Bird of the Month April: Oystercatcher
I've chosen the oystercatcher as my bird of the month for April. I've always loved oystercatchers. They were my Gran's favourite bird (and I have a Mairi Hedderwick oystercatcher print that was hers). They are seaside nostalgia. They are noisy and
Bird of the Month March: Eurasian Jay
I have chosen the jay as my bird of the month for March. Jays are woodland birds and we are lucky to live on the edge of a wood. Our neighbours have lovely mature gardens with lots of trees which brings
Bird of the Month February: Mute Swan
My bird of the month for February is the mute swan. Here's why: Swans have been really visible this month. At the start of the month the pond near us, at Tweedbank, was frozen solid and the swans stood awkwardly on
How to help your garden birds stay healthy
We really love putting food out for the birds. Pig helps me scoop the peanuts and sunflower hearts and roll lovely round fat balls into the feeders. He's very serious about carrying them back out to the garden without spilling
Bird of the Month January: Grey Heron
This year I am going to feature a 'Bird of the Month' on the blog as the year goes by. This is the first in the series. My bird of the month for January is the heron. It took me all
Planting Trees with Mossy Earth
I am very excited to announce that I have partnered with Mossy Earth - a rewilding and reforestation project - to plan eight trees each month as part of my efforts to compensate for the carbon footprint created by my
Reading the Seasons: What I Read in 2020
I wanted to do a quick tour of the nature books that kept me company in 2020, as much as a record for myself as anything else. I don't get as much time to read now that Pig is here
The Drygrange Chestnuts Pt.7: CONKERS
[This year I have decided to study two big Horse Chestnut trees near our house. This is Part 7 of my sketchbook-learnings.] I'm a little behind with my update on the chestnuts. Things have been really very busy in my little
A Glorious Autumn Day
I recently got a chance to go for a solo walk round the woodland. I love exploring the wood with my one-year-old boy but keeping him safe and on his feet tends to take up a lot of my focus
What ‘Thinking of You Week’ means to me
Happy Thinking of You Week! Thinking of You Week is organised by the Greetings Card Association with the goal of highlighting the the emotional impact that sending a handwritten card can have. The emotional significance of the written word during lockdown has