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!
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.
