Thursday, May 30, 2013

Hare now, gone tomorrow

It’s been a busy week, chockfull of fun and activity interspersed with chatty meals and quiet times of listening as the grandsons practised their music. Now DH and I are packing for our trip up to Scotland and desperately trying to work out how to fit a quart into a pint-pot.

At the worst possible time for us the speedometer cable on the very small campervan has given up the ghost and Peugeot seems to have forgotten how to keep supplies of spare parts readily available. We've been waiting for a replacement cable for over two weeks and it won’t be here until next week at least. This means that our new compact car now has to carry not only DH and me and what we need for a fortnight away, but also two leggy grandsons and all their clothes and games and musical instruments as far as Yorkshire. Wish us luck…. 

The really good news is that after a few days when we hadn't seen him, our friendly neighbourhood hare paid us a breakfast visit this morning – his breakfast, not ours. I always said weeding was a waste of time and effort....



48 comments:

  1. Oh! Fantastic video! What a gorgeous animal he is. And our two tortoises are making good meals out of the weeds in our garden (as well as the grapevine leaves). Safe trip up to Scotland. I do hope you can all manage to squeeze in the car!

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    1. Isn't he beautiful, Ayak, and getting bigger every time we see him. Much bigger and we'll have to give in and call him her. :-) I love the idea that our gardening neglect keeps the wildlife in fodder. As for squeezing in, I'm feeling very pleased with myself at the density of my packing!

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    2. So relaxing to watch your little garden visitor! How interesting Ayak mentioned how her two tortoises eat the same weeds because my Hubby has three tortoises and they eat the exact same weeds! Pertpetua, have a safe journey to Scotland. I hope to see some pics soon.

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    3. He's such fun, Nerima. It's great that there are animals so willing to eat what to us are nuisance plants, however cheerful they are in flower. We could certainly keep your Hubby's three tortoises very well fed. :-)

      Journey to Scotland is safely over, thanks, and we're busy sorting ourselves out after a good night's sleep.

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  2. Perpetua, you are getting really good at posting on You tube. You can send your weed demolishing hare for a holiday down here while you're away. I've given up on weeding too. What a pain for that cable to go just when you needed it, but anyway, have a lovely break in Scotland. The weather forecast seems to be improving over the weekend

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    1. Thanks, Molly, but in fact YouTube really does do it all for you. It's much easier to upload a video than to do a post using Blogger. :-)

      I love the thought that our hare may help keep the weeds under control while we're away. Heaven knows, I don't, especially this year when they seem to be growing before my very eyes. Let's hope that the weather forecast is right. We're all overdue for some really seasonable temperatures after the coldest spring for 50 years!

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  3. Dandelion salad for breakfast...I think you are duty bound to do no weeding whatsoever, in the interests of Mr. Hare. It was a super video of him.

    Have a lovely break...do the grandsons fold up for transport by any chance?

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    1. Thanks. If only, Helen. :-) Grandson#1 has grown 4" since we saw him at New Year and is almost as tall as DH! As for Mr Hare, we're thinking of calling our Welsh wilderness a nature reserve and leaving it to run completely wild (or wilder.....)

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  4. OOoh send Mr Hare here I have plenty of dandelons too! Have a great trip! I'm off to the West Coast on Saturday so will be passing through your wee corner of Scotland! Fingers crossed we both get good weather for our hols :-)

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    1. Sorry, Sian, we saw him first. :-) It's been an amazing year for dandelions. I don't think I've ever seen so many, which means of course lots of seeds and even more next year.

      Have a wonderful time on the West Coast. You had super weather last year, so here's hoping for a repeat. Shame we won't arrive until the day after you pass through....

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  5. If you have a tom-tom or similar GPS device it can be used as a speedometer. When it's switched on it displays your current speed all the time.
    We tend to watch our speed using the tom-tom rather than the speedo as it's more accurate.

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    1. Thanks again for this suggestion, Jean, though sadly it's too late for this trip. We must remember it for the future. Our current satnav is rather ancient, but when we get a new one we'll make a habit of using it in this way.

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  6. Wonderful he is eating the dandelions before they become clocks and scatter their seeds everywhere. I bet the grandsons were thrilled to see him.
    Good luck - I know you will manage to fit everything in, and have a good trip.

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    1. I wish I could say I'd trained him to do it, but it just comes naturally. :-) The grandsons didn't see him in person as they were still asleep at the time, but they love the video.

      It's going to be a very tight squeeze to get everything in. This car has so much less luggage space than our old Escort, but I won't be defeated!

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  7. Oh please let me borrow him Perpetua. He is so beautiful and I could feed him on dandelions for the rest of his life.

    Best wishes for the trip and with the packing.

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    1. I think I'm going to have to draw up a rota for his services at this rate, Ray. :-)

      The trip should be fun and a complete rest after the packing struggle.

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  8. Really cute video of hare. Hope you have a wonderful time in Scotland!

