We were surprised to be woken by a new piece of music on our recent overnight trip with Brittany Ferries. I like both the old and the new, but am showcasing the old one, because (whoops!) I’d previously misidentified it. So, here is the actual lovely piece of Breton music, Troellenn. Dremmwel are a Breton group, based in Quimper. Troellenn, I think, means whorl.
Busby was recently very excited to see that he shares a name with famous choreographer, Busby Berkeley. Busby, dog version, was particularly impressed by the synchronised swimming in his work. “Maybe,” he says optimistically, “I could round up some more Jack Russells and give this a…whirl? Although, as I find a little bit of sea water goes an extremely long way, maybe I should concentrate on developing my others many talents first.”
We have a few technical issues, but our normal ‘paws’ thank you blog post ending will be back soon. In the meantime…thank you for reading this and enjoy July!
Aurora in Our Pjs by Lloyd Russell (front cover of the St Genny’s Journal – June 2024)
We have been thinking about large numbers ….
and how hard it is to appreciate what they actually represent.
After listening to this virtual choir rendition of another song by Eric Whitacre, involving over 17,000 singers. Visually, you can begin to get an idea of what that means, but when the credits, featuring every name, last twice as long as the song, it begins to really sink in!
Have a watch and think about 17,000+ singers!
Sing Gently, composed by Eric Whitacre.
One of us has been thinking about time…
or rather, timelessness (the other one of us, handily, has no real concept of time).
I was intrigued by some photos shared by a friend of mine this month. They are of portraits of women from the Uffizi in Florence. How modern some of them look! In fact, I think we have all seen one particular expression featured on this slideshow. Thank you to Lacey for drawing my attention to their timelessness.
We have been listening to a piece of music written four centuries ago.
I expect they pre-date it, but, if not, I wonder whether any of the young women in the portraits would have listened to this piece of music, written in the early 1600s. It is also timeless enough to have been used on a recent Netflix series.
Did you spot the imposter in the slideshow? If not, here they are again. Image created by Bing’s Image Creator, a relatively easy way to access Dall-e for free. Sign in with a microsoft a/c (including hotmail) here: https://www.bing.com/images/create?FORM=GENILP
We have been trying out a magic to-do list generator!
Do you struggle to get down to a task that feels complicated? Is there something on your to-do list that just defeats you?
If so, the solution might just be waiting for you on this helpful website: https://goblin.tools (‘Breaking things down so you don’t’).
It breaks down overwhelming or complex tasks into manageable subtasks.
I was pretty impressed by the step-by -step list it came up with for a gardening job I’d been leaving for months.
And the good news is that this is only one of the tasks that Goblin Tools can do for you.
Have some fun seeing what the language converter can do! See how your texts come across to other people, or get some help planning your next meal with the ingredients in your fridge!
Busby says, “Yes, indeed and before we explain, greetings to our Swedish readers (we know we have at least half of one out there!).”
Valborg, for those who have never encountered this name before, is the Swedish equivalent of Walpurgis (Saint Walburga / Walpurga – pictured left) in English. Walpurgis Night is celebrated on the 30th April into May 1st, and it is a big festival in Sweden. You can read all about it, here: https://kids.kiddle.co/Image:Valborgsbrasa-1.jpg
Heilige Walpurgis – Master of Messkirch – public domain.
MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA Photo – Bonfire, Walpurgis Night, near lake Ringsjö, Sweden.
Along with several thousand people in the UK…
and probably quite a few dogs, we took part in May’s Global Birdwatch Big Day
One of us keeps a watchful eye on the birds in his garden all the time, but we made a special effort to record them. Using the Merlin App, it wasn’t hard to identify 10 species in a short time.
Apparently, there is no such thing as ‘bored’ – at least there wasn’t whilst I was growing up(!) Maybe you’ve been told you this too?
I rather like the way that children’s poet, Jack Prelutsky, tackles the idea of boredom in his poem below.
