Skunk Cabbages & Tree Climbing

I've had another lovely day. My mum came over and we had nice walk onto the hill behind the house. On the way we stopped to see one of Capel's best kept secrets, a real Skunk Cabbage. When I moved here 12 years ago I was walking through the woods when I accidentally came across this strange plant. The flower stood a good foot high and was surrounded by flies. It looked a little like a 'lords and ladies' but 4 times the size and bright yellow. As the months followed the plant grew and grew until each leaf was over a meter wide. It took some investigating but I finally found out what it was and it is very far from home. Skunk Cabbages are native of North America but I believe this one was bought back by an eccentric botanist who lived in the house in the woods back in the 50's. I've since found quite a collection of strange and wonderful plants dotted around the hillside including a full size tree fern, which would be worth a fortune if people new where to look. Next to the track behind the house I spotted some colts foot growing on the ground and in the tree above where newly emerged Pussy Willows. We had another black lamb today, the others have been taken over to field near the farmers house so I don't know how the new ones fared last night. You'll never believe what I saw 'Cheeky' the stray cat do today? He climbed the Larch Tree at the top of the garden. Not just a few branches but virtually right to the top. He then carefully but confidently made his way back down branch by branch. It was incredible to watch but definitely heart in mouth stuff.