Leaf kicking

I'd been thinking about leaf kicking days and crisp air. I'd been thinking about how much my son loves crunching through those leaves with wellies and scooping armfuls up. So, that's what we did.

An autumn carpet, warm clothes and a dry day with all but that slight mist that seems to linger all day. Across the field of cows and through the woodland and along the pathways. Running and cheering and the nearby cows did not mind,  just carried on grazing and looking every so often from under the canopy of trees.

The wellies were making a debut, Star Wars ones for that is all that they had in his size but they look smart and kept little feet dry as they scudded and scampered in the amber heap of leaves. A time to do so for you can blink at this time of year and suddenly it is winter and sludge and bare trees. Today though, cold air biting, mushrooms springing up from logs and mellow happiness.

Tears for a fish

 Escaping the freezing hail we ran into the conservatory at Buxton's Pavilion Gardens and had a warm by the palms and the bright Victorian bedding plants. Scarlet flashes of festive Poinsettias clashed against yellow chrysanthemums and we watched a man for a while dunking watering cans into the fish pond to water the plants with. Meanwhile Joy to the World was playing in the band stand and all was well.

But then I spotted the poem of Boris the fish, a Buxton legend and I then left dabbing my eyes with a tissue. Poor little fish, I'm glad he got to live his final days in such nice surroundings. Bless his little upside down fighting spirit. 

National Poetry Day: My favourite poem

Diary of a Church Mouse

by John Betjeman

Here among long-discarded cassocks,
Damp stools, and half-split open hassocks,
Here where the vicar never looks
I nibble through old service books.
Lean and alone I spend my days
Behind this Church of England baize.
I share my dark forgotten room
With two oil-lamps and half a broom.
The cleaner never bothers me,
So here I eat my frugal tea.
My bread is sawdust mixed with straw;
My jam is polish for the floor.
Christmas and Easter may be feasts
For congregations and for priests,
And so may Whitsun. All the same,
They do not fill my meagre frame.
For me the only feast at all
Is Autumn's Harvest Festival,
When I can satisfy my want
With ears of corn around the font.
I climb the eagle's brazen head
To burrow through a loaf of bread.
I scramble up the pulpit stair
And gnaw the marrows hanging there.
It is enjoyable to taste
These items ere they go to waste,
But how annoying when one finds
That other mice with pagan minds
Come into church my food to share
Who have no proper business there.
Two field mice who have no desire
To be baptized, invade the choir.
A large and most unfriendly rat
Comes in to see what we are at.
He says he thinks there is no God
And yet he comes ... it's rather odd.
This year he stole a sheaf of wheat
(It screened our special preacher's seat),
And prosperous mice from fields away
Come in to hear our organ play,
And under cover of its notes
Ate through the altar's sheaf of oats.
A Low Church mouse, who thinks that I
Am too papistical, and High,
Yet somehow doesn't think it wrong
To munch through Harvest Evensong,
While I, who starve the whole year through,
Must share my food with rodents who
Except at this time of the year
Not once inside the church appear.
Within the human world I know
Such goings-on could not be so,
For human beings only do
What their religion tells them to.
They read the Bible every day
And always, night and morning, pray,
And just like me, the good church mouse,
Worship each week in God's own house,
But all the same it's strange to me
How very full the church can be
With people I don't see at all
Except at Harvest Festival.


My favourite poem and very fitting what with exploring harvest festival churches this week. 

Cute snow leopard cubs and win a holiday to Great Yarmouth

CUTENESS ALERT!

Rare Snow Leopard Cubs Make Debut at Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens Norfolk

Two rare snow leopard cubs, the first to be born at Thrigby Hall Wildlife Garden near Great Yarmouth, have made their debut.

The cubs born to mother Nima and father Mohan in June have been given a clean bill of health and pronounced to be both male.

Mother Nima was born in Belgium in 2012 and father Mohan was born in Zurich in 2013. The two snow leopards came to Thrigby Hall as part of an international breeding programme, co-ordinated by the studbook keeper, Leif Blomquist of Helsinki Zoo.

Ken Sims and Scott Bird Directors at Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens said: “We are privileged to host these beautiful cats and to make a contribution to the conservation work of progressive zoos.”

The boys have been named Jamal and Jamir by members of the public.

Thrigby Hall Wildlife Gardens is at Filby near Great Yarmouth, t. 01493 369477.

The Wildlife Gardens open every day at 10am.

If you would like to visit these stunning creatures and many more, why not enter the competition being run by Greater Yarmouth Tourism to win a 7 night holiday for up to 8 people in 2016 with no restrictions on dates, with a number of attraction passes included, it really is an amazing prize.

*collaborative post*

The horse and foal by the church

Walking to a little country church and there by the side in a paddock was a beautiful horse and foal. Now I know little about horses, I haven't ridden one since having lessons as a child but I like them and feel a tenderness towards them and their big brown eyes.

A gentle soul came over for a nuzzle and we looked at each other before I had to carry on my journey. I thought she looked a little thin which bothered me but then she had a foal so maybe she was leaner from feeding her little one.

Sweet, wonderful horses and I hope to see them again in the autumn when I pass by there again.

Runaway

I opened the garden door to let my terrier out for his usual business duty yesterday and he shot off into his shrubby area. I heard a funny scuffling noise, craned my neck from the doorstep and saw the bushes moving frantically. Then nothing. Silence. 

My other dog was more interested in the piece of cheese I was still holding for their snack and seemed unaware that we were about to embark on a mini adventure of the stressful variety.

