Dragonfly

 Last Saturday, I was eating my breakfast in the garden.  I have noticed various dragonflies flitting around the garden in the last week. I saw one flying around this morning and decided I would like to photograph.  

Today, I was lucky to encounter the sweetest tamest dragon fly who landed on the figtree and allowed me to circle him/her to take photos from early angle. I was there snapping the sweet insect for about 5 minutes.

Enjoy the beauty and delicate splendour!

Of Squirrel-related matters

As usual, the children and parents at school were very generous with presents.  I received lots of chocolates, candles, mugs, some cosmetics and note books and several really touching messages (including one child who said, "Thank you for telling me I was one of your secret favourites!" I told them on the last day, when they didn't want to leave the music room, that they were my secret favourites because they worked so hard and were so keen!) .  One child told me she'd bought me a bamboo mug because she knows I care about the environment which was really sweet!

The present which made me smile the most was this:

The child asked me a few weeks prior, what my favourite animal was and I told him, "Squirrel"

To my surprise, when I opened my present from him, which included a vintage peal brooch, I found he'd painted me this!

How sweet is that?!  And really good!  

I told him that it was possibly my favourite present in about 14 years (second only to the Michael Morpurgo books and the Doctor Who sonic screwdriver that a pupil in my very first class had bought me) and he was delighted.

 

Badger stories: Can't Get Under It; Can't Get Over It; Turn Around and Leg It.

I have a friend who encountered a badger inside her tent once. She woke up at 3am in the morning, having left her tent flaps open for ventilation.  To her surprise, she saw a badger looking at her, right next to her. It left very promptly once both of them got over their startled state!


This comes about because CBC's wanted me to tell his story...

"2am this morning, as I got up to go to the bathroom, I heard scratching sounds that could only be a badger using the fence as a nail file.  On account of the fact that this fabled Badger had dug up our plants, burrowed in the veg bed and broken through a fence panel to travel easily between gardens, I decided to investigate.  As I tiptoed outside, I assumed that, for some reason, the creature was on the neighbour's side of the fence and had intended to creep up on it, hoping to surprise it, possibly with a, "Here's Johnny!"-type scenario....or just quietly shoo it away, since this was the middle of the night.
It turned out that the badger was on our side, in our garden and was not frantically clawing at the recently-boarded up hole in the fence, to try and break through. I could swear that I then heard it attempt to scale the fence briefly before an about-face and then the fastest bolt towards the Bamboo at the back of the garden where it made its escape.
It was great to finally encounter this wild animal after so many reports from neighbours, local intelligence and a series of clues that have been left over the last few months. I doubt the boarding up of the fence will stop it from coming back, but it might stall it for a while."

I didn't see the badger sadly but once I heard that it was at large in the garden, I roused myself from my sleepy state to go downstairs to make sure I protected the raised bed at all costs!  Bleary-eyed, I grabbed pots, watering cans and anything I could to stand on the wooden sleepers where there were possible entrance points for Mr Badger to dig my plants up.  As I did so, I could hear various rustles coming from the bamboo but in my semi-conscious state, I imagined it might leap upon me with massive claws, so I worked with trepidation.  This morning, all seemed intact on the raised bed front so the double pronged attack seems to have worked!
My unexpected nature encounters seem to always have been with slow-worms,, not badgers. I have encountered three over the past few months, one in my compost, one in a pot at the end of the garden and one on the path of my regular field walk- we both jumped!

Over to you- have you had any up close and personal incidents with badgers specifically, or indeed with any other creatures?  CBC would love to know.

P.S.  If you haven't visited the Bloggers Art Gallery yet, please do here.  Rach has also joined in and she has loads of amazing part! Rach is the reason I am a blogger!

AHHHHHHH, it's a grass snake!

CBC unearthed this beast from the garden when we was digging the turf for the raised bed! It's a monster and is still holding us to ransom on the patio!

Run for your lives!!!!!!!!

Cat story

CBC and I have both longed for a cat for ages.  I, because I grew up with multiple cats. He, because he was never allowed one and always wanted one.  But, we both work long hours and go away a lot and so we have not got one. 

But, for the past 10 days or so, CBC has noticed a black and white cat lurking by the Acanthus and Seedum, sleeping under it most mornings.  CBC named it Sleepy Cat and kept trying to photograph it and he tried to go near it but it seemed to be scared.  Every day, he would stare out the window at sleepy cat and it would dash away when he went out.

Then came Sunday morning.  CBC saw sleepy cat and was really worried about it so he went downstairs, found my best melanine plate and went and put a tin of tuna on a plate.
The cat ran away but when he was back inside, we spied it through the window and it tried to nonchalantly edge towards the Tuna which it then bolted down.
CBC tried to go outside to collect the plate. He said it ran away but meweed like it was saying thank you.  He was sad that he couldn't stroke the cat. 

