On my way to market a small deer skipped away from the roadside, in search of cover and safety.
Coming back a kestrel, missing the car by inches, swooped in pursuit of a sparrow, who shot low between the hedges to escape the car and the hawk.
A hare popped onto the road, looked up and scrambled back up the steep banking.
Yesterday a single egret–small, white heron-like bird–must have heard on the telegraph wires that the cows were due back in the meadow behind our house.
Cows are an endless source of nourishment for the egret.
“Pickin’s for all–all the gnats you can consume–come on down!”
Among the new green of the grass, a thin shaft of white with a head looking round forlornly–searching the field for absent friends.
“I spy no cows!”
Clearly someone was spreading fake news!
No cows or egrets appeared that afternoon.
Then there’s Sybil, the donkey from next door.
She’s chocolaty brown and small–contrasting with the herd of Blonde d’Aquitaine–creamy, pale and BIG.
I read that donkeys are kept with cows and calves as guards to chase off predators–a private security deployment.
Sybil spends her days munching on the fringes of the herd–ears pricked ready for action–the lonely life of a security donkey.
Small–certainly, but when she voices an opinion from just below the terrace–it’s deafening and demanding.
She opens her mouth and all her frustrations come pouring out:
E-E-E-E-E-A-A-W-W-W-W-W.
It’s enough to scare any would-be predator to death!
In fact, this morning it’s a fair bet that what she’s after is an apple.
She knows Meredith is a soft touch for apples.
Beau–Head Cat and private security agent–establishes contact with one similarly employed.
She wants one of them apples–and she wants it NOW.
“Alright, alright, Sybil–we hear you, dear.”
AND we have a kestrel family nesting in the oeil de boeuf of the attic.
Meredith and our neighbor, Florence, crept upstairs when they were sure the mother kestrel had flown off for food and spied three eggs.
The ways of the countryside—not for me!–was how I felt for years.
I remember a weekend in upstate New York when the din of chattering chipmunks drove us mad and prematurely back to the relative quiet of the big Apple.
It bothered me not a jot that there were no kestrels in the Garden Suburb, nor deer on Hampstead Heath; no cows grazing on the Heath Extension.
I didn’t give it a second thought that hares were rare and donkeys unknown–though the milk cart of my youth was pulled by an old nag whose droppings ended up on the vegetable patch.
We did have a fox living in the garden behind us and that felt weird.
The country was where you went for holidays–or in my case on weekends for Sunday roast before scurrying back to the Big Smoke.
It looked beautiful, of course, but the only excitement it seemed to poor, ignorant me was the game of cricket, played out on the village green.
Times change; stuff happens…we get older!
I don’t feel that way at all now–and not even Sybil’s loudest shout would drive me back to the Big Smoke.
How silly of me–I left out the hedge hogs…!
Robin Ellis 
Enjoyed your story! I have just come back indoors after refilling several humming bird feeders. Watched a chickadee feeding and then flying to her little birdhouse nest to feed her tiny ones. We have deer, a red fox, a big brown bunny and other critters here at my country home in Oxford, Mississippi. Happy Spring!🌸😊
Sounds familiar!
Familiar sounds!
Laugh of the day…I read your first paragraph, then scrolled down to the first picture..that is the FATTEST deer I have ever seen…that is for the smile.
In the southeast U.S., those small egrets are known as ditch chickens.
Not too tasty I bet!
Thanks for sharing Robin, I loved this and your descriptions make me want to find my own place in the country, I am in the SW suburbs of Chicago but my heart belongs in the country 🙂
Julie R
It was a delight to read your descriotions of the flora and fauna of your ‘ neck of the woods’. Love all of your entries. Happy spring to both of you.
My sister and I saw our first hedgehog (not available in Missouri USA) while at a country hotel in Scotland a few years ago. It was so special! I want to go back, but that pesky pond (aka Atlantic Ocean) gets in the way. We toured Scotland and Ireland and felt the draw of our Celtic roots. Beam me over, Scottie!!!!
I was lucky enough to spend my school holidays at my grandmother’s house in the country and now I live in a little market town on the edge of the Peak District. There is something special about being close to nature, the little changes that take place every day,the smell of spring and Autumn ,the ever changing fauna are something that goes largely unnoticed by town dwellers.
I need to win the lottery !
Hope your kestrels hatch successfully.
