Watchmound, Stirchley and Fletcher's Meadow

My long-standing friend (I do wish she'd sit down!) Vera Wayfromer is, like many of us, on a cost-cutting mission but I do wonder about her sometimes...

A conversation we had yesterday went something like this:-

"When I've finished planting the carrot tops back in the ground I'm going to fill my car up" said Vera

'Does that work?' said I innocently.

'Well of course it does you silly man, how can I get around if there's no petrol in the car?!' she retorted.

'No... I meant the carrot tops!"

"What?"

"Planting carrot-tops... do they grow again?" I asked.

"Dunno - but it's worth a try, it's such a waste otherwise"

"Well, in your quest to save the planet and your bank account I trust you're combining the petrol trip with another in the same area - it's a 10 mile round-trip isn't it?" I said.

"I'm doing even better than that" said Vera "Don't forget I've got my free bus-pass - I'm going on the bus! Won't cost me anything!"

There's really no answer to that is there?

Anyway as I write, the rain continues after cancelling yet another moth night but last Friday the WuFuV's dodged the rain (well mostly dodged the rain) to carry out another of our Heathland Project Surveys, this time led by Margaret, which necessitated several of us having to remind Steve that this was led by Margaret! In fact at one point we had to stuff an Elephant Hawkmoth in his mouth and cover his head with a net!

We know how to treat persistent offenders!

It was an excellent day out - always good fun and we managed to not only survey the areas in the remit but had time left over to amble and bimble through Fletcher's Meadow - a place often talked about yet seldom found - you have to enter through a secret doorway midst the hazel and hawthorn - there's even a man stands the other side with a funny handshake and a wheelbarrow made of stone

On leaving the site a lady with a flat-pack bottle of milk counts everyone out, no-one is allowed to stay for more than an hour. It's a very secret place and I doubt that anyone who was there that day will ever be able to find it again. Great mystery surrounds it still.

Even attempting to disguise yourself doesn't help...

There must be something in the water!

We managed to ID all the micro-moths on site which must have been a first - Keith and I usually end up with pockets full of them to ID (or attempt to) later. Spiderman Nigel had committed himself to not looking at spiders for the whole day as he didn't want his backlog of 125 to build anymore so he only took 23 away today!

Although the heathland areas we surveyed proved to be virtually non-existent as heathland areas it was nonetheless an excellent day out between the showers.

And if you see a lady on the bus struggling with 2 dozen jerry cans don't apprehend her - she could be dangerous!

Paul Watts