Today is Very Boring Today is very boring. it’s a very boring day, there is nothing to much to look at, there is nothing much to say, there’s a peacock on my sneakers, there’s a penguin on my head, there’s a dormouse on my doorstep, I am going back to bed.
Today is very boring, it is boring through and through, there is absolutely nothing that I think I want to do, I see giants riding rhinos, and an ogre with a sword, there’s a dragon blowing smoke rings, I am positively bored.
Today is very boring, I can hardly help but yawn, there’s a flying saucer landing in the middle of my lawn, a volcano just erupted less than half a mile away, and I think I felt an earthquake, it’s a very boring day.
everyone who has signed up to follow this blog. Every time we see a new name, I feel great and Busby feels (p)awesome.
If you’d like to subscribe (it is free), you can do so below the paw prints.
If you enjoyed this month’s post and want to read more, or revisit a post, you can find a post for every month of the year. Just click on Busby’s Year in the top menu of this website (Buzzypaws.com ) and choose your month.
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This tasty simnel cake uses an old recipe that is surprisingly foolproof.
We don’t know who the ‘Lucy’ is, referred to in this recipe, but her recipe is tip-top! No need to wait until next Easter if you fancy a treat or need a celebration cake – use the slider to view the recipe.
One of us has been checking his emails…
but not in the way you might think.
Busby explains, ” Of course, I can’t actually read, but my highly sensitive nose and my keen sense of smell, enable me to sniff out and interpret messages left by the other dogs on my favourite route. I then leave an immediate reply. There’s no leaving things until later and then forgetting. So, it’s very efficient.”
I’ll be much more patient with you now that I can imagine you are checking your post, Busby.
By the way, just out of interest, how do you leave an ‘out of office’ reply? And can you block senders at all?
We have been enjoying the sound of Spring birdsong in the garden.
Bird numbers are dwindling so, even if one of us is a less welcoming than the other, we both think it is important to help birds in whatever way possible. The BirdCast initiative by Cornell Lab suggests dimming lights between 11pm and 6am each night and adding bird-friendly modifications to glass during the day, as you can see in the film below.
We have been thinking about rhythym…
and how they work togetherin poetry, dance and music.
When composer, Eric Whitacre set a poem by Robert Frost to music, he discovered that the poem was under copyright and could not be used. Rather than abandon the project, here’s what happened next (taken from Wikipedia):
Rather than giving up publishing the work, Whitacre asked poet and frequent collaborator Charles Anthony Silvestri (b. 1965) to write a new text which would correspond to the meter of the Frost poem and to the expressive details Whitacre had emphasized in the music.
The next day Silvestri offered the poem “Sleep”, taking up the theme of sleep from the last stanza of Frost’s poem. Whitacre has stated that he prefers the Silvestri text over the original.”
This is the finished work using the second poem, ‘Sleep’ by Silvestri which cleverly uses the same meter and was written overnight. What an achievement!!
“Whitacre originally believed the Frost poem’s copyright would not expire until 2038; it in fact expired on 1 January 2019. Whitacre has stated that he does not plan to release the work with the original text.“
Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer To stop without a farmhouse near Between the woods and frozen lake The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake To ask if there is some mistake. The only other sound’s the sweep Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.
This poem is in the public domain. (Phew!)
Sleep
by Charles Anthony Silvestri
The evening hangs beneath the moon A silver thread on darkened dune With closing eyes and resting head I know that sleep is coming soon
Upon my pillow, safe in bed A thousand pictures fill my head I cannot sleep, my mind’s a-flight And yet my limbs seem made of lead
If there are noises in the night A frightening shadow, flickering light Then I surrender unto sleep Where clouds of dream give second sight
What dreams may come, both dark and deep Of flying wings and soaring leap As I surrender unto sleep, As I surrender unto sleep.
And finally, to end on a humourous note, here is rythym being matched in an entirely different context…
There are other examples of matching songs to old film clips, but these amused me the most, although Busby doesn’t quite see what’s so funny. There’s a better known one, here: https://youtu.be/mz3CPzdCDws
We hope this sets you up on a cheerful note for May!
