Hoody the Crow

Introducing to you our latest rescue...a crow with no upper mandible (or beak).
I called him Hoody because he looked like a Hooded crow when the towel was wrapped round and over his head. Or her's, who knows! And I will not apologise for the terrible joke. Hoody was wearing a hood so looked like a Hooded crow haha!

Unfortunately, Hoody the Crow was put to sleep.

Apparently crows are classed as vermin, so not many people will hand feed a crow for the months it will take for its beak to regrow. Wildlife is wildlife. Just because they take chicks from nests and baby rabbits, doesn't make them vermin. It's called natural selection or being part of the food chain or even the circle of life. We had a grey heron eat all the fish from the pond the other week. I was upset but the heron had to eat. A couple of years ago, a heron ate all the frogs during the frogs mating season. Quite possibly the same heron.

As humans, we have judge certain animals based on what we've heard and not often what we've seen. I know there will be people who will argue against me. Hopefully more alongside me. British farmers dislike Red Kites because they take lambs. Red Kites are 99% scavengers and they have the weakest feet. Even a Golden Eagle would be struggling to take a lamb unless it was newborn!

If people do not want crows taking their pheasant, chicken or duck chicks, then maybe they need to take better care of their local wildlife. If the wildlife is fed, they won't come looking for food.

I'm sorry Hoody this was your fate. You were a beautiful, young, intelligent bird. For me, this is a Christmas wish that will never come true. No wild animal should be put to sleep because of its 'class'.

Just a quick shout out...

I know you're reading this, Wolf, and who can blame you?
Well, me obviously...

Today, 21st March 2018 is World Poetry Day. Ahaaa but did you also know it is International Day of Forests? Both incredibly fitting for the one and only muggins in my life, that's you.

So let your poetry run free through the forest of words and rhymes because hey, whatever mark your paw print leaves, I will support.

Always.

Willow Deers

Part of the festive preparations my mad and eccentric boyfriend and I took part in, was a willow weaving workshop held at Potteric Carr.

Under the careful instruction of Leilah, who runs Dragon Willow, we were guided step by step through this woven pattern to create, what would hopefully resemble, a deer.

At this stage of the making, it is a great representation of what an actual deer may look like if the head exploded off. When there is an entire room filled with exploded-headed deer, it is quite the fantastic sight to see!

Surprisingly, willow weaving deer is not as hard as it appears. It is incredibly straight forward, even for a novice like me! A simple willow frame consisting of various sized hoops is all it takes.

The end result is incredibly satisfying. A days work and everyone in the room had created a fantastic deer, ready to dress up with lights and bells for the Christmas period.

Fantastic sunsets

Look at this sunset!

It was a cracker!

Potteric Carr has the best things.

Being One with The Golden Panto

It suddenly occurred to me the other day it has been a month and a half since I last posted something.
Not much to say really, besides my local drama group's panto rehearsals are going swimmingly!

I, once again, am Prop Master and as this is the drama group's 50th Anniversary, my manic prop making skills have gone all out. With a witch's staff more Voodoo/Indian than your typical magical staff and a horse which doubles up as a cat, this panto is one you will regret missing.

After any rehearsal, good or bad, we toddle on down to the pub. Yep, rehearsals are twice a week and each time, we visit the local pub simply because we can. In my case, a lemonade will never go a miss and you can't go wrong with the lemony lemon taste of lemonade.

During one of those pub visits (last week actually), 4 of us remained, slowly slurping down our drinks. We got talking about the history of the group and when we all joined. I only joined just over a year ago so I didn't have much to say. Another hasn't had much social time (being a mother can easily do that to you) but as a result, she said, being ask to be the panto's pianist brought her confidence back. Being let loose on a piano was like being reconnected to a long lost friend.

This accomplishment struck us all. Simply joining a small local group can impact your life dramatically. In my case, I joined because one of my volunteers dragged me there. She obviously thought knitting and Midsomer Murders was not an ideal life for, at the time, a 23 year old. I like knitting and I haven't stopped.

But thanks to that one volunteer, I have never looked back in anger or disgust. I only look back with the gradual sinking of regret. I regret not knowing about this group sooner. I regret not joining it sooner and I regret not meeting the large acting family that is Clifford Drama Group, sooner.

