Is it just me or are any of you having problems receiving email notifications of blogspot posts? I am still subscribed to the blogs but haven’t had any notifications for over a week. I am trying to keep up with blogspot posts, but bear with me if I’m missing some, I’m trying to get a list going, but don’t know the names of all the blogs….sighs….
Daughter and I now have our tattoos, I wanted to be able to see mine, so opted to have it on the inside of my left arm. I expected it to hurt, but it really was rather painless. So, there we have it, my very first tattoo!
This week I’ve had the pleasure of showing a bunch of kids with special needs around the rescue.
A stray rabbit, recently brought in, had just given birth, so I asked the children to be totally quiet while walking around the wildlife unit, y’know what? Those kids were as quiet as dormice, not a single sound was was made by any of them……and there were ten of them!
Watching them with the animals absolutely made my day, the pleasure was written all over their little faces!
I had another tour to do this week, one that had me feeling rather anxious.
This one was going to be recorded for television, and the kids would be coming with questions, questions unknown to me….so all in all the whole thing was giving me a severe case of the heebie-jeebies! Tell you what though, worrying is a waste of good energy!
On the day I got over my ego, decided that I didn’t have a point to defend and ended up having a ball. The kids were a delight, a real credit to their parents and teachers. We were having such a good time that I actually forgot the entire process was being recorded.
The kids were so inspired by the wildlife they saw that they actually begged their teachers to let them build a wildlife area in the school gardens, and their teachers agreed. Once it’s built they hope to adopt some of our hedgehogs. The little angels also decided that they are going to raise money for the rescue…..how’s that for an unexpected bonus or two?
One of the girls was wearing a geek badge….that tickled me pink!
In the garden my garlic is growing brilliantly….
and I’ve taken out another twelve foot of hedging. I’m hoping to plant some colourful shrubs in the gaps.
I’ve been busy sowing seeds, and the slugs have been busy eating the seedlings! I now need to move all the cuttings out to make a little room…AND clean the greenhouse and remove the slugs!!!
New life is stirring, the frogs have been busy….
and a robin and a wren have built nests in the ivy outside the kitchen door. I have a marvelous view so am looking forward to hearing the chirps and chirrups and seeing tiny chicks!
And finally….
This morning, Hubs and I got up nice and early, packed a picnic, set our cameras to eclipse mode and headed off to the highest hill in our area.
We set up our tripods and waited with bated breath….
Stunned we were!
This is it…..the highlight of the eclipse, the moment we’d waited for…. It didn’t go dark, the birds continued to fly and the ducks quacked throughout the entire event.
Then it poured down, so we crept home and watched the stunning images on tv….I think the media fabricated the whole thing! It’s not the first of April by any chance, is it?
How lovely that I have you smiling, those kids certainly had me smiling, angels they were, as you say I doubt adults would have been as quiet! Not sure if I’m a natural though, nerves do bubble away, I suppose the fear is letting the rescue down, but still, upwards and onwards with my ego pushed aside!!!
LOL…..it is simply the most exciting eclipse isn’t it? Glad it took your breath away!xxx
Oh, you’ve put a smile on my face this morning 🙂 I love the idea of those kids being respectful of the newborn bunnies. I wonder if that would work with grown-ups! So so so glad your recorded tour went okay. You are a natural and having a curious group of great kids only made for a great visit.
Your eclipse photo is AMAZING.
Well done with the tattoo – they did it exactly as you designed it and it looks great! You are so lucky that it didn’t hurt!!!
well done with the filming and the school kids and so on too – glad it went well and you just enjoyed it and was natural and so on.
The flowers along the little fence in your garden look lovely and how hard you’ve been working removing hedges!!!! Do you have to dig them up? Sounds a lot of hard work… but I’m guessing it will open everything out and lighten up the garden and so on…
Lovely to have the bird’s nests 🙂 how wonderful to be able to watch the activity of the parent birds and then the wee ones!
