Waliking around with Ollie yesterday, we managed to avoid the rain that had been hammering down all morning, and which started again just as we got home.
I gave him a good walk; twice around Beetley Meadows, then two full circuits of Hoe Rough.
When we got back across the river, Ollie wanted to go into the small woodland area, so I opened the kiissing gate for him and followed. After all the rain, the trees were dripping water, and it felt humid and uncomfortable in there. Ollie had the scent of a deer that has been living in there, so he scampered off, nose to the ground.
When I caught up with him on the small back path, I saw him sniffing something intently. On inspection, I discovered a tiny field mouse, dead in the middle of the path. It appeared to have no injuries, and I guessed it had died very recently, as its colouring was still perfect, it wasn’t wet, and the body still soft as I turned it over with a stick.
It didn’t seem right to leave it on the path, so I dug a small hole at the side with a stick. It didn’t have to be very deep of course, and I flicked in some leaf litter to line the little trench. Then I rolled the dead mouse into it, and laid it to rest by covering it with more leaves, and a few stones.
When I had finished, I looked up and saw Ollie looking at me with a look of complete puzzlement.
But it had seemed to me to be the right thing to do.
What a sensitive, kind man you are , Pete x
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I don’t go looking for the dead animals, Carol. But on this occasion it was on the path and looked so tiny and alone. I had to bury the poor thing.
Best wishes, Pete.
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It was the right thing to do. Best to you, Pete.
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Yes, it certainly felt like that.
Thanks, Jennie.
Best wishes, Pete.
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You’re welcome, Pete.
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Well done, Pete! Ollie’s first funeral. xx
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Yes, he was ‘Chief mourner’. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Understandable, because he couldn’t hunt her anymore. 😉 xx
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it was the right thing to do, Pete. good for you 🙂
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Thanks, Wilma. I am glad I did.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Says a lot about the respect you have for all creatures big and small Pete. Warmly, C
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Thanks, Cheryl. I felt sad for that little mouse.
Best wishes, Pete.
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As I child, my brother and I found a dead butterfly on the road. We buried her in our garden and added a marble head stone for a good measure. We couldn’t carve on it like Harry Potter but I remember bringing her fresh flowers many times. It still feels like the right thing to do.
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That was a very nice thing to do as a child, Shaily.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thanks Pete! I am still pretty much the same. 😁
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Absolutely the right thing to do Pete.
Nice one
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Thanks, Bobby.
Hope all’s well mate.
Best wishes, Pete.
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All good here getting a bit frosty -5 this morning, back for routine check up tomorrow
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I wonder how it died? Are you sure Ollie didn’t stamp on it? My niece’s dog waits and watches in the long grass then suddenly lifts both front paws and slams them down on the field mouse. Nice you gave the one you found a decent burial.
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No, Ollie didn’t hurt it. He was just curiously sniffing it.
I buried it because it was on a well-used path. I suspected someone would stamp on it, or kick it into the shrubs.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Lovely gesture. I felt compelled to intervene when a seagull was attacking a pigeon a couple of days ago. I am not sure if the bird will be OK, but it didn’t seem to be badly injured, and I do hate bullies… I am sure Ollie is convinced you’re a bit peculiar anyway, Pete. 😉
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No! Ollie is devoted to me, Olga. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I am sure Ollie is devoted to you Pete. He adores you. And respects you.
You did good. Everyone deserves a safe burial.
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Thanks very much, dear Lara. He had never seen me bury anything before of course. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I do believe I would have done the same in your shoes, Pete.
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Thanks, Robbie. The little mouse looked sad, so I did the right thing by it.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I agree, Pete. I really hate seeing the corpses of “road kill” just left beside the road, no-one caring. It’s not always possible to stop and there often is no place to bury an animal, but it always makes me sad and I always say a little mantra. Which I realize does no good either, but it’s an acknowledgment at least, I suppose. When we find corpses here, we place them in the woods where other animals can feast on them as I believe that is Nature’s intent.
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I killed a deer with my car once. It was in a dangerous spot on a fast road, and I couldn’t do anything about it at the time. I wrote a blog post about it later.
On one of the comments, I was told I could have phoned 111 and the Police would contact someone to remove the dead animal.
