Staying Cool, Part 1

I’ve heard lots of people say they might just have to sleep in the garden to deal with the heat. But how many actually do?? Well - I do! This has become my bedroom in the last few days and I’m loving it. I’m sleeping VERY well!

It’s not the first time I’ve slept in a tent in my garden, but probably now is the time when it is absolutely necessary!! Dolly used to LOVE sleeping in the tent and would get very excited when she saw me put it up. So I’m missing her these nights.

Back in the infamous hot summer of 1976 my sister and I used to sleep in the garden but just under the stars. One evening when we’d gone in to get a bedtime drink, we heard our dog barking like crazy in the garden and my sister was horrified to find a hedgehog curled up in a ball on her bed! She freaked out and refused to sleep outside anymore. I took it more in my stride but decided to start using a little elevated folding bed. I guess those days were the beginnings of my love of camping - coming from an entirely NON-camping family. But I wasn’t to take up camping until almost 40 years later.

So this evening when I went out to the tent to go to bed, I heard a scurrying in the hedge and shined my torch there. I was delighted to see two hedgehogs, one quite large. I’m not sure if that was a male or a pregnant female. Would they give birth this time of year?

Hedgehogs are becoming rarer so I’m thrilled to see them here, the second time in a few weeks. I said hello and told them I was glad they were living in or visiting my garden. Then I said goodnight and went into the tent.

I was soon falling asleep and then suddenly heard them grunting and scratching around just outside the tent. Three more times they woke me up just as I was nodding off and I could almost feel them walking around the perimeter of the tent, brushing up against it and saw their shadows as they scurried back and forth. I do love them, but I have to say I checked the zipper and made sure it was secure! No nighttime visitors!!