Seagull watch - Big Stan calls by

Hi Everyone, it's me Frog, and him Stan!
Here he is, my friend Big Stan. He likes to drop in and have a few sips from our bird bath - looks like he drank all of it!

If you are a sparrow or even a starling, there would be room for you and all your chums, but for seagulls it's just about big enough for one. When Mrs Stan comes too they have to take turns.

They never wash in it - they just drink from it.
Do seagulls have baths?
Do they keep clean in the salt spray?
Are they smelly?? (eyouw!)

We took this photo through the window of our porch. When Big Stan flies in there is a noise of beating wings and he's always shouting about something.
But he is still my friend.

I have to go now, the beach is calling me, and I am watching the rooftop for signs of nestbuiling. More soon!
Love, Frog X

growing sunflowers!

Hi Everyone, it's a Frog the Dog newsflash!

It's hot news from the greenhouse! (hehe)

Last week I planted 24 sunflower seeds, and today FIVE of them have popped up to see me! How exciting is THAT?

I'm sure that more of them are just hiding just under the surface, and will be out at any moment, when I'm not looking.

In case you want to know more about growng sunflowers, this is what I did:

I saved up my pocket money and bought a packet of "Russian Giant" sunflowers.

I found some potting trays that are about the same size as 8cms flower pots, and filled them with multipurpose compost.

I made the compost a bit damp. (not too soggy!)

I pushed the seeds into the compost about 1- 1.5cms down, and carefuly covered them.

I kept the trays on the shelf in the greenhouse, and made sure each day that the compost was just moist, but NOT SOGGY!

It's been very warm and sunny where I live, so it was important not to let the compost get too dry, and not to water it TOO much!

It has taken eight days for the first shoots to appear!

FROGTASTIC!

More news as it happens, here on the froglog.

Love, Frog X

Are you sitting comfortably?

Hi Everyone, it's me, Bimmy!

Frog is playing hide and seek just now, so I'm going to tell you what we are going to be getting up to this summer.

Frog is already excited about Mr and Mrs Stan coming back to build their nest on our chimney pot, but they haven't started building yet.

Another thing that Frog is very interested in, is growing things. Frog likes to grow things that are easy and quick to grow like runner beans, but he will be trying again with his giant sunflowers and maybe some yummy strawberries!

Lots of people want to know what it is like being an author, and how books are published, so I am going to be blogging about that.We are making a new book right now that will be ready in the autumn, so you can follow us as we get the story ready with its pictures and put it all together to make a book that you can buy in the book shops.

Does that sound like jellynormous fun to you?

I have to go now, but I will be back very soon, and so will Frog,

Love,

Bimmy the Bookish

Seagull watch 3

Hi Everyone, it's me, Frog!
It's been very busy at the beach house, but I've brushed the sand off my paws and put my binoculars down while I think about eating Hot Cross Buns and Choc eggs- Yum!
I had a lovely message on my Seagull watch, to tell me that seagulls DO like to build their nests in the same place every year, so it probably IS Mr and Mrs Stan flying around on our chimney pots thinking about another nest for this year's chicks - how cool is that?
They haven't started building yet, but they are flying around and landing in our bird bath for a drink - they really are much too BIG for it! And they are VERY good at standing on our gate posts looking like seagull statues.
I really must try to get my camera ready so I can take their photo next time they do that.
Seagulls are so big close up and VERY noisy - erk! It hurts my ears!
I will let you know as soon as anything happens!
Love, Frog X