Tag: Monsters

(B)East of Eden 2 – Another Level!

Posted on by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

Hello there Beastiebuddies! We’re heading back to Cornwall this week, to rejoin Paddy and Plunkett as they make their way to the very top of the 50m tall Rainforest Biome at the Eden Project… No mean feat when you’re only 6 inches tall! Since I’ve wanted to visit Eden for a reeeealllly long time, the boys were good enough to go along with the camera and show me what it’s like. Cheers lads! Here are some of the highlights of last week’s adventure, or click to catch up on the full post.
Eden Project Highlights - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesI only hope they’re still talking to me after that long uphill trek! Let’s see how they’re getting on.

Ah, there’s Paddy now. He seems to be making good progress!
Paddy Tackles the Rainforest Biome - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“You can see loooooads from up here! We found another waterfall, like the one at Babbacombe…”
A Waterfall in Eden - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“…But the people down below just keep on getting smaller!”
View from the Top - Rainforest Biome, Eden Project - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesFrom up here, you can really see how the Cornwall landscape has been incorporated into this captive jungle – amazing! And soon…
“Taaaa-daaaaah! We made it! Hey Plunkett, take my picture!”Paddy at the Top of the Dome - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThe thing about being above the rainforest canopy, but underneath the protective dome that shelters it from the British weather, is that it gets very, VERY hot. Too hot for Aran sweaters, as it turns out. So after a nanosecond of consideration, Paddy removed his and used it as a parachute to skip out on the walk back to ground level.
“See you later, Plunkett! Wheeeeee!”

Do I really need to mention that parachuting isn’t Plunkett’s cup of tea? Probably not. So, he took his time wandering back downhill… And he was glad he did. Look who he bumped into on the way!
Plunkett's Feathered Friends - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThese are roul-roul or crested partridges, and they’re not just here for show. By eating their fill of bugs and grubs, they’re providing a valuable natural pest control service to Eden’s leafy inhabitants!

And Plunkett couldn’t help but chuckle when he saw this…
Plunkett at the Jaguar Crossing - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“Hahaha! Jaguars crossing! Paddy will love this.”
And he didn’t have to wait long to tell him about it. Paddy was just around the next corner!
“Paddy, did you see the jaguar crossing sign back there? Hilarious! As if there’d be jaguars in here!”

But Plunkett was in for a surprise.

“Sure there are, Plunkett! There’s one right there!”
Paddy, Plunkett and the Jaguar - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“What? Whe… GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!”
Run, Plunkett! H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesOh dear. Poor Plunkett! Hopefully it won’t take him too long to calm down again, and he’ll join us next week for a sedate wander around the outdoor areas of the Eden Project. I’m pretty sure they’re jaguar-free!

As for me, I’ll be back on Friday with more monster fun and games. In the meantime, have you ever met any unusual local wildlife on your travels? Share your tales of terror in the comments, and maybe Plunkett will feel better!

Beasties in a Giant Bird's Nest - CrawCrafts Beasties

My Beloved Monsters – A Revisit

Posted on by crawcraftsbeasties in Ideas

Earlier in the week, I was cruising around the You-Tubes watching Muppets and Sesame Street videos – Boyfriend found a Muppet Christmas special that I’d never seen, and I confess now that I watched ALL of it, despite the complete seasonal impropriety – and I was reminded of this post that I wrote waaaaaaay back at the beginning of my BeastieBlogging life.

Because it was perhaps my fifth post, it didn’t really get much of an audience. And I think that’s a shame, so I want to give it another chance now that all you lovely people have taken to calling around for a read and a chat twice a week. So, grab a cuppa and your sweet treat of choice, and let me introduce you to the monsters that made ME.

1. The Muppets
MuppetsWell, after what I said in the intro, this was to be expected, wasn’t it? And I’d like to widen the net to include all the characters created by Jim Henson’s Creature Workshop – from Fraggle Rock to Mopatop’s Shop. One of my earliest TV-related memories is of watching “The Muppet Show” with my family, and I’ve been a fan ever since. And while Miss Piggy and Kermit always steal the show, it’s the antics of the monsters in the supporting cast which have kept me watching all these years.

