, I took one last look at the pond. I noticed the delicate white flowers between the lily pads and began to take photos. That is when I spotted this magnificent damselfly.

       There were quite a few fluttering over the quiet water, but this particular one was happy to sit and pose for me. Her long black legs and large, curious red eyes would be the envy of many of her own kind, but her delicate wings would be the envy of all fairies. It is sad to think that as an adult she will live for as little as two months. You see, the longest part of her life was spent underwater, where she lived as a nymph for the best part of four years.

        I could have stayed by the pond all day, but so many things were vying for my time and attention. So I made my way to the chick nursery to see how they were doing. They were doing quite well, tucked under the wings of Twilight.

It is later than you think my friends. Until we meet again!

‘Yes, I know you have had many mothers, but I am your last. I am the one who will teach you manners. Lesson one, it is rude to stare!’

     This is the first picture of Twilight and her adopted chicks. Thank heavens, she liked the look of them and instantly took them under her wings...literally!

       I went anxiously down the garden at daylight to take a peep at them. At first, all I could see when I opened the side door was a puffed up Twilight. Her blue-grey wings stretched out like tiny arms and on closer inspection, two tiny yellow heads peeped out at me. I sighed with relief!

       Despite the early hour, I encouraged them to come out and have some food and water. It’s amazing watching mother hens (even surrogate ones) teach their young how to eat food. Twilight made some exaggerated pecks at the ‘baby chick food’ which she never liked herself, and the young copied. However, they already had a head start in their last home so it came a bit easier.  

        Then with a sweep of her wing, she ushered them back into the nest where they stayed until the sun was properly up. What a wonderful day.

     For the past few months, many things have been happening at our home for waifs and strays. My kind and unassuming husband and I (mainly my kind and unassuming husband) have been working hard to keep up with all the repairs and maintenance. We have also had decisions to make about adding to our ever growing family.

     Many of you will remember Twilight! She is the Peking Bantam that went broody some weeks ago. Well she is determined to remain broody until a chick appears. So I spent the entire morning driving up and down the Welsh Valley’s and over mountains, in search of a day old chick. I eventually arrived at an old farm in the middle of nowhere, with views to die for...perhaps that’s a little drastic but you know what I mean!

     The farm was very old with many straggling outbuildings and chickens everywhere. There was a pond too, or more like a small lake with large white lilies. It was a grand sight and I was greeted by a young man who couldn’t wait to show me his hens.

     Everything was immaculate, even the back room where the very young hens tweeted beneath a large lamp. I took time to choose my chick, in fact I couldn’t decide so I ended up with two bantam buffs instead.

     We now await darkness, before slipping them underneath Twilight. We can only hope and pray that she will accept these tiny balls of yellow fluff, just as her adoptive mother did exactly a year ago. I shall let you know tomorrow how they all get on.

      Well on the subject of hens, if you read the story of Featherpin a few days ago, she took a turn for the better and is now up and about with the others.

       Life in the garden is rosy again. Even the allotment is thriving. So there is still plenty to do. For now though, I will do some writing until it’s time to give Twilight her adopted chicks. Then the worrying will begin. Will she, wont she, be a natural mother? We will have to wait and see.

On my way to visit and old woollen mill today, I was completely taken back by the miles of yellow hedges that divided the sloping rectangular fields of this part of Wales.  

     I stopped the car and stood staring at the never ending avenues of what is commonly known as Golden Rain, or to give it its proper title, Laburnum anagyroids. It was indeed, a magnificent sight. Magical too, with a sort of Medieval feel about it.

     I had never seen so many Laburnums in all my life and after what my father told me, I didn’t care to ever grow one myself.

     ‘Pretty but poisonous,’ my father said as I ran towards one, ‘every little bit of it!’ he shouted after me.

     ‘How can anything so beautiful have the potential to kill you?’ I asked.

     My father smiled at me then up at the overhanging flowers that looked like golden rain. I closed my eyes as I waited for an answer.

     ‘The Blue Ringed Octopus is a beautiful creature, is it not?’ my father said and I nodded, ‘but it also has the potential to kill you. Therefore, we should have respect for such animals and plants, and pass on the teachings of their potential danger. They too have a place on this planet.’ I remained silent because I knew from experience that my father would continue.

     ‘Open your eyes and I shall show you the most dangerous part of this tree!’

      I did as I was told and watched my father pick up a stick and point to the flowers.

      ‘See the little peapods?’ I nodded curiously, ‘each pod contains cytosine, a quinolizidine alkaloid which has a similar effect to nicotine and if you eat a few of those, you will become ill. Possibly die if there is no charcoal to soak up the poison!’ He looked down at me as if waiting for a reaction but I  stayed perfectly still. You see, I had no idea what he was talking about; I was just seven years old after all.

      ‘The peas in those pods don’t just jump into your mouth as you pass by,’ he said shaking his head, ‘you would have to take them yourself so you would have only yourself to blame. Now I have warned you!’

      I wanted to smile but thought better of it. I understood the seriousness of the conversation and have always remembered that warning.

      I was fascinated to find out why someone had planted miles upon miles of this golden rain. Were they grown for their beauty? Or was the wood to be chopped up and used to make instruments such as flutes and recorders, just as my father had told me.

