A New Year, A New Start & A Goodbye….
Recently I have been reflecting on my experience of blogging, particularly over the Christmas period, and have decided that it is now time for a change. Perhaps this blog of three years has run its course and on the whole it has been a positive experience. However, latterly I have felt the need to take up a new anonymous and unfettered on line persona and focus for my blogging. So it just remains to thank you for your visits and comments, to wish you a Happy New Year and bid you a fond farewell.
Prunus Subhirtella Autumnalis Rosea
This beautiful ornamental cherry tree can be found in my local town near the library, it took my breath away on first discovery and now gladdens my heart each time I pass by with its delicate white/pink blossoms bravely flowering in the middle of winter. I would really like to get this small tree for my front garden to sit among the hellebores and anemones other favourite winter flowering plants.
Festive Ivy Wreath
My creative mojo appears to have returned having alluded me for the last month or so. After a short walk with Ursa during which I collected some Ivy and a thin bendy Hazel twig, I made a festive wreath for the front door. I took the twig and tied it using light weight green garden wire into a circle, you may need to bend it for a bit to shape it into a perfect round. Then I systematically tied stems of Ivy with their lovely green berries at the top and bottom of the stems, all in the same direction again with the green garden wire. Finally I took a length of gold tinsel and wound this around the Ivy stems and the Hazel circle covering up all the exposed stems neatly, and tied it onto the front door with a piece of thin ribbon. The cost was absolutely nothing, everything was available in the hedgerow, my house and the shed – lovely!
Birthday Thanks
Just a quick post to thank all my lovely friends and family for the very thoughtful and generous birthday cards and gifts received today.
From my lovely husband some much desired, frequently sought after and finally found greengage jam and the opportunity to give up work to pursue some personal goals, your financial support and unwavering belief in me means so much – thank you.
From my mum a beautiful black satin party dress, a beauty treatment and a bottle of Baileys – thank you.
From Kate & Adam some tasty green tomato chutney, Kate’s homemade ‘Ginshine’ alcoholic drink and a marvellous linen rooster tea towel – thank you.
From Peter and Claire a wonderful wildlife bonanza which included a book on encouraging garden wildlife, gardening gloves, a beautiful ceramic feeder for my bird table, a christmas fairy, a lovely art nouveau decorated folding bag and a bird roosting box just the right size for tiny little wrens to sleep in – thank you.
From Auntie Julie and Uncle Joe a large warm, soft, cream coloured fleece scarf - thank you.
From Grandma a butterfly trinket box for keeping special treasures in – thank you.
From Julia in Devon a lovely card and kind message in side, it means a lot to know that you are thinking of me – thank you. From my lovely Auntie Mary in Ireland a card and best wishes – thank you.
Fingringhoe Wick Nature Reserve
Ben asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday, I said something quiet, perhaps a walk and then a meal and a cold pint of beer in a dog friendly pub. So after a bit of Internet homework, we set off for a walk with the dog, binoculars and camera, destination Fingringhoe Wick Nature Reserve. A word of warning for anyone planning on sampling the designated dog walk, the visitor centre where you are required to get a permit was staffed by a patronising and officious individual who made us feel very unwelcome for having a dog in tow. Having paid a compulsory ‘donation’ we were then guided out and away from the nature reserve towards a rutted tractor path alongside some farmland populated by bird scarers going off at frequent intervals and scaring the wildlife away. At the bottom of this track you turn around and walk up the road back toward the visitor centre, frequently stepping onto the verge as cars leaving the reserve drive past.
Undeterred we went on to the nearby Whalebone Pub as advertised on the website ‘Dog Friendly Britain’. However it looked very much like it was under new management, we both looked at the immaculate cream decor, the lack of dogs and dog facilities and the well-heeled clientele and decided that it no longer welcomed muddy dogs and their equally muddy owners.
So we stopped off at Tesco, picked up some provisions needed to prepare a Sunday roast and some cold beer, and ended the day in front of a roaring fire at home instead - champion!
Meet Foxy
This is my second post of the day, I was simply compelled to share these two videos with you. Whilst searching for images of Mavis Cruet, the wonderfully plump and inept fairy from Willo The Wisp a much loved cartoon of my childhood, I came across a website belonging to a software engineer by the name of Michael Hogg, among the pages of things that he has developed, was this page dedicated to Foxy, I fell in love with her and the video Michael had lovingly made of her straight away and after at least 20 minutes of struggling first to embed the vimeo video unsuccessfully and then link to the URL unsuccessfully I found the same video in two parts on You Tube (phew!). I have lived in the countryside for the last seven years and have only seen a fox twice playing in the back field, also we kept hens and never once had a problem with foxes, so it would seem that they are now firm town-dwellers. Enjoy.
Part One:
Part Two:
November
The stripped and shapely
Maple grieves;
The ghosts of her
Departed leaves.
The ground is hard
As hard as stone.
The year is old
The birds are flown.
John Updike (1932 – )
Chicken Jumpers
A few days ago I was watching BBC Breakfast news when I came across an item about the ‘Chux Tux’ a knitted jumper designed to keep ex-battery hens who are mostly featherless warm this winter……I was intrigued.
After a bit of research I discovered that the pattern is available here if you feel inclined to knit one for any ex-battery hens that you may know or as a charitable gift for your local branch of the Battery Hen Welfare Trust.