What a lovely story. We have a hedgehog in the garden. It once frightened the life out of my daughter, ‘Mum, there’s something in the bushes’. We always have blackbirds nestling in the ivy, Aimee the cat has to be watched in case she goes after them, and their youngsters. Nature is beautiful, just listen and watch.
You have a wonderful way with words, Robin!! Hampstead Heath was my playground and I loved it there – it was so safe in the 50s and early 60s. I don’t think I’d let a child roam around there on his/her own these days!! I totally agree about not wanting to go back and live in the Smoke. We also live in a village location, with a park at the front of us and a farmer’s field at the back, with sheep and lambs, Charollais cows and calves (beautiful, especially when there’s a full moon shining on them), chickens, the odd pheasant and sometimes four guardian alpacas (they’re moved around quite a bit depending on which field the animals are in at any given time!). Watching how the farmer works during the seasons is fascinating. Wouldn’t want to be anywhere else!
I forgot the pheasants!
Enjoyed your romp through the fauna of the countryside and the picture of Beau watching the activities. What is “oeil de boeuf” ? Looked it up and it was translated as “bull’s eye. Is that a round window in your attic. Can Meredith take a picture of the nest and the kestrel and their family in your next posting. Have a great time in the USA 🇺🇸 and sell lots of books 📚 No West Coast visit this time I see. Reguards Rachel (Angela Pleasance school friend) Ps love to read your comments on the French elections Sent from my iPhone
>
I love your stories and seeing your pictures, what a lovely place to live.
What a wonderful life.
Hi Robin. Lovely writing, lovely photos, and I adore hedgehogs. We live 3 doors down from a farm and I could not contemplate living in the city now. It’s great for us to hear nothing but bird song when we wake each day. Our eldest daughter has just moved to live closer to London and as I grow older I don’t know why! Looks like you and Meredith are going to have a fabulous Spring and Summer.
Best wishes, Heidi x
Sweet story. We’re just getting into Spring here in Massachusetts. Would love to catch your book signing in Providence next month. I’ll see if I can work it out. It’s a bit if a drive. There and back from here. Hope it’s a grand success.
Lovely nature notes, Here we are enjoying the spring, in our new house. The house martin nests, very noisy.
It’s that Suffolk blood Robin.I was born in Epping and lived on the edge of Epping forest until Heth and I moved after getting married.The forest and it’s wildlife was everything to me growing up.Like you a wildlife experience can totally change the mood of the day for me.I’m glad you have found your inner “country boy”.All the best to you and Meredith.Bill
This Suffolk country boy is disappointed with Ipswich Town this season. They need a bit of your expert butchering to feed them up, Bill!
Say hi! to Heth.
Thank you for such a wonderful description of a day in the life of ……..
We set up a bird feeding station just outside the conservatory and have had the best of time watching the birds crowding in and twittering loudly. So many kinds of tits come in a gang every day.Then there are the squirrels who rush along the top of the fence,swing over the table and chairs and who hang upside down desperately trying to get at the seeds. There is a blackbird who has learned to hover and grab a bite and a couple of robins who have solved the difficulties of clinging on.
The three cats from nearby saunter through the hedge and down the path but they haven’t a hope of catching anything. It is a constant source of delight.
Thanks Arlene–sounds busy in your “neck of the woods” and glorious.
I was raised on Thoroughbred horse farms. We had other animals, barn cats and dogs. A mule was always kept around the mares and foals to stand guard for any shady coyotes. When we moved to the city, I was a state of shock. Now that I have lived in the city many years, I am resolved to have my country life back before I pass away. It’s simply the best way to live.
Robin, this is absolutely one of your loveliest posts yet.
Your words just fill our imaginations with images of glorious country filled with wonderful animals!
The egrets here in the southwest US,though, are much larger–when we first saw some next to our lake,we thought they might be storks(!)
What most ran away with my heart was your hedgehog!
My belle mere and belle pere lived on the Danube,and their ‘tribe’ of these adorable creatures were nightly visitors we looked forward to.
Thank you for such a happy reminder!
Too kind, Natalia.
What a delightful blog post, sir. Here in Oklahoma (and also in Tennessee), folks keep donkeys amongst the cows. I’d never heard of this before, being a native of northern Idaho ,where it is farming country. But down here in the South, donkeys are seen in every pasture where the bovine roam. In any event, your post today made my day! Thank you.
