Feed Me!

This week it feels like we have travelled back in time to a bygone age. We have gone away for a week to a relatively unspoilt part of the UK.

When was the last time you were sitting enjoying your lunch and a thrush flew down and landed on your table asking for some of your food?

When was the last time a thrush fed its young ones live snails in front of you?

For a start we don’t see too many thrushes, and secondly they are always shy and bullied by the blackbirds. But not here! No, here they are everywhere and not afraid of anything or anyone.

What a refreshing change.

The sound of them singing in our garden is beautiful, but here they sing in harmony and from every tree top.

And who would believe we are only 210 miles as the crow flies from home. A perfect escape – and where are we .....?

The Scilly Isles.

Not Only is it a Small Plane But There Are Special Exits for Twin Otters!

The trip started with a mad dash down to Exeter to board a flight to St Mary’s. Simple enough, or was it?

Once we arrived in Exeter we quickly realised that we should have read the tickets more closely.

It is always obvious who the idiots are - the ones who have not read their tickets correctly. They have to do the suitcase “open and reorganise” dance of shame in front of everyone, kneeling on the floor trying to magically make their case lighter without really taking anything out.

We had the challenge of removing circa 5kg each. That doesn’t sound much, but it is surprisingly difficult, especially when you only have a few items of clothes in the suitcase and stand there scratching your head wondering why it is so heavy.

Out came the tripod, the shoes I should never have bothered to take, and the rucksack squashed inside my suitcase. No problem for me, but I now had to find 16 items of clothing in the suitcase of my better half to put into my case to even it out.

We had succeeded in doubling our luggage from 2 to 4 bags. But now I looked at the hand baggage measuring box.

It was about the size of a box of tissues.

I looked down at my laptop bag that I had so cleverly packed full of electronic equipment and cameras and wished I had understood this earlier. What are we flying in – a Frisbee?

“You will need to put all of that into the hold, sir” – as 4 bags to check-in went to 5.

“You now need to pay for your excess baggage, sir”.

£60 later we were feeling pretty stupid, and really keen to read the tickets in future. By the time we go home we could probably buy most of the luggage again.

As we walked out to the plane I realised that it was the smallest plane I had ever been in. Only 13 passengers were making the trip and it didn’t even have a toilet.

As we all climbed aboard, we found some seats with loads of leg room right at the back. A nice man loitered with us – smiling at us, probably aware that we were the pair of muppets from earlier.

“Is this your seat?”, my better half enquired. “I’m flying in the cockpit”, the captain responded. He flashed the sort of smile that said, “I hope they don’t have to operate the emergency exit, or god help us all”.

Surprisingly we landed in one piece, and with our luggage intact. Easyjet might have bigger planes but this was so much more fun!

White Sands and Bright Blue Seas - Perfect!

We could not have picked a better week if we had been given the foresight and a free hand to choose. The weather has been absolutely magnificent and it has to be a score of 10 / 10. I know I probably overplay the superlatives when it comes to weather, but this has been just perfect.

We have been out every day in the sun with the thermometer at 15 degrees or greater and yet we have not been even the slightest bit sun burnt or cold on the sea. Probably not the recipe for everyone’s perfect weather but I couldn’t wish for better being the eskimo that I am.

There has been a constant breeze blowing across the islands which has kept the air so fresh you can taste the difference, but not reduced the temperature for a second. To sit on a comfortable rock by the sea and shut your eyes while the fresh air touches your face and paints it a pleasant shade of healthy, is just what a holiday is for.

Across the UK it has also been a good week for weather – although it has been rather hot in some places. But the plants and reservoirs need some rain or there is a danger we could all be washing in buckets next to stand pipes in August. When was the last time we had to use stand pipes? Probably the same year that the thrushes came on the table asking for food.

Tresco Abbey Gardens

Most people have probably heard of the Tresco Gardens, I know I had.  It is the jewel in the crown of the Scilly Isles for flowers. But I didn’t realise quite how fantastic it was.

We didn’t recognise many from home, but every flower was majestic in its own way. The combinations that the gardeners have been able to put together and propagate are astounding, and something that everyone should have the chance to appreciate.

I have done my best to put a few down on camera, but I really can’t do them the justice they deserve. The space that they have to grow and the climate here enables bigger, brighter, healthier flowers that we couldn’t possibly produce back home. However, it does spur me on to try and overcome some of the challenges of the cold and wet winter to create some bigger specimens in our own garden.