Was cloudy here for the eclipse too but I was just very very lucky because I happened to see it for literally half a minute as I strode up the lane, and I could see a glowing crescent lying on its back with a dark disk over it… and then the clouds swirled back and it was gone, but I was very chuffed for the short glimpse I did get!xxxx
I was pleased how well they reproduced the design and was MOST happy about the lack of pain, apparently I chose the most painless spot to have a tattoo…..
I’ve removed another huge patch of hedging, I cut everything down and hubs digs the stumps out, they’ve been there forever so the ground is a solid mass of roots which is heavy going.
The garden is so much lighter now, I’ve added lots of new shrubs which hopefully will thrive and be of some use to wildlife.
I am already addicted to watching the robins flitting in and out, I think they are feeding chicks!
I’m glad to hear you caught a little of the eclipse, I would have been chuffed to see that too!!!xxx
I was really pleased to hear the kids are planning a wildlife area, the wildlife will certainly be happy! They were such a pleasure…..if only all kids behaved like that!
Ivy is such a good plant for wildlife isn’t it, providing shelter and winter berries. I am looking forward to seeing more of the wren and her family. Thanks Linda.xxx
It’s good to see the schoolchildren enjoying their visit which has got them interested in setting up their own wildlife area and do some fundraising. Your garden is looking colourful with that curved bed with crocuses in bloom. The ivy is a good cover for birds. How lovely to have wrens, in particular, nesting there!
I keep finding my blog email notifications in my spam, maybe that is where yours are going. So now you are a T.V. star as well as all your other amazing talents. I wish I could have seen the programme.
The eclipse was a non- event here too. It seemed a bit dark but then it was very cloudy anyway. What about the Northern lights? Did you get to see them?
I love all your crocuses and you are going to get masses of lovely frogs.
A wren’s nest, how lovely, I have never seen a baby wren, they must be so tiny. I had another tiny bird in my garden today, a goldcrest. I have never seen one here before.
I had a look in my spam, sadly, nothing there either….I hope the problem resolves itself…
Hahahaha…..a T,V star…I wish, well I don’t really, all too nerve racking for me!!! WHAT amazing talents????
What a shame that you missed the eclipse too, sighs….and I didn’t see the Northern lights, OR the super moon!!!
Oh, I am jealous of your goldcrest! The wren always nests in the courtyard and the chicks are really bold, they all stick their heads out of the nest as they get older so hopefully I’ll get some good pics to share. Thanks Chloris.xxx
Total cloud cover here too! I’m so glad the children enjoyed their visit – great news about the fundraising too. You’ve inspired me to get out in the garden – I keep putting it off! Have a great week. x
Oh….what a shame! It seems that a fair few of us missed out. I was really surprised when the kids decided to do a little fundraising, they seem the type to mean it too. It has been cold hasn’t it, I doubt I would be in the garden if I didn’t have to run the dogs there. Thanks VeggieMummy.xxx
You are bravery than I. I would be too afraid to get a tattoo. Isn’t it nice when kids surprise you with good behaviour? Animals help. Most kids love them. Too bad about the eclipse! I must see if I can find some video online. The eclipse wasn’t visible here in Southern Ontario.
I must admit to being a tad nervous re the tattoo, especially when the needles were being prepared! It really didn’t hurt at all, much to my surprise.
It’s wonderful to meet so many well behaved children, sadly it isn’t always the case these days! There are some marvelous eclipse images online, hope you get to see them. Thanks Jennifer.xxx
Talking about special needs, in that second picture, I had the feeling that it was the cats that had special needs. I think you were just distracted by the kids. The third picture was really marvelous though. What beautiful young people. And how wonderful that you got those innocents to take some hedgehogs off your hands. Your garden always give me inspiration, and lately I’ve been drinking a lot of juices that I make myself with a juicer. If you have any suggestions, will be glad to try them out. As for the eclipse, we heard a lot about that too, but I say, if its only a small percentage, I don’t want to waste my time with it. I’d rather wait for the big one… even if it takes a hundred years or so. Thanks for another very beautiful and sensitive post.
