Dormice and the Motorway

Imagine Watership Down but with dormice

In summer dormice mostly live in tree tops and are reluctant to cross open spaces, probably because of fear of being eaten. But in autumn, usually early October, dormice hibernate in nests built just beneath the surface of the ground, often under moss or leaf litter. They remain in these nests until spring in late April or early May

So, local motorway widening scheme, incredably is working around this, first they partly cut the trees next to the motorway only after the dormice went into hibernation and now waiting until the dormice wake up and shock horror discover only tree stumps above their heads and will scamper off to other parts, when the stumps will be taken away too, by when hopefully the dormice population will have found new homes to live in

you can estimate dormice population by counting gnawed hazelnuts left on the ground

Springsioux

www.springsioux.com
mariee sioux wizard flurry home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFQVzitdcyM&feature=related (pipes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPJk-202r0M

long long drive from home and about half way there thought about turning round and going back but eventually arrived in Margate and made our way down to the sea on a sunny February afternoon and the smell of the sea and seagulls wheeling around the very modern Turner Contempary, pleased to be there. the light over the very flat sea stretching away to Holland was uplifting

not sure what to expect and as a small person, opened the very large doors carefully into the rooms with the Turner paintings and sketches, little bit scared they would bang shut and everyone turn round

the first room for me had at least three of the most incredible Turner paintings and could have stayed here happily

the exhibition is free and runs until May 7th and parking isnt too bad

on the way home we visited Broadstairs, a favorite place of Dickens and imagined him beside the sea. in the distance out to sea a very large windfarm in the mist and drove home with the sun a beautiful ball of fire setting in the east

my favorite Turner paintings so far...

norham castle sunrise
sunset on rouen
lucerne by moonlight
stormy sea with dolphins
snow storm - steam boat off a harbour's mouth

"There’s a professor who’s crossed a chicken with a spider, he’s now got chickens with 8 legs! I said, ‘What does it taste like?” He said, ‘I don’t know, I haven’t caught any yet"

"My father fought in World War I and single-handedly destroyed the Germans' lines of communication. He ate their pigeon"

for aunt Daphne
also in memory of Frank Carson

early this morning, the pheasent is back, my mum calls them Charlie Boys, i don't know why.. i think they walk like they have a rucksack on their back after they have had a few beers, first upright, then a few fast steps with their head down

think these are Herdwicks
Beatrix Potter's favourite sheep
from the fells of the Lake District

http://www.whereswoolly.co.uk/index.asp

Hope and Clouds Houses

Really good news that 'Action on Addiction' will receive encouragement and support from the Duchess of Cambridge.

Addiction is a devasting problem that takes away beautiful lives and often means the person looses touch with family and friends. perhaps the family dont know what to do or our busy lives seem more important. Hand in hand believe are mental health issues which either are the cause or the result or both. maybe one solution is visability, destigmatising this cry for help but also encouragement to make the family unit and also extended family unit stronger across generations and distance

it's a difficult thing to fight alone

http://www.actiononaddiction.org.uk/HRH.aspx

think he must've been cold or hungry
as he seemed to want to walk inside,
until the cats saw him

seems bees were wasps that decided to follow a vegetarian, hippy way of life.. collecting flower pollen and sipping nectar :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFDIRllMim4&feature=fvwrel

little late, but woke up to first snow this winter on sunday