It was quite a surprise to see Pippa as she usually hibernates until March or the warmer weather. Although after last winter when the very cold weather started much earlier than usual, she may have gone into hibernation sooner and would now have little fat left to live off. She may have left the roost to find food and a drink of water. If it turns cold again, bats can become torpid (cool and inactive) - so it may not be a sure sign that winter is over. But Mum said that a huge Bumblebee landed on Kizzie's dressing gown that was drying on the washing line yesterday too. Now that seems early! Gordon
We have a smallish field nearby enclosed by bushes and trees, well away from the road and it has a pond at one end. We call it The Meadow. Last year Fox had four cubs in the bramble thicket and the Roe Deer had twins in the shady wooded side. In the summer it was alive with butterflies and crickets. The Pheasants mooch happily amongst the tufted grass and Ducks and Moorhens swim on the pond. Greater Spotted Woodpeckers had their babies there and last night we saw Pippa Pipistrelle flying at dusk.
It was quite a surprise to see Pippa as she usually hibernates until March or the warmer weather. Although after last winter when the very cold weather started much earlier than usual, she may have gone into hibernation sooner and would now have little fat left to live off. She may have left the roost to find food and a drink of water. If it turns cold again, bats can become torpid (cool and inactive) - so it may not be a sure sign that winter is over. But Mum said that a huge Bumblebee landed on Kizzie's dressing gown that was drying on the washing line yesterday too. Now that seems early! Gordon Mum was musing about the Old Boot. It has rested by the side of the field for many a month and had provided 5 Star accommodation for a variety of creatures. About a size 9 or 10, she thought. It had certainly seen better days though - and now had two quite sizeable holes in the toe, but why only one boot? It was knowing quite what to do with it. There are places that you can recycle old footwear apparently. Mum said they have to be tied together - a pair - so that was no good for our Boot. And then what do they do with them all? Mash them down and make a universal shoe - or repair them?
"Pop used to be a Snob you know" We had heard about those sorts of people. "A Cobbler - Bootmender," she clarified. Pop was Mum's Grandfather. When Mum was a young chick he used to play games at his kitchen table with her after school. Mum would explain the rules, which could be quite complicated as she made them up as she went along, and then used to say to Pop "Your Go!" "What's that Peachey?" And Mum had to explain them all over again (with a few modifications) as Pop had dropped off halfway through. He used to scratch his forehead gently, but when the News came on the wireless, as bright as a button, he would hold his hand aloft and say "Hush." No one would dare interrupt - Mum thinks it went back to listening to reports during the 2nd World War on the BBC Home Service. Anyway Mum said he used to re-sole and heel the family's shoes in his shed after work. It smelt of leather and glue and there were shelves with pots of nails along one side. If Pop was here today he would have known what to do with The Boot! We busied off and left Mum to her sweeping when we noticed the old newspapers that Dad had stacked in the Log Shed. Gordon scraped at the top sheet excitedly "Look Sylvia! The perfect solution - and we may get some tasty morsels with the proceeds!" It read 'INDOOR BOOT SALE. ALL WELCOME' Gordon & Sylvia x It has been wet and windy for the last few days, but this morning it is foggy, frosty and as still as still can be. After the excitement of the Catkins yesterday, Sylvia and I went off to the primrose patch by the barn where Mickey lives. Sure enough the first tiny primrose had opened - just one brave primrose - but it was a very welcome sight. Spring is on its way! Gordon
The wiggley, jiggley worms The youngest Rosecomb ran breathlessly back into the yard, her face flushed and she was gasping for breath. "Quickly, quickly," she gulped. "Come quickly! I've found hundreds of wiggley, jiggley, yellow worms. Enough for all of us!" Of course the greedy Rosecombs headed off at top speed. Their wings pressed to the side of their body for extra speed, their strides lengthened and every so often, with a flap of their wings, taking to the air for an extra spurt. I looked at Sylvia - for a second a little puzzled, but from the direction they were heading, I realised what the Littlest Rosecomb had discovered. "You may have to jump in the air for them," she said excitedly as they neared the bank by Peter's house. And sure enough as they reached her cache of wiggley, jiggley, yellow worms, it dawned on the Rosecombs that she had seen the Catkins on the Hazel tree. Gordon What excitement! What a commotion! Elation, fever and furore have encompassed the farm! Sophia won First Prize at The Show! We gathered around to hear about her Big Day. And later when the naughty Rosecombs had gone to dig in Dad's leaves and Truffle was picking at a worm and Harvest and Alice had gone for their snooze, Sophia took me on one side and whispered "You know Sylvia, I was actually the only Sebright at The Show."