I decided to go and pick any raspberries in the garden, empty the compost and trim back a few things. As I did it, I suddenly noticed the cat poking its head out the bamboo watching me as I worked.  Eventually, it began mewing at me. I mewed back at it and got onto my haunches.
It mewed for a while and then edged towards my hand. As I tried to stroke it, it bolted away again.
Finally, third time lucky, I stretched my hand out and held it towards the cat and she rubbed against it and round my legs.
And that was it! Friendly rubbing and stroking. CBC was banging away on the piano and didn't see what was going on.  Finally, I looked up to see him staring incredulously towards me and the cat.

He edged closer. The cat backed towards my legs.  CBC took some photos as the cat stared at him.  Finally, I walked the cat towards him and she gave him the same treatment.

CBC went to sit in the swing seat and I encouraged her over to him.

As you can see, she overcame her inhibitions a bit!

 She followed me inside and settled on the sofa with CBC.  She drank several saucers of milk.  When we went out to lunch, we had to put her outside. We felt most guilty as she mewed plaintively by the window.

Returning from lunch later, I went outside to do some more gardening in the rain.  Cat, who we'd alternatively nicknamed Popper (after famous Cellist) and Ptolomew (also a cellist), was back under the Seedum.  We let her into the house again but she made herself a spectacular pest- you know in the way a baby cries and you're not sure what's wrong.  Well, like that!

Eventually, we thought we'd better put her outside which we did after we'd given her a bowl of Go Cat (bought when out for lunch).
It was awful as she meowed loudly for at least an hour.  We asked our next door neighbour if they knew who she belonged to but they didn't know. Although lacking a collar, she seems in good condition. Not fat but not bony.

The next morning, she was in the garden under the Acanthus. As I stood at our top window, she saw me and ran towards me.  We put some food out for her and milk.

That evening, it was absolutely tipping it down with rain and I was fretting about her whilst at work. I turned my phone on as I left work to find messages from CBC saying that he'd heard mewing as he got home but it seemed the neighbour had opened the door and let the cat into their house.  We felt most bereft esp as CBC had phoned a vet to see if he could bring her in to find out if she is chipped to find her owner.

Tuesday morning, she was back by the Bamboo and so we put food out but we didn't return home till late and she was nowhere to be seen.
This evening, I came home to find her and CBC ensconced on the sofa. Most cosily.  The pair of us have spent time with the cat on our lap or under our feet.  Not sure what to do as it is now Midnight and CBC has crept up to bed and left me with the cat who is stretched out by my feet. We don't have a litter tray so I am not sure about leaving her downstairs whilst we sleep just in case she pees somewhere. I feel dead guilty at the thought of booting her out for the night. 

WHAT DO I DO??????

The changing textures of Embleton Bay

Greetings to you, wanderer in the wide seas of the internet!

It's been a few weeks since I returned from Northumberland for the first time. We actually went back there last weekend to stay with my Mother-in-Law, post hospital. She's slowly recovering from her illness but the aftermath of it will be with her for a while.

Whilst she was in hospital , we went to stay at a beautiful seaside village called Embleton - it was a similar journey time from Hexham to the hospital.

We spent the last morning of our time there walking along the beach to Low Newton.  It was the most exquisite day with the tide right out meaning the beach looked so different from the other mornings we had been there.

 The river Cocquet enters Embleton bay so there is an interesting bit where the river reaches the beach- you can see it meandering in the foreground with Dunstanburgh castle in the background, always overlooking events.

 A shallow pool formed slightly in and the skies were brilliant above. 

 The Northumbrian beaches seem so expansive.

 As we began the walk to Low Newton, we were astounded by the mesmerising patterns the wave movement had left.

 The various moss-covered rocks made for an interesting contrast in the terrain.

 I spy a war sentry post!

 Even from a distance, Dunstanburgh was never far.  It was beautiful to walk in our bare feet along the bay.

 A further section of rocks was bereft of the green mantle which shrouded the previous ones.

 The glittering waters flanked rocks which reminded me of the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim for some reason.

 Subsequent surfaces included a dense patch of seaweed.

 I spy a crab! But unfortunately, a dead one.

 The sand took on different shapes.

 The odd pulsating or dead jelly fish was a surface I DID NOT want to step upon.

 Finally, we reached Low Newton where we drank tea and conversed with delightful German ladies who were all music teachers and unbeknown to us, had been at the concert we'd visited the previous weekend.

 Several ersatz Dunstanburgh castles could be surveyed at foot level.

 This one was most impressive.

I do believe that the vast beaches in Northumberland are one of the best kept secrets.  Yes, the sea is cold but you lack the competition from numerous visitors on the South Coast.

Have you visited? Would you like to?

xx

A tale of two birds

Have you ever been in a situation where you don't know what to do for the best and you probably end up making things worse?

CBC and I went to Lake Ullswater in the Lake District for May Bank Holiday weekend during half term.   The first day, we went to Pooley Bridge and had breakfast in a very nice cafe and then went for a brief walk by the lakeside.

