Thank you Luisa, you’re so welcome - I wish I could join you in this gentle reading but given my already mighty struggle to keep up with Simon’s #wolfcrawl I will just hope that you will run another.. xx
I've ordered Ruth's book on Audible so I can listen to it while working outside. I've ground to a halt with both Wolf Hall and War and Peace, although I've been reading other books, and will have to have a massive catch up!
I think I need to sign up for Audibles too… at least that way I just might have a hope of keeping up - trying to achieve that at the end of a busy day before sleep is simply not working..! Plus, like you, I’m reading so many other books and brilliant Substacks too, it would be time saved all round..! 😃
Sweetest thanks Karen, my life seems to pass in little vignettes at the moment… each a little different to the one before but note worthy especially in the case of saving small creatures - so many wouldn’t bother. 😔
Hi Susie. Here I am still, in large part thanks to your early encouragement :-) I was just this week starting a new piece which hinges around saving some wild things and a bucket! I like those strange coincidences when miles apart and unknown to one another we are word-wrestling to capture the same strange ambiguities.
Good Morning David, and how glad I am that you are here still, more so for knowing that even if in the smallest of ways, it may be due to my own endorsement of your essays…
I am constantly smiling at the coincidences appearing in the words I read here, just this morning I was enchanted by David Perry’s ‘Peckerwoods’ when my next post is also partly about one of these delightful birds…
I will wait with impatience for your next essay, saving wild things has become almost a daily chore, there is always a small creature in need, especially in spring when perhaps excitement supersedes sensibility. The badger ’skulduggery’ is my constant and heartbreaking war… I will never win but I can hinder…
Oh, so sorry to hear about the need for badger skulduggery ... I would be doing the same as you. Hope your wind has subsided as ours has. We're much further behind you though, no blossom out at all.
There is skulduggery on the hill every year Lynn, mine and theirs, although mine is always filled with good intention! The wind has subsided thank goodness but the air is still much colder than it was… it will be short lived apparently. 😅 Your blossom will arrive and ours will be over… all is fair in the end! Happy Sunday 🌬️x
Gorgeous writing … and I love that it teased out David Knowles - looking forward to reading more of his words too. Life is a series of gentle episodes, vignettes … there’s a gentleness to your episodes (standfast the ill intent shown towards Monsieur Brock) … beautifully unfolded tales of the hill. I could imagine the children’s voices. My favourite time for cycling to the supermarket is when we’ll scoot past two écoles at playtime. Happy Sunday
I have to admit to having felt just a little smile of achievement when I saw David’s comment Barrie! Although I fear I may have frightened him into hiding again by rambling on in a too long reply… insert sad emoji here!
I’m so glad you like these little vignettes, also that you read them as gentle when I feel far from gentle finding snares over the badger setts - badger setts that are a centuries old part of this hill. It’s hard to write of such anger when all I want to do is rant! Not that is of any use either of course…
Anyway, I will continue my gently hindering skulduggery… thank you always for reading.
Bless you Kimberly, I think my students consider me more a curiosity than anything else, I fail, in every sense, to be harsh with them - life is so short after all…
Perhaps I am naive, or just wishing for it to be so but isn’t saving small creatures a natural reaction..? I simply cannot ignore anything in a perilous state… not even worms in the toad after rain!
I hope you have a holiday weekend that brings you smiles and buckets of love sweet soul xx
I love all your "freeing" here Susie. Saving Lizards and starlings. Feeling the lightness in you as you step into the new birth of your Northern Hemisphere Spring. xx
Many thanks Jo, sorry to be so late replying… this last week has whisked me up and dropped me in just about every place except the one I’ve wanted… my freeing has failed this week but has served only to make me more determined.! I will not back down.!
Spring is definitely moving faster here.. your warm sunshine is creeping ever higher in this side of our planet and the earth is slowly warming… it feels so welcome.
Wishing you cosy evenings with your loved ones - happy holidays to you all ♥️x
Exquisite. Although that's awful about the skulduggery. Why would they do that? Are badgers considered a pest to the land, or does the person simply not like them??
Growing up in England, it was always a rare (very rare) treat to see a badger.
Thank you Luisa, you’re so welcome - I wish I could join you in this gentle reading but given my already mighty struggle to keep up with Simon’s #wolfcrawl I will just hope that you will run another.. xx
That is a beautiful whisper in my ears..! 💛🍃
I've ordered Ruth's book on Audible so I can listen to it while working outside. I've ground to a halt with both Wolf Hall and War and Peace, although I've been reading other books, and will have to have a massive catch up!
I think I need to sign up for Audibles too… at least that way I just might have a hope of keeping up - trying to achieve that at the end of a busy day before sleep is simply not working..! Plus, like you, I’m reading so many other books and brilliant Substacks too, it would be time saved all round..! 😃
Such beautiful vignettes, so exquisitely written.
