Cruising along the Waterways  Woodrow arrives home late from school. His mum had already prepared tea and was waiting for Woody to arrive home.  Just then a grubby little face peeps around the door. “Where have you been Woody, you’re late, what have you been up to?” “Sorry mum, I’ve been with my mates, Chiggy, Chuggy, Tiggy, Fuzzy and Roly. We took a shortcut through the churchyard and played hide and seek with our distant relatives who live there, you know, the scary ones Wooooohhh!”  “Yes, I do Woody, why are you so out of breath?”  “Because we got chased by Mr. Trilobite ..read more

Woodrow came home from school and handed a letter to his mum, it was from Mr. Slater his teacher.  The letter was about a school trip with an overnight stay in Gribble Woods.  As Winnie Woody’s mum reads the letter Woody could not contain his excitement and cries out “Can I go mum, please, the place is whispery with good ghosts’ mum, and Mr. Slater is a wonderful storyteller.”  Winnie asks about his teacher, “Is he married Woody, what does he look like?”  “Oh mum, you’ll see for yourself next week, its parents evening and you and dad have to go. I’ve got another letter here ..read more

Woodrow the woodlouse happily makes his way home from school; he couldn’t wait to tell his mum what Mr. Slater had taught them in the classroom earlier that day.  He tells her that woodlice once lived in the sea but have forsaken water and have adapted to live on land.  He also tells her that woodlice are related to shrimps, prawns and crabs. “We came from the sea mum, a very long time ago”  “Is that BC” said his mum, “Yes mum, before cornflakes”  “Oh I think it’s longer than that Woody, you’d better ask your dad.” “Well mum, we’re going on a school trip to the seaside, it ..read more

Beneath the flailed clippings of a hawthorn hedge is the home of Fidget and her little friend Piccolo. This is the place where Bob and his trusty spaniel Blue would frequent every morning, a little lane which winds like loose string baffling your sense of direction.  Here in the hedgerow is the place where a mouse appeared one day and sat washing and grooming herself paying no attention at all to Bob and little Blue.  Later as Bob arrived home he tells his granddaughter Grace what he had seen. “I’ll be coming with you tomorrow,” she said.   The next day they set off down th ..read more

This short story was written with my beloved granddaughter Grace, and is part of the upcoming Cuddlewick series of childrens’ stories Little Gracie Cuddlewick lived in a small cottage in Cosy Down Lane with her Nanna and Grand pappy. One day in spring whilst working in the garden, as all the little birds were busy nest building, flying to and fro with pieces of grass, twigs, moss, string and bits of wool, everything had come alive, all the little feathered friends lived in harmony except for one little fellow whose name was Dougie the Dunnock. All the other birds were so busy that they didn’t ..read more

Spike came under my watchful eye on the 20th November, 2016. This gave me a further opportunity to expand my observations and knowledge on his mode of life. Spike was not the first hedgehog I had reared over the years. It came to my attention that the spikes that nature had endowed him were not only an excellent protection against attack from other animals but also act as a very efficient and effective counter to shock if they should tumble and fall. Their spiny coat makes an excellent suit of armour but it also makes it very difficult for them to clean their skin. They have many parasites whi ..read more