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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. 

Inspired by Nature: Autumn

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Written by Elizabeth Disdel- Froglife’s Transforming Lives Trainee

 

“November comes

And November goes,

With the last red berries

And the first white snows.

 

With night coming early,

And dawn coming late,

And ice in the bucket

And frost by the gate.

 

The fires burn

And the kettles sing,

And earth sinks to rest

Until next spring.”

–  Elizabeth Coatsworth

 

This poem by Elizabeth Coatsworth always comes to mind when I think of the coming of November. It’s a sleepy month, really. Not a cosy one, though. To me, the feeling of November is like the feeling of having a bed time when you were young – you’re tired but not tired enough, you’re still a bit frantic from the day’s activities, and you’re just a bit grumpy and sad. In November, Mother Earth seems quite tired, frantic, and sad, too. The temperatures take a dip, the light once spilling a soft and golden glow over the bronzed leaves is now rather grey, and the winds seem to rip through all in its path with a sort of vigorous petulance, leaving not only the branches around you bare, but you with barely any warmth, and the patience of a bear with a headache. It is bare. November is bare. 

However, to rid yourself of the grizzly feelings, it is important to keep an eye out for wildlife to brighten your day and restore the warms knocked out of you by that pesky cold breeze. Keep your eyes to the sky as November is the month where the UK welcomes Winter migrant species of birds. For example, the UK is home to approximately 360,000 wintering pink-footed geese, and you can often see them flying in their perfect V formations overhead, making a much-loved racket. Other birds include whooper and Bewick swans, as well as redwings and fieldfares. 

Regarding reptiles and amphibians (our true loves at Froglife), remember to try, if you can, to create small deadwood piles in or near your gardens as they are incredibly important habitats for many species as they begin to overwinter. Newts, for example, overwinter underground in damp soil, often beneath piles of logs or stone walls where they can keep as warm as possible. 

Whilst November is a grumbly month, remember that wildlife is just doing its best and trying to find places to stay warm for the Winter. Help them out where you can! 

Activity: Hapa-Zome

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Have you heard of Hapa-Zome?

Hapa-Zome is an incredible craft originating from the Japanese art of Tataki Zome. Tataki means to pound or hammer, and when applied to flowers this is where the magical art happens! A simple search on the internet will bring up incredibly inspiring creations, the method of pounding the leaves and flowers with the fabric brings the different botanical dyes to the fabric.

Want to try it at home? All you need is some cotton, we love using Calico, an assortment of flowers and leaves from your garden, a hard surface and either a hammer or palm sized rock!

We love this craft as it allows you to be as precise or messy as you like! You can either arrange your foraged leaves and flowers on half of the fabric to create a picture or scene. Or perhaps you are a messy artist? In that case just throw them on!

 

Fold the material in half so all the plants are covered, place on a hard surface such as a wooden block and get hammering! You will quickly see the dyes coming though, imprints forming or explosions of colour appearing!

Finally, open the fabric and peel away the leaves. Voila your Hapa-Zome or Tataki-Zome is complete! We would love to see your creations so be sure to tag us in any social media posts!

This craft is great for all ages and abilities, just to be sure you don’t hit any fingers and of course be mindful what species of plants you are collecting as some are toxic.

Inspired by Nature: Love Parks Week

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Written by Froglife’s Transforming Lives Trainee, Elizabeth Disdel

When asked to write an entry for the Croaks newsletter about the nationwide project #LoveParksWeek, my mind immediately jumped (pun intended) to one of my favourite poems…

 

“When despair for the world grows in me

and I wake in the night at the least sound

in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,

I go and lie down where the wood drake

rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.

I come into the peace of wild things

who do not tax their lives with forethought

of grief. I come into the presence of still water.

And I feel above me the day-blind stars

waiting with their light. For a time

I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.” 

— Wendell Berry

 

I am unsure if you will feel the same, but this poem means much more to me after lockdown than it did before. Whilst the world seemed to be crashing into chaos, green places became places of solace for many. Green spaces are often (correctly) touted as being infinitely important for wildlife – with many species relying on them to protect against destructive habitat fragmentation and protect their space to exist within a sprawling metropolis of concrete triffids and fast-moving cars. Whilst this is true, and so important, we must remember that these spaces are for humans to find peace within too. We are not as far removed from the natural world as we might think we are or try to be. 

Parks are reminders that all beings, both human and other, can live in accordance with Mother Nature and as One. 

Froglife’s Frogloaf Recipe

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Tag us in your pictures of your amphibian or reptile inspired baking on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtags #Frogbread #GBBO

In light of the return of Channel 4’s Great British Bake Off, We’ve had a go at our own ‘frogloaf’. Recipe below!

Ingredients:

  • 600g plain strong bread flour
  • 1 heaped tsp dried yeast
  • 2 tsp salt
  • Two handfuls of spinach (optional for green colour)

Method:

  1. Wash and cook the spinach in a pan on a low heat, with the lid on. Once it is fully wilted and soft, use a blender to make a paste. Leave this to cool.
  2. Combine the flour, salt, yeast and 300ml of tepid water. Check the yeast packet as some kinds need activating in water. Next add the spinach paste. Mix the dough with a spoon. It should be soft and springy, not too wet and sticky, and not too dry. Add a little more flour or water as needed to achieve this.
  3. Knead this mixture for around 5-6 minutes. Shape the dough into a ball, and leave it to prove in the mixing bowl until roughly doubled in size (2-3 hours).
  4. Turn this out and knead again for a few minutes. Cut the dough into two – around 2/3 to make the body, and 1/3 to make the eyes and legs.
  5. On a baking sheet on a large tray, shape the body into an egg shape. The fatter end will form the frog’s face. Shape the smaller dough ball into two back legs, two front legs, and two eyes. It’s important that these stick well to the body, some water can help here. 
  6. We also used two olives to make eyes.
  7. Leave the frog to prove until doubled again in size (around 30-60 minutes), under an oiled piece of clingfilm.
  8. Bake in a preheated oven on high, for around 20 minutes.
  9. Introduce your new frog friend to your pond (optional)

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