ernie f

[David M]

That really is a wonderful part of the country that you now live in, ernie.

The birds, the butterflies, the sunsets....even the urban foxes; it's a special place.

[ernie f]

Wurzel: I was surprised and delighted to see the Cranes. They were all at a distance but great to watch through bins and photograph on high zoom. Whilst the rearing station had no chicks being the wrong time of year, there were a couple of penned adults so we could see them close up too.
David: I am happy to live here - the wildlife is very fine and varied, but I will miss the Silver-spotted Skippers, Silver-studded blues and White Admirals though. Well you can't have it all can you?

[ernie f]

After living in Alton, Hants for 20 years I had kind of got used to the zaniness of Xmas around there. Remember the 'festive' marmots, the telephone box completely wrapped in Xmas prezzie paper and the giant Santa's hat just 'dropped' by him in a field? I came to Gloucestershire thinking that sanity would prevail, but no!

In their own small way those fine people of Nailsworth are keeping up the tradition. Someone felt pity for the postbox outside Morrisons and knitted it a Christmas Hat to keep it warm!!!

Zoom in on the picture to see it in detail. It's truly weird.

[David M]

Good that you have not lost that sense of local Christmas eccentricity, ernie.

I hope you have a splendid festive period and a prosperous New Year.

[Neil Freeman]

These knitted post box 'toppers' have become a bit of a thing around Solihull over the past few years. The one below is on the post box on the corner at the end of our road.

They also get adorned with appropriate knitted scenes at Easter and Halloween.

Cheers,

Neil.

[Wurzel]

I quite like the Mouse Choir Ernie There are a couple of Post Boxes round my way that regularly get 'topped' my personal Favourite was from May 4th...

Have a goodun - Christmas that is

Wurzel

[ernie f]

Well I must admit I never knew that knitting 'toppers' for post-boxes was such a 'thing'. The one at Nailsworth was my first.

Best wishes for Christmas to everyone.

[bugboy]

It's been going on for quite some some: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarn_bombing

[ernie f]

Bugboy

Thanks for the link. What a nice story. I shall look out for others now I know it could be nationwide.

[ernie f]

On the subject of Christmas weirdness, how about this effort from Bourton on the Water?

Step 1: Buy an old petrol car that you don't intend to drive, let's say a Mini for example and leave it in your front drive.
Step 2: Cover it in a wire mesh and weave foliage onto it.
Step 3: Put some form of lighting over the top and switch on.

And you get a car-shaped Christmas 'Tree'.

What you do with it after Christmas has finished I don't know.

[David M]

On the subject of Christmas weirdness, how about this effort from Bourton on the Water?

Lol! There must be something in the water!

One thing we Brits excel at is 'niche eccentricity'.

As for what happens once the decorations come down, God only knows!

[ernie f]

Foxy Feature

Freddy?
Yes Fergie?

Why do we have to do it in the Frost’s driveway when our den in the woodland round the back is a bit more private?
Well I thought it would make a change, dear.
Oh it is, it is, but...

... I have this strange feeling we are being watched!

[Wurzel]

Crickey Ernie you needed an 18 certificate for this post

Have a goodun

Wurzel

[David M]

That's an unexpected image, ernie.

Doing it 'butterfly style', I guess.

[ernie f]

Thanks, guys

I was in two minds about posting that but then I thought why not - there are loads of in-cop pics of butterflies on this website and David makes a very valid point about it being the 'Butterfly Position'.

[David M]

Why not indeed. I've never seen such behaviour so it's something new.

[ernie f]

Went to the little village of totworth recently. In a field beside the church is reputedly the oldest Chestnut Tree in Britain, possibly as much as 800 years old.

It looks like a number of trees but all these trunks are from a single root system!

[David M]

That's one hell of an age for a chestnut tree, ernie.

The church is just an adolescent in comparison.

[ernie f]

Today I took this picture from just outside my house.

There is supposed to be gold at the end of the rainbow isn't there? Well by coincidence from where I stood this rainbow had one foot in the valley known around here as the 'Golden Valley'.

[Wurzel]

Interesting to see that Chestnut tree Ernie Do you/'they' know how it formed like that? Was it suckers from the same root stock or was it 'split' from a single stock a long time ago?

Have a goodun

Wurzel