h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Your article about the wonderful contribution of trees to our lives really moved and impressed me.Moved, because it's so good to stop and think how true all the aspects of trees, described by you, mean a lot to me too and impressed by the extent of your research into the world of trees.
Whilst my childhood was spent in a relatively "country area", with plenty of trees and wooded areas to play in, I now live on the outskirts of a big city, without a garden- only a balcony.But what is its saving grace? Two wonderful lime( or linden) trees on the street outside, which provide us with most welcome shade in the hot summer months,plus the intoxicating perfume when the flowers are in bloom.Another wonderful perfume, in my work surroundings, is the smell of pine trees, particularly after rain.
A couple of days ago, I was also very interested in what you had to say about feeding birds, and the wildlife in your garden.A badger!-I was flabbergasted.As a teacher, I've often mentioned and tried to describe a badger to my classes and they look at this crazy woman, thinking "Whatever is she on about!" The above mentioned trees also provide us with a fascinating peek into bird life. For several years now pairs of collar doves have nested in one of the trees, and we have witnessed generations of young birds (two at a time usually) hatching and growing.We feed them all the year around and sometimes they almost eat from our hands.
Thank you for everything you wrote and please keep your wildlife observations coming- they are much appreciated!

Thank you Olly. I am glad you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

We have actually had three Badgers, though only two have been seen at once. We believe we have boar, sow and cub. We are finding it hard to contain our excitement at the thought of more visits from Spring onwards, though I have a friend in Dover who has already seen hers in the last month.

We discovered them last August, but I thought I had seen signs of them before. They were so hungry it was pitiful. It does entail some late nights and even middle of the night watching, but the neighbours don't know as we have kept quiet, and it is such a lovely secret.

We have Collared Doves nesting in the trees near us, and they are a delight to watch, though our neighbour cut his trees down to stop them!! Watching them care for their young is heartwarming.

What part of the country are you in.? You many have gathered I am in the West Midlands, also on the outskirts of a big city - could it be the same one? I am curious as your PS did not give much away. Like you I was wary about personal information, but little bits are given away to various HooToo researchers as we get to know each other and eventually email addresses are swopped which is rather nice.

Thank you for your comments. It is nice to get feedback, so I know I am not 'talking' to myself.

Off to catch up on other messages - there are not enough hours in the day - mid February already - that's scary!


Websailor

Dear Websailor I enjoyed reading your reply- thank you!It's really fun to think of you being in the West Midlands. I lived there for a couple of years before getting married and coming to Greece! I wondered if you might have guessed that I wasn't in the UK because I mentioned the hot summer sun. When I say hot, I mean hot- well up in the nineties(30+ centigrade).When I was young I liked soaking up the sun- with age I try to keep out of it.The only good places to be, in the heat, are by the sea or in the mountains.
When I was in the West Midlands, I worked in Coventry but lived in a village near Rugby.When I look back now I can hardly believe how I coped with living all by myself, in a mobile home at the edge of a farm!Luckily I had some good friends and colleagues. My companion at the time was a half- Siamese cat, who,I was told by the farmer, went hunting rabbits in my absence. Sorry, I'm rambling on! Yes it would be good to exchange emails. I try to return each summer as I have family still and my son is studying there. My sisters are in the Cotswolds, which I didn't know at all until they moved there.Now I love it, though. I can remember once, driving back from Woodstock, in the early evening, with nothing much on the road and revelling in the beauty all around.(Mainly trees again!) That's what really makes an impression every time I go back, England really is a green and pleasant land.
I look forward to hearing from you soon. Ollyowl

Hi, Olly,

It is a small world isn't it? I hadn't cottoned on to the 'hot sun' bit. I am so busy at the moment my head is all over the place!!

My son lives in Coventry and some years ago was at Warwick University. He also had friends in Rugby.

Most of England is still a green and pleasant land though there are parts that are definitely not, mainly down to humans. If you send me an email via twirly60atyahoodotcodotuk (but in the usual format !) perhaps we can have a chat without clogging up the message boards. Put HooToo as part of the subject line so I don't delete you by mistake!! We tend to put email addresses up like this so the email collectors don't latch on to us and bombard us with spam!!

I would be most interested to know how you come to be in Greece. It is such fun corrsponding with people all over the world through the Internet. I don't get the chance to travel, except the armchair variety so I love it.

I look forward to a message soon,

Websailor