It was as we were walking that it happened.
I was trailing behind, taking pictures and suddenly a bird swooped in front of me.  I quickly followed it with my eyes and saw a Coal tit land on a tree trunk.  I took the photo below.

 It flew away and then I could hear a chirping. 

 I investigated further and saw this little chick in the grass.

 It looked so sad.  I then noticed another dead one next to it. 
I called to CBC who had walked on further, not knowing what to do.

 He seemed rather unworried and we continued.   When we'd had a walk and it was time to return to the car, we walked back and I went to see if the chick was ok. 
When I got there, we noticed there were two of them and they were really calling out but not receiving any response.

I was really worried about what to do about them.    I wasn't sure what we should do and felt like we couldn't just leave them there.  CBC thought that the mother wouldn't be able to get them back into the nest and we could see the Mother flying in to a hole in the tree trunk further up.
CBC decided to climb the tree to see if he could post the babies back up.   We weren't sure what we could or should do (no reception on phone) but thought it was worth trying to get them back in the nest.

 He climbed up and got me to also try to pass him up a chick.

 It looked so happy being up the tree near the nest in his hand and he tried to post it into the hole but the other birds wouldn't let it in.  He tried to encourage it in but it seemed scared to go.

 He sat up there for quite a long time.  The bird seemed sad and stopped trying to get into the nest and refused to leave his hand.  Mum came back but wouldn't help it in and the other birds seemed quite hostile.

Finally, we gave up and CBC passed me the chick down.  I felt awful because we had touched them and not managed to get them back in.   I sat there worrying.  We decided to hunt for worms for the birds.   The little bird didn't seem to want to leave my hand.

 At this point, the other little one, who had remained on the ground, worked its way towards me and climbed onto my other hand (no photos sadly!).   I was utterly distraught over what to do about them and shed a tear or two over them.   In the end, we thought we would have to leave them as the parking was about half an hour overdue and it was very hard persuading the pair of them to leave my hand.

Later, we checked advice and it seemed that perhaps we shouldn't have touched them but in the circumstances, we thought we were helping.  I thought about those two birds for days and days, my heart heavy with the thought that we might have made the mother reject them.

What would you have done?

Buffy the Dog Slayer

Last Bank Holiday Monday, I headed over to my Sister's house for the day.  Mainly to see her, but also mainly to meet her gorgeous new kitten.

 This is Buffy who is the cutest little Tabby kitten.  She is incredibly good-natured and a very clean kitten.

 In addition, she is, like the ubiquitous kitten, incredibly easy to play with and distract.

Also, she is incredibly photogenic.

 My sister laughed and said this is my equivalent of being broody, the way I cooed over her and was utterly enchanted and transfixed by her darling ways.

She was very fond of playing with CBC and his shoe laces.

After a while, she grew very tired, since she hadn't had any nap.

My Mum, who is the cat equivalent of the Horse-whisperer, got her on her lap and managed to lull her to sleep.

 She was totally zonked out and didn't seem to mind her limbs being put into this hilarious position!

 Eventually, we were due to leave for our cycle ride as a family and my sister carefully lifted up her miniscule body to place her back in her basket- she reminded us of a cartoon cat character who has been steamrollered and remains flat!

 A paw stretched out involuntarily- this was no deliberate action.

 My heart is utterly enchanted by this sweetheart.

She slept as we left and awoke as we returned a few hours later, looking still utterly irresistible.

Be sure that I will find a way to see her again soon!

xx

Peacocks

Last weekend, we went to a wedding at a wonderful place near Blandford in Salisbury called The Larmer Tree Gardens.  They were a wonderful place to hold a wedding, beautiful gardens and a myriad peacocks! 

When we first arrived, I saw several wandering around and one even came up and stared into the building where the ceremony took place.  I wondered if we would get to see one displaying or would they all be shy?

I needn't have worried- there were at least two males who honestly fulfilled the stereotype of a flaunting peacock!

 The embarrassing thing is that I have more photos of peacocks than of the Bride and Groom!

 The Peahens seemed completely nonplussed by the flamboyant show put on my those males.

 I think the Peahens are really pretty.

 The sound track to the wedding was that hilarious 'Meee-oww!' of the peacocks

 A couple of times I imitated this cry and was rewarded with a most confused glance from the nearest bird!

 My wedding outfit was actually a Peacocky green

 It was interesting, given that the peacocks kept doing a strange rotational dance, that we got to examine the back of the peacock which was hilarious and an interesting lesson in construction!  He seemed to do a hilarious, wiggly, "Look at my irresistibly fluffy behind!" gesture all the time!

 Look at that!  What a beautiful bird!

I did take a video of the peacock rotating because I found it very funny! Unfortunately it was a sideways one so you'll have to put your head on one side to see it!

Have you encountered peacocks upclose before and were they as posturing as this set?

xx