Throughout the whole of my primary and secondary school years, college, university and occasionally work, I have seen and been bullied. Not the most pleasant experience when you have no courage for a comeback and no strength to ask for help.
Admittedly, it eased off during college and university but at work, customers know what they are saying and they deliberately say things to hurt your feelings. In the land of retail the customer "is always right". That statement can sod right off!

Not once have I experienced any form of bullying from the group. I know it has only been just over a year but I truly believe that if someone intended to emotionally hurt me, they would've done it by now. My weird ginger craziness doesn't bother anyone in the slightest. If anything, they probably appreciate me for being me and for not hiding my oddly unique personality away.

A simple gesture can change someones perspective on life. Whether it is being asked to be the group's pianist or simply dragging someone away from the telly, they have your best interest at heart.
So like me, never turn down an invitation and go for it because with all the crazy jingly hand waves/high fives/hand hugs, you will never know who you will meet or where it will all end up.

Thank you for letting me be me.

The turning of the Seasons

Golly! I haven't been on here in awhile!
Besides a holiday to Scotland and my birthday, not much has really happened. I tell a lie, I've started my Christmas shopping (I know, I'm such a devil. Started it right at the beginning of August!) and I've been making a few bits and pieces. More on those to come later!

Besides the infestation... in-FESTIVE-tion... sorry, start again, besides the infestation of Christmas in early August, I have started to notice the subtle transition of summer to autumn. The days are progressively getting shorter and soon, it will be the case where you blink and you've missed all the light the day has to offer.

As I look across my neighbours' gardens, I hear the blackbird and robins' song has changed; it is louder, more striking and clearer. The apple tree over the wall is in full fruit and the flittering clusters of long tailed tits are foraging on the berries along the trellising.

The trees look tired and dry; their leaves turning a carci-green and more of their branches and trunk more visible through the thinning foliage. I can't help but think that autumn will come earlier this year than it has for a long time. Be ready for woodland walks like this...

As the mornings become more and more cool and crisp and the night air fresher, we have quite possibly seen the last of the long muggy days of the British summer. Mind you, I'm not complaining. Working in a shop which only has a ceiling fan and no air conditioning when it is muggy, is a challenge in it's own right!

I love the transition of the seasons, mainly because you don't have long to wait until the next season is in full swing. The dry freshly fallen crispy leaves underfoot are a joy to both children and adults and as autumn continues to roll in, the conker season will be in full whack once again.

Seeing the countries summer visitors return to their wintering home is always a sad sight to see but welcoming our winter visitors is just as much of a joy when  we see the first swallow of the summer. I think to myself every year; 'I will make my home look autumnal' by this, I mean have vases filled with wheat and barley ears, dried leaf wreaths hanging on the doors and garlands of clustered pine cones and acorns adorning the mantelpiece. Sounds very brown... but done right, can look golden!

So instead of complaining about the shortening days and the wind having a more noticeable bite, lets embrace our British seasons and get out there and love every second of it!

Lets face it, it isn't long till hallowe'en, small jump then it is bonfire night, a hop and a jump and it will be Christmas...!

My Wild Life - Days 28-30

Day 28

Rain! Seriously can not complain though. The garden has had a thorough watering which in turn means; it's free, it's natural, it's fresh and it doesn't contain chlorine.

Love the stuff!

Day 29

RAIN! RAIN! RAIN!

Love it BUT, do you remember this picture from day 22?

Well! Turns out we don't have ravenous birds, but a grey squirrel.
We can't say for sure but my dearest mother saw a possible culprit on our neighbours roof.
Could explain all the bird seed on the ground... And I've been blaming the Wood pigeons!

Day 30

Day 30 of my 30 Days Wild Challenge! I did it! A random act of wilderness everyday for a month!
Phew!

After deciding what to do with the bird feeders and how to prevent the supposed squirrel from using them, I did originally plan to make more fat balls.
I probably still will but here is how I made them on day 8.

Vegetable suet is an ideal choice and here is why; if you take a look at the nutritional value, it has next to no salt and sugar, sky high with fat and saturates and a good wedge of calories too.
Perfect for those fledglings!

In a mixing bowl, add 1 part suet to 2 parts seed.

So for every 100g of suet, you need 200g of seed.

You don't have to use just seed; low salt cheese, dried mealworms and fruit are all great to use.
As you can see in my mixing bowl, there are dried mealworms and seed.

Combine the suet and the food...

...until you are able to form balls.

Ta dah! Now to wait for those feasting birds!