2. Stoppit and Tidyup
Stoppit TidyupDoes anyone else remember this? It’s my token obscure hipster choice! Stoppit and Tidyup was a series of short cartoons, which aired the UK in the mid-to-late 80s. Each episode told a story about cheeky red fuzzball Stoppit, his better-behaved friend Tidyup and one of the other bit-part characters who lived with them in the Land of Do-As-You’re-Told. You can meet them all by watching the show’s intro… and yes, that is TV legend Terry Wogan narrating. Regular BeastieBlog readers might pick up on a bit of a Paddy and Plunkett dynamic between Stoppit and Tidyup, too!

3. The wonderful creations of Dr Seuss
green-eggs-hamI adore the illustrations in the Dr Seuss books – try as they might, those film adaptations just don’t do them justice. They’re so simple, but they capture everything perfectly. He’s especially good at showing furriness, and his not-quite-human, not-quite-animal creatures always have incredibly luxuriant fuzzy hands and feet. And those gadgets! Just look at the contraption which Sam-I-Am is using to offer his plate of green eggs and ham – why don’t restaurants have these?! My love of these characters was kick-started when my brother and I got a hand-me-down copy of The Dr Seuss Storybook from our older cousins, and from the first story (“McElligot’s Pool”, featuring pages of fantastic imaginary fish) I was totally hooked.

4. Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland”
momeraths-2Or, more correctly, the part of the 1951 animated film where Alice finds herself in Tulgey Wood. The multicoloured mome raths in the picture are joined by a forest-full of other nonsense creatures, including some pretty imaginative birds. I just rewatched this recently, and it still makes me smile!

5. The Creatures of Studio Ghibli
TotoroAnd not just the Totoros, either… although they are a great introduction to the universe of Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki. Most of the films feature a charming animal sidekick, a supporting cast of critters drawn from Japanese mythology or (best of all) both. Add in some beautifully-painted backgrounds and stories which manage to be heartwarming without descending into saccharine sweetness, and you’ve got a winner. Want to see more? This article handily introduces some of Ghibli’s best incidental characters.

And for real hardcore fans, there’s a whole MUSEUM dedicated to the world of Ghibli in Tokyo… It was quite literally the first attraction I visited when I went to Japan in 2009! Here is a nice dorky picture of me getting ready to buy a ticket from Totoro himself at the gate.
Totoro and Me - CrawCrafts BeastiesOk, ok, you can stop laughing now. But what about you? Is there anything special from your own childhood that’s had a unexpected influence on your adult life? Be sure to tell me all about it in the comments!

Aaaaand Paddy and Plunkett will be back with part 2 of their Eden Project adventure on Tuesday, so stay tuned! Enjoy the weekend!

PS I claim no ownership of these images (except that last one), and this post belongs to a time when I was blissfully unaware of image crediting etiquette. Any copyright infringement is totally accidental, and if I need to credit you, please let me know!

Paddy's Vineyard Party, Eden Project - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

(B)East of Eden!

Posted on by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

So, last week we learned that Paddy and Plunkett had taken a trip (another one!) to the south-west of England. And since they were in the neighbourhood, I got in touch to ask them a special favour… I’ve wanted to see the Eden Project for YEEEEEAAARS, so would they please go, and take lots of pictures?

Done and done!

“Here we are! Greetings from Eden!”
Beasties at the Eden Project - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“Woooooaaaah! Look at this place, Plunkett!”
Paddy and Plunkett at the Eden Project - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“Yes, it’s incredible! I wonder what that is over there? Looks… Spiky.”
“Must be the Cactus House, I suppose!”

Paddy should probably have looked at the guidebook. It’s actually the “Core” zone, an exhibition and learning centre. It was closed that day while they updated the exhibition… But I suppose that just means that the boys have an excuse to go back another day! Besides, it seems like there was plenty to see elsewhere… First stop, the Mediterranean Biome!
Inside the Mediterranean Biome - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesStunning… Look at all that green! It would be easy to lose a pair of mossy-coloured Beasties in the middle of all that. Fortunately, Paddy is never one for blending into the background. And surprise surprise, he’s “accidentally” stumbled on the vineyard… Where there seems to be a bit of a party going on!
Paddy's Party - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“Hey, Plunkett, come and join the party! Wow, I bet Tammie and Finn would love this – it’s just like one of Tammie’s books!”
Paddy's Vineyard Party, Eden Project - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThe Mediterranean Biome isn’t just home to European flora, either. There are plants in here that hail from temperate zones all over the world, including North America, South Africa and Western Australia. Paddy was excited to find this visitor from Down Under – a grass tree, potentially stuffed full of nutritious witchetty grubs!
Paddy Forages for Lunch - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“Plunkett! I’ve fixed lunch for us!”

