In the country not in the country

I’m dreaming of a white…January???

Well as we know January did not start well for me. I’m still upset about Honey and Houdini but I have my other animals to care for and make 100% sure they are as safe as can be. Luckily I’ve had no further successful visits from Mr Fox.

On Saturday Mally and I took a cat who sadly needing rehoming, due to the owner’s hospitalisation, up to Whitby Wildlife Sanctuary. I can’t stress enough what a fantastic charity that is. Ran by the Amazing Alex who never stops even for a minute. She even took baby animals away with her on holiday to nurse them!

On the way back from the charity we suddenly encountered a huge deluge of snow. To get to Whitby and back from our home is a trek across the moors. We hit the moors and suddenly started to slide all over. The tires seemed to have no grip. Cars were sliding all over. I genuinely believed that we would have an accident. A bin lorry was behind us and I thought he would hit us once he went down a slope. But luckily he stopped at the brow of the hill and stayed there. At one point it looked like we would need to abandon the car and walk around 10 miles uphill home. Luckily though we made it back! This was my first taste of winter this close to the moors.

Doesn’t look much but with the ice combined, it made driving conditions very difficult.

The snow had fallen heavily at home. A fair sized crowd had gathered near my house. They were watching many drivers desperate attempts to get up the bank nearby. I saw three teenagers stood on the corner. I thought just like most people that they were up to mischief. However, when I looked out of the window they were pushing cars up the bank. They had been stood waiting to help anyone that needed a push. Never assume anything!

My garden and woodland was covered in snow within minutes. Once I’d checked my animals I brought my house bunny Fonzie out to enjoy the snow. She loved it. Kicking about in the snow and thoroughly enjoying herself. I was cold but it was lovely.

Due to the snow, I noticed that the very old natural spring in the garden had started to flow. It had been dry up until this point. I’d never seen any water coming from it. However, it was now flowing with what appeared to be clear water. I wasn’t going to drink any though. I’d had enough just trying to dodge Covid without adding cholera to mix.

A sad start to the year

I got up on New Year’s Day trying to be positive and hoping this year would be better. However, it soon turned into one of my worst nightmares. A fox had got into the hen house and two of my girls, Honey and Houdini had been taken. There were only a couple of piles of bloodied feathers left. I’m completely devastated. The automatic door on the coop had had a mechanical issue and this allowed the fox access. I was lucky he didn’t take the rest of the girls. I think maybe Vinnie and Rambo scared him off. In five years of keeping hens I’d never had an attack. It shows you must never be complacent. I took for granted that the automatic door had closed as it had always done.

I searched my woodland garden for hours hoping that the girls had got away and were hiding in a log pile. Sadly no, all I found was more feathers against the farmers field fence. Mr fox had clearly escaped with bird in mouth through the fencing. I do love foxes like all creatures. He’s hungry and it’s cold. He was doing what he had to do to survive. It was my job to keep the girls safe.

I’d had Honey since she was a four hour old chick. A beautiful hen called a goldtop, a mix of silkie and light Sussex hen. Always cheerful and always running over to me for treats. She was around four years old. Houdini was an ex battery hen I had adopted from the charity Fresh Start for Hens. I’d had her for 18 months. She was always trying to oust The General as top bird. I have a feeling the fox targeted sweet honey first and Houdini has tried the help her whilst the others ran. Nest in a Peace my beautiful birds.

Would you Bubble and Squeak it?

Boxing Day…..the best thing about Boxing Day for me is the bubble and squeak from the leftover Christmas dinner. Roast potatoes, Brussels sprouts, mashed potato, broccoli and some leftover Yorkshires all mashed together. Bliss. Throughout history it has been known as a peasant dish….but I don’t give a hoot, it’s delicious and one of my favourite meals. Apparently this dish was first mentioned in written literature around 1760, the same year roughly that my house was built.

End result. Photo isn’t great due to the steam in a cold kitchen.

I think I may have managed to find the worst Christmas cracker joke this year.

