THE BACK GARDEN BECOMES THE BADGER'S HALT...

 The Back Garden Becomes The Badger’s Halt…

A few scattered peanuts deposited, that’s all,

Near the grim sheltered hole.

A mild evening was passing silently.

No birds, barely a shivering breeze.

Until there was a shrill blackbird’s call,

A human voice, an admonishment, a cajole

For an irritated dog, whining meekly,

The words though failing to put it at ease…

A pied mask had emerged from the gloom

Beneath a conifer, through fallen laurel leaves.

A lone badger encroached warily, yet steadfast.

And fed lustily, despite the canine sound.

Fearless, notwithstanding the scraping loom

Of a busy garden tool and the urban peeves 

Within a sprawling housing development, vast,

It fastidiously explored the sun-baked ground…

Pete Ray

27th July 2022

A strange evening in Solihull, for the Queen’s relay baton was due to pass near the house en route to Birmingham to celebrate the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.

I was due to cover a football match in Warwick but the arrival of the baton was badly delayed and thus the waiting crowds at Hope Coppice in Shirley became restless. Children became bored and the many dogs needed walking…

One dog even snapped at the gallivanting person wearing a bull costume. Badly done, dog owner, badly done…

Nearby roads were closed, a couple of coaches, several police cars and transit vehicles were blocking exits and thus I was forced to cancel my plans.

By the time I had eaten, the football evening had been aborted.

So after washing up, I spread a few peanuts around the hole in the garden and at around 8.40pm, a badger appeared in good light, which allowed me to film it and take some screenshots…

It was totally brilliant…

The garden is now known as ‘The Badger’s Halt’ because one of them stopped here on the Brock Underground system…