Hahahaha….the cats do look a little hyperactive, we gave the kids’ teacher special cat treats, that’s what the cats were after. I’m glad you liked the third picture, what a delightful bunch of kids they are, it’s so nice to meet respectful, pleasant kids, some are rather spoilt these days. I wish them all the best with their wildlife garden, the wildlife certainly need it, places they can survive in shrink by the day.
How lovely to think my garden inspires you…..I don’t have a juicer but I do buy some lovely, fresh, mixed juices, my favourite is a blueberry, banana, pomegranate and grape mix, it’s utterly delicious. Carrots seem to be a favourite ingredient in many juices too….
Lol….I too shall wait a hundred years for the next eclipse….see you there, you bring the smokes and I’ll bring the whisky! Thanks Shimon.xxx
You’re quite the adventurous spirit. I am such a fuddy-duddy I would never get a tattoo, and have even passed this quality on to my kids so that they don’t have any either. Nice that you have frog spawn in the water, and are those crocus blooming so beautifully along with your garlic?
Lol….you’re certainly not a fuddy-duddy! Tattoos do divide people, I don’t mind the odd one but am not so fond of totally tattooed bodies!
Yes, they are crocus, they haven’t opened much due to a lack of sunshine, but still, the colour has been more than welcome. Thanks Jason.xxx
You seem to have had a good time with these kids. Wildlife always breaks down barriers, even with adults.
I was impressed by your garlic. You might be surprised to know that mine grows all winter under the snow. It grows horizontally and then straighten up once the snow has melted!
I certainly had a good time, sometimes the children visiting the rescue can be a little wild but both these [parties were charming. Yes, wildlife does break down barriers, often resulting in more spontaneous behaviour.
Goodness, me, I had no idea garlic could do that, what an interesting factoid! Thanks Alain.xxx
I’m sorry to say that I don’t like tattoos. Well done with both lots of children, it’s a real pleasure when they’re interested like that.
Lot’s doing, and going on in the garden. Lucky you with robins and wrens nesting.
It was overcast here yesterday morning so the eclipse wasn’t visible at all. xx
Tattoos do divide the nation for sure, I have seen some that make my hair curl! The kids were wonderful, it’s so nice to have two groups who were so well behaved. I am looking forward to watching the robin and the wren raise their families….two of my favourite birds. Shame you didn’t see much either….thanks Flighty.xxx
Awesome tat!! I have a friend who has a tattoo on the inside of her wrist as a reminder of something important to her. People underestimate how wonderful kids can be. Animals and kids are a natural combination and special needs kids seem to understand them more than your typical spoiled brat. I’ve never experienced a solar eclipse in person but YouTube has filled that gap nicely. 😉 LOVE the birdhouses in the ivy! So cool!
This tattoo means something to daughter and I too, I think most people have them for that reason….
Oh….some kids are just wonderful and I totally agree with you re special needs kids and animals, the kids are just so natural and spontaneous. Glad you like the birdhouses, thanks Casa.xxx
The frogs are very busy in our pond too. When are you on TV?
I was on the local news….I have to do another on wednesday so I’ll share that link….[if it goes well, lol]
The frogs are rather late this year aren’t they? xxx
Such a fabulous post. I was a little underwhelmed with the eclipse but as we can’t see the sun easily where we are at that time in the morning I shouldn’t complain as I’ve seen some stunning photos of it. I think it depends whereabouts you were when it happened. Didn’t go too dark here. I LOVE your tattoo, well done for getting one! The girls look so happy in the photo. Suzy x
Thanks Suzy, what a shame that you missed out too! It’s odd how some got to see such vivid images despite cloud cover and others got nothing. It did go cold here but that was about all.xxx
It’s been years, now, but there was a nearly-total eclipse in Houston that I was able to experience. It was such a strange thing. Because it wasn’t total, everything somehow cast double shadows — the shadows of tree leaves on sidewalks was just remarkable.
It’s so wonderful that the young people have a chance to experience animals, and learn about all the good work that’s being done for them. And how wonderful that they want to participate. Not everyone could evoke that sort of response — well done, you!