With the government only allowing Christmas Day with other households it has been a very quiet Boxing Day. (Even worse in southern counties as Christmas Day was effectively cancelled). In fact this year it feels like Christmas has in fact just been one day rather than the usual week of festivities. But it is what it is and I count myself lucky that I was still able to enjoy Christmas Day.

So now I must decide what to do next. Shall I have a little drink? My liver is still crying from yesterday’s Prosecco indulgence, so I may just stick to water the rest of the day….maybe.

So this is Christmas

It was a quiet one for me this year due to…well we all know why. Just Mally, me and my elderly ex neighbour Judith. But to be honest it was actually a nice Christmas, quiet and relaxed, no family fighting or mass amounts of catering, just chill.

I’d pre cooked a few things the day before and boy does that make a difference! No stress today. This meant a few glasses of Prosecco whilst I cooked roasties and veg.

My elderly ex neighbour is a real character. She loves her vino and has a few stories to tell! Mostly the same stories but nevertheless entertaining. She’s been widowed about six years and lives with her crazy cockapoo Brandy. I’ve never before seen a dog walk like a kangaroo before but she manages it. Judith said she’d spent about £150 on Brandy for Christmas. Brandy though tends to rip anything to shreds in an instant, so it maybe £150 down the drain. However, Judith assured me that the toys had been “tiger tested”. I nodded my head and continued on with dinner.

My veggie Xmas dinner. Don’t worry there was gravy!

After a pudding of Christmas pudding that wasn’t a Christmas pudding….I know weird eh? We sat down with yet another glass of wine and awaited Judith’s taxi….which she had booked two months earlier for this very day….she likes to be prepared.

Christmas pudding that isn’t a Christmas pudding. It’s filled with a chocolate cake ganache.

Judith has just gone and I’m tired of hearing George Michael’s Last Christmas on Alexa Christmas radio. In fact I am shattered and it’s only just after 7pm. I think a nap is now in order. My little tabby Susie thinks so!

Who ate all the pies…Susie did! Well a load of turkey and beef.

Just to reassure all the northerners I did have plenty of gravy!

‘‘Twas the night before Christmas”

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…..not in my house I’ve had three cats and a house bunny on my case all evening. The cats are going mad as I bought them some steak as a treat. They’ve had a few bits and I put the rest in the fridge. Now all I can hear is meowing almost constantly at the fridge!

My kind neighbour gave me a Yule log (not the chocolate type) to burn on the fire on Christmas Eve. Its such a pretty log I don’t want to burn but I dare not burn it as I’m sure we’ve all had too much bad luck already this year!

Wikipedia states regarding Yule logs “Our Fore-Fathers, when the common Devices of Eve were over, and Night was come on, were wont to light up Candles of an uncommon Size, which were called Christmas-Candles, and to lay a Log of Wood upon the Fire, which they termed a Yule-Clog, or Christmas-Block. These were to Illuminate the House, and turn the Night into Day; which custom, in some Measure, is still kept up in the Northern Parts. It hath, in all probability, been derived from the Saxons. For Bede tells us, That [sic] this very Night was observed in this Land before, by the Heathen Saxons. They began, says he, their Year on the Eight of the Calenders of January, which is now our Christmas Party: And the very Night before, which is now Holy to us, was by them called Mædrenack, or the Night of the Mothers … The Yule-Clog therefore hath probably been a Part of those Ceremonies which were perform’d that Night’s Ceremonies. It seems to have been used, as an Emblem of the return of the Sun, and the lengthening of the Days. For as both Decemberand January were called Guili or Yule, upon Account of the Sun’s Returning, and the Increase of the Days; so, I am apt to believe, the Log has had the Name of the Yule-Log, from its being burnt as an Emblem of the returning Sun, and the Increase of its Light and Heat. This was probably the Reason of the custom among the Heathen Saxons” (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule_log).

Well it seems I’ll be keeping up with the “heathen” tradition and burning my Yule log on the fire tonight.