Sweetest thanks Karen, my life seems to pass in little vignettes at the moment… each a little different to the one before but note worthy especially in the case of saving small creatures - so many wouldn’t bother. 😔
I love those little moments, so precious and valuable. Saving a little life is so worthy ☺️ how lucky that little bird was to have you around!
Hi Susie. Here I am still, in large part thanks to your early encouragement :-) I was just this week starting a new piece which hinges around saving some wild things and a bucket! I like those strange coincidences when miles apart and unknown to one another we are word-wrestling to capture the same strange ambiguities.
Good Morning David, and how glad I am that you are here still, more so for knowing that even if in the smallest of ways, it may be due to my own endorsement of your essays…
I am constantly smiling at the coincidences appearing in the words I read here, just this morning I was enchanted by David Perry’s ‘Peckerwoods’ when my next post is also partly about one of these delightful birds…
https://open.substack.com/pub/davideperry/p/peckerwoods?r=1mrn9s&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I will wait with impatience for your next essay, saving wild things has become almost a daily chore, there is always a small creature in need, especially in spring when perhaps excitement supersedes sensibility. The badger ’skulduggery’ is my constant and heartbreaking war… I will never win but I can hinder…
I wish you a peaceful Sunday with thanks…
Oh, so sorry to hear about the need for badger skulduggery ... I would be doing the same as you. Hope your wind has subsided as ours has. We're much further behind you though, no blossom out at all.
There is skulduggery on the hill every year Lynn, mine and theirs, although mine is always filled with good intention! The wind has subsided thank goodness but the air is still much colder than it was… it will be short lived apparently. 😅 Your blossom will arrive and ours will be over… all is fair in the end! Happy Sunday 🌬️x
I absolutely loved this post. I was right there with you.
We are in the midst of a snow storm in New Brunswick, Canada, so spring is a ways away.
Many thanks again Lisa… I’m glad to have you with me! 🌸🍃
Gorgeous writing … and I love that it teased out David Knowles - looking forward to reading more of his words too. Life is a series of gentle episodes, vignettes … there’s a gentleness to your episodes (standfast the ill intent shown towards Monsieur Brock) … beautifully unfolded tales of the hill. I could imagine the children’s voices. My favourite time for cycling to the supermarket is when we’ll scoot past two écoles at playtime. Happy Sunday
I have to admit to having felt just a little smile of achievement when I saw David’s comment Barrie! Although I fear I may have frightened him into hiding again by rambling on in a too long reply… insert sad emoji here!
I’m so glad you like these little vignettes, also that you read them as gentle when I feel far from gentle finding snares over the badger setts - badger setts that are a centuries old part of this hill. It’s hard to write of such anger when all I want to do is rant! Not that is of any use either of course…
Anyway, I will continue my gently hindering skulduggery… thank you always for reading.
Sometimes gentle words can simmer and they have especial impact because of their gentleness
Another beautiful read. Thanks
Thank you for reading Jonathan, sadly the badgers are fewer this evening - I will not give up though !
I envy both your students and that sweet baby bird. Both, lovingly held and freed by your fiercely gentle, awakened self.
Bless you Kimberly, I think my students consider me more a curiosity than anything else, I fail, in every sense, to be harsh with them - life is so short after all…
Perhaps I am naive, or just wishing for it to be so but isn’t saving small creatures a natural reaction..? I simply cannot ignore anything in a perilous state… not even worms in the toad after rain!
I hope you have a holiday weekend that brings you smiles and buckets of love sweet soul xx
Oh yes, I've rescued many insects on the road. And when I've accidentally squished one under my feet, it takes days to recover. Ugh.
I love all your "freeing" here Susie. Saving Lizards and starlings. Feeling the lightness in you as you step into the new birth of your Northern Hemisphere Spring. xx
Many thanks Jo, sorry to be so late replying… this last week has whisked me up and dropped me in just about every place except the one I’ve wanted… my freeing has failed this week but has served only to make me more determined.! I will not back down.!
Spring is definitely moving faster here.. your warm sunshine is creeping ever higher in this side of our planet and the earth is slowly warming… it feels so welcome.
Wishing you cosy evenings with your loved ones - happy holidays to you all ♥️x
Please, no need to apologise Susie.
Always a delightful bonus if I get a response but do not expect it.
Happy Easter to you and your family. Hope you are getting out for some walks with your daughter. xx
Oh that poor bird, but also, I'm glad it is free.
Belated thanks Lisha X
Bewitched the hill.
Skulduggery on the hill.
Exquisite. Although that's awful about the skulduggery. Why would they do that? Are badgers considered a pest to the land, or does the person simply not like them??
Growing up in England, it was always a rare (very rare) treat to see a badger.