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it. He's so sweet. Scotland is always wonderful, whatever the weather. :-)

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  9. It is annoying when something goes wrong with your car, or in your case, your campervan, just when you most need it. Having said that, the danger of having space in a vehicle, is that you tend to always fill it, often with things you don't really need. Sybille & I have tried to stop taking things 'just in case', when we go away, rather than having an overloaded car. I hope you will eventually appreciate the discipline that circumstances have enforced upon you :-)

    Like previous commenters, I enjoyed the hare video. I'm sure he'll keep the dandelions under control whilst you're away!

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    1. You've said it, Ricky. We always pack whatever we think we'll need because normally we're away for six weeks at a time in Scotland and twice that in France. We seem to have lost the art of economical packing. :-) The smaller car doesn't help either. We wouldn't have had a problem with the old Escort estate. Sigh....

      The hare was certainly making a good attempt at dandelion control, but I fear this year's glut will be too much even for his appetite.

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  10. Wonderful video:) Mr/Mrs Hare shows how one should eat ... delicately and chew well. You are so lucky that he/she has chosen to stay near so long which just goes to show that he/she knows the welcome mat is out.
    Safe journey north ... the company of your grandsons will outweigh the 'squishing up' for part of the trip.

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    1. We're thrilled to pieces to know that our hare calls our place home. :-) Yesterday he was at the opposite side of the house from usual and lolloped away into the wood up the hill. As for the way he eats, we were irresistibly reminded of the way our children liked to suck in long strands of spaghetti. :-)

      We reckon we'll get everything in and the boys are always the best of company.

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  11. I would be pleased to provide him with an endless supply of dandelions!

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    1. You and the rest of my readers. :-) What is it with this year's bumper crop of dandelions?

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  12. Oh, wow! The further adventures of the hare. What fun, Perpetua. It's been fun watching him grow from afar.

    Good luck in squishing all of you and whatever else in - and safe travel as you wend your way to Scotland. Car problems are also bother, even-more-so when we are getting ready to travel.

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    1. It's always pure luck if we happen to see him when DH has the camera handy, Penny. Now he's all grown up, he doesn't spend the day in his little hide in the yard, but comes and goes as he pleases.

      Thankfully the weather has improves so at least we're not packing in the rain and I think we're almost ready. The trip through the Highlands will be gorgeous. :-)

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  13. Harry Hare looks like a Thumper version of the Walt Disney dogs eating pasta at Toni's restaurant. Good luck getting everything in the car. THant's what you get for buying French.... :-)

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    1. What a great image, MM! We too were irresistibly reminded of our children's spaghetti eating habits when young. :-)

      We've regretted more than once that the van is from Peugeot, but sadly the Boxer van is one of the most popular bases for small campers. At least we got a good deal when we first bought it. :-)

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  14. I'm in Scotland now - and surrounded by hares.

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    1. Ooo, which bit, Annie? I'll wave as we drive through to the north coast, just in case. :-) I can well imagine that the moors and glens are full of hares in the spring.

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  15. Hari Om
    Hah! Was just thinking before I read B2B's post that you will not have hare withdrawal for there are many on the hills!! Should I tell you I eat my spaghetti the way your pal does the dandy-stalks? No, you don't need that info.... The piccie up top is - well - a top piccie!!!

    What with you and then my family sending postcard piccies from their holiday in Colintraive/Bute, am starting to get homesick!!!

    Wishing you all the best for a safe and comfy journey, regardless of quantities. Hugs, YAM xxx

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    1. The journey is safely over, thanks, Yam. Photos from Scotland will surely follow as soon as we've recovered (it's a looong way to drive in one day!) and got ourselves sorted out

      I can imagine there are plenty of hares on the hills here, but none visible so close to the house. We're on the edge of a village and they keep well clear. As for eating methods, hands up who hasn't ever slurped up a stray spaghetti stalk just like that. :-)

      .

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  16. Lovely video of the hare. Ours visited last week but we haven't seen her [she's huge] since.
    Enjoy the stay in Scotland :-) The weather should be ok. Right now it is warmer in Edinburgh than here in our corner of France ... but we won't talk about that!

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    1. Yes, if your hare is huge, it's a she! We were so lucky that DH happened to glance out of the window at just the right moment, as this was the opposite side of the house from all previous visits we know of.

      We had a glorious drive up through the Highlands yesterday on a beautifully sunny day,. North Yorkshire to the north coast in one fell swoop! I do hope your weather im proves and the balance between north and south rights itself. :-)

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  17. Great video! He's such a beauty, isn't he (or she?)
    I think an nice eccentric trip north is a perfect ending for your lovely week together. Hopefully, you won't be breaking any speed limits...
    Do watch out for B2B, won't you - give her a wave from me as I have spent a week not quite believing that she was in Scotland - but she is! I'm sure you'll catch a glimpse because life is like that.
    Axxx

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    1. Glad you enjoyed it. S/he is getting bigger and bigger. :-)

      We certainly didn't break any speed limits in the M62 on Friday. An overturned vehicle meant we moved precisely half a mile in over half an hour. :-) But we did get all our basics plus the boys and their belongings in the car without anyone having to have a bag on their knees. :-)

      I waved regally at intervals on our journey up through Scotland, so hopefully BtoB got the message. :-)

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  18. Lovely Video Big Sis & B-in-law!

