Hi everyone
I really hope you enjoy this picture as much as I do. I was sat in my workroom at about 1.10am this morning making roses for my next project, when I heard a scratching at my patio door. It then went quiet for a while and then I heard my little patio table and chairs moving and the sound of metal being scratched. I turned my lights off in my workroom and turned the outside lights on thinking if was anything or anyone nasty they would run. I was quite shocked at what I saw. Sat there as bold as brass, a badger.I watched him/her feed for 15-20 minutes and managed to take loads of photo's. I was literally 4 feet away, what a privilege. I'm going to offer a 3 course meal tonight all served with the white cloth over my arm ready to take his/her order. Table manners need to be worked on though.
Hope you like this.
Menu for tonight is. Cat food a nice clean bowl of fresh water and nuts. Looks like another late night!
Love & hugs
Tina XX
HI Tina, I like your new friendly Badger, but can't help wondering how you had the courage to take a photo of it at that time of night - I would of run upstairs out of the way. Good luck with tonight's venture. Mary - Durham
ReplyDeleteHi Mary,
DeleteDon't worry Mary, I was in the safety of my workroom looking out of the window. Hope he/she comes back.
Big hugs
Tina XX
Hi Tina, I looked at your blog later than usual as I just came back from hospital to have a second electric shock after my heart attack ,and low and behold i nearly had another shock by seeing the badger on your outside table!!!!!!!! Did it not frighten you??? Wow ,I hope it is going to enjoy the meal you are serving him/her tonight!. Are you always working that late Tina??hope the roses turned out well. Have a nice weekend Tina Take care Jane B.
ReplyDeleteHi Jane
DeleteCan I be really rude and ask about your electric shocks, only my friend, her husband has just had a second shock for an irregular heart beat and he's doing very well now. Were you in hospital for long?
I don't really know what I expected when I looked behind the blinds, but a badger was the last thing I thought I'd see especially so close. It didn't frighten me in the least, I was just shocked. Sorry didn't know what other word to use!!
Most nights I can be found in my workroom till the wee small hours. I love it when the house goes quiet, no cats running around like lunatics and Paul is over the other side of the house snoring. I come up with my best ideas then.
Look after yourself, and I hope you will come back soon.
Big Hugs
Tina XX
Hi Tina,
ReplyDeleteYou're braver than I am Gunga Dinn. Smashing photo, but I particularly like the elegant setting, the table and chairs, the posh planter at just the right angle, the garden lights, the bird feeder swinging nonchalantly on the pole, and the large terracotta garden vase. Oh how the other half live!!!!
Maureen xx
Hi Maureen
DeleteThe only reason I was brave is there was patio doors between us. The cherub planter was a 25th anniversary pressie and I painted the garlands that hide their modesty in gold, just to tart it up the chimney has a big crack in it and I keep asking Paul to get rid of it as I think it looks an eyesore. We chopped down a couple of trees last year and I asked Paul to leave a couple of little branches on the trunk to hang the bird feeders on. I think until spring really kicks in our garden looks better at night. Even I look better in the dark.
Big Hugs
Tina XX
Tina, what a wonderful thing to happen, we were staying at a lodge two years ago and ever night we watched a badger come to eat. It was lovely. You should be sleeping at that time not sitting making roses. But I know I to sometimes like that time of night when everything is quiet. Hazel x
ReplyDeleteHi Hazel
DeleteI have already put his/hers 3 course meal out, I really have to stay up tonight to see if it comes back. I am so amazed that I am that lucky enough to see such an animal in my garden , let alone eating off of my patio set. I put some nuts on the table for the doves and pigeons that can't feed from the hanging feeders, not thinking for one moment I would be feeding a BIG badger.
I know I should be in bed, but I really do like watching night life.
Big Hugs
Tina XX
Hi Tina, thank you for your kind words and no you are not rude to ask ,after my heart attack on my beat was irregular and the cardiologist said I needed an electric shock but my heart went back within a short while to the 150 again.so needed another one which was yesterday, stayed in intensive care for 3 hours ,but unfortunately my heart has not responded very well again
ReplyDelete.so onto more medication and my next appointment is just before Easter!! So we wait and see what's next.did the badger come back last night??? Looking forward to the next Tina card!!love Jane B.
Hi Tina,
ReplyDeleteWow what an amazing photo! Hope he came back. I , too, am a night owl but the biggest animal we get in our garden is our hedgehog but he is gorgeous too. He puts our security lights on. What a lovely surprise you had.
Thanks for sharing your lovely photo and experience.
Love Myra xxx
Hi Myra
DeleteWe had a hedgehog in our last house, that used to visit it used to come around and finish off the cats food. Claire and Craig decided to call it prick. They were only 7 and 5 at the time. one day at school Claire teacher said they could write about what they had done at the weekend, and the best ones would be read out in assembly. Claire's was chosen and she stood up on the stage and read her story about the hedgehog that visits our garden and that we called it PRICK..A little titter went around the hall, not from the children but from the teachers. Now my Claire is a teacher and she say's some of the stories the little one come out with would make your hair curl. OH the innocents of children. I took more photo's last night , and got a lovely close up.
If you want a chat early hours, you know where to find me.
