Sunday 11 September 2011

Poor little fella

Alongside the masses of beans, raspberries and spinach on my allotment when I returned from holiday, I made a rather gruesome discovery.
Some poor wee creature had got stuck in the spout of my watering can and had perished there. I always leave the can with the spout pointing downwards having figured that if I leave it upright it will fill with water in heavy rain and something could get stuck inside and drown. It never occured to me that something would scuttle down the spout and get stuck...
Now before anyone starts muttering about this having overtones of dodgy sexual practices, let me just say that I was more than a little upset by his or her demise. And call me a wimp but it wasn't very nice having the shock of finding it.
I know that there are rats and mice all over the place down at the plot (I keep finding little tunnels including one straight out of the bottom of my compost bin). However, we have done some internet research based upon its colourings and its teeth (no, it didn't leave any dental records but its jaws flopped open when I dropped the watering can in shock) and we reckon it was a vole. All a bit sad really. 
I have thought twice about posting this since it isn't very cheerful. However, it does reflect the reality of allotment life, if nothing else.
Look away now if you are easily upset.

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Lincolnshire Sky

Lincolnshire Sky