Notes from the country with Vicky Turrell

  “We are now discharging you from hospital…” I had a phone call last week. But how could this be? I had left hospital days ago. Well, the phone call went on, “We are discharging you from the virtual hospital ward.” You see, when I left hospital, I was not discharged in the usual way.   I was told that I was going onto an imaginary virtual hospital ward. I went home as usual but then a nurse came to talk me through what would happen on the virtual ward. It was not quite as imaginary as I thought at first. This was a way of me getting care at home but not taking up a bed in hospital. They kept in touch on the phone and by visits, in some cases they can even contact you by computer. I had a special phone number to ring and they would talk to me if I was worried. All was well and I know that Shropshire is working on other ways of safely cutting admissions for our busy hospital beds. Virtual wards could be an answer. Our mini woodland and orchard for our new garden are still v...

  “Sorry I haven’t any cash on me.” This was a customer looking at our book stall. He started to pat his trouser pockets then pull his jacket aside to find his wallet. But it was empty. He had chosen the books he wanted – one from each of us but he had no money. He had a card, but we did not have machine, we were at a craft stall selling books we have written. He dashed off assuring us that he would be back. “He won’t be back,” I whispered to my colleague. I have seen this before. Someone shows an interest then suddenly discovers that there is a crisis and they have no money. The trees have been in crisis this year too. Have you noticed that there are lots of tree and hedgerow fruits?   They do this when they think that they might die, it is a mast year. This year has been so hot and dry that the trees set a mechanism for survival. If they have lots of seeds or fruits, then their chances of continuing increase. We are in a new house now so I cannot tell you about how well ou...

  Would you believe it. I have just seen a hummingbird,” shouted my friend excitedly. She had been walking near the canal and had seen this ‘brightly coloured bird' which can only have been a hummingbird.’ It was no such thing, of course, because you do not find them in this country. She had not seen a hummingbird, but what had she seen? I found the answer last week when I was in a bird hide. I applied on-line to get into this bird hide. There was an email address and you had to navigate your way to the form. It was difficult and a lot of clicks away until the application form appeared. It had to be filled in online then I had to sign. This was difficult but I was so excited to think that I might be able to go into a new hide and see the wildlife on the other side. And so, I plodded on with using the mouse which activated a thin line for me to sign my name in a squiggly way. I pressed ‘send’ and waited. Nothing happened. Then after about a week an envelope came in the post with...

  What was that noise coming from upstairs? Could it be the central heating clicking on now it is a little cooler? I went to investigate. It was the loudest from our bedroom with a skylight. Then I noticed huge raindrops drumming on the pane. More drops splatted on the glass then joined with others making big blobs which burst and raced down the window. How strange that I had not recognised the noise of rain. Well, not so strange really when you think about it, we have not had any rain to speak of since we moved here in the spring and now it is autumn and the weather has changed. Our parched, grateful lawn looks greener already and the newly planted silver birch trees must have let out a sigh of relief after trying to survive on our meagre watering-can offerings at night. We planted them as soon as we could, you need to get going with trees as early as possible in a new garden, but they have had a ‘bad’ year with hot weather and warming winds. Perhaps now, against the odds, they ...

  It cannot be happening already, can it? I have not had my summer holiday yet and I am not ready for this. But yes, some trees are losing their leaves and some are looking distinctly autumnal. I am used to horse chestnut leaves going pale and brown early, but not in August. It is true though, on my journeys down country lanes I can see yellowing leaves and some are beginning to drop. I think it must be the drought, but I have heard other signs of the turning of the season. Last night Mr T was closing the window when he heard hooting. ‘Too-woo.’ I heard it too when I went over to listen. It was haunting around the far woodland over the field to us. It is the male tawny owl calling to his mate. The female replied ‘Too-whit’. I used to hear them calling from our ash tree but only in the autumn or early spring to establish their territory. They are getting ready for next year’s nesting and breeding already. It is hard to think that our season might be changing and even har...

  “Cronk, ronk, ronk cronk” The nasal noise overhead last night was deafening. We rushed to the window to see what it could be. We soon saw the ‘culprits’. They were Canada geese forming a huge flock dividing the evening sky in their familiar V shape like cyclists in the sky. It has happened again tonight just as the sun was setting. The loud honking drawing me to the window then the gasp from us all as they split the sky once more. Their long loping wings pushing their determined straight beaks and long necks to find corn already ripe in our farmers’ fields.   So luckily every night we have a Peter Scott sky. I know we have these geese honking each night, but I expect you have noticed that there is hardly any bird song now. Lots of birds have finished breeding and have no need to be singing to attract a mate. Have you heard that our Harper Adams University in Shropshire is a pioneer in detecting our birds by their call? It is the Green Box Project and it is using bird...