The burning of my Yule log. That fire crackle is fantastic

Apparently I need to scatter the ash from the Yule log on my garden for a fruitful harvest in the new year. Here’s hoping!

I’m now sat down about to watch the same thing I watch every Christmas Eve….Father Christmas. Which has been shown every Christmas since 1991. If you haven’t seen it before then basically it’s about what Father Christmas gets up to in the summer in his down time. He even goes to Las Vegas and plays the slots….honestly this is actually a kids short film. Apparently the American version was heavily sanitised with Father Christmas drinking, smoking and dancing with chorus girls removed. Also him saying blooming was also replaced. I prefer the worts and all version. So to quote Father Christmas….”Happy Blooming Christmas!”

A portent of doom?

On the 21st of this month it was said a bright Christmas star would be visible in the night sky. A Christmas star brighter than any other one seen since the 1200s. I thought back to the 1200s…..as you do and remembered what I had read in numerous history texts, that bright stars or comets were often seen as a portent of doom. That a great pestilence or worldwide upheaval would follow. Sometimes it did but in those eras there was always something unsettling afoot regardless of the conjuncture of the night sky.

However, with all that’s been happening in the world this year it seems a bright Christmas star might encourage some people to believe they are in fact a portent of doom. But on a positive side this has come after months of a pandemic so could it signal a positive shift for humanity? Or is it simply just two planets aligning and means nothing apart from providing a lovely nighttime visual treat. I don’t really have an opinion at the moment as every single night it has been cloudy and raining and I haven’t seen a thing!

I have been sat outside on a night hoping to catch some sign of Bruce my big grey gorgeous bunny who did a runner. His brothers seem quite happy and haven’t even noticed he is missing…the cads. But still unfortunately no sign of Brucey.

I have four rabbits, Arnie, Sylvester, Bruce and my house bunny Fonzie. Fonzie is quite a character and spends her days trying to chase and play with the cats.

Fonzie has been jumping up at the attic door. She’s desperate to have a nosy up there. At the minute I’m not going to risk it. With that Star 💫 in the night sky, Fonzie could easily be transformed into a wererabbit in that unearthly loft!

Escape from Nakatomi Plaza

Yes unfortunately another escapee story and this time it isn’t Elvis the quail. I try to allow my animals to live in the most natural environment possible. My big bunnies live in a covered large outdoor walk in cage. Mally put down wire mesh under the soil to prevent the bunnies digging out. However, to my horror I spotted two white bunnies, Arnie and Sylvester covered in mud and my big grey bunny Bruce missing. I found hidden at the back of the run a bunny hole…a.k.a an entrance to a warren. I shouted for Bruce but he didn’t come out…..he was suspicious I was Hans Gruber faking a Teesside accent. I just hope he hasn’t managed to acquire a machine down there as it will definitely make getting him out a trifle tricky.

Imagine Bruce Willis as a big grey bunny and this is pretty much the scene I think is unfolding in the warren tunnels at the moment!**

The wire mesh had been chewed through and in true escapee style the bunnies had somehow managed to cover over the hole with dry leaves!

That’s what they were hiding! The Warden has discovered their secret!

Where the hole and bunny run is there is an old wall that goes deep into the ground. Therefore, it was unlikely they had managed to get through that part. But I don’t know! I shone my torch through and it looks like an extensive set of tunnels. I’m sure Bruce is camping out down there.

I ordered an endoscope camera, which came today. I just needed to see where Bruce was. Arnie and Sly came when called but Bruce hasn’t appeared. I need to make sure he is safe and out before I close the tunnel down.

It was hard to get the camera through the tunnels and light was fading fast. I couldn’t see old Brucey so will try again tomorrow with a better approach…just don’t know what that is now. I’m hoping Bruce is doing the same as Arnie and Sly and coming back into the run regularly for food and water.

**from the movie DIE HARD.

Cluckdown

It’s been a busy day. Last few bits of shopping before Christmas. Sorting the animals out and cleaning up. It’s going to be a quiet one this year for nearly everyone after the announcement from the PM this afternoon.

