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

13 September 2012

MORE OF SNIPPET’S FRIENDS AND AN UNIDENTIFIED CATERPILLAR


Apologies for delayed posting; our internet is a disaster having changed provider. I wish we’d never done it. At this time of day (early afternoon), we get around 0.5 mbps but by the evening it can be as low as 0.25 mbps. That’s almost a dial-up speed. VERY cross with company who keep blaming the socket but it was fine before we changed. Anyway, enough moaning although perhaps a little mention of the weather…..one day it’s drizzly and cold, the next it’s glorious sunshine.  My body thermostat is very confused and I keep finding myself stranded in totally inappropriate clothing.  The weekend was lovely for the shed building, which took about 8 hours; marginally less than the square footage of the shed. Some nasty cold drizzly days in the week and back to summer today.  

I left the shed construction to take Snippet and his friend Finnian for a run that day, where they expended more energy than I can believe a bowl of dog food could possibly contain. 






Snippet had a play with Lizzy and Foal number 5 over by the marsh yesterday which I took a film of. Apologies for poor quality!


Once they had tired him out, Lizzy came over with Foal number 3, who now looks like a Shetland, for a nuzzle with him. Interesting how she behaves differently with her various companions. I disturbed two Snipe while out there by the way but I’m afraid they were too fast for the camera!



On the way home, I photographed this caterpillar. I spent some considerable time on the internet and with my nose in books trying to identify it, to no avail. I would think it’s a moth rather than a butterfly but who knows. If no one can help I’ll have to send the picture to one of those identification places I think. Here it is:


In the drizzle and wind yesterday, Foal number 10 did NOT look happy; all tucked up and tense. I’m off to see if I can see a mark on its mum today and I’ll try and get hold if its owners before the weather gets really bad. Here he is looking cold and a few looking happier the previous day.







Yesterday, I saw the consultant shoulder surgeon at Exeter who has referred me for some saline injections into the joint under a local anaesthetic rather than the nightmare operation at Torbay I cancelled back in July. Hooray! I’m so glad I didn’t go through with it as this sounds much less violent and no general anaesthetic thank goodness.

And finally a few more pictures from the past week:


Shenanigans in the herd yesterday



Foal number three. His legs really are that short.


Snippet's favourite gap in the hedge for staring at next door's cats


Fabulous sky on Saturday


Bee and Blue Calliphoria Fly (possibly Protocalliphora Azurea) on that very popular pot of marjoram



Drizzly web in a dead hawthorn


A dead shrew I found this morning

Have a great weekend if I don’t manage to post again before then. 







14 comments:

  1. Hi Em
    Lovely post and great photo's. I do feel for that poor little chap (number 10 foal), but I'm sure he or she will harden up. Hope your shoulder feels better soon, must really get you down. I think the caterpillar is a Oak Eggar Moth in the early stages of a caterpillar though.
    Have a great weekend. Blessings Julie x

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    1. He's really struggling. I just hope we have a prolonged Indian Summer. Having looked up the Oak Eggar and the Fox moth caterpillars, I'm erring on the side of the Fox at the moment. See what you think too.

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  2. ... and I think it is a Fox Moth caterpillar! Would be interested to hear what you think when you see this picture, Em.

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    1. I'm sure you're right now I've had a look. Thanks Caroline. I know where to come for my next ID problem!

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  3. Em, some of your photos look as if they are paintings ... lovely. I wish we were not so close to the highway despite us owning 50 acres, so I too could let our dogs run as Snippet. I do all but Buddy yet, but not without some worry.

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    1. That is such a shame when you've got all that space. Our garden is pretty small but he only ever tries to escape when I go and see Trigger and forget to lock him in the house!

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  4. Don't you wish you had all the energy the dogs have! Wonderful photos of the ponies. Some shots would make a good painting.

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    1. I certainly do Chris. Am currently recovering from a trudge across the moors in drizzle, with a cup of tea and a piece of inferior walnut cake. Snippet looks like he'd like to go out again. Lovely to hear from you!

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  5. Those two dogs must have had such fun! Lovely photos.

    Hoping that the saline injection helps your shoulder.

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    1. Me too! The surgeon said they have 90% of people say they have significant improvement to fingers crossed.....

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  6. Lovely photos! I had no idea that the ponies were owned by someone. I thought they were wild like our wild horses out west.

    Hope you shoulder does well. My husband had rotator cuff surgery last summer and it was quite painful.

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    1. That sounds nasty....I'm hoping a bit of salty water won't hurt too much!

      I used to think they were wild too until we came to live here. Some owners are more responsible than others.....

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  7. Lovely photos as always, and I enjoyed the little video of Snippet and the foals playing. Sorry about the no. 10 foal looking cold and tucked-up. That's the trouble with late foals - not much coat or much of a layer of fat to keep it warm.

    Posted a little thank you to you today so I hope it arrives safely.

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    1. Oooo - how exciting! Our post usually doesn't arrive till after 1.00 but I shall be waiting in eager anticipation....thank you.

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