Big Hugs
Tina XX
Hi Tina,
DeleteJust checked back to see how you had got on with your nocturnal visitor! You may have a regular now. How special is that!
I just might take you up on your offer!
Love Myra xxx
Wow Tina,
ReplyDeleteThat's not something you see everyday, how brave was he coming so close to the house!
How fantastic that you were there at there at just the right time to catch him.
What was he eating? What would you feed a badger!
Hugs
Sandra
Xxxxxx
Hi Sandra
DeleteI really didn't think they came that close to humans either, it is really special and we feel very privileged. Last night on the menu was chicken felix pouch in gravy, followed by or eaten with peanuts, and a slurp of water. I Googled it first though . He must have enjoyed it he came back 3 times, or I think it's the same one. Although Paul thought it looked slightly smaller than the previous visit.
Big Hugs
Tina XX
Hi Jane
ReplyDeleteIt's always very difficult to ask about peoples health as you fear it might upset them.My goodness to go through the shock for a second time and the response wasn't as expected, other than medication what else can they do for you?
yes the badger did come back, 3 times in fact. Once around 10.30pm then at 12.20am and again at 1.10am. he devoured all the cat food and the nuts had a slurp of water and just strolled off and went under our raised decking.
Take care, Talk soon
Big Hugs
Tina XX
How lovely Tina, I really enjoy watching wild animals.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you may have a regular diner.
Janice
Hi Janice
DeleteI hope he/she comes on a regular basis, I think I am just going to be on badger watch for a while, I can't think I will get bored doing. What a lovely pass time. shame it's not during the day so that I could get an early night. Hey HO.
Big Hugs
Tina XX
Hi Tina,
ReplyDeleteWhat a privilege and an honour to have such a wonderful visitor come to visit and even better to return again too. How lucky that you had your camera to hand, I think it really must be starving to come so near your home but one he has seen the good quality food, drink and excellent service he will be soon a regular visitor!
On a more serious note however have you checked with your vet that the badger will not pass on anything harmful to your lovely kitties or your darling little summer?
Take care and please do get some beauty sleep.
Hugs
Margaret xxx
Hi Margaret
DeleteLuckily my camera was at hand as I am doing a project for CE. He/she came back 3 times last night/this morning. Not that I fed it that amount of times, I made a noise in my workroom and it ran away and I thought that's it I have scared it away, but no,It came back.
I know there was a worry that badgers pass TB onto cow's, or so they thought, but I use throw away gloves left over from my catering business, and thoroughly wash my hands when I get in. The cats don't go outside at all, well I say that Summer will go in the back garden with supervision, but Mo, Bubble & Squeak get scared when any door to the outside are opened. It has passed my mind and if it became a problem I would have to ween them off further down the front garden.
Oh boy do I need some beauty sleep, I'm seriously thinking of booking a Readymix lorry as my wrinkle filler.
Hope you are all well.
Big Hugs
Tina XX
Oh WOW Tina, you were priviledged for sure. And what's a few wrinkles when you have such a beautiful visitor.
DeleteI don't know whether it's just me, but I think cats won't come to any harm, we had a fox in the neighbourhood when my beautiful Fey was still alive and she was out all the time and didn't come to any harm. I really think that they just go out of each other's way - not every animal is as confrontational as humans. Especially when there's enough food around they have more sense than to fight.
I can't wait until next year when I'll definitely make a home for two more kittens or cats from the rescue home. But this year will be one for home improvements/upheavals and then we can enjoy peace with each other.
Do you have three cats and one dog?
Hugs, Ros
Hi Rose
DeleteI know I can put up with the wrinkles just to see something so beautiful.. In our previous house all our cats used to go out day or night, until we went away on holiday and my sister used to come and cat sit, they weren't allowed out in case something happened to them and I couldn't be there for them, but I'm sure she used to let them out. When we moved into the country we thought our cats would be safe. I took on my sisters cat ( Nala ) when my sister passed away, her children didn't want her. Nala only had one eye due to an accident and she was such a free spirit and just loved her new home with us, but she just needed to be outside and would find anyway to get out and play in the woods. We had her for 10 months only as she wandered onto to the little road through the village and a car hit her on her blind side. I was heartbroken and vowed any cat we had after that would be an indoor cat. I take Summer 18 & 1/2yrs old into the garden for grass but she wander too far but I stay with her. The other 3 cats have never been out so they don't know any different, and if you open a door they don't attempt to go out.
We now have 4 cats only. That's Summer 18 & 1/2yrs, Moet she's 6yrs, Claire bought her for our 30th anniversary as she was born white and she called her pearl. We had her for a couple of weeks and he changed colour to a champagne colour so we called her Moet. Then back in July we rescued 2 kittens, brother and sister, we called them bubble & squeak. We used to have a dog called Berkeley, she is my profile picture. She passed away of a brain tumor a year ago on this Feb 26th just gone. What a big gap in our lives, she was very special as is every one of our pet family.
I bet you're willing this year to go so that you can have your 2 little kitties, I will be watching this space for the day you say you have your new extended family, and would love to see pictures when they come along. I know it's a long way off but it's something to look forward to.
Enjoy doing the home improvements, Take care
Big Hugs
Tina XX