The weather forecast is not nice for the next couple of days – wind, rain, more wind – so I opened the gates and stable to let the old men have grass and shelter if they choose. The downside is that I have to poo-pick (usually about a wheelbarrow’s worth a day) as I hate … Read more
Eearly morning light is filtering through the trees. Here and there, sprigs of lichen and clusters of fungi peep out from the carpet of orange leaves that is covering the dark, damp ground. Somewhere overhead, hidden in the branches of the forest, a goldcrest is calling. This weekend is officially the first weekend of autumn … Read more
No vacuum cleaners and no feather dusters: that’s the order that has gone out to the cleaning staff at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. As part of an exhibition exploring the changing perceptions of creepy-crawlies in art and science through the ages, the national museum of the Netherlands has been allowing its crevices and corners to … Read more
The owner of 21 tropical islands off the coast of Papua New Guinea says he never threatened to sell them to China and his main aim is to save the turtles that nest there. Ian Gowrie-Smith, an Australian businessman and investor, bought the Conflict Islands, which lie less than 1,000 km from the Australian coast, … Read more
Maggie is very much her own sheep. She likes what she likes and much is tolerated by her, but the existence of Pepper is one thing too many. I tell both Pepper and Maggie that they will just have to rub along together. Maggie does not think this is a solution she can agree to. … Read more
Animals fed, animals watered, poultry fed, poultry watered, dogs walked and then I walk past this little gem! Bibble – or Bible, Binbag, Biblet, Bubble and even Bubblegum! (according to my autocorrect) was hanging over the gate trying his hardest to catch my attention. Me: So, Bibble, what do you want? Me: Aww, Binbag, is … Read more
A woman has been charged with three crimes after she took a raccoon called Rocky to a bar in North Dakota. Erin Christensen faces up to two years in prison and a $7,500 fine after she took the raccoon to Maddock Bar for happy hour on September 6. A bartender said no one was bitten … Read more
Swiss voters will vote on Sunday on whether to ban factory farming as unconstitutional and end imports of intensively farmed meat. The latest poll shows 52% of voters oppose a ban, and 47% support one. If the factory-farming ballot initiative is passed, Switzerland’s constitution, which already protects the “welfare and dignity of animals”, would be … Read more
ors we arrived at the beach, the setting sun blazed orange, backlighting the sail-shaped Spinnaker Tower, which stood proud on the horizon. It was the perfect evening for a swim, the calm, dark sea reflecting like quicksilver. As we slipped in, two swallows swooped low above our heads – a welcome distraction from the water’s … Read more
I am not back to normal (what is normal?), but I am feeling much better today. Sadly, OH took to his bed for the morning. He looked and felt like death warmed up. I sympathized. So, after feeding the horses, the ponies, etc, I took the dogs out for a walk. We went to Leradale … Read more