Wait a sec, where’s Plunkett? Has he literally run a mile from Paddy’s idea of a nice picnic?

Nope – turns out he’s just moved on to the jungly climes of the Rainforest Biome! Billed as the world’s largest captive rainforest, this 50m tall bubble holds exotic plants and trees from South America, West Africa, Southeast Asia and the tropical islands. I think this is much more his scene, don’t you?
Inside the Rainforest Biome at the Eden Project - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThe Eden Project is built in a former clay pit, one which was conveniently nearing the end of its clay-producing life when creator Tim Smit was on the lookout for the perfect home for his next big venture. The pit actually dictated the shape of the biomes – they became “bubbles” so that their edges could hug the irregular surface left behind by years of clay extraction! And the claypit walls are still very much part of the Eden experience. A spiral path meanders around them, gradually bringing you up to the very top of the dome!

Ready? Let’s start climbing!

Of course, Paddy was the first to take a peek over the edge.
Paddy Peering Down into the Rainforest - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“Wow! Those humans look Beastie-sized from up here!”
Beasties or People? Rainforest Biome, Eden Project - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesBut they’re not at the top yet! They have plenty more bridges to cross…
Rope Bridge, Eden Project - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties… And so much more to see! But you’ll have to wait until next week to find out what surprises were lurking in the forest!

Meanwhile, we’ll be back on Friday with a more down-to-earth monster adventure. See you then!

Goth Beastie with Flowers - CrawCrafts Beasties

Blooming Beasties!

Posted on by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Flashback Friday, Knitted Beasties, Life at Beastie Towers

May started this week… and that also heralds the traditional start of summer in Ireland! Now, the weather never feels truly summery until we hit June, but you can’t argue with tradition, can you? And this idea goes way back – the Celtic festival of Beltane falls at around this time each year, signalling that it was time to start moving livestock to their summer pastures. Customs associated with this celebration include variations on the theme of bonfires (lighting them, driving cattle between a pair of them, jumping over them) and decorating homes, trees and even livestock with flowers.

In the name of safety – not even Paddy was up for jumping over a bonfire – we’re going to focus on the second of these. So, bring on the Beastie-ful floral tribute!

Look, here’s Bride Beastie to get us started! The heather flowers complement her bouquet quite nicely, don’t you think?
Bride Beastie in Heather - CrawCrafts BeastiesThe flowers in St Stephen’s Green in Dublin are always amazing at this time of year… As this tea-drinking Beastie discovered!Spring Flowers at St Stephen's Green - CrawCrafts BeastiesExplorer Beastie is also partial to some blooms, when he finds them…
Explorer Beastie Makes a Botanical Discovery - CrawCrafts Beasties… And there’s nothing more relaxing than enjoying your favourite beverage in the garden on a sunny day. Right, Red Lemonade Beastie?
Red Lemonade Beastie in the Garden - CrawCrafts BeastiesEven Minibeasties can get a slice of the floral fun – thanks to LucyAnn from LucyAnn & Luna Craft for this pic!
Oh, and we’d better not leave Paddy and Plunkett out!Paddy and Plunkett at Arundel Castle - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesYikes, this flower fever is contagious! It’s even spread to those Beastie characters who usually see things in black and white…
Goth Beastie with Flowers - CrawCrafts BeastiesSo now there’s no excuse not to feel nice and summery… Even if you’re in the southern hemisphere! Enjoy the weekend (especially those of you who’ll be getting an extra day thanks to the May bank holiday) and we’ll be back on Tuesday for some fresh Beastie fun!

Paddy on the Train - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Paddy and Plunkett – A RAIL Good Time!