Red Squirrels

The other thing about the Scilly Isles is the unique environment for wildlife. People often talk about the exotic birds that are seen here, but for me the most interesting thing is the lack of predators and therefore the abundance of “normal” birds – sparrows, thrushes, blackbirds, etc.

What this does do however is make the wildlife slightly oblivious to the dangers that even a single predator can bring. We haven’t seen many cats, but I suspect that they could have an absolute field day here if they wished.

We have also seen Red Squirrels which also only survive in a Grey Squirrel and predator free zone. Somehow the colour change seems to make them so much more adorable and less like the tree rats they really are.

 A slightly tenuous link, but while we have been here the Manchester Arena terrorist attack has taken place. This too highlighted the ease with which completely oblivious people were exterminated by evil wrongdoers taking advantage of their situation. One can only be appalled at such a callous disregard for human life and innocence. The world is slowly eating itself, which is why it is so refreshing to come somewhere like the Scilly Isles.

Probably Glad I Didn't Meet These Cousins

Hi again

This week we have got shot of the normal humans who have disappeared in one of the metal boxes on wheels.

Interestingly, they have left behind a different kind of human … the liverpudlian human.

For a start there is no point having a conversation with her as you can’t understand a word she says.

I tried listening hard to start with but as the saying goes, “Where there is no sense it must be a Scouser!”

My routine has been a little different, but I seem to be able to get the usual number of breakfasts, followed by the requisite number of lunches, capped off by several dinners. My new companion is excellent when it comes to that.

She also is very happy to provide me with plenty of affection and cuddles. The other lot are ok, but there is no substitute for this human. Not only that but I get to play my favourite game of catch. I jump, and you catch, (or I sink my claws into your fur to stop me falling off.)

I have been playing this game with humans for some time now.

At first I was just learning. I could leap to quite a height and humans would react as I landed on them by throwing their arms out and holding me as I landed.

Then I moved on to the surprise catch. This involved picking mostly on unsuspecting humans and leaping on them while they weren’t looking. The postman, the friendly newspaper deliverer, the old grey human with the new jumper that came apart surprisingly easily. The workman who was in the loft and needed sharpening up. All of them seemed up for it.

These days, I can’t be arsed with the surprise catch, unless they really haven’t met me before. Most people who come around, have been here before or heard of my reputation. Therefore, I have a new game.

The “make as little effort as possible” catch.

This involves jumping just high enough that the human feels they have to catch me, but as little as possible so they have to bend down and almost fall over trying. Well if you can’t surprise them, make it hard for them!

They still seem to come back for more though, especially the big fat human. It’s sad but he seems to enjoy it so what is a cat to do?

I Have A Friend That Looks Like You

Is it my turn??? ....

Hello all

With the usual humans away and my brother causing his usual havoc with the stand-in, I have decided to make myself more scarce.  I’m a simple soul and the thought of escaping to the countryside is very appealing in such warm weather.

All types of wildlife need to keep themselves cool. Twenty-five degrees during the day, brings out the sunbathers, but then also keeps the nightlife interesting. So if I can be bothered to sit in the sun for long enough a good fresh dinner is never far away. At this time of the year, the young rabbits are starting to venture out and the voles have hatched a fresh litter.

My first thought in the morning is to cleanse my pallet using my favourite brand of grass to tickle my taste buds and expel any lingering fur balls. After this pallet cleanser, I quite like to amuse my bouche with a chilli spider or a salty butterfly.

Then I am ready for the real thing. Sometimes it can take hours and I quite forget why I am there until a particularly stupid looking furry creature stumbles into me.

However, this week, no such luck. As amused as my bouche has been, I have had to settle for a late afternoon packet of cat food – not quite Great British Menu banquet worthy.

Back to normal next week!

Well there is only one thing to really consider about this weekend.

It has to be the Cup Final.

Can Chelsea succeed in doing the double or will Arsenal have a reason to stop moaning? (Maybe a slight bit of bias creeping in there, but it is a more exciting final than in recent years.)

It was good to see Manchester United do something to help overcome the terrible scenes of this week. Not everyone in Manchester is a united fan but they are all united in grief.

While I write this blog there is something playing on the radio that also takes me back to a time less complex and more innocent.  Probably the time when thrushes last begged at the table.

I hope you enjoy it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJh47LybCkU

Have a good weekend, come on Chelsea! (Now there, I've said it).

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