The PONs are let out of the front door for their early morning comfort break. An ear shattering cacophony of barking, howling ( not just any howling but the full on PON howl ) and yelping follows. The angelic duo have found the first hedgehog of the year. A large dozy fellow who has just woken from hibernation. His arrival means Spring must be here although you wouldn't know it from the frost on the grass. Angus runs inside, finds a towel, and lifts the still groggy hedgehog up and gently places it on the other side of the hedge between the orchard and the wheat field. The PONs, having made enough noise to wake the entire village, look on in interested silence. They both have their noses and paws checked by 'The Font'. The hedgehog remains tightly curled up and seemingly untroubled on the other side of the hedge.
The angelic duo are directed, reluctantly, back into the house. After a walk along the ridge and a breakfast of kibbles and cabbage they're loaded into the back of the car. Noses are intact, normal service has resumed. How the villagers must love us and our 'quiet' dogs.
Bob and Sophie exude that quiet satisfaction that indicates that they believe they've done a sterling job in guarding their family from the hedgehog threat.
A little known part of Scottish culture with its slogan : ' Made in Scotland from girders ' : Click on the Wall Street Journal video link ( with subtitles)
And here's one of the old classic adverts :
16 comments:
Thanks goodness you have Bob and Sophie to keep you safe from hedgehogs!
Here in Scotland, we certainly do not consider Irn Bru "little known". Although my Scottish ancestry is too dilute for me to in any way appreciate the revolting liquid.
Cheers, Gail.
We have had a touch of the autumn that is about to descend on us last night, with a cool 10degrees overnight. A quilt was thrown on and a big furry cat needed to snuggle between my knees to find some warmth.
What a nice way for the neighbors to be awoken.
I'd like to think the neighbours thought the PON howling was a great start to the day. There again maybe not !
Three years ago we set up a hedgehog garden behind the barn where they can hibernate without being disturbed. Lots of deep warm leaf mould to bury down into. The flip side to having a hedgehog garden is you have lots of hedgehogs. PONS + hedgehogs = Noise.
The last photo of the PONs made me chuckle. They both have that "don't mess with me, mister" look on their faces ! Woe betide any other hedgehog who crosses their path! What a lovely thought to set up a hedgehog garden. They would be welcome hibernate here, but we have no leaf mould to keep them warm and hidden.
We have huge amounts of lead mould all carefully blown and collected by Loic - with the PONs help.
What an interesting concept: a hedgehog garden!
Otherwise known as a wilderness.
Since the rural hedgehog population is in freefall in France I salute you and your hedgehog garden efforts.
A quarter of an acre with the leaves piled high and most importantly no fires, dogs or tractor blades ( the major causes of hedgehog accidents in gardens ) . For the gardener an excuse to do very little other than make sure they're undisturbed.
At least the PONS don’t play the trumpet or ride motorbikes 😊
We don't have hedgehogs here in Texas hill country, but we do have great big porcupines which keep many a vet very busy extracting quills. Amazingly, we do have Irn Bru in the supermarket. I've never been tempted to try it.
We don't have hedgehogs in Canada just porcupines. I loved the Irn Bru ad. I have never seen it in a store here and first encountered it in Alexander McCall Smith's books 44 Scotland Street with Bertie wanting Irn Bru. I though it was pronounced Urn Brew. Thanks for the history lesson.
Hari OM
I had a can of Irn Bru last night. Am not a frequent drinker, but do enjoy it - and have tended to the sugar-free version for a while, with some difference in taste but not enough to worry me. Then again, if I was drinking what those folk are, it might be another situation!
Hooraah for Angus the hedghog gardener. YAM xx
Is Sophie screaming while Bob gives her a kiss in the second photo?
That may be a confused hedgehog when it finally awakens.
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