Thanks to you too, Margaret.
Wonderful, relaxing post. I also appreciated the figurines. A bit of whimsy.
All the best
Thank you, Gerald.
You are living in a Disney cartoon !
Great topic, Robin! LOVE the pic of Meredith feeding the donkey over the wall! I guess it’s exciting to be in the city when we are young: I ran off to Boston in my college days, but despite the conveniences & culture, I missed the trees & critters while I was away. Life in the country’s still exciting, though: the spring peepers and other frogs are making a gorgeous racket down by the pond, hoping to attract their mates. (Our rural version of “Sex in the City,” perhaps?!) And Gene was driving down the road and had to slam on the brakes to miss a turkey that wandered out in front of him! We have our own flock that visits us occasionally and picks up the bird feeder overflow and the crabapples that fall off our tree. Most mornings, we watch two gray squirrels chase each other around the yard–they are very territorial! Our chipmunks are back, and a joy to watch, running along the stonewall. Haven’t seen any deer or our elusive bear recently, but they are about. I think our fox or a raccoon ran by the sun-room window the other night; our cat responded accordingly & chided him through the glass. Gene left the garage open a little too late into the evening tonight; I’m hoping our deer mice didn’t take advantage of the situation! They’re so cute–but very prolific–and I hate having to kick them out with all the owls we have around here!!
A lovely description of country living Robin. Even though I live in the country in Queensland, Australia , it seems that the wonderful attributes of country living are ubiquitous.
What a lovely way to start my day, thank you Robin! I live in the leafy Cotswolds and every time I see a deer, red kite, fox or partridge it’s a gift!
Enjoy!
Delightful post! Even here in the suburbs of the deep South, USA, we are surrounded by wildlife! Raccoons, possums, skunks and squirrels, foxes and coyotes, hawks, owls and hummingbirds…. rabbits and turtles and frogs and more… All have adapted… 😊
Enjoy your entries here so very much!
Thanks, Gaby.
Enjoyed reading your post and made me thankful all over again that I live in such a lovely part of the UK, even though I’m a Northern lass at heart! Hope you are ready for your US adventure and lots of nature at the Grand Canyon! 🙂
Nice article. Farmers here keep donkeys in the fields to have a calming influence on the sheep.
Hello Robin. I’m learning to speak english. So I therefore slow to read your stories. I understand you write a little about your life in the countryside and daily anecdotes. I like your private security guard “Beau”. For now I do not understand everything you write but I understood new words every day. I’m sorry, I promise improved. You do yours, for the great work you did as an actor in the series “Poldark”, I really liked. And now I’ve found you write cookbooks and I really like cooking. Mediterranean cuisine and healthy cooking I always like. I was thrilled that I replied to my messages. Recenthy I’m on the internet but I think if makes good use, is fine. I like the way of understanding life that you have and Meredith. I from a small town in Catalonia between the sea and the mountains, I have two cats “Mixu” and “Mini”. I now have to work hard because I’m in a time of major changes in my life. I am delighed to have met you. Kisses to you and your wife Meredith. See you soon. Montse 😺😺
El dia 24/04/2017 16.19, “Robin Ellis” va escriure:
> Robin Ellis posted: “On my way to market a small deer skipped away from > the roadside, in search of cover and safety. Coming back a kestrel, missing > the car by inches, swooped in pursuit of a sparrow, who shot low between > the hedges to escape the car and the hawk. A hare” >
Hi Montse–we have just spent two days in your region of Catalonia. It is spectacular. Good luck–you already write well in English.
I’ve been resisting giving up London life for a similar lifestyle to this in the Aveyron , having come under pressure from my French husband who wants just what you show here.
It was that hedgehog that made me think I may cave in !
Allez!–Good luck/Bonne chance!
The photos are heavenly! Looking forward to making your Chicken Paillard (again) today – simple and special. Years ago, “Food & Wine” wrote a story on a rafting trip they had with Jacques Pepin along to cook, but they didn’t let him know in advance what food or equipment they were bringing. Of course, Chef Pepin was more than up to the challenge, and though I didn’t make the recipes and don’t remember which river they rafted, what he said in the interview he tells young chefs has stayed with me all these years and I thought you could use it in your next cooking workshop: “You don’t have to torture yourself to express yourself. You are within the food you make, whether you like it or not!”
That is so good–thank you, Mary.