       On my journey back to our home for waifs and strays, I was consumed with thoughts about the these golden trees. At the mill, I had briefly discovered that the area was brought under Anglo-Norman control in c.1100 and that later, probably between the years 1223 and 1556, there was a large Estate, known as Golden Grove. Perhaps that is where the Golden Rain came from. Perhaps!

Bossy Bonnie Bumblebee is the naughtiest child in Gusty Gully. Her mother, the teacher, is the scariest person ever. Aled Evans once wrote this in his diary.

      ‘I’m not afraid of that girl!’ said Aled to the twins, as they walked up the hill towards the school.

      ‘But if you don’t give her sweets, she will run to her mother and tell lies about us!’ said Selin, dragging her feet behind them. She didn’t want to go to school, Bossy Bonnie frightened her.

      ‘Well today she will have to go without,’ replied Aled, straightening his back and pointing his chin outwards. ‘I haven’t got any sweets to give her!’

      The twins gasped in unison.

      ‘B..b..but you have to give her sweets,’ stammered Seth, wiping back his mop of blond curls, ‘she’ll be waiting at the gate for us.’

      ‘Have some of mine!’ cried Selin and she stopped to open her school bag.

      ‘Don’t bother,’ shouted Aled, ‘I have no intention of giving her sweets ever again. I decided last night that she’s gone too far!’

      Seth and Selin stopped in their tracks. ‘What about Mrs Bumblebee?’ Selin said as she closed her bag. ‘She will believe any story her horrid daughter tells her, even if it is a lie!’

       Aled just shrugged his shoulders and carried on up the hill. ‘Hurry up you two, we don’t want to be late!’

       When they arrived at the school gates, Bossy Bonnie was nowhere to be seen.

        ‘That’s a first!’ said Seth and he sighed with relief.

        ‘You’re lucky this time!’ said Selin and hurried towards the school door.

        Aled stood perfectly still by the gate.

        ‘What are you doing?’ Selin shouted. ‘Are you bonkers?’

       Aled smiled and waved to the twins. ‘Maybe!’ he said and watched as all the children ran into school before Bossy Bonnie arrived. There was Archie and Ollie, Hayley and Megan and lots more who were afraid of the bully. Because, that is what she was, Aled had written in his diary, a great big horrid bully.

       The school bell rang, telling the children that school was about to start. But Aled kept his ground. He stood up straight, just inside the school gate and waited for her. She soon arrived and looked livid to see that everyone had gone in, except that boy with the thick dark hair, the one that always stared at her.

       For a moment, Aled wanted to run, but it was too late, she had spotted him. She smiled mechanically and held her hand out. ‘Give them to me!’ she hissed. Aled sort of snarled at her. He had noticed before, but today, Bossy Bonnie Bumblebee looked even prettier than before, despite being so horrid.

        ‘Why are you staring at me?’ she snapped. ‘Is it because I’m the teacher’s daughter?’

       Aled tried to look away but he couldn’t. He didn’t know if he was frightened or hypnotised by the creature standing in front of him. She was slightly taller than him, but slimmer, with dark hair, that fell down to her waist. She was only ten, he thought, same age as he was, but one day she would be more beautiful than ever. He hoped he would be around to see that day.  

        ‘I’m not staring!’ he said quietly. ‘And I certainly don’t care that you’re the teacher’s daughter. Why should I? Why should anyone care? I was just wondering what it is that makes you so horrid! Is it because you are the teacher’s daughter?’

        Bossy Bonny Bumblebee was so angry, that she ran into the classroom and told her mother that Aled Evans had stolen sweets from the village shop. This didn’t go down very well with Mrs Bumblebee and her face reddened as she left the room to find him.

        Aled was standing in the yard. He knew the reason why Bossy Bonnie  acted the way she did. It was because she was Mrs Bumblebee’s daughter and although that in itself should not turn her into a bully, it obviously affected her. He turned to see Mrs Bumblebee marching across the yard holding out a finger towards him.

        ‘Aled Evans, go straight to my office and stay there until I call Barry Book and Pencil!’

        Aled knew only too well who Barry Book and Pencil was, he was the village policeman.

        ‘I didn’t steal anything,’ said Aled to the policeman, a little while later. ‘I have never stolen anything in my life,’ he said honestly.

        There was a knock on the door. The policeman opened it and Aled saw Bossy Bonnie Bumblebee standing there crying.

         ‘I made a mistake,’ she sniffled. ‘I shouldn’t have said those things.’

         ‘Why are you telling me this now?’ Barry Book and Pencil asked. ‘What has made you change your mind?’

          Aled stared at the girl who got him into trouble. She didn’t look at him.

          ‘I’m sorry but I don’t know why I said it! It was a mistake!’

          Aled remembered what he had heard on TV and quickly stood besides the policeman.

          ‘I don’t want to press charges,’ he said breathlessly, ‘she just thought she saw me stealing but I was just looking in my bag for something!’ Aled crossed his fingers behind his back. What harm would a little white lie do?

          Mrs Bumblebee and the policeman spoke to Bossy Bonnie and told her to be more careful in future, especially when accusing someone. Bossy Bonnie promised to do so and went straight back to the classroom and sat at her desk, her head hung low.

           ‘Thank you,’ said a voice behind and she turned to see Aled Evans staring down at her.

            ‘I’m the one, who should say thank you,’ she whispered. ‘And I am so sorry. It will never happen again, I promise.’ And it never did!