Talking of which, happy 1st of May to all readers of this post! Did you know that in France a gift of lily of the valley on the first of May is meant to bring happiness? We are pretty sure a virtual gift is just as positive, if not as beautifully scented. Click here, for your gift! https://www.dromadaire.com/post/8597-pour-du-bonheur-toute-l-annee?cat_id=34
Thank you…
everyone who has signed up to follow this blog. Every time we see a new name, I feel great and Busby feels (p)awesome.
If you’d like to subscribe (it is free), you can do so below the paw prints.
If you enjoyed this month’s post and want to read more, or revisit a post, you can find a post for every month of the year. Just click on Busby’s Year in the top menu of this website (Buzzypaws.com ) and choose your month.
If you’d like to visit our Quiet Paws Book Corner, for more book-based activities, go to the Join the Book Corner page. It is also free.
Subscribe here to find out what we are doing each month. Fill in your email address and make sure you click on confirm subscription in the email that’s sent to you, possibly in your junk mail. You will then be notified every time a blog post is published.
A shorter post this month as one of us has been at work during the run-up to Easter.
Busby says, “Maybe next time, I could go in instead of you? I imagine that I’d be a great hit. How hard can teaching a class of thirty six-year-olds in the run up to Easter actually be?”
We have been sending Easter e-cards and trying not to get hooked on this game…
“Yes, I am now nine, however, curiously, some days I feel more like 63.”
“Happy birthday to my brother, Micro, who reads this blog post, and to our brother, Scampi, wherever he may be.”
“We can all take heart from our fellow Jack Russell, Zen, who is also 9 and achieving great things. See below!”
Zen went on to come second overall for the whole of Crufts 2024!
“The music of Karl Jenkins is a gift to humanity.”
Terry Waite.
We have been listening to this piece of music by Sir Karl Jenkins…
Ave Verum composed in 2008 by Sir Karl Jenkins CBE. You can read more about his life and work, here:http://www.karljenkins.com/ . There is a great story about how he chose a painting in Venice as it looked like his music sounded to him. He later discovered that the artist painted whilst listening to Karl Jenkins’ music.
One of us had a great time when children’s author, Simon James, came in to talk to the pupils.
He was SO entertaining as he talked children through the design process and showed two of his book. The hour flew by – quite a feat with young children.
Busby was interested to hear that he read ‘Mr Scruff’, a book about dogs ressembling their owners. Busby went a bit quiet though when he found out that this is something that can really happen.
everyone who has signed up to follow this blog. Every time we see a new name, I feel great and Busby feels (p)awesome.
If you’d like to subscribe (it is free), you can do so below the paw prints.
If you enjoyed this month’s post and want to read more, or revisit a post, you can find a post for every month of the year. Just click on Busby’s Year in the top menu of this website (Buzzypaws.com ) and choose your month.
If you’d like to visit our Quiet Paws Book Corner, for more book-based activities, go to the Join the Book Corner page. It is also free.
Subscribe here to find out what we are doing each month. Fill in your email address and make sure you click on confirm subscription in the email that’s sent to you, possibly in your junk mail. You will then be notified every time a blog post is published.
This is what happens when you have the 70 hour, Definitive Collection of Sherlock Holmes, read by Stephen Fry.
Busby says, “It’s been delightful, but I think we need to stop now.”
If you’d like to join Holmes and Watson, the download is free to Audible subscribers, and there is a free trial for new members.
Sherlock Holmes, right, and Dr. John Watson share a train compartment in an illustration by Sidney E. Paget for “The Adventure of Silver Blaze,” a story by Arthur Conan Doyle published in The Strand Magazine in 1892.
We have been finding out which habit to work on next using this quiz.
The result for me was spot on. Interesting! It even confirmed something I had already planned and set in motion.
