Hunter

We were alarmed to see that a neighborhood cat has tuned in to there being a creature 'trapped' inside our feed station while its eating, and has been trying to get at it. Attracting a hedgehog and making it a 'sitting duck,' only to be ambushed on its exit is not part of our plan. Sometimes the outdoor camera doesn't even 'catch' or record a hedgehog coming or going, but the food still disappears. Now we're wondering if we're encouraging rats, maybe? 

Our camera has recorded hedgehogs coming in and out in the past, and we have seen their distinctive scat in the yard, so we know they are present, or have been, but it's strange that we haven't captured it on camera in more recent days, despite the food disappearing.

Cats have been seen trying to get inside to access the food, but they've been unsure about maneuvering their way through the interior maze, and always back off. So, it's a bit of a mystery as to what the cat is hunting, and what we are encouraging - is it something too small to be picked up by our camera? Could it be a shrew or a vole or an enormous snail?

The Costs of Moving

I've been sick again - after not experiencing illness for so long since COVID, I have NO patience for being unwell. It's one of the unforeseen, hidden costs of moving though, of being exposed to slightly different strains of viruses and environments. I know it's temporary and pretty short-lived in the grand scheme of things, but oh, such a nuisance!

Was it the very mouldy (one of my allergies) and damp place where we attended a film night at the back of a pub last Friday? Or was it the person coughing behind me throughout the movie? I smelled the mildew almost as soon as we walked into the room, and I found myself trying not to breathe during the film - it was horrible. Either way, I woke the next morning with my throat on fire. 

This is the product sold to combat mould - just another form of bleach dressed up differently 

I've suffered with this for 10 days now, and it hasn't progressed beyond a painful throat and chesty cough. I think that if it had been a cold virus, symptoms would have changed through its course - I didn't have a sneezy, runny nose at all, no fever, and no headaches. I sent a note to the pub owner about my allergies, and he said the 'damp' was being addressed, and had been caused by a leak from the rooms above. But ugh! It's been making me feel weary and rotten, and I've avoided contact with others in case I was contagious.

I scheduled a home delivery of my weekly groceries, which arrived around 10PM, so some late night chores had to be dealt with, unfortunately.

I've spent a lot of time reading, doing small chores, and staying warm.

Beautiful crocheted blanket courtesy of our Chelmsford, MA. neighbour.

 This lovely gift has also helped me feel better😁- good medicine. I think I'm on the mend at last since my throat has gone from being on fire to feeling raw. 

Little Catch-ups

It's October, and it was 14°C (57°F) in our conservatory today. Brrr, a little chilly to start the day.

Although it's October, we haven't been woken by gunshots! That's a nice change. This time of year is waterfowl hunting season in Maine. Here in the U.K. there are still traditional estate hunts and sporting lodges, a bit like private hunting reserves. Deer aren't actually fenced in, but are strategically coerced into browsing on sporting estates through their manipulative land management practices, such as supplemental winter feeding.

Hunting wild mammals with hounds was outlawed in 2004. The compromise has been to allow trail hunting where an artificial scent, rather than a live one, is followed. Lots of controversy there.

As far as our habitat goes, we had some electrical work done last week, as we make preparations for the installation of heat pumps, scheduled for the end of this month (fingers crossed it isn't typical U.K.-delayed. C'mon, prove us wrong!).

We heard an emptying-of-water-sound in the ceiling just before the crew arrived (yes, it had rained all night), so have had to investigate further. A roof leak, obviously, so that needs a repair team. In the meanwhile, we've placed an empty tote bin in the rafters to catch the offending water.

Very pleasing has been the installation of infra-red heaters in our bathroom this week. Bliss! Now climbing out of the shower cubicle won't be such a shock. And Dale can program when it's on and off, and what temperature is appropriate, with Wi-Fi smart home automation. That's extra fun for him to dabble with.

Poop Hole

No, I didn't mean to write peep hole. I meant poop hole! This post is about a badger's latrine that Dale found along the public footpath near our house. They dig a hole to poop in, a dung pit, which they don't cover up afterward as a cat might. 

If you look closer you will see how meticulous the nocturnal badger is about toilet habits, keeping its living area clean and sanitary by having a separate designated toilet area. Brilliant.