In the trees...
In folklore
In your
foraging bag...
In the air...
Nest-building is gathering
pace with most British birds
starting to build from early
March. Robins and blackbirds
are easy to spot creating
their nests as they tend to
build at low ground with lots
of cover. Meanwhile, some
early birds, like tawny owls,
have already built their nests
and by this time may well
have a clutch of eggs.Wondering why March is so
gusty? As the earth warms, it
makes pockets of hot air, causing
pressure difference between
the hot areas and the cold ones.
As air moves from areas of high
pressure to low, it creates wind.On 1 March, the folk of Lanark
celebrate Whuppity Scoorie. The
children of the town gather and,
at the toll of the bell at 6pm, run
clockwise around the church
three times, shouting loudly and
whacking each other with paper
balls tied to string. The roots of
this 19th-century tradition are
thought to be to celebrate the
coming of lighter evenings when
children were allowed to stay
outside later. We just like saying
P Young hawthorn leaves P Early nettles ‘Whuppity Scoorie’ if honest.March (^) Almanac
HABIT TRACKER
COMPILED BY IONA BOWER. IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCK
Whether you’re brewing beer,
making wine, steeping sloes in gin,
or creating something much more
healthful and less alcoholic, your
moonshine needs a catchy name
before you delight friends with it.
Here are some naming tips. Write
your moniker in the bottle above
when you’ve picked one.
O Alliterate. Think Beryl’s Best
Brew or Sticky Sloe Syrup. A rhyme
helps too: ‘Ida’s Cider’ (assuming
your name is ‘Ida’, of course).
O Include the name of your location
to whip up local interest: Trusty
Tiverton IPA, perhaps. A nod to a
local landmark is always good, too.
O Feel free to over-promise (as long
as you aren’t charging for it). If you
say gin will make you beautiful
and witty, then it is so.
How to name
your home brews
Colour in the
appropriate
eggs when you
spot the nest...
Robin
Bl
ac
kb
ird Taw
ny^ owl
Making a point of noticing the signs of spring
always cheers us. Colour in the boxes in a spring-
shade each day you experience one of these signs.
- Sticky buds on t rees
- A show of spring bulbs
- The scent of spring in the air
- Buying Easter-related chocolate
and scoffing it early
1234
Project
In thetrees...
In folklore
In your
foraging bag...
In theair...
Nest-buildingis gathering
pacewithmostBritishbirds
startingto buildfromearly
March.Robinsandblackbirds
areeasyto spotcreating
theirnestsas theytendto
buildat lowgroundwithlots
of cover.Meanwhile,some
earlybirds,liketawnyowls,
havealreadybuilttheirnests
andbythistimemaywell
havea clutchof eggs.WonderingwhyMarchis so
gusty?Astheearthwarms,it
makespocketsof hotair,causing
pressuredifferencebetween
thehotareasandthecoldones.
Asairmovesfromareasof high
pressureto low,it createswind.On1 March,thefolkof Lanark
celebrateWhuppityScoorie.The
childrenof thetowngatherand,
at thetollof thebellat 6pm,run
clockwisearoundthechurch
threetimes,shoutingloudlyand
whackingeachotherwithpaper
ballstiedto string.Therootsof
this19th-centurytraditionare
thoughtto beto celebratethe
comingof lightereveningswhen
childrenwereallowedto stay
outsidelater.Wejustlikesaying
PYounghawthornleaves PEarlynettles ‘WhuppityScoorie’if honest.March Almanac
HABIT TRACKER
COMPILED BY IONA BOWER. IMAGES: SHUTTERSTOCKWhether you’re brewing beer,
making wine, steeping sloes in gin,
or creating something much more
healthful and less alcoholic, your
moonshine needs a catchy name
before you delight friends with it.
Here are some naming tips. Write
your moniker in the bottle above
when you’ve picked one.
O Alliterate. Think Beryl’s Best
Brew or Sticky Sloe Syrup. A rhyme
helps too: ‘Ida’s Cider’ (assuming
your name is ‘Ida’, of course).
O Include the name of your location
to whip up local interest: Trusty
Tiverton IPA, perhaps. A nod to a
local landmark is always good, too.
O Feel free to over-promise (as long
as you aren’t charging for it). If you
say gin will make you beautiful
and witty, then it is so.
How to name
your home brews
Colourin the
appropriate
eggswhenyou
spotthenest...RobinBlackbird Tawny^ owlMaking a point of noticing the signs of spring
always cheers us. Colour in the boxes in a spring-
shade eachdayyouexperienceoneof thesesigns.- Sticky buds on t rees
- A show of spring bulbs
- The scent of spring in the air
- Buying Easter-related chocolate
andscoffingit early
1234
Project