If you like a know-yourself-better type quiz and want to know where to direct your energy next, I really recommend it. Why not click here for a suggestion that might be just as on target:
We have been rereading C.S. Lewis’ classic children’s book, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
Did you know that it took C.S. Lewis ten years to write it? And that when he read this classic to his friend, Tolkien, the latter hated it(!) Take heart everyone!
We were surprised to discover that Aslan simply means ‘lion’ in Turkish.
Busby says, “Talking of Turkish, do you think Turkish Delight could perhaps be considered a dog treat?”
It involves hot sugar syrup, so not for little dogs or humans to make without supervision.
One of us is feeling a little bit pawly…
after suffering a dew claw injury. Ouch!
“Yes, everyone, it was very painful and distressing – especially as it was caused by somebody I love stepping on my paw.”
” I have been wondering why I have these extra digits – quite a ‘three pipe problem’, as Sherlock Holmes would say.”
Yes, my dear fellow, it is probably time to put Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson on the back burner for a while .
The answer to Busby’s question is that dew claws act as thumbs, and the pads they are close to also have an important, cushioning role to play when dogs run. You can see this in action in the clip below.
We have been listening to these two versions of a poem set to music.
See which you prefer. First up, the original by Samuel Barber, composed in 1938.
Secondly, lend your ears to this one composed by Morten Lauridsen in 2005.
You can watch a really enlightening, beautiful short film trailer about Morten Lauridsen, here: https://youtu.be/wIbT_rhlnbc Short of time? Leap to 2:50 in and watch for one minute!
Sure on this shining night Of star made shadows round, Kindness must watch for me This side the ground. The late year lies down the north. All is healed, all is health. High summer holds the earth. Hearts all whole. Sure on this shining night I weep for wonder wand’ring far alone Of shadows on the stars.
If you see this in time, and have 15 minutes to spare, you can also join the global Great Backyard Bird Count (16th – 19th February 2024). You can join and watch the live world map light up with each submission, here (we loved watching Cornwall light up with submissions): https://www.birdcount.org/
Finally, we have enjoyed this humorous reminder that comparison is the thief of happiness…
This cartoon is suitable for younger readers, but the link is to a newspaper and a range of work by the same cartoonist, Simone Lia.
Thank you…
everyone who has signed up to follow this blog. Every time we see a new name, I feel great and Busby feels (p)awesome.
If you’d like to subscribe (it is free), you can do so below the paw prints.
If you enjoyed this month’s post and want to read more, or revisit a post, you can find a post for every month of the year. Just click on Busby’s Year in the top menu of this website (Buzzypaws.com ) and choose your month.
If you’d like to visit our Quiet Paws Book Corner, for more book-based activities, go to the Join the Book Corner page. It is also free.
Subscribe here to find out what we are doing each month. Fill in your email address and make sure you click on confirm subscription in the email that’s sent to you, possibly in your junk mail. You will then be notified every time a blog post is published.
Oh hush the noise, ye men of strife, And hear the angels sing!
Edmund Hamilton Sears from It came upon the Midnight Clear, a poem written in 1849 as a response to the dire state of the world at that time.
Busby says, “Try as I might, I simply cannot hear any angels – if only those men of strife out there would just hush their noise a bit, we might all be able to enjoy a message of peace and goodwill. Sigh.”
Don’t worry, Busby. It’s true that we can’t change the world, but even small dogs can make the world around them a bit better. I think that every time we do something kind, creative or cheering we add to the goodwill chorus and that these acts ripple outwards. You need to watch It’s a Wonderful Life!
Did you know that the study of angels is called angelology? Children can read more about angels, here: https://kids.kiddle.co/Angel
I have been trying to read this carol as the poem it was originally intended to be -it is surprisingly difficult.
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth To touch their harps of gold; “Peace on the earth, good will to men From heaven’s all-gracious King” – The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.
Still through the cloven skies they come With peaceful wings unfurled, And still their heavenly music floats O’er all the weary world; Above its sad and lowly plains They bend on hovering wing, And ever o’er its Babel-sounds The blessed angels sing.