"But they don't need to know that, do they Sophia?" I replied. And we contentedly carried on looking for tasty bits in the manure heap. Sylvia xxx Today is a big day for my sister Sophia. She has gone to a Show with Dad. She had a pampering session and spa in his bathroom on Tuesday evening and came back on Wednesday morning looking very sleek and coiffured. I have never been to a Show so I am anxiously waiting for her to return so that we might hear all about her Big Day. Sophia and me So Mum went to the Chicken Supermarket this morning and seemed in high spirits as she pottered around the yard. "Found another 'Lucky Penny' this morning Sylvia" she told me. "You know - 'Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck!' It's from the film Grease - when Jan finds the penny and Marty gives it to Kenickie for good luck before the race. But then he hits his head and Danny has to take over driving the car. So not so lucky really, I suppose." I didn't know, but patiently listened. "I keep finding them - funny really. The washing machine, the bedroom floor - and I always put them in one of my back pockets. You know, just in case." Now I'm no scholar, but the law of averages tells me that to find three or four lucky pennies every week for the last year is not Mum's more than generous share of Good Luck. And then the penny dropped. Sylvia xxx Today is the Chinese New Year. It is the Year of The Rabbit. We elected Alice to run down the field and tell Peter Rabbit the good news. Alice rehearsed her lines and off she ambled. She was going to tell Peter that he is to be admired, trusted, and is often financially lucky. Rabbits are fond of gossip but are tactful and generally kind. And they seldom lose their temper. They are clever at business and are conscientious too. Where is Pete? But Peter got wind of the Chinese Year of The Rabbit and was no where to be found. We think he got the wrong end of the stick and thought it meant he was No. 59 on the menu served up with Egg Fried Rice (No. 10). Mum and Harvey and Honey saw Mr Fox on their walk this morning. He cantered lazily across their path as if he had all the time in the world. He knows Harvey is on his lead - it would be a different matter if Harvey wasn't, we are quite sure. So all things considered, and however lucky Peter Rabbit is supposed to be, we think he won't venture out at all today! Gordon & Sylvia x Mickey the Cat Becky, who is a very special friend, rescued Mickey from the vets that she works at during her holidays. He lived in the town and was a bit thin. But now he lives in our barn and Becky says he is fat! It is a very different life for him, but he seems to like it and catches mice and shrews. We love it when he comes through the wood and sits at the top of our field and tells us of his adventures. He says that he is related to lions and tigers and sometimes he pounces around and shows us tricks that he learnt from his African descendants. We keep very still and watch and listen. Not so long ago apparently there would sometimes be a cat that accompanied sailors on their ships as they travelled the high seas. We have never seen a ship nor the sea and Mickey delights in telling us of death defying tales on the ocean waves. He swishes his tail and rubs his whiskers - we are indeed a very captive audience! Gordon & Sylvia
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About UsHello! My name is Gordon and I am a Gold Sebright and my best friend is Sylvia. She is a Silver Sebright. We live with our foster parents on a small farm in the country. We thought that we would put our take on life and what we get up to through the year into a diary for you. All the characters are real and the events are a true record, interpreted with a modicum of poetic licence. We hope you enjoy it. Love Gordon and Sylvia Archives
December 2018
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