Gosh, those double shadows do sound eerie, eclipses are such oddities aren’t they, they certainly make me appreciate our star!
Thanks Shoreacres, I think it was the animals who did the inspiring though, the kids completely fell in love with the hedgehogs whose numbers are dropping drastically each year.xxx
Great post and photos as always. We had a good eclipse here in Nottingham, quite sureal and it did go quiet…birds in particular. Loving the tattoo. I too just had my first tattoo, same place on the arm, but on my right one. Mine’s a butterfly. Will most definitely have another one. Not sure what, but I like your wolf. Love wolves. X
Thanks Karen. Good to hear you got to see the eclipse, I saw a total one many years ago and that was, as you say, surreal…the birds seemed to anticipate it and stopped singing and roosted well before it occurred.
Your butterfly sounds lovely, hopefully yours didn’t hurt either. Oh yes….I too love wolves!xxx
Lovely post.. you can see the joy in the children’s faces.. I love your tattoo, I have a soft spot for wolves. Jealous that you have frog spawn, we haven’t had frogs or toads in the garden for a few years now. It was cloudy here for the eclipse too.. didn’t see a thing apart from it getting a little darker for awhile.
Thanks Julie, the kids did have a lovely time, as did I!
I’m a huge fan of wolves, it’s sad to think we had them once, there is talk of re-introducing them again.
Maybe get a jar and collect some frogspawn, there seems to be lots about. Frogs always seem to go back to the pond they were born in.xxx
I had a text from Daniel (studying Astrophysics at uni) to say they’d set up solar telescopes and got a great view of the eclipse and flares, so it definitely happened. It went very dark here and I could hear cockerels cock a doodle dooing so they must have thought it was dawn again. How lovely inspiring the school to set up a wildlife area in the school grounds, I hope it’s a huge success. Eeek, you’re braver than I am getting a tattoo. I can’t say I’m all that keen on them but I like your design.
Gosh… Astrophysics eh? He sounds like an intelligent chap! How wonderful it must have been to see the flares. It didn’t get too dark here, but it did get considerably colder.
The kids were marvelous, and I do think they’ll follow through on the wildlife area….they were even suggesting getting other schools on board.
I was never a fan of tattoos, but I think one is fine on an old gal like me. Thanks Jo.xxx
Super post…and stunning images…eclipse or not! Taking around those Special Needs children must have been a joy…Yes! You tattoo looks cute.
Enjoy you week-end…don’t forget to relax…..Hugs! xx
It was a real pleasure taking both groups of kids around, they all seemed to enjoy meeting the animals. My tattoo is peeling at the moment……I have to remember to keep it out of the water. Hugs to you too.xxx
Like you I was somewhat underwhelmed by the eclipse.. and we did see it! Perhaps if it had happened in the middle of the day, or when it wasn’t so dull anyway, the difference would have been more apparent. Good luck with the slugs!
Lol….at least you got a pic for your efforts! Yes, I think it would have been better later in the day too…..I have a feeling the slugs are firmly entrenched! Thanks Jess.xxx
Yes, the eclipse did happen this morning. It was very misty here, but at 9am, just as I was leaving Sainsburys, the mist thinned a bit and the eclipse was quite clear through the remaining mist. by the time I got home it was bright sun so I didn’t dare look at it again.
Love all your crocus, they are fabulous!
How fantastic to show the children round your animal shelter, lets hope lots of seeds have been sown for future years!
Good to hear you saw a little of the eclipse! It went cold here, that was about it….
The crocus haven’t had much chance to open to date, we’ve had precious little sunshine.
It would be lovely to think the kids really will carry through and create a wildlife area, wildlife needs all the help it can get. Thanks Pauline.xxx
What is eclipse mode?
Nope, not April 1st yet, I’d know if it was what with medical things up for review. We saw much of the eclipse, so, I can vouch that it happened. I attempted some photos without tripod, but with a dark filter over the lens. The pics wouldn’t win prizes, however, there are some really distinctive changing dark shades over the fields. It was a last minute attempt. Other people quite close by, obviously prepared, obtained fantastic pictures.
