A back garden romance

As a small diversion from writing topics – but, well it’s a sort of romance –

Yesterday the weather was very hot and muggy and it was obvious that a storm was brewing. Eventually that broke around 5pm - lots of thunder, rain, but very little lessening in the temperature. So at 11pm the BM and I were sitting with the French doors wide open to let in some much needed air and we heard snuffle grunt snuffle noises in the garden.

These are snuffle grunt snuffle noises we recognised. When we moved into this house we discovered that there was a pair of hedgehogs who live at the bottom of the garden. We learned about their presence when they just about marched up to the door and demanded their food. Apparently the daughter of the previous owners had always put out a bowl of meat for them – and they expected us to do the same. So we did. And we have continued to do so ever since. That was 17 years ago and as hedgehogs only live for about 3 or so years, we must have gone through several generations of the Hedgehog family while we’ve lived here.

Which is why we recognise that snuffle grunt snuffle noise so well.

That is the sound of Mr H chatting up Ms H. Basically, in hedgehog terms he is saying ‘You’re looking spectacularly beautiful tonight, my darling. Have you done something with your prickles?’ He’s also hoping that he’ll get lucky – after all, he’s taken her to the best restaurant in town – ie our garden lawn where the meat the cats have left after their tea is lying on a plastic plate to be available to passing hedgehogs – he’s complimented her - the moon is shining – the stars are bright – and now he hopes they can get together and make baby hedgehogs.

I have bad news for Mr H – apparently Ms H demands a lot of persuasion – which again is why we recognise that s g s noise so well. I read somewhere that it takes 4 hours of courtship before Ms H will let him near her. I’m not sure if that’s true but hedgehogs are not quiet creatures - not when they have lovemaking on their little prickly minds. And many many nights we have been sitting with those doors open and hearing the s g s going on and on and on . . .

But at least that means we’re hopeful of having another generation of baby hedgehogs to continue the tradition into next year and the year after

This time, I happened to have my camera nearby so, here are Mr and Ms Hedgehog enjoying a tryst beneath the magnolia bush.




Or perhaps I should title this picture The English Hedgehog's Secret Mistress