General Chat

Eldrick, do not get me started on Chelsea tractors.

Gwynne

Yes, the bells, the bells - that's another one for sure!

I agree that some of the incomers take an active part and that's welcome. Don't know about keeping the schools or pubs going, though. Most of our emigrees are retired or nearing retirement and seem to be teetotal reclusive hermits with gas guzzling chelsea tractors that never get dirty.

We can agree to differ, Eldrick, but I have to say that around here the antis outnumber the pros. The hunt was already banned from many farms by the farmers themselves.

Agree with you about townies moving in and moaning, though. Can I add to your list townies who buy old vicarages then moan about the bells for the 8am Sunday morning service. Not all of them are like that, fortunately, some incomers take an active part in village life and are very welcome.

They keep the pubs and schools open for a start.

Gwynne

we have snakes in this country **screams**




Yours Hayley the Townie.

...bit like people who visit the new Forest, complain about the speed limit, stop to 'feed a pony', then wonder why they are kicked or bitten.
Shriek when they see a slow worm or snake and promptly hit it with a stick and wonder why they have been almost eaten alive when they sit on a wood ants nest!

A New Forest pony is unlikely to come to you (and therefore be in a position to either kick or bite you) unless enticed.
A snake has little interest in you - unless you pose a threat - so just keep clear - this only applies to adders. Slow worms and grass snakes are harmless. If you can't tell the diffference, as with adders just leave them alone.
Wood ant's nests are huge - but are not designed for your bum. Look them up before visiting the New Forest, a wood ant can give a horrendous bite - a nest full - well.............

All the above applies to most wildlife - including foxes.
If you don't like them in your garden, get a water pistol or some 'caps' - you know, the old fashioned things that go 'bang' - very good at keeping un- neutered toms out of your garden too!!
But don't winge if you feed the foxes and they then proceed to crap all over your garden and kill your pet rabbit!!!

They're wild animals!!

Personally, I can't stand ponies - the smaller the more vicious. However, this doesn't stop me visiting the New Forest - I just avoid all eye contact with the nasty things - especially during mating season or when they have foals!! I haven't been bitten or kicked yet!

"How many more people are going to be mauled by crazed foxes roaming round the countryside before we do something about it? Eh? It's becoming an epidemic and needs to be sorted now! What's the government going to do about it, that's what I want to know."

I've got an idea - maybe the government could find a group of people who are prepared to dress up in "de you ken John Peel" outfits? Maybe they could be a tourist attraction? Maybe we could give them Arts Council grant?

Or then again, maybe not.....

Sue x

Horses for courses. I'm proud to say I am one of the 'unspeakable'. And I don't give a hoot what anyone else thinks of that! Yes, I agree, that not all country dwellers are pro. There are a few who aren't. But there are lots of townies who have relocated who are anti, but they aren't country folk, so they can be blithely dismissed as irrelevant. Mostly the same ones who complain about mud on the roads and the noise of cockerels early in the morning and the bleating of sheep spoiling their bbq's.

But long live the urban fox!

Ashamed to say I was once an unspeakable but I was young and naive then. Not all "country people" are pro hunting.

Not that fond of bunnies either.

Gwynne

oh no more foxhunting,,,shot by qualified persons yes but not torn to shreds......

warm here with a little cloud at times making the cold just

bearable with the fire on,,,,}}}}}


Eldo yours are a relic from the cityrollers time when you was able bop,,

Count me as one of the unspeakable then :-)

But it's OK, I'm not offended. I've been called worse by pink fluffy bunny huggers :-)

Hayley - was it those tartan trews? I've got a pair the same, just for special nights out though. Sunny again here, wish it would make it's mind up. Tsk.

I hate Basil Brush I was more of a Rupert Bear gal meself..... init ..... ice on the roads again here. ;(((

Out here in the sticks I have several friends who keep poultry. They have secure hen houses and shut them away at night. Reynard hasn't stolen any in years.

I do agree they need to be controlled, though, I'm not sentimental about them. Just don't want to see the return of the unspeakable in pursuit of the uneatable (Oscar Wilde)

I've seen enough of that and was glad to see it go.

Gwynne

city foxes its got a sort of ring to it lol

I dont agree with fox hunting.... something has to be done though. They are in the streets in Glasgow too. So many house being built etc so they move into towns and if they are getting fed well they will stay.
Theres talk of banning most rat poisons, maybe the odd fox would come in handy lol.

Deer are another problem causing road accidents. My Oh was lucky he wasnt hurt by hitting one. The deer was kiled ouright and the car was in for three weeks.

You wouldn't say that if you kept poultry!

I like urban foxes, though. As long as they stay there, the more the merrier for me. I'm quite happy to shift ours into the city!

I have to say ( oh yes i do lol) that the foxes have not so much moved INTO the cities as that the cities have moved OUT to the foxes... for example the area of London where my gran was born. At the turn of the last century 1900, was largely rural/semi rural...you take away their habitat and then provide the alternative, which is a warmer, easier ( food wise) environment and what do you get...

keep the foxes I say, lets get rid of some people ;) they cause far more trouble.

They really have no taste for rabbit now, well Myxomatosis and Calicivirus have seen to that. They prefer native game and chickens. Any rabbits that are left we will also ship back to feed the foxes.

Gail

Joy, carry on girl..... I'm temped to start feeding them.

Can't believe the publicity the foxes have had, I'm sure Basil Brush hasn't had as much publicity - well except for that incident when he was accused of being racist a few years back....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1581817/Basil-Brush-racist-towards-gypsies-Complaint.html

Yeah, hunting is not good. Shooting them is much easier :-)

Gran, but what would you do about your rabbit problem if all the foxes came back to Blighty?

It's not quite as sunny here as it was an hour ago, btw. It looks like it might get cooler later, but then again, it might get out again. DIfficult to decide what to wear.

~~~~ Stray!

oh for goodness sake....foxes seem to be the new hoodies. They'll be getting asbos next.