But with the woes of sin and strife The world has suffered long; Beneath the angel-strain have rolled Two thousand years of wrong; And man, at war with man, hears not The love-song which they bring; – Oh hush the noise, ye men of strife, And hear the angels sing!
And ye, beneath life’s crushing load, Whose forms are bending low, Who toil along the climbing way With painful steps and slow, Look now! for glad and golden hours Come swiftly on the wing; – Oh, rest beside the weary road And hear the angels sing!
For lo! the days are hastening on By prophet bards foretold, When with the ever circling years Comes round the age of gold; When Peace shall over all the earth Its ancient splendors fling, And the whole world give back the song Which now the angels sing.
— The images above are by Tim Jonke, from the children’s book A Night the Stars Danced for Joy by Bob Hartman. See further below.
We have been listening to this captivating version of the carol by Busby’s favourite duo, The Hound and the Fox.
In this version, you will hear verses 1, 2 and 4. Here is the version most often heard in Britain/ the Commonwealth: https://youtu.be/jjvLBEk1UfU
We have been reading…
this children’s Christmas story which focuses on the viewpoint of the shepherds. Sadly, it is out of print, but is available preloved from online booksellers. You can also find online readings.
We have been appreciating a bit of seasonal reindeer humour…
Reindeer Report
by U. A. Fanthorpe
Chimneys: colder. Flightpaths: busier. Driver: Christmas (F) Still baffled by postcodes. Children: more And stay up later. Presents: heavier. Pay: frozen. Mission in spite Of all this Accomplished – MERRY CHRISTMAS!
This takes a bit of thought, so better to take your time and start when you are ready rather than rush for the 1st January.
And finally – Happy New Year, everyone!
Following this film clip, Busby would like to wish you a Raey Wen Yppah.
Thank you…
everyone who has signed up to follow this blog. Every time we see a new name, I feel great and Busby feels (p)awesome.
If you’d like to subscribe (it is free), you can do so below the paw prints.
If you enjoyed this month’s post and want to read more, or revisit a post, you can find a post for every month of the year. Just click on Busby’s Year in the top menu of this website (Buzzypaws.com ) and choose your month.
If you’d like to visit our Quiet Paw Book Corner, for more book-based activities, go to the Join the Book Corner page. It is also free.
Subscribe here to find out what we are doing each month. Fill in your email address and make sure you click on confirm subscription in the email that’s sent to you, possibly in your junk mail. You will then be notified every time a blog post is published.
Spring forward, fall back – autumn is really here, and the clocks have gone back.
We have been finding out about Daylight Saving Time…
Did you know that Germany was the first country to introduce DST? Or that 70 or so countries around the world now have some form of daylight saving time?
Busby says, ‘Whilst I loved Charlotte’s Web, and love the film version of Stuart Little, I was a little disappointed by the original Stuart Little book, but I did like the illustrations.’
One of us has been doing some seasonal baking…
This is a toffee apple cake from September 2023 Good Housekeeping. The recipe is not available online. I used non-vegan cream and butter, and it worked very well. The recipe is below.
Dusk in Autumn by Sara Teasdale
The moon is like a scimitar,
A little silver scimitar,
A-drifting down the sky.
And near beside it is a star,
A timid twinkling golden star,
That watches likes an eye.
And thro’ the nursery window-pane
The witches have a fire again,
Just like the ones we make,—
And now I know they’re having tea,
I wish they’d give a cup to me,
With witches’ currant cake.
This poem is in the public domain.
And finally, to leave us on a cheerful note…
In school, one of us has been enjoying this Spanish song with Year 4:
Older readers wanting to practice their Spanish with some (mum or dad) dancing can click here https://youtu.be/Ux0BbYMo3Ns
Thank you…
everyone who has signed up to follow this blog. Every time we see a new name, I feel great and Busby feels (p)awesome.
If you’d like to subscribe (it is free), you can do so below the paw prints.