Speaking of a quiet one, my hens aren’t happy at all since the government bird lockdown on Monday due to bird flu. They are normally free ranging in an acre of woodland, now they have a large netted run. But needs must. I’m sure I heard General tell me to cluck off.

So we’ve got the humans and birds in lockdown now. 2020…..what a strange year!

I’m now sat in front of my fire looking for something to watch on tv. “Four in a Bed” has just been on on channel 4 and it featured somewhere really close to here….Brockley Hall in Saltburn. A rather nice boutique hotel. I mainly watch this programme just to see what each establishment serves for breakfast. Same with “Come Dine With Me”. I’m a big fan of food programmes.

I keep buying chocolates and sweets for Christmas and eating them within hours. So now I realise I have no treats in. The horror! Even Susie my tabby cat tried to get in on the action. Don’t worry I didn’t allow her to have any.

Milk Tray, chocolate , — All because the lady loves Milk Tray

It’s Saturday night….therefore, a glass of wine is calling.

‘Tis the season

Happy news….Lil Lacey had not slipped into an inter dimensional portal. She was asleep in the bunny’s hooded cat bed in the spare room! However, maybe that cat bed is in fact a portal and it’s now a cloned version of Lacey…my head hurts.

As it is nearly Christmas I thought it was time to decorate a little. Okay it’s no Buckingham palace and the place still needs decorating and looks like a tip but I’ve tried.

Christmas,tree, baubles — Yes the tree is sat on a chair with a house bunny and three cats it was the only way forward.

It’s not much but more than I usually do 😆

Honestly usually I don’t even bother with decorations as I’m usually working all Christmas including Christmas Day and Boxing Day. However, this year I am off and decided I would make a little bit of effort.

I do love a nice posh Christmas tree with colour coordinated baubles. Oh how I envy people with that level of artistic skill. But unless I pay someone to do it for me that’s never going to happen. Instead I have gone for an eclectic mix of baubles this year. I even managed to find a vegan sausage roll bauble! I don’t even feel bad about my selection of baubles now as I watched a programme on the Queen at the Christmas. Apparently she loves different and strange baubles on her tree…no uniformity for her. I’m in good company!

My two favourite things a roll and a pint of beer!

Keeping it classy with a pink flamingo in a Santa hat

I picked the narwhal bauble because the tusk reminded me of that awful terror attack on London Bridge last year. Not that I like being reminded of terror attacks…it was the fact that an old narwhal tusk was used to subdue the attacker. The tusk was plucked off the wall at the Fishmongers Hall and used as a weapon against the knife welding terrorist…..the other baubles….well I just like them.

V Day

I haven’t written for a while as just like everyone else it’s a busy period plus I’m lazy.

V Day this evening was vet day. All three cats had to go in for their booster injections….I like how as soon as I wrote booster my phone suggested the next word be pack…I’m sure the cats would like a booster pack, very handy to catch their prey!

Well all three cats were placed(shoved…as the vets are not a favourite destination) into their separate carry cases and taken to the vets. Lil Lacey, one of my twin black cats, decided to sing the song of her people all the way there and for the hour it took for the vet to keep coming out to the car to collect each cat. Everything went well until Susie our tabby cat decided to do her usual explosive puke and poo protest in her carry case on the way back home. Luckily she only does this after she’s seen the vet! To ease their pains Mally treated the cats to a fish supper from the chippy.

They are all zonked out asleep. Well I should say they were all asleep. Lacey has disappeared. The state of the art cat flap says lil Lacey is still in the house…..but she isn’t!!! I’ve been searching high and low….no sign of her. Has she collapsed from the vaccine? I think the only explanation is she’s somehow gone through a multi dimensional vortex hidden somewhere in the house….Mally said he thought it was unlikely.

According to the cat flap data lil Lacey is still in the house…..must be a vortex

Whilst I await lil lacey’s return I was googling cat vaccines…just for the fun of it like you do. I will leave you with this question below that was genuinely posed to a vet website.