Beautiful Balloon Release...

Listening to Radio 4 about seabirds and plastic reminded me of this so I'm updating and re-posting.

Balloons are lovely aren't they. All shiny and floaty. Either being played with by children at a party or floating off into the wild blue after a wedding. Balloons are used for competitions too, whose will travel the farthest? And for sending prayers, or for memorials.  

Like everyone else I think the sight of hundreds of balloons soaring up into a blue sky is a beautiful thing, trailing tags with notes of love to heaven, what a gorgeous idea...

but balloons come down, and when they do they kill things, lots of things.

They fall into rivers, get snarled in trees, drift to the sea, and wildlife gets caught up or eats the burst 'skins' of the balloons (particularly turtles that naturally eat jellyfish drifting in the sea)

Click here to see the (distressing) photo gallery of balloon damage.

You wouldn't organise a mass litter. Please don't organise a balloon release.(Ditto 'sky lanterns')  Maybe you need more convincing, if so here are some links. I'd appreciate it if you spread the word.

 

Marine Conservation Society

Balloons Blow

But just telling people not to do something can be quite unhelpful, so I searched around for some celebration ideas. Here are some other things you could do that would not harm our planet.

I especially like this idea 

"Floating flowers- For a lot of people, the gently upward drifting of balloons gives them a sense of letting go, and at the same time thinking the balloon will eventually reach their loved one. Because remembering a loved one by potentially killing another life isn’t exactly the best feeling, there are many alternatives. Floating flowers or flower petals down a calm stream can give you the same sense of letting go. You will be able to be in nature and feel the energy of your loved one and all the life that surrounds you! Be sure to use non-poisonous flowers and not to let go an excessive amount."

We only have one chance, let's not screw it up - I want a beautiful planet for future generations. I hope you do too.

All Pictures Above Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Listen and look, my spring time walk.

listen to ‘Spring woodland boo’ on Audioboo

Tits, never around when you want to photograph them

I was asked to review a bird feeder from Presents for Men. Luckily my other half, the lovely Mr TM is quite keen on bird watching, we have a garden full of  feeders of various types and shapes. One of the reasons we have so many is that we have a resident grey squirrel (or two) and these are ninja squirrels, they have eaten through metal, they have broken entire feeders by gnawing through branches so the feeders fell, they are,  in short, pains in the arse.

The new feeder that Mr TM was excited to receive is a new type to us, it fixes via a suction cup to any window, so that you can watch the birds from the warmth of your own conservatory or kitchen etc. It's a Swedish design and looks very stylish.

Mr TM duly attached the feeder to the kitchen window. He was happy to report that it fixed easily and firmly to the glass. The view from the kitchen was perfect, a lovely clear globe of bright seeds, I was tempted myself! But the tits (and all other garden birds) were unimpressed. Maybe they thought the movement in the kitchen (and therefore near the feeder) was too close for comfort? Who knows, but they ignored the glamorous new feeder. Not so the ninja squirrel who spend a fun afternoon trying to first scale the kitchen wall upwards toward the nutty prize and later kamikaze style leaps from the extension roof in an attempt to dislodge the feeder entirely.

Mr TM gave up with the kitchen window and moved the feeder to the front of the house, away form the evil squirrels. Sadly the birds have not (yet) been attracted to it there either. So while I can vouch for the fact that it is well made, attached firmly and safely to a window and looks lovely both inside and out, I can unfortunately not vouch for the birds using it.

We wait hopefully. For tits.

• Looks 10/10 
• Value For money 8/10 
• Usability/Usefulness 8/10 
• Fun 7/10

Camping in the last last week of october has taught me....

1. It is not darkest just before the dawn, but it is coldest.
2. Baked beans are amazing for breakfast and warm your very soul.
3. The best way to get warm is to get dressed & do the washing up.
4. A sleeping bag, a duvet, pjs, a hat & bed socks can make a subzero night toasty warm.
5. Taking extra gas is a good idea.
6. Instant porridge is the invention of a genius.
7. Showering is over-rated.
8. 2 girls aged 10&11 can amuse themselves for hours at a time in the countryside.
9. I can still read a book in 3 days when i have time!
10. Caravan's are for wimps :-)
11. The english countryside is gorgeous in the sun, not always warm, but always beautiful.
12. Birdwatching is fun (tawny owl, buzzard, kestrel, spotted woodpecker, green woodpecker, crows, )
have you camped in a tent this late in the year? Did you enjoy it? Would you consider doing it?