If you enjoyed this month’s post and want to read more, or revisit a post, you can find a post for every month of the year. Just click on Busby’s Year in the top menu of this website (Buzzypaws.com ) and choose your month.
If you’d like to visit our Quiet Paws Book Corner, for more book-based activities, go to the Join the Book Corner page. It is also free.
Subscribe here to find out what we are doing each month. Fill in your email address and make sure you click on confirm subscription in the email that’s sent to you, possibly in your junk mail. You will then be notified every time a blog post is published.
sing a song of seasons! Something bright in all! Flowers in the summer, Fires in the fall!
Autumn Fires by Robert Louis Stevenson
With the autumn equinox, we have been thinking about autumn.
There is more to this GIF than you think – watch carefully!
We have been looking into why this season has two names, fall and autumn.
Did you know that, originally, British English used the phrase, the fall of the leaves? This was replaced by ‘autumn’ from the French word, automne. However, North Americans continued with the original phrase, shortened to just, the fall.
You can listen to the book being read on YouTube, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqEP9rPXePw Note to parents: I have not checked this beyond the first few minutes. And watch a spider spinning its web, here:
We have been thinking about the composer, Carl Orff…
Here he is aged around nine. We have been wondering whether he minded being a one hit wonder of classical music.
However, he was an immensely talented educationalist and actually devised a whole system of musical education for children, Schulwerk, which is still taught today.
If you have two minutes to spare, try watching the first 80 seconds of this video and then see whether you like it. At one minute forty seconds, we are pretty confident you will see why we chose it. It is pretty amazing what some drums and xylophones can do! And we certainly think this deserves a much bigger audience. You’ll see what we mean(!) https://youtu.be/iOJyCG3LAHE
The website looks at many different habitats. It includes sections on endangered and weird species, as well as a section on dinosaurs. It is packed with information, photos and film clips.
And finally, here are some more hands-on easy activities we have been, or will be, trying out this autumn – or fall…
Take a photo of something little or unusual that you spot in nature. The red growth is on a wild rose and there are several others nearby. Does anyone know what they are?
Finally, Busby says, “You might have noticed that I’ve been a bit quiet. It’s the whole Charlotte’s Web thing. However, I have been told that getting outside and doing something you enjoy, is a great antidote to sadness. So, I am very much looking forward to trying out this activity. May I advise readers to check for hedgehogs etc. before you launch though.”
Thank you…
everyone who has signed up to follow this blog. Every time we see a new name, I feel great and Busby feels (p)awesome.
If you’d like to subscribe (it is free), you can do so below the paw prints.
If you enjoyed this month’s post and want to read more, or revisit a post, you can find a post for every month of the year. Just click on Busby’s Year in the top menu of this website (Buzzypaws.com ) and choose your month.
If you’d like to visit our Quiet Paws Book Corner, for more book-based activities, go to the Join the Book Corner page. It is also free.
Subscribe here to find out what we are doing each month. Fill in your email address and make sure you click on confirm subscription in the email that’s sent to you, possibly in your junk mail. You will then be notified every time a blog post is published.
Hola! I have been learning Spanish, and Busby has been thinking about languages.
Busby says, “Yes. I have long been aware that, not only am I a little dog, but I am also un petitchien and ein kleinerHund. Now it seems, I am also un perrito. Apparently, though, I am reliably informed that a dog by any other name would smell asdoggy.”
We were surprised to discover that Busby might have distant relatives in Spain. See what you think about the Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz, click on the link below.
These are Ratonero Bodeguero Andaluz puppies. There is definitely something familiar about these little ones!
CC BY-SA 3.0
We have been listening to this podcast – it’s a few minutes a day and usually a good listen. Busby’s vocabulary has improved no end.
If you enjoy language, you might also like it too. The Word of the Day podcast is produced by a Merriam-Webster dictionary team of experts and is also available as an email to your inbox. https://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day
We have been finding out about mondegreens and eggcorns…
We have all done it, misheard something, generally a song lyric, and given it a new meaning. This is a mondegreen. Just mishearing a word or slightly changing a phrase is an eggcorn.
