Wildlife
The White Fox Gallery
This is White Fox – it’s a little piece I carved to celebrate my forthcoming exhibition at the White Fox Gallery. I’ll be showing work as a guest artist, alongside another stone carver Natasha Smith, whose work is also inspired by the natural world, following themes such as shells, leaves, insects, clouds, fossils and hollows – I’m […]
Birds in my Garden
It seemed very quiet during my Big Garden Birdwatch, the Great Tit and Blue Tit were most numerous. A few of my regular visitors didn’t show at all. When making a concentrated effort to watch wildlife, I always think something incredible or unusual will occur – perhaps I will encounter something never before witnessed, or discover a new […]
Big Garden Birdwatch
I love to join in with the Big Garden Birdwatch (in my little garden), and yes, I’m all ready to list my visiting birds on the 24th and 25th January, 2015. Actually there isn’t really much to do in preparation – I do anyway keep my feeders regularly topped up, particularly at this time of year, and […]
Quarry Beetles
Sometimes when I’m carving lumps of stone into sculpture, I find fossils – or sometimes I see them at the quarry. Usually they have been what look like plant stems, or seeds. This beetle fossil was revealed in a piece of stone from the Kent RIGS – it is a Cupedid. Cupedidae is a small […]
The Year in Books – January 2015
For a long time I have promised myself that I will read more, and I’ve managed it in small bursts , but never kept it up, so was really pleased recently to come across The Year in Books over at Circle of Pine Trees. The Year in Books is all about trying to ensure we make space for […]
Old Hushwing
This is the Barn Owl I’ve been telling you about, here, here and here! Last night I managed to get a picture of it, in my shed, appearing to look right at the camera! I can’t stop staring at it! Old Hushwing is a another country name for a Barn Owl, and how beautifully it describes […]
A Frost Feathered Happy New Year
I’m so delighted to see this lovely picture! I received it this morning from a customer, who bought my Fledglings sculpture, and this is a view of it in their beautiful garden- with all the little birds ‘frost feathered’. Looks as if we will see out the year all icy and frozen – but a […]
Sharing a shed with a Barn Owl
Each morning now when I get to the workshed I do a little search, to find out if my Barn Owl has spent time there overnight. Underneath the spot where it has been roosting are copious splatters – so I can tell exactly where it has been – along with the pellets and preened […]
A Big Birdbath
I’ve been making a big Birdbath – certainly big for me, in fact I think it is the largest one I’ve ever carved. At just over 4 feet square, the top took quite a lot of chiseling out. Here I’m making the bowl shape which will be filled with water for the birds to splosh around in and […]
Moles are good swimmers
Generally moles dig their nest chambers well above water levels, so heavy rain and seasonal weather change doesn’t cause them concern. On the occasions when severe flooding occurs and their tunnels become submerged, moles are able to swim to higher ground and safety. They swim well, I suppose those great digging front feet make […]