THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

6 January 2013

HAPPY MOSS AND THEN THERE WERE TWO


There are now two regular coal tit visitors. Unfortunately they are fierce rivals, are constantly seeing each other off and consequently can never be photographed together. It's lovely to have their numbers expanding; perhaps there will be three soon. 



Waiting its turn at the feeder

I've noticed the moss over the moor is looking particularly happy after all the rain; I'm glad something is. I've had to fence a section of Trigger's very small paddock off to see if it can recover for a few weeks. I'm sure any of you with horses will be having the same problems. Here are a few mossy and licheny (I'm getting a big wavy red line under that, not surprisingly!) pictures:









On the gate into our garden, this miniature garden has appeared....


Yellow Brain Fungus looking particularly bright yellow.....


And the first flower of the year....some very early flowering gorse, smelling strongly of coconut (or Hawaiian Tropic sun tan lotion....I wonder if they make it any more?). 


We have a very clever sparrow in the flock, who has learnt how to hang onto the peanut feeder. He's the only one who can do it so far. Others watch but don't follow. Perhaps they will in time. 



On our way back from a trip to Exeter to buy Origami boy yet more shoes yesterday, the cloud formation was very strange. I haven't been on an plane since 1998 but this is what I remember looking out at from the windows, which is a bit strange given we were on the ground.



And I'll leave you with a few gorsey Snippet pictures. I'm sure his coat has evolved in his three and a half years on the planet so as to allow him to access gorse without pain and cope with his first two incredibly snowy winters. Have as pleasant a Monday as possible!





14 comments:

  1. Wow, those clouds are really dramatic! I've never seen a coal tit here. We seem to have lots more long-tailed tits this year.

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  2. Perhaps the coal tits are fighting because there is a lady around?

    Love those pictures of Snippet! Another bad hair day.

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  3. ChineC - The Long Tailed ones never come to the feeder; they just flit about out of camera range to frustrate me!

    Rusty D - Snippet hasn't had a good hair day since he was about 6 months old! I must dig out some puppy pictures of him....

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  4. Great news that you now have two Coal Tits :)

    Loved the moss and lichen photos - they are incredibly beautiful and its amazing what you can find when looking at miniature "worlds".

    The cloud formation is stunning :)

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  5. I find lichen formations endlessly fascinating and wish that my camera was competant to take more detailed photos. Snippet's coat looks rather like our two long-haired kittens who come in from their play with all manner of woody, leafy bits attached.

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  6. Ragged R - They do look like tiny forests don't they! My short sight is such now that I can only really appreciate them at home once the pictures have been downloaded. Walking with reading specs in my pocket is not something I'm prepared to do.....yet.

    MM - It's only because the beech leaves are so soggy at the moment that he's not covered in those too!

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  7. How lovely, Em, to have the Coal-tit visitors! With the fungus and mosses you have managed to capture some beautiful form and colour at this rather bleak time of year! Snippet looks ecstatic!

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  8. It is very bleak at this time of year, with virtually nothing visible out there to enjoy other than bleakness itself, which I do love thank goodness!

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  9. Hi Em, I now wear my short-sighted glasses (on a chain) round my neck, the newest pair (long distance) is only slightly better than my old 20 year old pair, which I still wear constantly, so much for opticians...
    Snippet and gorse, once upon a time at 5 in the morning I heard a mew at the front door, there sat the most beautiful tiny long-haired kitten with a long bramble wrapped in her tail, my son sat patiently for two hours on the floor with her as I carefully removed the offending bramble and she slept curled in his lap, the story goes on.....;)

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  10. Glad I'm not alone! That story sounds like Androcles and the Lion. Do you still have the cat?

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  11. No, my son fell in love with it and we had it for three weeks, till I went to the vet to get her wormed, the owner, who had been distraught at the loss, just happened to phone that morning, so the pair were reunited, and we received two bags of goodies for caring for it ;) already had two cats anyway. It had taken an epic journey through the valley though.

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  12. wow just love the photos of the moss, and I have never seen anything like those brain thingys!!!!

    I agree with rusty duck a bad hair day for Snippet, mine looks like that with the humidity when I let it grow out!!

    Gill

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  13. Took me a while you find your blog in the list again!

    I haven't been able to upload photos or comment on blogs, a blogger glitch for sure.

    Also have been ill with a stint at the local ER and overnight in the hospital for uncontrolled asthma. I'm breathing somewhat better but it is so frustrating to no longer be able to do simple things without gasping for air.

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  14. Thelma - What a great ending, if not for your son. I do miss my cats. It's been six years since the last one died.

    Gill - those brainy things are amazing aren't they? I don't remember seeing them before moving here. They seem very keen to grow on the gorse bushes.

    Gail - I'm so sorry to hear you've been so ill. Asthma is hideous. I've been lucky enough never to have it but know many who do. I do so hope you're less short of breath soon. It must be SO frightening. x

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