Soup was dexterously made on the go by Kally, a subtle warm lentil. Although 9 of us gathered, we missed some of our friends.
After a glorious silence, listening to all the sounds around, mainly clear as water bird song, Nicky introduced us to our theme, with a rabbit created talking stick. She reminded us of that children’s classic, Watership Down by Richard Adams, published in 1972. Some could not bare to watch the film knowing the sadness of the ending (Fiver). Some of us had forgotten the plot.
In 1978 Martin Rosen wrote and directed an animated film adaptation of Watership Down. The voice cast included John Hurt, Richard Briers, Nigel Hawthorn The film featured the song “Bright Eyes” sung by Art Garfunkel . Released as a single, the song became a UK number one hit although Richard Adams said that he hated it.
Carolena shocked us all with her additional information, that the reason rabbits reproduce so successfully, is that they ovulate at the same time as copulation. At the end of the day with did some amazing Rabbit Yoga.
Hedging for a hedgerow, we did a spot of foraging, tasting Garlic mustard, also known as ‘Jack-by-the-hedge’. We thought the flowers had more of a garlic flavour than the leaves.
Along the hedge on the western side of the wood, we gathered a leaf from each hedgerow plant, and back at base, with Kally’s paints and rollers, we pressed an image, and so created our hedgerow survey.
To cap off the day, Nicky prepared little parcels of flapjack in a hazel leaf and Kally prepared some Garlic Mustard, Nettle Belini’s. Yum. Just missing the salmon or bacon accompaniment.
And Sarah began her tableau of us all
‘I wondered lonely as a sheep
That bleets on high or vales and hills
When all at once I saw a flock
In shock which scampered off
as 3 sheep dogs watched on
Amazed.
Next week, we will begin our preparations for the 10 year celebration, with leaf banner printing.
Kinda Elders in the woods 