Posted on by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

Paddy and Plunkett, Wandering Beasties - CrawCrafts BeastiesWell, these two certainly don’t hang around in one place for very long! After exhausting the entertainment possibilities of their own attic a couple of weeks ago, Paddy and Plunkett decided that the time was right to hit the road again.

Next thing I knew, they were sending me pictures from Devon, in south-west England! And it looks like Plunkett was in charge of organising their first day out, because they began their explorations at the historic Babbacombe Cliff Railway, just outside Torquay! Plunkett has a bit of a thing for trains.
Paddy Photobomb 1 - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesUnfortunately, Paddy has a bit of a thing for jumping in front of the camera.
“Paddy! Sit down!”
Paddy Photobomb 2 - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“But look! There’s another carriage coming up on the other side!”
*Sigh*

Plunkett finally got his first Paddy-free shot when their Beastie-sized funicular train reached its destination – right to the seashore at beautiful Oddicombe Beach. As Paddy dashed off to skim stones over the water, Plunkett looked back up the tracks…
The Tracks at Babbacombe Cliff Railway - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties… Then took a few steps back to watch as a fresh carriageful of visitors were delivered right to the water’s edge.
The Babbacombe Cliff Railway in Action - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesThe car really does look very strange when you view it from the side!

The idea for the Babbacombe Cliff Railway dates back to the 1890s – those Victorians loved a good seaside gadget – but it wasn’t completed until 1926. The 720-foot-long track saves people a very irksome uphill walk at the end of their day at the beach, so it’s little wonder it soon became a popular attraction – records for 1935 say that 192,000 people made the trip that year!

But more recently, the railway fell on hard times. Following a significant breakdown in 2003, it closed for 6 weeks… and although services did still run occasionally after that, it was in need of hugely expensive repairs that the local council simply couldn’t afford. Luckily, some enthusiastic locals set up the Friends of the Babbacombe Cliff Railway group, and made it their mission to promote the railway and raise money for the repairs. Thanks to their hard work and the sale of St Marychurch’s Town Hall in 2005, the funds were finally there – so the railway got its much-needed overhaul. Everything got an upgrade – cars, cables, rails and control systems! By the end of winter 2006-7, the repairs were finished and the Babbacombe Cliff Railway was back on track!

So, with some nice clear photographs and a brainful of information from the visitor centre, Plunkett rejoined Paddy for a walk along the shoreline. This beach is on Devon’s Jurassic Coast, so the steep cliffs are made from stunning rich red sandstone – you can see them a bit in the photo above. The main attraction for the boys was this waterfall… Complete with Beastie-sized viewing platform!
Paddy, Plunkett and the Waterfall - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesBut they couldn’t dawdle here all day… Quick, you’re about to miss the last train home! And walking up that hill will be no fun on little short legs!
Plunkett Admires the Babbacombe Cliff Railway - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesFortunately, they juuuuust made it in time. And after catching his breath on the journey back up, Plunkett felt brave enough to clamber up on a railing to get one last look at the train!

Are there any weird and wonderful attractions near you? Be sure to tell us all about them in the comments – perhaps Paddy and Plunkett will come to check them out on a future visit!

Oh, and also… Welcome to May! The latest Beastie calendar page is up in the shop and ready to download, if you haven’t already! You can find it here.

We’ll be back on Friday with more Beastie fun and games – see you then!

Paddy and Plunkett Reach Beachy Head - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Friday Social #6 – Beastie Adventures From Near and Far!

Posted on by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Knitted Beasties

Well hello there, Beastie people! And look, the weekend is very nearly here! So I thought it might be fun to catch up with some other members of the far-flung Beastie family… it appears that a couple of them have been taking advantage of the (vaguely) improving weather!

For starters, any of you who enjoyed meeting my Magical Unicorn Beastie on Tuesday will definitely get a kick out of reading about Finn McSpool’s recently-discovered “magic” powers on Tammie’s site…

Finn McSpool in the Garden - T Painter
Finn sees the future! Picture from tammiepainter.com

… Plus, if you happen to share my complete lack of horticultural skills, I bet you’ll really enjoy a virtual wander around a garden in which things actually grow!

