Tag: animals

April 9th – Lambs, lots of them. The lambing must be in full swing, and as I headed to Hoar Cross today through Hanch and Tuppenhirst, I spotted these wonderful offspring. Not a bad day to be born, really.

It was the same throughout Staffordshire: Up at Dunstable, the sheep in the avenue was a timeless view I reckon hasn’t changed in centuries.

March 28th – I stopped at the lights at the Spring Cottage junction in Shelfield this morning, and noticed some poor sod dressed as an animal, dancing whilst wearing an advertising board for a local pet store.

There were more of these characters at other junctions into Walsall, and they were still there, dancing in the rain at 6:30pm when I returned. 

How I felt for them – how desperate do you have to be to do that for money? They ones on my return were soaked to the skin, advertising a pet shop that had shut for the day. 

Welcome to modern Britain. It filled me with sadness at the thought of it. I doubt I’ll shop there again.

December 12th – I spotted him on the canal towpath in Pleck, Walsall. This large, curiously vocal calico cat. He saw me coming, and scrambled up the embankment, and stood, yowling and mewling at me from high in the scrub. I stopped. I spoke to him,. He replied. I spoke again. He replied. We had quite a long conversation. Then he got bored, and wandered off.

I suppose that was me told, then.

I will continue to talk to cats, dogs and passing wildlife until someone convinces me that the animals are not listening to what I’m saying.

November 16th – I headed up to Chasewater late afternoon in bad light, as I hadn’t been for ages, and as usual I took the canal route. Nearing the paddock at Newtown that had been home to Big Tasties, who’ve since moved to Stonnall, I heard the oddest twanging noise. Not long after, I spotter her.

This huge, healthy sow seems to be on her own and have the entire space to herself. She had attracted my attention by repeatedly biting on the barbed wire fence at the towpath edge, barbs and all, tugging it out and twanging it like a guitar string. At first, I was very concerned she might hurt herself but that mouth seems very, very tough. She was very tame and allowed me to stroke her head.