Tag Archives: Wild Hares and Hummingbirds

December

It is December and everyone is busy with the lead up to Christmas. In his chapter on December in his book The English Year, Steve Roud reports that, perhaps unsurprisingly, most of what we consider to be a traditional English … Continue reading

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November

Stephen Moss’ chapter on November in Wild Hares and Hummingbirds is noticeably shorter than the others. The landscape of the Somerset levels, where he lives, is sodden and dank. The birds of summer have left and the winter visitors are … Continue reading

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October

In my seasonal reading Stephen Moss in his book Wild Hares and Hummingbirds describes the annual “house invasion” that occurs at this time of year. Moss lives in an old farmhouse with no doorstep so he often finds fledgling sparrows … Continue reading

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September

The festivity that occupies the majority of Steve Roud’s chapter on September in his book, The English Year, is Harvest Festival. We have some friends who lived for a while in America and every year they celebrate Thanksgiving. While I’m … Continue reading

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August

It is already the 12th of August – where is time going? Before the month flies past I dip into my seasonal reading again. Stephen Moss, in his book Wild Hares and Hummingbirds, describes August as “the height of summer: … Continue reading

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July

In my seasonal reading, Stephen Moss, in Wild Hares and Hummingbirds, describes July as a month of stasis, “a chance to reflect on the rollercoaster ride of spring.” Now chicks have been raised, parent birds are moulting ready for the colder … Continue reading

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June

For my seasonal reading in June*, Steve Roud, in The English Year, describes our misunderstanding of the traditional celebrations around midsummer. He says that we’ve been seduced by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream into thinking Midsummer is when fairies and sprites … Continue reading

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May

I’ve been delving into my seasonal reading again this month. Steve Roud’s chapter on May in his book The English Year, is a riot of flower strewn celebrations. Roud says that traditionally May would have rivalled Christmas in the scale … Continue reading

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Flitting

Although it has been snowing here this week there are small green buds everywhere I look and it is April at last. For the beginning of April I pick up my seasonal reading again and head off to Somerset with … Continue reading

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March

It is the beginning of a new month so I turn to my seasonal reading again. In his book The English Year, Steve Roud’s chapter on March is preoccupied with the weather. March “comes in like a lion and out … Continue reading

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