Saturday 15th January (Life and Death)

Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window to see the rain gently falling. Today Mr. Kite was going, with his wife, to place some pink tulips on a special grave. Pink tulips were not really appropriate for this grave but they flowers had decorated the dining table in Mr. Kite's house and were just about to flower.

In the morning Mr. Kite watched a Wood Pigeon sitting on a branch in the garden. The bird seemed very content perched about two metres off the ground surveying the surroundings in the drizzle. Just before noon the rain cleared and the sky brightened slightly so the Kites set off with the flowers and some candles.

On the way to the church yard Mr. Kite passed the field where two weeks ago three species of swan grazed. Today about thirty Mute Swans were feeding. The herd included six grey and white juveniles. Soon Mr. Kite arrived in the village near the grave yard and parked the vehicle. Mr. Kite walked along an avenue of trees towards the church and looked at the first delicate white Snowdrops of the year growing near the shelter of a wall. Some plants were blooming others in bud but a reminder of how the circles of life go round and round. After the winter solstice, when the days are darkest and the plants at their barest, this was the first sign that spring is approaching.

There was life anew but sadly nearby was a mole trap. Mr. Kite removed the trap from the ground and held in the jaws was a shiny black mole with a sharp nose, whiskers and four feet with claws that act like a shovel. The poor creature was dead. Mr. Kite put the trap back into the ground and walked into the church yard.

Mr. Kite walked past the church to a grave by a hedge on the boundary of the yard. Last time Mr. Kite was here, just before Christmas, it was covered in fifty millimetres of snow. On his last visit Mr. Kite placed holly and ivy on the raised grave along with some greenery from his garden. Today the greenery was lying on the short grass on the grave and looked as fresh as the day it was placed there.

This church nestles at the foot of a hill that has wooded sides. Cows and sheep graze nearby. It is a very peaceful and beautiful place where Mr. Kite often sits contemplating. Today it was breezy and brown crisp leaves were blown across the grass and a Robin sang perched in a small Hawthorn bush. This Robin was not making his territorial 'tic tic tic' noise but singing a clear melodic sequence of fluty whistles and rippling notes. The Robin's song was cheerful and reflected the touch of spring that was unfolding.

Mr. Kite tidied the grave as he listen to the Robin and in a nearby tree he could hear the 'thk, thk, thk' of a Nuthatch. After sprucing up this special grave Mr. Moved a metre and carefully tidied up another grave that was also covered with holly and ivy. The bunch of pink tulips was separated and seven flowers placed in a earthenware pot on the special grave and one flower placed on top of the other grave. Most times Mr. Kite lights a candle on the grave but today this was not possible because of the gusty wind. But Mrs. Kite was prepared because she placed a battery powered t-light on the grave near the tulips and turned it on.

After an hour in this place of life and death Mr. Kite walked back towards his vehicle past the church. By the avenue of trees he met a lady and inquired about the mole trap and learned that this was arranged by the National Trust. So Mr. Kite decided that the National Trust have questions to be answered. Mr. Kite will seek answers about the needless killing of a fantastic creature. Mr. Kite walked slowly back along the avenue of tidy small trees where Snowdrops are growing and where one mole lay motionless. As the French would say, 'c'est la vie'. Now to use a French phrase in this village is appropriate because the name of the village ends in ville, and has French roots.

Mr. Kite then went home to socialise and play some games with friends. After a trying day Mr. Kite enjoyed todays tipple of Finchley's India Pale Ale. Good Health