Now, let’s hop over to the other side of the pond, and catch up with Sinéad Beastie, over on Daze & Weekes. She’s just back from Amsterdam, the lucky little monster!

Sinead Beastie, Jumping on the Bandwagon - dazeandweekes.com
Jump on that Bandwagon, Sinead Beastie! Photo from dazeandweekes.com

For your convenience, Sinéad has visited some of the highest-quality (ahem!) tourist traps that this great European city has to offer, and she can’t wait to share her findings with you all!

Aaaaand if all that has you counting down the days to your own summer break, I can help you get your planning started!
May Calendar Image - Free download from CrawCrafts BeastiesMay’s Beastie calendar page is in the store now!

As usual, it’s totally free… And you only need to fill out your name and email address in the order form, then the internet pixies will drop your copy directly into your inbox!

Get yours!

Alrighty, that’s all the news from Beastie Towers and beyond… And now I’m planning to spend the weekend working away on the next batch of Beasties! If you’ve got any monster plans, be sure to tell us all about them in the comments.

See you on Tuesday for more Beastie shenanigans!

Don't Kick It! H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Paddy, Plunkett and a Blast From the Past

Posted on by crawcraftsbeasties in Crafting, Paddy and Plunkett

Hey there everybody! I’m mixing it up a bit this week, thanks to a recent round of blog updates… Which you can check out in Tuesday’s post here, if you haven’t already!

I figure since you got your behind-the-scenes news on Tuesday, it’s only fair to get you ready for your weekend with a monster mini-adventure! So let’s join Paddy and Plunkett, who have stumbled on something curious in their home…
A Curious Discovery - Paddy and Plunkett, Beastie HQPlunkett reckons that since it’s sitting on a pedestal, it’s probably art and he shouldn’t touch it. Paddy, however, has never been the type to let pedestals or velvet ropes stand between him and a good time, so…
Paddy Takes a Closer Look - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“Plunkett, I think it’s some sort of hairy football! Here, I’ll bring it down…”
“Um, Paddy, I really, really…
Don't Kick It! H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“…Don’t think you should kick it!”
Paddy Kicks the Kiwi - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“Oooooops!”

At least they’ve managed to establish that it’s a kiwi fruit. And this knowledge came in very handy later on, when they stumbled on one of my old craft projects!
This Looks Familiar... H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“Hey Plunkett, this is just like the kiwi from earlier!”
“Yes, it does… But look, there’s a zip hidden in the middle!
Not Just a Kiwi - H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesHahaha! They’ve found one of my old school art projects – a kiwi fruit dress!
Kiwi Fruit Style! H Crawford/CrawCrafts BeastiesI had heaps of fun making this back in the day… So much so that I made a handbag and shoe covers to match! Unfortuntely, kiwi fruit style is yet to catch on in mainstream fashion circles – but it sure makes a good Hallowe’en costume!

Oh, and Paddy decided he just HAD to try it on himself!
Paddy Tries on the Kiwi Dress! H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties“What do you think – is this my colour?”

Looking good, Paddy!

What about you? Do you have any memorabilia from your school days, or old arts and crafts projects lurking around at home? If you find them this weekend, be sure to tell us all about them in the comments!

Aaaaand we’ll be back on Tuesday with a new Beastie to share! See you then…

Paddy at the Gate - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Castles and the Coast – A Beastie Road Trip!

Posted on by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Paddy and Plunkett

You know, I was almost concerned that I’d have no monster shenanigans to share this week! Winter is yet to release its grip on Dublin, and with plenty to keep me busy inside Beastie Towers, getting out and about has been pretty far down my list of priorities.

Fortunately, Paddy and Plunkett have bailed me out yet again! It takes a lot to keep this intrepid pair indoors, and last week saw them hopping on a train, then a bus…
Hitting the Coast Road to Glenarm - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
… And heading north to Glenarm, where the sun is apparently still making an occasional guest appearance!

Plunkett was especially keen to check out Glenarm Castle. He loves a good castle! That’s it in the background there.
Paddy and Plunkett at Glenarm Castle - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
Glenarm Castle is owned by the Earls of Antrim, whose ancestors built Dunluce Castle.