Love your photos of the school groups. What was kitty up to? The proposed school project is, to my mind, one with enjoyable, good and instructive purpose. I wonder what care they will arrange for their animals during the weekends and holidays.
Your tattoo photographed well.
As you’ve got a new web arrangement, some of your url connections may have got knocked out. I do receive notifications for your posts. I haven’t written anything this week, apart from comments. You appear to be linked in with my WP one, not sure though. My main site is: http://myword1.blogspot.co.uk/ If you let me know what’s what, I can let you have WP as well, if you need it. Also, if you want any url’s of mutual friends, give me nudge.
xxxx
The eclipse mode was set manually, using the AV setting. I do hope you share your pics! Good to know that some got to see a little activity.
Lol….we gave the kids special treats, ones we know the cats go wild for!
The kids are hoping to set up a wildlife area that sustains the creatures that live in it. They are hoping to plant shrubs, build a pond and have log piles and wildflower areas. Hopefully it will attract wildlife, we would have to check it before we released hedgehogs there.
I’m still not receiving blogspot posts….how odd, I’m still subscribed. I shall check if I’m following your wordpress blog….thanks for your help!xxx
You’re so right, we do need to get over our egos and just get on with the job! How lovely that the kids were so good. Animals put smiles on their faces – I took our 2 grandkids to Hobbledowns last weekend and being able to hold and stroke rabbits, guinea pigs and EVEN A RAT made them happy as Larry! (whoever he was …)
Your garden looks beautiful and I am hugely jealous of the nests in your ivy! I want them too!!
We can get to wrapped up in ourselves can’t we….I was glad I got over myself. Awwwh….how lovely Hobbledowns sounds, I would have loved to have seen your face as the kids held a rat! Tame rats are sweeties though.
I shall send a few wee birds down your way…..Thanks Gilly.xxx
Oh I do enjoy your posts….Congratulations on the tattoo….you are so wonderful, Dina..you always put a big smile on my face.
I to wondered if the whole business of eclipse was drummed up by the media, as nothing happened here…..but like you, I could enjoy on the TV.
How wonderful that the children were able to enjoy the shelter, and that you ware televised…only wish I could see it…I am sure you are a born natural.
I love how your garden grows and the pond pictures is superb.
Have a fab weekend….sending lots of magical hummingbirds from this end. Janet.xxxx
Thanks Janet, you always have me smiling too!!!
Lol….we seem to have missed out big style eclipse wise don’t we? Only fifteen years to wait for the next one!
I’m not sure I’m a natural re television, but the kids were so delightful I completely forgot about being recorded!
Thanks for the hummingbirds….their magic is most welcome!xxx
What a wonder-filled week, Dina! So happy the tours benefited from your brilliance and made you happy, too. The fact that one group decided to sponsor wildlife in their school garden really speaks to your passion and gifts!
I love that curve of color/crocuses in your garden; we should be there in a few weeks, so it’s good to see what’s to come. I envy you that lovely greenhouse, but not the slugs. I hate killing things, but I admit indoor spiders and outdoor Japanese Beetles are not my favorite lifeforms.
Can’t wait to see the robin and wren chicks: How lovely to have guests!
As for the eclipse: What a fun adventure for you, even if the cosmic drama didn’t present itself as promised. 🙂
Thank you for your wonderful posts, and blessings on your week!
Hahaha….I don’t know about my brilliance, but with so many creatures and lovely kids around it’s hard not to be positive. Your post was my inspiration, so THANK YOU! Isn’t it marvelous that the kids are going to create a wildlife garden? They were such a pleasure to work with.
Oh….I can’t wait for spring to finally arrive for you, what a pleasure it will be seeing all the bulbs and vibrant colours…..I don’t envy me the slugs either, the greenhouse is full all year round so it’s really hard to clean it.
I love wren chicks, it’s astonishing to think something born so small can survive in chilly temperatures…..for little birds they sure do have huge voices.
Lol…..it was so funny how wired hubs and I were for the eclipse that never came, it did get very cold though. Thanks so much Kitty.xxx