New Year 2015

A while now since I last blogged – Spring and Summer largely taken up with Henry and Emma’s wedding  in July here in Suffolk which brought many new visitors to Georges Wood. Now winter is here but already there are signs that Spring is in the air as the clumps of snowdrops in the wood are poking their heads through.

The main news is that the pond is now finished – filled up to the brim with recent rains – and already supporting some wildlife. We hope this year, with the planting of suitable marginals to provide both food and cover, that all manner of pond-life will be attracted to its shores!

We have also last month constructed a 'dead-hedge' along the western edge of the wood by the footpath – this will hopefully deter any stray humans from blundering over the ditch onto our nature reserve and is already, and more importantly, providing a habitat for small birds to roost in and to feed on all the variety of little bugs and insects that thrive on rotting wood. In the process of constructing it we found some transparent eggs under a log - research revealed they were a snake's eggs, so we covered them over again and will maybe check them out in the summer! We also intend to import some hedgehogs from a local rescue centre which may find a home there.

And now let the photographs tell their story:

newly-weds in the wood

the pond before........

......... and after

brother and sister constructing........

..... the dead-hedge

bright berries for birds' breakfast

early morning .... dew on dozens of webs

 later ..... two of the perpetrators in the centre of their webs

The original 27 silver birches nearly four years on

              

with our first nest

and its occupant?

           

                     

               silver birch!!

                     

             crab apple
                                              

A wood is for wandering in, a pond for pondering on,

                                               

                                                                    

                                           ....... reflections for reflecting

  

 wondering, wandering,  reflecting, pondering,

 memories for remembering...      

remember George in the beauty of this wood!!

               Remember

                            BY CHRISTINA ROSETTI

                    Remember me when I am gone away,

                    Gone far away into the silent land;

                    When you can no more hold me by the hand,

                    Nor I half turn to go yet turning stay.

                    Remember me when no more day by day

                    You tell me of our future that you plann'd:

                    Only remember me; you understand

                    It will be late to counsel then or pray.

                    Yet if you should forget me for a while

                    And afterwards remember, do not grieve:

                    For if the darkness and corruption leave

                    A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,

                    Better by far you should forget and smile

                    Than that you should remember and be sad.