Silent fields

As you know I’ve turned into a bit of a bookworm during the research for my novel. Roisin kindly gave me a tome which is proving to be fascinating reading.

Called ‘Silent fields’ it catalogues the destruction of our fauna down the centuries in the name of vermin control. Nothing escaped our ancestors – even sparrows and hedgehogs were slaughtered by the million. I had never quite understood the scale of hatred for animals in the countryside until the author revealed that starvation was a very real possibility well into the Victorian era. Anything that could be competition, even for birds’ eggs which were consumed as emergency protein, were seen as a target.

The toll of carnage gets a bit saddening after a while, but there’s some amusing archaic language in there too. This is one way to deal with moles:

“Take a head or two of garlic or onyon or leek and put it in their holes and they will run out as if amazed and so you may with a spear or a dog take them.”

And the same author had a particularly vindictive way of getting rid of mice.

“Put a few mice in a deep earthenware or copper pot on the fire. When it grows hot the mice start to jump about and chirp and all others in the house come about them.”

I wish I could do the same with our local politicians!

So vexed am I that I have started a website aimed at returning democracy and common sense to these parts. I don’t want to compromise your political views but if you could see your way clear to adding a comment and kick-starting the debate I would be most pleased. I’m really grateful for Ian wading straight in – take a look. There’s a moderation control on the system so they won’t appear straight away.

It’s here: Headington Banana Republic

Thanks all.