Toy tortoise

This is the tiniest tortoise alive, and possibly the prettiest… It also lives in our very English gardens, but disguises itself cleverly as a lovely flowering bunch. This clever ruse allows entire colonies to exist right under our unsuspecting noses…

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Going down to Carnation street

It’s the summer solstice today, and we went to a wonderful Scandinavian Summer Fayre, with maypole dancing, elderflower flowing, and many a flower wreath. A few buds fell out and my daughter was quick to spot and get them. And so we celebrated the event […]

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Meet the Spooners – Keith Burtain

Next in the spoonerism family…Keith is an unusual soul for a butcher – he’s definitely in touch with his feminine side – as demonstrated by his love for Georgia O’Keefe’s art. He feels a kinship there that he just can’t quite explain, especially when quartering […]

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Louis Wain – master cat illustrator

Why Louis Wain? Well, his work has seeped so deep into my brain for so long that we’re not talking debt of gratitude here, but stalking ambitions. Not that there’s any way in illustration heaven that I’d be be fit to clean his many cats’ […]

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Halloween turkey owl

It’s likely that the Halloween turkey owl first originated in the United States, but took the Mayflower on its return to England, and for that we are very thankful indeed.  This clever creature has instincts beyond the natural and in this very occasion must have […]

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