Wednesday 25 August 2010

One Small Mouse


Photo by Serena Cowdy
Just discovered a wonderful blog doing very good work -
"One Small Mouse unites people who care about animals with the causes that need their help.
Britain is known as a nation of animal lovers - and that's something to be very proud of.
But at the moment, times are really tough. Many people can no longer afford to give money to charity - and at the same time, more and more animals are being abandoned by owners who feel they can no longer afford to look after them.

The good news is, there's plenty you can do to help - even if you're as poor as a church mouse. In every post, we'll highlight one small thing you can do to help pets and wildlife in need.

It could be as simple as giving your old newspapers to your local pet rescue, counting the birds in your back garden or re-tweeting an urgent re-homing request.
We want to show you that you don't need to be rich to help good causes - there are many ways to give that won't leave you out of pocket.
On his own, one small mouse can't do very much. But if every small mouse helps once in a while, we really can make a huge difference. When it comes to mouseketeers, it really is a case of 'one fur all and all fur one'!"
Do take a look - One Small Mouse

Monday 16 August 2010

Inspirational Recycling - Succulents in Kitchen Pots


These planters were for sale somewhere in Seattle at the weekend, nice idea,
reminds me a bit of our own Aloes in mugs

Monday 9 August 2010

Arum italicum Pictum



"This beautiful and interesting herbaceous foliage plant turns the normal seasons of the year upside down. The exciting leaves start to unfold in autumn, and grow larger all through the winter and spring, reaching as much as a foot in length. They are shaped like an arrowhead, dark green heavily marbled with very pale green, and waved at the edges. The pale green flowers, which are short and inconspicuous, consist of a spike cloaked in a spathe (a large enfolding bract) like those of the wild arum, lords and ladies, of the hedgerows. By mid-summer, flowers and leaves have disappeared underground, but in early autumn, spikes of bright red, poisonous berries shoot up like danger signals before the leaf cycle starts afresh."

(Extract from The Best Plants for Your Garden by Anne Scott-James)

Although not a flower this is our Today's Flowers post, I'm sure you'll agree that the berries are stunning.