After Rose and our fluffy-pawed spaniel Tilly came back from their walk across the muddy fields this morning, Tilly composed the following and asked me to share it, because it might help other canine readers to know they are not alone.
Rose’s supposing my toeses need hosing
Shows Rose is supposing erroneously.
‘Cause nobody’s toes can need quite as much hosing
As Rose is supposing my toeses to need!
Everything is muddy at the moment. Some of us just know how to glide above it.
I’m somewhat confused by one of our recent purchases, which proudly proclaims on its packaging that it hasn’t been tested on animals.
Jolly good, I thought. Always keen to do the right thing if I can.
There’s just one problem.
It’s dog food!
What’s more, it’s made of chicken! So it’s made of animals, and fed to animals… but at least you can rest assured that it’s not tested on them. What sort of a daft marketing department…?
Ah well, never mind.
Well, Arden Grange, I can report that Tilly, on being given it, wagged her tail enthusiastically and wanted more. So that’s good news for your marketing.
But I’m afraid this means that it has now been tested on animals, so you’ll need to remove the label.
Today we’re heading for Cornwall. Normally, that would be a major undertaking, but fortunately, we can see it from where we’re staying.
It’s just over there:
Looks nice, doesn’t it?
Our friendly neighbour has been back…
He turns out to be particularly partial to small pieces of raisin.
If you ever want to invite a robin round to tea, I can guarantee that raisins will be a welcome accompaniment.
I’m sure you’ll be pleased to know that, as she approaches her 11th birthday, Tilly is still enjoying her favourite pastime.
She was doing much the same thing 9 years ago and 6 years ago. Different fields, different crops, but clearly intended for the same activity.
We have a friend who keeps coming to visit, despite the lockdown…
He does maintain appropriate social distancing while here, though.
Helps himself to food…
Always politely interested in the conversation.
“What’s the time, Mr Wolf?”
Generally a very pleasant companion.
At the Drop Redoubt fortifications on Dover Western Heights
Ah, so here’s why my shiny new lawnmower isn’t getting as much use as it might…
Our spaniel is sitting looking out of the patio door, and positively quivering with excitement…
Spotted this morning just behind my in-laws’ house in Michigan.
The song of most small birds just sounds like a stream of tweets and whistles to us, but if you slow them down, you can get a wonderful feel for what’s going on.
Here’s a nice compilation of lots of them. I like the little wren at the beginning, the (rather quiet) skylark at about 17:57 has a nice rhythm when slowed down, and the song thrush that follows him is quite fun. If other birds can pick out these details, you can imagine there might be quite a lot of communication going on.
The real star, however, is the Veery Thrush, whom you can hear in this slowed-down clip. He’s the subject of the rather fun New Scientist article, which was what first caught my attention.
Now, I wonder if you sped up a clip of cows mooing, you could get a similar effect?
© Copyright Quentin Stafford-Fraser
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