birds & beasts in the garden

a dead shrew; picked him up yesterday, a rainy Saturday morning, that's why he's all wet; notice the tiny hands and feet, those tiny nails! all so absolutely perfect

there are many dead shrews these days, on our regular Sunday morning* walk we saw 4 dead ones lying on the path into the woods; I have not carried them all back home, hoping they will serve as food for others.

Is it the rain I wonder, do they wander too far from their homes and get caught off guard in the rain, cooling so fast they die from hypothermia? Who would know the answers to these questions?

Once we returned with the poor critter the Dwelling inhabitants soon organised a small wake was organised in an old lantern, he doesn't have to be alone on his journey to wherever it is shrews go once their hearts stop beating
 * D and I always go for a walk together with Django on Sunday mornings

the Sun decided to show it's face this afternoon, so I pottered about for a bit in the front garden, pulling 'weeds' and moving back and forth in quite the disorganised way I seem to do most of my gardening.

I heard a voice, more of a croak in fact :
"hey, you, gardening person, could you do me a favour please?"

I looked around, up and down but couldn't figure out where the croak came from

"Over here, to your left, I mean right, yes here"
Aha, now that I looked up and then to my right a bit I did see the meditating frog half hidden in his green sanctuary

"I'm sorry, what was that? " I asked

"Whilst you are so busy with your shears, could you cut away some of the foliage that's blocking my view and keeping the sun from shining on my good friend the garden gnome here?"

"Ah, yes I see what you mean" I replied

"Thank goodness for that! Now hurry along then, snip snip....quick as you like then"

And so I cut back all of the offending foliage, letting sun and light in once more; the meditating frog and his good friend, the garden gnome are now able to bask in the sun and enjoy the view of the garden


Comments

Nancy said…
Saskia...you let in the light in so many ways! xo
Ms. said…
Delightful and thrilling....The dear shrew not alone and Froggy + Gnome basking in the sun! DELIGHTED.
Mo Crow said…
I love your stories!
Anonymous said…
of course you have a gardening gnome!

tungsten

tungsten

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