Froglife

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Inspired by Nature

Inspired by Nature: National Poetry Day

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A Poem for Froglife: written by Madeleine Barnes, Transforming Lives Trainee

 

In Britain’s green embrace, a noble quest,

To shield her creatures, wild and unconfined,

From fen to heath, in every verdant nest,

We guard with care, our destinies entwined.

 

Stunning reptiles, secretive and shy,

Amphibians, in marsh and pond they dwell,

Beneath the bounds of Britain’s sprawling sky,

In hidden worlds are wonders we must tell.

 

Banded grass snake, it hunts by water’s side,

From eggs come bodies someday five feet long,

Smooth newts on wet land crawl with bellies pied,

And famous frog does leap with back legs strong.

 

Toads trill their ancient songs in moonlit swamps,

And slowworms bask beneath the dappled light,

Great crest’s white flash displayed with mighty pomp,

Swift lizard scurries away from your sight.

 

The adder, serpent of the heath and glade,

A symbol of our wild and untamed past,

With caution, let us roam where they have strayed,

And in their coils find diamonds unsurpassed.

 

With habitat and climate under threat,

Preserve the homes where creatures find their rest,

Let’s strive to keep their future safe, course set,

In harmony with nature, we are blessed.

 

By education and a watchful eye,

We’ll shield their habitats, their spirits free,

So generations yet to come may spy,

The wonders of these creatures, as should be.

 

Through conservation’s lens, we find our way,

To nurture habitats, protect their space,

With passion strong, these efforts never sway,

To keep our critters in their rightful place.

 

So, let us guard these treasures of the land,

With steady hearts and caring, gentle hand.

 

Find out more about National Poetry Day (5th Oct 2023) here. 

Cultural Artistic Representations of Reptiles

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Written by Kaitlin Oliver, Transforming Lives Trainee

Throughout history, reptiles have found their way into many different forms of art. All cultures have represented these animals through arts such as paintings, pottery and tattoos. Each culture have their own beliefs on what reptiles mean to them.

In aboriginal art, lizards are often painted in dotted mosaics. Belief says that lizards are part of the Dreaming Stories that relate to the creation of the natural world and to the role of Ancestors and humans in that world.

Dragons are seen in many cultures on all forms of art. In Chinese culture, the dragon is a mythical creature often depicted as a serpent-like being with the ability to fly. It is seen as symbol of power, strength, and good luck. It’s a central figure in Chinese art, especially in traditional paintings and sculptures.

A large petroglyph resembling a lizard at Dinosaur National Monument, Utah, USA

Many Native American tribes created rock carvings (known as petroglyphs) featuring reptiles, such as snakes and turtles. These images often held spiritual and symbolic significance, connecting the people to their natural surroundings.

In the modern tattoo word, reptiles continue to be a source of inspiration. Reptilian motifs, such as snakes and dragons, are popular choices in tattoo art across various cultures. They can symbolize protection, transformation, or personal strength.

Showcasing the diversity of cultural artistic representations of reptiles, you can see that reptiles have held a complex and multifaceted place in human culture, from ancient mythologies to contemporary expression. Reptiles often symbolize both awe and fear, power and danger, and the natural world’s intricate beauty.

 

We’re dreaming of a green Christmas….

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Go green this Christmas with natural decorations. Consider bringing the outdoors in this winter and surround yourself with the goodness of nature. There are plenty of garden favourites that we can adorn our households with. You may even be able to ask your local greenspace manager for permission to forage for a few items too.

 

Sticks and twigs

Something as simple as putting some bare twigs or skinny branches in a vase look great with some led fairly lights wound around them. Try adding a few baubles here and there too. Why not try framing mirrors or picture frames with a few twigs?

Or have a go at creating small decorations out of twigs like these fabulous three ideas from: https://www.diyncrafts.com

Natural greens

Even at this time of year we can find some lovely greenery to brighten up our decorations. Some firm Christmas favourites include ivy, holly, mistletoe and conifers. Tie together conifer sprigs and slot in some splashings of ivy and holly to make a garland. Or to make these into a wreath try and find some willow or dogwood to create your wreath structure and then weave in some of the greenery. Here is a how to: https://blog.bay-bee.co.uk/how-to-make-a-real-christmas-garland/

Or if you don’t fancy having to weave branches all together, you can simply place individual branches down on the surface you want to decorate, or slot in behind frames, or attach to a picture rail. This is probably best if it is out of reach!

Fragrance:

Why not bring in some fragrance from rosemary, bay, thyme and sage. You can include these within your garlands, wreaths or branch decorations or you could create a mini herb wreath. They also look lovely in a vase on their own.

Other popular Christmas fragrances are oranges, cinnamon sticks and nutmeg so try adding these in too.

Colour:

Don’t forget to add splashes of colour to your decorations. There are plenty of winterberries that you can grow in your garden which are also great for the birds so always make sure to leave some behind, these include holly, spindle, rowan and rosehips. You can be as creative as you like or even just add these to glass jars on their own.

The possibilities are endless and we would love to see some of your creations so do send us over a picture or two! Happy festive decorating!

 

Inspired by Nature: Toad Poems

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For Halloween our Discovering Dewponds Project Manager has chosen a couple of her favourite poems from the book ‘The Book of The Toad’ by Robert M. Degraaff: 

Toads

Dusk comes suddenly on the narrow road

that follows the hill eastward and down. The woman’s

fears are the live pieces of dark that appear

where there was nothing.

 

In a tree that had been bare, she sees a dozen

great-tailed grackles slanting like eyebrows.

From a deserted hut comes a black feather of smoke

and a low voice.

 

Between the rocks, the dark is filling with toads:

their breath is the slow rising of the sky

behind her. She fears rain and she fears the toad-dust

thirsty for rain.

 

But then the evening sidles up to her,

holding out precious stones in a handkerchief.

She draws away from the opals and tigers’ eyes,

sure that she will pay

 

too much, but he touches her sleeve and she turns.

Below her in the rich light she sees a row

of trees like bubbles of blood welling up

from a cut

 

and beyond them the sky hunched like a toad

over the town, its skin mottled purple,

black, and vermillion. If this is the dark,

there is no escaping it.

 

She asks the name of the sky-toad, huge

and lovely. A tongue flickers from his mouth

and now the sun itself is a stone, burning

in his forehead.

                                                             Conrad Hilberry                                                            

 

A visit to the Gingerbread House

 

“Why, sit down!” (So I let myself settle

In a fudge chair.) “I’ll put on the kettle,”

Purred the witch. “Here, just try

Some delicious toad pie

And a cup of hot Hansel and Gretel!”

X. J. KENNEDY

Why I love Snakes! – A poem

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Adder, smooth or grass snake by name,
Our native snakes are not all the same.

The adder’s stylish zig-zags black

Make a splash along its back.
The smooth snake, who is rare to find

Has smoother scales than the other kinds.

The grass snake is the last of the three,
They love to swim – it’s a sight to see!

Snakes may have a difficult time,
But seeing one is just sublime!

Poem written and shared with us by Bethan Davies 

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