St Margaret’s, Hucking

A great act of violence was committed today by the neighbours opposite us aided and abetted by cold calling tree cutting service.

At the bottom of our neighbour’s garden has stood a silver birch. It was not pretty, sheds stuff at different times of the year, shades our garden and was mangled previously by others. It was however, a place where birds perched and flitted. No longer, it was cut down today. Susan went to remonstrate with the workers but got nowhere.

Now there is an ugly scar of emptiness, a big hole where a tree once stood. We tried to see if we could report the company as it is illegal to cut down trees at this time of the year but it was impossible in the heat of the moment.

On the fence beneath where the tree once stood was one of our nest boxes, occupied by a family of Great Tits. We were fearful that they would be disturbed by all this commotion but to our great relief, they are still there bringing mouthfuls of wriggling caterpillars on a frequent basis.

On a more positive note, I talked to Chris and DeShaun in California this evening, enjoying Landon’s antics as he begins to move around under his own steam. He shuffles backwards and rolls over and over. It seems he could see me on the phone screen. I wonder how this works?

This afternoon we went to Hucking Woods to see if there were any bluebells around. There were, not as many as we saw last year. We were later in the month and spaces that were open last year had 12 months of growth covering the ground an inhibiting the bluebells.

We called in at St Margaret’s Church in Hucking, seen it many times without going in. A fine late 11th early 12th C building it looks magnificent in the landscape and so forms todays Blip.