But where do these terms come from?
Above image by DALLE of Lady Mondegreen, or should that be laid him on the green?
We have been revisiting my own contribution to the world of mondegreens.
At primary school, I believed that God had a new name: Hallowedda. Listen here to find out why.
Busby says kindly, “An easy mistake to make when you are five and in a school assembly. I am eight, with my own sound system, and I can definitely hear Hallowedda.”
It has been a very rainy August here, and we have been struck by the relevance of this poem. I liked its message, and Busby grew interested at the mention of (table) tennis.
SPELL AGAINST INDIFFERENCE by Maria Popova
The rain falls and falls cool, bottomless, and prehistoric falls like night — not an ablution not a baptism just a small reason to remember all we know of Heaven to remember we are still here with our love songs and our wars, our space telescopes and our table tennis.
Here too in the wet grass half a shell of a robin’s egg shimmers blue as a newborn star fragile as a world.
We have been listening to this piece of music, Earthly Heaven, by Rachel Grimes.
It was part of our music guru, Clemency Burton-Hill’s, selection for August from her book, Another Year of Wonder. This wonderful book has opened up many musical doors for me, and for Busby, that I didn’t even know were there.
Thank you…
everyone who has signed up to follow this blog. Every time we see a new name, I feel great and Busby feels (p)awesome.
If you’d like to subscribe (it is free), you can do so below the paw prints.
If you enjoyed this month’s post and want to read more, or revisit a post, you can find a post for every month of the year. Just click on Busby’s Year in the top menu of this website (Buzzypaws.com ) and choose your month.
If you’d like to visit our Quiet Paws Book Corner, for more book-based activities, go to the Join the Book Corner page. It is also free.
Subscribe here to find out what we are doing each month. Fill in your email address and make sure you click on confirm subscription in the email that’s sent to you, possibly in your junk mail. You will then be notified every time a blog post is published.
Where? Here’s a clue, spotted on a building in the town centre.
Our heads though are still with the Vikings. We have been reading the sequel to ‘The Riddle of the Runes’, featured in last month’s blog post about Vikings. https://www.janinaramirez.co.uk/way-of-the-waves
Viking heroine, Alva, and her wolf, Fenrir, set off on a new adventure overseas.
We first meet Alva in ‘ The Riddle of the Runes’.
The story is set in a Viking village in Scandinavia.
Busby identified very strongly with Fenrir. Scroll up or down in the image below to see whether he is right to do so.
These books are aimed at readers aged 9+. As an adult, I appreciated the author’s depth of knowledge evident in the story.
For adults, I’ve also been re-listening to this book. It is based on a true event: the abduction in 1627 by Barbary pirates of 400 Icelanders. This is the imagined story of one of those abducted and sold into slavery in Algiers.
“Reading this book has ignited my desire to find out more about my ancestry. Imagine the excitement of finding a wolf in my family tree!” says Busby. Should we tell him?!
We have been trying out a much better wildflower App.
Leaf Snap is an App that’s free (and also efficient) at identifying wild flowers. It even had a go at identifying the photo on the left, that we took in Brittany. Look closely: escargots anyone?
We have been inspired by the starlings to watch some humans achieve perfect synchronisation.
This synchronised swimming, on a butterfly theme, is breathtaking.
And finally …
Thank you…
everyone who has signed up to follow this blog. Every time we see a new name, I feel great and Busby feels (p)awesome.
If you’d like to subscribe (it is free), you can do so below the paw prints.
If you enjoyed this month’s post and want to read more, or revisit a post, you can find a post for every month of the year. Just click on Busby’s Year in the top menu of this website (Buzzypaws.com ) and choose your month.
If you’d like to visit our Quiet Paws Book Corner, for more book-based activities, go to the Join the Book Corner page. It is also free.
Buzzy Paws 