I didn’t want anything to eat the little mouse, for some reason.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Such a kind thing to do.
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Thanks, Gauri. It seemed to be the right thing.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes indeed Pete. The little fellow deserved to be laid to rest. 🙂
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Thanks, Susanne. It was the right thing to do, I’m sure.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Good show! Warmest regards, Theo
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It felt unkind to have left it there like that once I had stumbled across it. It should probably have been left for food for another animal, but I wanted it to have a quiet resting place.
Best wishes, Pete.
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This was really sweet Pete. RIP little mousie. Hopefully you’re in a better place where there’s lots of cheese.
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I thought he (or she) needed a decent burial, Kim.
Best wishes,
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If only someone would do that for me in my turn. May take more than just a little stick though.
Hugs
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Thanks, David. I wouldn’t mind being buried in the woods at Beetley Meadows. Trouble is, there are so many dog-walkers, I expect someone’s Labrador would dig me up! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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The ghost of that tiny field mouse is now roaming the woodland, urging its living counterparts to congregate at your house to show their gratitude by swearing multi-generational allegiance to their new feudal lord, Peter the Great.
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We get quite a few in our shed already! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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I can only imagine what Ollie was thinking!
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He pays little attention to dead animals, John. It was unusual to see him checking out the mouse so intently.
Best wishes, Pete.
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That was very kind of you…..its spirit will be pleased chuq
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I hope so, chuq. It just seemed appropriate.
Best wishes, Pete.
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How sweet!
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Thanks, Margie. I felt really sorry for the tiny thing.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Have you thought that it might have been sleeping?
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It must have taken a sleeping tablet to be that deeply asleep, Ro. 🙂
Cheers, Pete. x
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Oh Pete. You got me crying here now! RIP mouseybx
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It was a tiny field mouse, Lorraine. The least I could do was to bury the poor thing.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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That was very kind of you, most people wouldn’t think anything of it.
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It looked so sad and cute, I just had to do it.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I appreciate your sensitivity. I would have done the same.
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Because it was so small, I could manage it with a stick. I found a dead badger a few years back, but had nothing suitable to dig a big enough hole.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes, a large creature would make it difficult if not impossible.
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Unless I start carrying a shovel instead of a stick. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Respecting all life is always the thing to do.
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I try to do that, GP.
(Except for wasps and hornets of course)
Best wishes, Pete.
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Very respectful, Pete, well done 😀 Cheers, Jon.
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I think even tiny mice deserve some respect.
(But not wasps! 🙂 )
Best wishes, Pete.
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Is that where you got your name beetley? 🙂
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It’s the name of the village where I live. https://beetleypete.com/2019/06/09/beetley/
Lots of readers used to think it was my name. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Haha
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It is a small place, only 1,300 inhabitants, no shop, and few buses. But I like the peace and quiet.
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Oh wow… That’s like a little village… Have you lived there all your life? How far is the nearest town or shop? Walkable?
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No, I am from Central London. Lived there for 60 years, and moved here when I retired. The nearest shop is over 2 miles away, but I drive 4 miles into the nearest town, called Dereham. (Even that is small, just 13,000 people.)
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Oh nice, sounds quaint!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
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There’s a woodland burial site just off the A140. I’m for cremation too, but it seems a nice place to end up, lol.
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We have a nice Woodland Burial site near Norwich Hospital. But it’s expensive, so I told Julie to save the money and have me cremated.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Strange; you would have thought it’d be cheaper than a traditional burial.
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It is, but not as cheap as a basic cremation. I have no kids to visit a grave of any kind, and once my wife has gone, that’s it. No point wasting money at the end. 🙂
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Very true. I told my sons that I don’t want a grave as such. They’d have to trek along the Tennyson Trail on the IOW to find where they scattered my ashes, lol.
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RIP wee, sleekit, cowrin, tim’rous beastie. 🙂
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It was so cute. I felt sorry for it, lying there.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I’m glad it was only a mouse! I was worried there for a minute
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It wouldn’t be my burial.I am destined for cremation. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Just wondering if you’d found a body…
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Ah, I see. Dog walkers usually find murder victims, but I have avoided that so far! 🙂
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