Dunluce Castle - Image from www.independent.co.uk
Dunluce Castle – Image from http://www.independent.co.uk

Look familiar? The craggy ruins of Dunluce (albeit with a little digital alteration) pop up in Game of Thrones as Pyke, the home of the Greyjoy family!

However, it was this place that caught Paddy’s eye… A castle on a more Beastie-like scale! (And one that still has its roof!)
Barbican at Glenarm Castle - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
The pair had to have a closer look!
Paddy and Plunkett at Barbican - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
And Paddy checked if anyone was at home.
Paddy at the Gate - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
“Paddy! Stop kicking the gate!”
Paddy Attempts a Little B&E - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
“Awwww, Plunkett! I’m pretty sure this place is MY ancestral home!”

Fortunately, Plunkett was able to win Paddy back around by mentioning how close they were to the sea. It’s just a short toddle downriver from here!
Looking Downriver To Glenarm Village - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
And Glenarm village is looking especially pretty today. Check out that sky!
Glenarm Village - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
The boys enjoyed having a good look around the harbour, which was originally built to ship out limestone from the local quarry to Britain.
Paddy and Plunkett at Glenarm Harbour - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
The quarry has closed now, so when the sea wall was damaged in a storm about 30 years ago, it was rebuilt to create the marina you can see here today! Then…

“Hey Plunkett, what’s that?”
The View to Straidkilly - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
“Well, over there is Straidkilly Nature Reserve, one of the last places you’ll find wild red squirrels in Northern Ireland…”
Straidkilly from Glenarm - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
“… And THAT is the old police station, which my guidebook says is now a B&B!”
Paddy, Plunkett and the Police Station - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
“You know, Paddy, I think that might be more your kind of place than the castle…”

Unfortunately, the photos stop there – so there is no evidence of how Paddy reacted to Plunkett’s suggestion that a night in the cells might suit him better than a weekend of being lord of the manor. Let’s hope Plunkett didn’t end up taking a surprise swim!

What did you lot get up to over the Easter weekend? Be sure to tell us all about it in the comments, especially if there were monsters involved! We’ll be back on Friday with the latest Beastie news… Oh, and if you missed it, April’s free calendar page is in the store now! Don’t forget to pick up yours!
April Calendar Image - Free printable download from CrawCrafts Beasties

Paddy and Plunket on the Boardwalk at Cuilcagh Mountain - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties

Boghopping Beasties!

Posted on by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Knitted Beasties, Paddy and Plunkett

The terrible twosome are back! I was looking through my old emails the other day, and I came across an unblogged Paddy and Plunkett adventure from – ta daaaah! – a bright sunny day last June. I’m not sure about you, but Spring is taking its time getting into full swing here in Dublin…
Spring in Dublin, 2018 - CrawCrafts Beasties…and with more chilly weather forecast for the weekend, I think we could all use a little extra sunshine!

So come and join us as we explore a wild and very typically Irish landscape…
Beautiful Northern Ireland Countryside - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
…A peat bog!

This blanket bog is at Cuilcagh Mountain in Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, and it’s one of the most intact blanket bogs in Western Europe. But what’s a blanket bog, you ask? Well, it’s a thick carpet of peat that forms over a large area of flat or gently undulating ground, covering it like a blanket. The peat is usually about 2-3m thick, and takes thousands of years to form… Even in areas like Cuilcagh Mountain, where the high rainfall and poor drainage make for perfect bog-growing conditions!

Paddy and Plunkett were lucky enough to visit the Cuilcagh Mountain Park on a rare day when it wasn’t raining, and they bravely took to the boardwalk to explore this unusual habitat.
Paddy and Plunket on the Boardwalk at Cuilcagh Mountain - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
I don’t think they realised just how long the walk ahead was going to be, though.
The Boardwalk at Cuilcagh Mountain - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
The boardwalk was built after the area became a park in 1998, so that rangers could begin conservation work on the bog without damaging it further. Their main task was to dam 17 miles (that’s 25km) of drainage ditches – which had been dug to facilitate peat cutting back in the day – and restore the natural water level of the bog, so that it could start to grow again. This was an immense undertaking, as all the work had to be done by hand… so it’s hardly surprising that it took the guts of 13 years to complete!

