Adder – Kevin Parr

Cuckoo

I miscounted this morning and thought this was our 8th spring in Dorset when it is in fact our 9th, but the difference is slight, and the sentiment all the more significant as a result. I heard a cuckoo – the first I have heard here. It was far-off, and came through the thick ofContinue reading “Cuckoo”

Bloodlines

Such is the power of the current Brexit storm, that any issue unconnected (and many things connected) is swept out of thought almost as soon as it comes to mind. And having turned the most complex of sociological and economic issues into a straightforward question of ‘Yes or No’, it seems that every pointContinue reading “Bloodlines”

Reality

I have come to realise that I do not much enjoy living in ‘interesting times’. If that is indeed what we can call the now. We are certainly living in a time of confusion. And mess. Working twice as long for half as much, and then waking to discover that yesterday we hadn’t even beenContinue reading “Reality”

Quiet

Nearly three months have passed since I last walked the Common. I’ve been frequently tempted, particularly when I have woken early and the air has been fresh. The prospect of a parachuting tree pipit always stirs me, especially against a backdrop of willow warblers and whitethroat. But then I remember the ticks, and my skinContinue reading “Quiet”

Vipera berus

My Ma and Pa found a box of old school memorabilia as they cleared the loft before moving house. Among the old books was one of mine, and the opening (circa 1980) seemed rather apt. It was a theme repeated throughout the pages. I don’t recall having such a strong connection with the adder, butContinue reading “Vipera berus”

Sunshine

A blackbird piped up from a garden in the village yesterday afternoon. He wasn’t fully tuned, but it was still a sound to make me stop and smile. He’s quiet today, possibly because he’s heard the weekend weather forecast….. With a cold spell promised, I took the opportunity to pop down to my local patchContinue reading “Sunshine”

Bad Workman…

I have never before pulled into the car park at West Bexington and found it completely empty. It clogs like fat in a drain during the summer, while out of season the wild weather will always lure somebody – drawn to the chaos of a storm driven sea. Today though, in mid-January sunshine, even theContinue reading “Bad Workman…”

Campion-ing the Cause….

I have really enjoyed writing a monthly column for BBC CountryFile Magazine, not least because of the amount of things I have learned. Research can become lazy in the internet age, but digging around old books and then cross referencing with online resources can be fascinating. In the June edition, for Flower of the Month,Continue reading “Campion-ing the Cause….”

Coiled Spring

The final day of the fishing season was exactly as it needed to be. Lots of fun, plenty of fish, some decent tea making and excellent cake. It wasn’t particularly warm, but the catkins on the willow beneath which I sat were breaking into colour and gave the day a distinctive spring edge. As IContinue reading “Coiled Spring”

Spring air..

As they respond to the late winter sun, so adders depend heavily on their carefully chosen hibernacula. Desperately sluggish in the cold, a snake will only move a foot or two away from winter sanctuary to bask, and if the world has changed as it slept then it will have insufficient energy to move elsewhere.Continue reading “Spring air..”