Quickly I grabbed my boots and darted out into the back garden. To my horror, the fence was bowed out at the bottom creating a convenient terrier sized gap. He had gone.

Of course, my son wondered what was happening and was now crying. I was rushing around wondering what to do. Shouting Billy! Billy! , looking through the window. The pair of us were not even dressed properly so I'm trying to get my son to cooperate and get ready to start searching the streets. Pure panic set in. Couldn't find the door key etc..... trying to put shoes on my son and my hands are shaking. 

Other dog was now wildly running around the rooms, realising that her best bud had absconded. I looked at my phone, a missed call from a number I didn't know. Seconds of realisation, his collar disc, my phone numbers are on it. Please let it be......

Hello. Hello. 'Do you have a dog called Billy?' The relief surged through me replacing a million fears that had been racing through my head in just a few minutes. Minutes of what if I never see my scruffy, wiry chap again. My little smelly friend that licks your hand and snuggles your cheek.

'He's here, don't worry, I've got him'

Leash in hand we tromped up the road, same side of the street just many doors down. There he was being carried in a ladies arms with two smiley girls by her side.

The lady has four dogs and was also looking after her neighbours. She was opening the door to take them all out for a walk and Billy had shot in. He's friendly isn't he, she said. The girl giggled that they were amused to have had six dogs in the house. 

I was so grateful, to lose your dog even for moments is horrendous. As I tried to take him home, he dug his paws into the pavement like a stubborn mule. He wanted to go back to the party it seemed.

So there we go. The day the dog decided he wanted to go see some friends for a doggy get together. 

Swan update July

Just to recap on our resident swans who last year and indeed for several years before have not had any cygnets but this year as I reported back in June, they had 8 young.

I'm the chick of the castle

 A little surprise at the top of Caernarfon Castle, fuzzy little Herring Gull chicks. More birds at castles for us! Very camouflaged with the stone walls, the moss and the lichen.

U is for Ugly Duckling

A unexpected walk by the river so I only had my camera phone and the zoom, well it's poor quality and grainy but how could I resist showing you.

 U is for Ugly Duckling 

MyPhotoSchool's Introduction to Wildlife Photography Course

Since I started blogging my love of photography has increased every year. I try and learn more and more about how to take a decent shot and learn more about my camera. At this moment it is a Canon bridge camera with plans to purchase a DSLR later this year.

One of my favourite photography subjects are animals, large ones, small ones, tiny ones. Pets, zoo animals, creatures under rocks in the garden or buzzing from flower to flower at the allotment. Trying to get as close as possible for a macro picture or creeping up on a butterfly before it flies away - all good fun but I wanted to know more.

The MyPhotoSchool Introduction to Wildlife Photography Course can help you with the insights required to capture a great nature shot. Over 4 weeks, industry professional Heather Angel covers all aspects to help you improve and learn the techniques that will provide the most assistance in becoming an improved wildlife photographer.

The churchyard cat

A peaceful encounter with a tabby cat in a churchyard. He did not see me at first. Both of us enjoying the afternoon birdsong and solitude. I watched him nodding off by a gravestone, those sleepy feline eyes slowly shutting, not a care in the world........

Gulls

Such a cheeky bird. I love them for their sheer bolshiness. 

For their attempts to pinch your ice cream cone and their confident strut towards you.

Shiny black fishers

 Along the river sat a curious bird, not one I've seen too much of before, especially at such close proximity. The Cormorant. Large and bluish black with iridescent sheen, sat on its nest situated out on a limb in the the river. A fish eating, member of the Pelican family with a hooked beak that allows it to grasp the fish.  It didn't seem to mind passers by at all, it sure had some confidence even when a dog waded into the river. I watched it for a while and studied its movements, self assured and catching my eye from time to time. 

Duck dogs

This week they are the King's swans

 A colony of swans in the River Soar / Grand Union Canal in Leicester. As we walked around the city for the Richard III reburial events we spent some time in Castle Park overlooking the river.

Dad's garden before the hard work starts

I had a little nosy around the garden at my parent's home and my dad has told me just how behind he is this year with tidying, getting the greenhouse prepared and planting seeds. I couldn't even get in the greenhouse for all the junk! But here it is, as hopefully in a few weeks I can show you all his marvellous vegetable seedlings and flowers growing on heated beds like they were last year.

A spring week

Life is buzzing in the garden and the places we visit. Squirrels are out and about looking for their food caches or taking advantage of peanuts left out for the birds. I'm a big squirrel fan, I love their acrobatic antics and their cheeky demeanour. They are such an easily spottable animal too for young children to see.

3 little blue eggs

What a special discovery this week in our garden. After seeing a nest being careful crafted, twig by twig and dried grass with leaf and old plant material. A perfect nest, how clever and how snug.

A beautiful female blackbird, brown of course and speckled is she in comparison to her glossy black male mate.

Eyes catching ours from a distance, blinking, checking.

And then she left, just for a little while and we took a peek.

A clutch of 3. Blue and precious. Our hearts filled with joy and we felt such care towards these birds and their eggs.

We put some extra food out. A fat ball filled with meal worms, some chopped apple, dog food and cheese. Then made sure that clean water was available.

The female only sits on the nest for the 14 days incubation period and then the male will come back to feed the hungry fledglings.

All under a jasmine, so quiet and protected. But my oh my are we nervous and we keep checking from the other end of the garden so as not to disturb her. Hoping that they will all be ok and the weather will keep warming up.

Our lovely blackbirds.