March - Coming in Like a Lamb, or Maybe a Rat

I keep seeing and hearing the work "bespoke."  I do not think it means what you think it means.  Forgive the Princess Bride quote.  Melissa - I know you recognized it - even if I did slaughter it.  Here is what authoritative sources say:

Bespoke is derived from the verb bespeak, meaning to "speak for something.".The particular meaning of the verb form is first cited from 1583 and given in the Oxford English Dictionary: "to speak for, to arrange for, engage beforehand: to 'order' (goods)." The adjective "bespoken" means "ordered, commissioned, arranged for" and is first cited from 1607.ccording to Collins English Dictionary, the term was generally British English in 2008. American English tended to use the word custom instead, as in custom car or custom motorcycle. Nevertheless, bespoke has seen increased usage in American English during the 21st century.

Basically, it is used here in England more often than the States, and means that something has been custom-made for someone or something else.

On another note, The Oxford Mail Newspaper announced that Oxford has more rats than people, coming in at 320,000 in 2020.  One of the comments from readers asked "Who counted?" Oxford's human population is around 150,000 - give or take a few thousand.  Another tidbit:  "You are never more than 6 feet from a rat."  And one more, "One (more specifically two) rat is capable of producing 72 baby rats a year."

On our walk along the river, there is a pathway that winds past 30 or more lovely little homes, facing and not more than 20 feet from the river.  As we walked past this lovely home, which looks vacated, a fat rat scuttled across the front yard tiles.  By the time I had my camera out, he was in the shelter of the shrubs, but if you look closely, you will see him.

A second later, he continued his jaunt to the much-used indent in the gate.  Look at the closeup.

As we continued our walk, we came across a beautiful swan couple who gracefully swam towards SK - no doubt hoping for a treat of some sort.  SK just wanted to converse.

We saw this beautiful heron standing as still as a statue, scanning the water for his dinner.  We stood and watched for at least 15 minutes, during which time he wandered back and forth on tiny skinny feet and legs.  The fast-flowing water looked like it could certainly sweep him off his feet, but he was solid.

He is patient, standing from 40 to 50 inches tall, the tallest bird known to inhabit England.  When it flies, its long skinny legs trail behind it and its wings form an M.  He will wait for hours for a fish to swim by, sometimes resorting to stealing goldfish out of private ponds.  

Herons eat mostly fish, small birds, amphibians, and small mammals like mice and rats.  I believe the heron is bespoke for rats (or maybe for the benefit of humans - except for the goldfish theivery.)