However, Paddy was a little underwhelmed by the appearance of the bog itself…
Peat Bog Scenery - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
“Ah, Plunkett! It’s just grass and squishy bits! What’s special about this?”
“You have to look a little closer, Paddy…”
All the Mosses of the Bog - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
“… Because although they’re not very big, the plants here are specially adapted to life in these strange, squelchy places. And look at those colours!”

Plunkett also explained that bogs are one of the best weapons we have against climate change, by being massive carbon sinks. It’s estimated that boglands in the northern hemisphere alone have about 450 billion tonnes of carbon squirreled away in long-term storage, and undisturbed peat bogs are continuously adding to this stockpile at a rate of 0.7 tonnes per hectare per year. You can find out more here!
Paddy and Plunkett Check Out the Peat Bog - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
“We’re also very lucky to have so many of them so nearby, Paddy! Less than 2% of the earth’s land surface is made of blanket bogs, compared with the 7% covered by rainforest!”

Talk about a turnaround! That rousing speech had Paddy galloping ahead to see as much of the park as possible!
Taking in the Bog at Cuilcagh Moutain - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
“Keep up, Plunkett!”
Paddy and Plunkett Climbing Cuilcagh Mountain - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
And the view from the top of the mountain was definitely worth waiting for!
The View From Cuilcagh Mountain - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
They even met a couple of distant cousins on the way home.
Distant Beastie Relatives! H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
Hope that’s got you all in a nice summery mood! And have any of you had a chance to visit one of these wondrous landscapes? Let us know in the comments!

We’ll have more Beastie adventures next Tuesday – plus I’ve an artsy Friday Social planned for the end of the week, so don’t forget to swing by for that! See you then!

 

 

Cathedral Closeups - CrawCrafts Beasties

Friday Social #2

Posted on by crawcraftsbeasties in Beastie Family, Life at Beastie Towers

Hello everybody, and happy Friday to you all!

It’s been all go here in Beastie Towers. Earlier in the week, I had a birthday… I was *cough* 29!
(Again)
And I hope none of you are hungry, because I celebrated with THESE. Thanks, Boyfriend!

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It’s hard to see in the photo, but the box and tissue paper lining are printed with pictures of monsters, too… Now I’m NEVER going to be able to put that in the recycling!

Also from the Twittersphere… Another completed colour-in calendar page! Thanks for sharing, Tammie!

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I was delighted to get Beastie greetings from some monsters overseas as well! Climber Beastie dropped in from this rugged mountain range…
Climber Beastie Drops In - J Donaldson/CrawCrafts Beasties
…And here’s Sinéad Beastie. She brought a friend to the party!
Sinead and Puffer Fish - Daze+Weekes/CrawCrafts Beasties
You can see more of Sinéad’s adventures on Daze and Weekes, here!

Speaking of adventures, Paddy and Plunkett were at large again earlier in the week. And while Paddy’s reimagining of “A Knight’s Tale” got the most laughs…
Sir Paddy of Beastie - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
… There was also a murmur of interest in this traditional Irish river curragh, housed in the same museum.
Paddy, Plunkett and a Very Familiar Curragh - H Crawford/CrawCrafts Beasties
This is extra exciting for me, because my Dad made it! So, I thought I’d pop in a link to his curragh-building Facebook page today, in case any of you wanted to find out a little more about these awesome historical boats and how they’re constructed!

And finally, don’t forget it’s St Patrick’s Day this weekend! I’m starting the celebrations early with a spot of knitting (what else?) at St Patrick’s Cathedral.
Cathedral Closeups - CrawCrafts BeastiesYou see, for the last 6 weeks, my local yarn shop has been hosting free knitting, crochet and felting sessions, led by me and my fellow crafters Aoibhe Ní and Niki Collier. We’ve been helping people from the local community to get together and make little handmade gifts, which will be given away to visitors to the Cathedral over the festival weekend. So, if you’re in the area, pop along and say hello… and maybe learn a new skill!

Otherwise, swing by again on Tuesday to meet the latest addition to the Beastie family! See you then!