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Save Our Hedgehogs

For more information please go to http://www.hedgehogstreet.org/pages/hedgehog-street.html

Thursday 29 November 2012

Good news and goodies.

Hello folks, and a big welcome to my new followers - good to see you here!
Thank you for your moving comments about Dad's medal, you made my day.

Yesterday (Tuesday), I collected Octavia back from the hog rescue as she is now up to weight :o)
When I 'hog-napped' her she was around 232 grams, well underweight for winter,


 but she is now 641 grams :o) thanks to Joan's tender care.  


As you can see she's grown somewhat, and I've marked her with a nice stripe so that I can easily ID her.
She was snuggled into a hog box, freshly filled with lovely sweet hay around 10 pm last night. 
(I covered her over after taking this image)


I leave fresh food out every night anyway, so there was plenty to tuck into.  When I checked around an hour later she'd disappeared, and only a little mealworm had been eaten.  I kept a watchful eye until I went to bed at around 2 am, but she never re-appeared, and this morning the sleeping box was still empty :o(
I'm sure she'll be about for a few nights before settling on a nice warm place to snooze...I really wish she'd choose one of my hog boxes though.

Over the last few weeks I have of course 'popped in' to my local 'suppliers' and found a few things that called out to me ;o)


This pretty Caithness paperweight 3" high £3.50.
I have visited the factory where they are made on few occasions when we have been in Scotland.  Paperweights have fascinated me since I was a young girl, my Aunt had a collection and I spent many hours looking at them.  I started my own collection as an  adult, then I inherited hers, and now have a collection of  75 paperweights!

I also spotted someone else's collection, especially this item.


A delightful Swarofski large hedgehog, which as you can imagine had my name on ;o)
I purchased this for £3.75 but left the other items in the shop.  When I came home and washed it I realised just how gorgeous the refraction was I HAD to have the other items too.  I rang the shop and asked them to keep them until the next day, here they are:-
(Sorry, they are difficult to photograph)


A blue-eyed tortoise


this dear squirrel with an acorn


a 3" cat, which is MUCH nicer than shown.


and the owl and the pussycat in their crystal boat.
Most of them were £3.50, but this one was £2.50 :o)
I was pleasantly surprised when I checked the prices on Ebay...
A few days later I found this crystal handled letter opener.


in it's original box for £7.00.  It is 11" long, and the handle is beautifully cut.

I was amazed to find this Spode Christmas Tree dish for £4


Last week I saw a side plate in another shop for £10.  I think I had a bargain :o)

I read somewhere that if you have three of something it's a collection..
This is the third Babbacombe Pottery cat masked string holder I have found over the years (all in different colour ways)


The back is hollow which holds the ball of string this is then fed through a hole in the mouth, and the scissors fit into the bow.  I also have an owl one.  Having just checked there web site I see there's a hedgehog one - I may be leaving BIG hints around the house about that!

And finally,


This wonderful deer candelabra which stands around 12" high and cost the princely sum of £2.75
Guess who's Christmas table this will grace?

I'm sorry that I'm behind with making visits, and leaving only few comments.  Things have been hectic here lately and I cannot see things getting any better for a while, so my postings will no doubt continue to be sporadic.  Please bear with me, I really do appreciate your visits, comments and friendship.  I endeavour to catch-up with you as time allows.

Sending you all my very best wishes.

















Monday 12 November 2012

My Dad really DID deserved a medal!

Today, my Dad would have been 91 years old.  We lost him 17 years ago next month, and all still miss him terribly.

Here he is in a school group - Middle row 3rd from the right.
(Dudley Grammer School around 1935.)



 Dad - my favourite photo :o) that some of you may remember me posting before...


Dressed as a pirate for a local carnival float long before I was born.

And finally on our wedding day 34 years ago - far right hand side.


During the war Dad was in a 'reserved occupation'.  A job that was deemed vital to the war effort, and because of this he didn't serve in the armed forces.  He did however join the Local Defence Volunteers Force, which later became The Home Guard (otherwise know as Dad's Army!)  Which was in fact part of the British Army.
In truth, I know very little about this part of my Dad's life as it was before he and Mom met ( they met on V.E. Day) other than he was a signaller, but I recently found out that he was entitled to the Defence Medal during family history research.  I down-loaded the relevant forms and filled them in on behalf of my Mom, and after she signed them we applied.  There was no certainty that Dad would get it as many of the Home Guard records have been destroyed.  I have got a couple of certificates that he was awarded during his service with dates and his service number on though.
We waited with crossed finger for many weeks, and them received a letter from the MOD (Ministry of Defence) asking for more details.  I was able to furnish them with copies of his certificates, and again we waited and waited.....
Then, finally on Saturday Mom received a letter package from the MOD.





So here's to you Dad on your Birthday....it's just so sad that you aren't here to receive it in person.

All my love.

Rose 
xxx



Here's a link should you wish to look into applying for the Defence Medal from Home Guard Service for a relative.
(Click on question 12 for help and links.)




Sunday 11 November 2012

The Eleventh Hour, The Eleventh Day, The Eleventh Month

We will remember them.

My thoughts are again with all the lost souls from periods war....


Taken yesterday at Cannock Chase War Cemetery.
Commonwealth war cemeteries are common on the Continent, this one at Cannock is quite unusual as it is one of only a very few military cemeteries in the UK.
It was built by and is cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and was originally established during the First World War when a large military camp nearby became the base for the New Zealand Rifle Brigade.  There was also a POW hospital with 1,000 beds.  Both the camp and the hospital used the burial ground.  This cemetery is open all year round and there are 97 Commonwealth burials (most of them are New Zealanders), along with 286 German burials  from the First World War.
There are 3 burials from the Second World War.

It is one of the three War cemeteries/memorials within 5 miles of my home, set in the area of outstanding natural beauty which is Cannock Chase.

Here are links to the German War Cemetery post from last year, and also The Katyn Memorial.

May they rest in peace.

Friday 2 November 2012

A reminder to UK Bloggers...Guy Fawkes night(s)



Sorry it's askew, but you get the message...

Thank you on behalf of the hedgehogs :o)


xxx

Welcome to new followers!