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I can't remember where the turquoise stoneware cup came from, only that I feel like I've owned it my whole life. The small brown, hand-made pot is from Alsace and is a reminder of a wonderful journey.
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Here in Lower Saxony, we are very fortunate to have unique and varied landscapes, from the Harz mountains to the North Sea coast, everything is there. And especially in my immediate vicinity, the Lueneburg Heath with its wide heath and moor areas, there are some almost extinct animal species that you can observe with your own eyes or camera.
While the black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) was still native too many heath and moor areas in Lower Saxony until the 1970s, the bird, which belongs to the grouse family, has almost completely disappeared from the state today.
Only in the Lueneburg Heath is there a residual population of the black grouse, which has stabilized in recent years due to intensive protection and care measures, but is now declining again. At the last count in 2022, only 39 black grouse were found. It is imperative to protect this stock.
The black grouse is a small relative of the capercaillie. While the capercaillie is typical of large natural forest areas, the black grouse lives in open landscapes such as moors and heaths.
Only through the preservation of the open heathland and the special consideration of the visitors, by observing the rules on the way, will it be possible to preserve these animals of this bird species, which are threatened with extinction.
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It’s time for some autumnal warm-up exercises. Every year again the Red Current in my garden impressed me with its bright yellow leaves.
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Thanks to Kate Zari Roberts for the inspiring photo.
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Preparing a Toddler Workshop inspired by Jessica Durant gorgeous butterflies paintings. My sweet neighbor girls are so excited about these ideas and so I’m looking for the perfect way that we all have a lot of fun with pigments and water. I painted the butterflies with clear water and then put some drops of pigment into each one. I’m sure my little painter friends will enjoy this way of doing.
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