All Creatures Great and Small

image Jeff Moore for Daily Mail

I do love all creatures, yes I eat meat but I'm very particular about where it comes from and how the animals and birds have been treated and raised before they arrive on my plate. I do have friends that are vegetarian and I respect their attitude to meat. I myself believe that everything on the planet eats every other living thing on the planet, and that includes living plants. I feel it is the natural order of things. I know there are others who would disagree with me and I'm totally cool with that.

What I can't abide is cruelty to any animal or bird. It's never ok and it's never necessary.

So I was pleased to read that finally a gamekeeper has been given a custodial sentence for killing a bird of prey. Actually he trapped it and then battered it to death. You could be forgiven for thinking it is not illegal to kill raptors in this country, it happens so frequently. But it is against the law.

The Scottish man in question is the 28th gamekeeper to be convicted of wildlife crime in the last 3 years, but the first to receive a custodial sentence.

The big surprise during the trial, and it is to be applauded, is the Sheriff's ruling that covert video footage taken by the Scottish RSPB, was admissible evidence.

The list of birds, trapped, poisoned and shot is huge and includes Buzzards, Red Kites, Barn Owls, Tawny Owls, Peregrines, Hen Harriers, White Tailed Sea Eagles, Golden Eagles and Goshawks.


John over at his blog wrote a piece a couple of days ago about Badgers being persecuted, and the dogs that are injured too during this barbaric activity. You can read his post here.


Finally I would like to ask you to consider signing a petition to stop another illegal activity that is cruel beyond words. That is the trade in dog meat. Please take a look here and see what is going on and how we might put an end to it.

The Downs & Ups of Life

Poor old Pendragon has been in the wars of late. She first had to visit the vet to have her fur combed through and de-matted, as she stubbornly refuses to let us groom her. Frankly she looked like a trampette. They had to put her out for that, which wasn't nice for her. But she looked like a kitten when she came back, quite the young thing. It even put her in a good mood for a few days.

A wee bit later I had to take her back to the vet for her annual vaccinations. The vet gave her a thorough examination and told me that unfortunately some teeth needed to come out because she had lesions on them.

In the event, they had to remove 4 teeth and she had an overnight stay. Poor thing, she trembles just sitting in the vet's waiting room. It has taken her over a week to get back to some sense of normality, well, as normal as a cat can be! And it has taken us more or less the same amount of time to get over it all as well. I surprised myself at just how upset it made me feel.
And the expense, OUCH.

Still not all bad news last week. My free 6 month membership of the Army & Navy club came through, compliments of my Lady magazine subscription. The club has a very swish address, which amuses me, as it's all very Downton.

My good friend Linda (aka Prof) and I paid a visit to 'my club' on Friday, as she had some business at Westminster Cathedral. We had a very reasonably priced lunch in the bar with a little drink and came away fortified to shop.

There was only one shop I wanted to visit - Anthropologie. They had 20% off everything in the store for one day only and I had a £25.00 gift voucher to spend. Definitely a win win situation. I'm pleased to say that I only made one purchase, a set of 4 bowls to replace some chipped ones. So I didn't get carried away with all the Black Friday discounts and Christmas hype. Very important at this time of year.

And doubly important when you're in a shop with so many temptations. Prof had never been before and was totally smitten. She came away with a bagful of goodies, mostly presents for her friends. That's the kind of gal she is.

Some Good News

I know that most, if not all of my blog followers are animal lovers who respect the connectivity between us and creatures and indeed plants come to that. I want to share this little film with you. Produced by Peace by Piece, an Animal Asia new landmark campaign to help rescue and rehabilitate over 130 moon bears in Nanning, China.

These bears have been kept in the cruellest conditions, many trapped in tiny cages from birth and farmed for their bile. Their aim is to take them from farm to freedom.

Is This The Face Of A Killer?

Pendragon was especially pleased with herself, I knew this because she emitted the strangest deepest noise I have ever heard her make. A noise that  meant trouble and not just for me.

The poor mouse was dangling in her jaws between what could only be described as a cat smile. 

Fortunately for said creature, Pendragon who has a brain the size of a walnut, having captured it didn't really know what to do with it and luckily just dropped it in our hallway.

My chance to come to the rescue with my trusty dustpan and brush, still a girl's best friend you know. 

With one quick movement little mousy was swept away from death and back into the garden, with only a little patch of Pendragon drool to show for her troubles.

Needless to say Pendragon purred ALL evening.

The Most Loved Owl in the World.

I think this must win the prize for the cutest owl ever, in the whole owl wearing hat category.

But I'm hoping my knitted owl door stop, which I have to say has been much admired at my knitting group  this morning, will be the most loved.

As usual what started out as a 'quick' project has taken much longer than I thought. But I'm still on course to give it to the birthday girl next week.

I've been very good and blocked it all out, which has helped with the front being slightly smaller because of the Fair Isle work.

The second image is the inner and outer wings, and the 'bow tie' is actually the beak.

This morning I finished sewing up the main body, the square flap hanging down isn't a medical problem , it's the base of the door stop which will be sewn under once I have all the stuffing inside.

I'll show you some pictures of the finished creature before the weekend.

TTFN. x