Description
bronze resin Mouse on half an apple
I think this is just a case of making good use of spare produce. Who could deny these gorgeous little creatures a little slice of Autumns great bounty. My bronze resin Mouse on half an apple looks so pleased with his little find. There are always apples to spare now – its soon enough that Winter will come and then they’ll be looking for the keys to your larder.
Mice
I actually really like mice! I have no problem with them. You would think that with nine cats in the house we would be mouse free, but of course the cats bring them in. I rescue them when I can, but dead or alive they give me a good opportunity to have a look at them, they have beautiful little paws, almost hands with tiny claws.
Don’t confuse mice with voles, which have a shorter tail.
If you live in the countryside and your cat brings in a mouse, it is likely to be a Wood Mouse or possibly a Yellow Necked Mouse
The Wood Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) is also known as the Long-tailed Field Mouse. It is the commonest and most widespread mouse species that resides in the British countryside.
The Wood Mouse is a close relative of the rarer yellow-necked mouse (Apodemus flavicollis). It differs slightly in that it has no band of yellow fur around the neck, is slightly smaller in size, darker in colour and has smaller ears.
Fully grown Wood mice measure around 8.1 – 10.3 centimetres from nose to tail. Their tails measure 7.1 – 9.3 centimetres in length. Wood mice have generally dark brown fur on the top part of their bodies with white/grey undersides. They have large protruding eyes, large ears and long tails.
Wood mice are found in fields, gardens, woods, scrubs, open grasslands and hedgerows throughout Britain and Ireland. They live in underground burrow systems, usually under the roots of trees, that contain a series of nest chambers, runs and food stores. Nests usually consist of a ball of dry grass, moss and leaves. However, the Wood Mouse will live just about anywhere there is plenty of food and shelter.
The Wood mouse has a varied omnivorous diet, eating nuts, berries, seeds, acorns, haws, seeds, fungi, spiders and rose hips as well as small insects, larvae and worms. Food is stored in underground burrows or occasionally in disused bird nests.
The wood mouse does not hibernate and, despite its name, it prefers hedgerows to woodland.
It is mainly nocturnal and an excellent climber and will leap high in the air when disturbed. They have superb hearing and excellent vision (hence the large eyes and ears). Unfortunately, it has many enemies including weasels, stoats, cats, foxes, moles and owls. They are a vital source of food for other larger nocturnal hunters particularly owls.
Wood mice nest wherever there is cover and warmth, this usually means below ground however, they can also be found in hedgerows, buildings, car radiators and other similar dwellings.
Resin Bronze Sculptures
When I make a sculpture I particularly like, I have it moulded and cast in Bronze Resin. A process that creates an attractive and durable alternative to real bronze. The bronze resin animal sculptures have proved to be very popular as they are affordable and easy to send and I am continually adding to the range. My work is also available in galleries, mainly in the Westcountry.
Links
If you would like to find out more you can also check out my Facebook Page. Every year for Dorset Art Weeks I coordinate several like-minded artists and transform my home into a gallery. Check out the Horethorne Group facebook page as well for all the latest new