    Hope you have a good, if initially a little cramped journey north and that when you get to Scotland this long cold spring has delayed the start of the midge season you usually avoid!!

    Love to you both and all yours in Yorkshire

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    1. He has a very good eye for a shot, PolkaDot and his hand is getting steadier with practice. :-)

      Our journey to DD's was a bit slow because of traffic volume and an accident on the M62, but we had a lovely and problem-free drive from her house to here yesterday. It was much quicker than it would have been in the van and DH found the cruise control a real boon.

      Everything is just as far behind here as in Wales, with one of the fruit trees still having blossom! No sign of midges as yet, so we're hoping that happy state of affairs will last until our departure.:-)

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  19. Oh no! Sorry your camper van had a break down right before your holiday. This seems to be the standard now for shops that carry replacement parts - they don't stock anything but the very most commonly needed items, and order in anything else. It means they don't have a huge investment in inventory, but it also means the customer gets stuck waiting for ages for a part to come in. Good luck squeezing into your small car!

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    1. These things do seem to happen at the most inconvenient times. Your explanation for the delay in getting the replacement part fits our situation precisely. It's not helped by the part having to come from France, where production has obviously been interrupted by the large number of French public holiday in May. :-) Our garage has promised the repair will have been completed by the time we get back, but we're not holding our breath....

      It WAS a squeeze until we got the boys home, but we coped. :-)

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  20. How wonderful to have the time away and I hope the packing wasn't too stressful! Your little hare didn't seem to have any stress at all. :-) I hope you'll take some wonderful photos of your adventures and share them with us. oxo Debra

    P.S. I can't seem to leave a comment with my WP credentials, so I'll use an old blogger i.d.--hahaha! But you won't know who I am. Funny! (breathelighter)

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    1. The packing was actually much quicker than usual, as we could take so little with us, Debra. :-) The boys are now safely home with Mum and Dad and we arrived in the far north of Scotland at about 9.30 last night! Today is a big tidy-up day after the house redecoration and then we can relax and photos WILL happen!

      Sorry to hear the Blogger is misbehaving itself again and refusing to let you in. Hopefully it's just a passing wobble.....

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  21. Hello Perpetua..
    I am a little behind with my comments.. I had 3 whole days of hastle with blogger and google.
    so much is changing and i have had to change to bloglovin. as friend connect ends at the end of next month.
    I hope that i will not loose you..you are one of my special friends.. i love your posts.
    I still have a way to go to get my blog looking better.. but its slowly coming together.
    What a very tame hare he is. He looks as though he is eating wild rucula.! dandilions.. he is so cute.
    I hope you get your speedometer fixed.. but it all sounds so exciting.
    wishing you a good trip ..dropping your grandsons of in yorkshire then on to Scotland.
    happy weekend.. best wishes val xx

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    1. Val, I'm so sorry to hear that you are having yet more problems with Blogger, to the extent that you've had to start your blog again. I haven't heard that Friend Connect is finishing next month, only Google Reader, so it would be worth putting the Friend Connect widget back on your new blog.

      In fact it seems so strange that you can't get into your old blog as it is still in my reading list and I've just looked at it:
      http://valerietilsten59.blogspot.co.uk/

      Is Google refusing to recognise your password? I'm on bloglovin' so you won't lose me. :-)

      The hare is very wild in some ways, but obviously knows that we won't hurt him, so he feels safe near our house. We love having him around.

      We got the grandsons home on Friday and spent some time with our daughter, before leaving yesterday morning and driving up to Scotland. I will be out with my camera as soon as we've got ourselves sorted out.

      Good luck with getting your new blog as you want it. Pxx

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  22. Oops, not the time for things to go wrong, obviously.
    I hope it’ll all come out in the wash and you will manage the trip regardless of obstacles.

    Good that you still have your hare. Let’s hope he doesn’t feel peckish for plants you want to keep.

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    1. Murphy's Law in action! The trip was fine, thanks, if a little cosy until we could decant the grandsons and all their luggage. They are great company, which was good as the M62 was at a standstill for over half an hour. Sigh....

      Given the glut of dandelions this year, I don't think our hare will need to go foraging for anything else - at least I hope so. :-)

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  23. Best pics yet of your hare: I love the way it sucks up a green stalk like a kid eating spaghetti!
    Glad to hear that you have arrived safely in Scotland.

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    1. We couldn't believe our eyes when we watched the video. Such an efficient way of dealing with it, given the lack of hands. :-)

      We had a wonderful journey up through the Highlands on Sunday, with glorious sunshine and relatively light traffic. Perfect!

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