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12 Month
12 Month
I often find November to be quite the poignant month, not only because of the changing of the season but because of Remembrance Sunday. ‘Lest We Forget’ continues to be an important reminder to us all and our freedom today is only assured because of the bravery of many yesterday. With this in mind, I’ve included a lovely article in all editions this month from Bakewell Heritage. Like all our Heritage articles, it is written by a wonderful volunteer local to that area but I wanted to share it with everyone this month. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Right, I’m off to hold my eyelids open, Clockwork Orange style as I’m really really really not ready for it to be Christmas just yet!!
Happy Reading,
PS: Don’t forget to mention the ‘Voice’ when you use any of the companies in this magazine
ASMR - A BALANCE OF REACTIONS
This month, our magazine covers are based on a unique art style…layered paper art. It’s bold, textural, and for some, quite polarising. People like Emily, MD of Voice Magazines, who has visual misophonia, find these kinds of visual stimuli incredibly off-putting…in fact they make her shudder.
Visual misophonia is triggered by certain patterns, repetitive movements, or high-contrast visuals, and it’s fascinating how it affects one’s perception of art. To Emily, these layered pieces evoke a sense of agitation and discomfort rather than appreciation.
On the flip side, there are those who find this layered art quite soothing, almost like a visual version of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response). Just as some experience “tingles” from soft sounds like whispering or tapping, certain visual patterns can create that same calming sensation. The intricate details and layering of paper art can feel almost hypnotic, giving viewers a sense of peace and relaxation.
So why do people react so differently? It all comes down to how we’re wired. For someone like Emily, these designs trigger a heightened discomfort, almost like nails on a chalkboard but for the eyes! For others, this type of art can feel serene, like watching waves ripple or leaves fall—drawing them into a meditative state.
Just like ASMR isn’t for everyone (see below), neither is layered paper art. While some find comfort in these complex visuals, others are more likely to feel irritation or sensory overload. It’s a testament to how diverse our responses to art can be.
Personally, I find the layered paper art intriguing. It might not hit the mark for everyone, but there’s something beautiful about how art can evoke such strong, contrasting reactions. Whether you love it or can’t stand it, it’s certainly a conversation starter!
What do you think? Do these kinds of designs make you feel relaxed, or do they grate on your senses?
And how about the trend for ASMR focused videos? I may appreciate the idea of layered paper art, but I really don’t understand why anyone would want to watch a video of someone whispering into a microphone, or chomping and crunching through food, or tapping a nail on a countertop (or any of the other things ASMR video makers create).
Quite the opposite, in fact, I find them incredibly irritating, and people with auditory misophonia (often triggered by the sounds of others eating) would find a sound clip focused on someone chomping and crunching the very reverse of therapeutic and calming.
So, whilst ASMR videos do nothing for me, I know people who find some relief from these videos and I’m all for personal choices. Somewhere out there, right now, someone is making another video aimed at soothing someone else… and that’s actually kind of nice…isn’t it?
A note to the Voice design team though…maybe, stay away from layered paper art for future covers!
These articles are researched and written by Laura Billingham, a local content writer and author. Laura moved to the Peak District several years ago to pursue her passion for writing.
Embrace the Elegance and... LET THE LIGHT FLOOD IN!
New State-of-the-Art Glass Conservatory Roofs by HeatGuard
The charm of a glass conservatory roof is not simply aesthetic – it’s also about the sense of openness it brings to your living space. The sprawling canvas of the sky above, viewable in all its glory, can be a priceless addition to your home. Beyond the visual appeal, there are many other advantages of glass conservatory roofs. including year-round comfort, selfcleaning properties, reduction in energy bills and beautiful visual options to suit any property style.
Energy Efficient Solar Control Glass
Conservatory Roofs - Recent significant technological advancements and improvements in the quality of glass conservatory roofs has resulted in a vast increase in energy efficiency. Modern thermally efficient glass significantly reduces heat loss during cooler months while deflecting the sun’s heat in the summer. Consquently, this provides an evenly tempered space throughout the year, lower energy bills due to reduced need for artificial heating and cooling, and a greener, more sustainable living solution.
Self-cleaning Properties - The self-cleaning products have been certified to EN 1096-5, the new European Standard for self-cleaning glass. Maintaining the pristine appearance of your roof has never been easier.
Longevity and Easy Maintenance - Despite their ethereal appearance, glass conservatory roofs are remarkably resilient. They are built to withstand harsh weather conditions, from heavy rain to snowstorms.
Maximising Light and Space - An integral benefit of a glass conservatory roof is the unparalleled influx of natural light it provides. Not only does this brighten up your space, but studies have also shown that exposure to natural light
can improve mood and productivity. More so, the illusion of space that these roofs provide can drastically enhance the ambiance of your interior.
Glare Reduction - The Sunshade Blue is the best performing blue, solar controlled glass to date with fantastic solar and heat reflection properties of up to 82%. It also provides increased glare reduction, Unrestricted Views and Stargazing Opportunities - One of the unique pleasures of a glass conservatory roof is the opportunity to stargaze without braving the elements. Similarly, during the day, you can enjoy panoramic views of your garden or the passing clouds.
Your community needs more foster carers. Currently there are over 3,314 children in care across Derby City, Derbyshire, Nottingham City, and Nottinghamshire, with only half finding foster homes. There is a high demand for long-term carers, short-term carers, and specialists for children with special needs. Carers for sibling groups and teenagers are also critically needed.
In April 2024, a regional fostering hub was launched through a collaboration between local councils to boost recruitment and support for foster carers. The “Foster for East Midlands” hub guides prospective carers from enquiry to application and enhances support for existing carers.
YOUR SUPPORT CAN TRANSFORM A CHILD’S LIFE!
STUNNING HOLIDAY COTTAGE IN WARKWORTH, NORTHUMBERLAND
Treat yourself to a luxury break at the 4* Gold Award winning Little Red Hen House. An elegant and cosy holiday home just a 7 minute drive from award-winning and dog-friendly Warkworth beach.
✽ 2 spacious en-suite bedrooms
✽ A fully enclosed garden
✽ 2 small to medium dogs welcome (3 upon request)
✽ Fully equipped kitchen, including an American style fridge freezer
✽ Perfect for exploring the stunning Northumbrian Heritage Coastline
✽ Close to a range of dog friendly pubs, cafes & restaurants in stunning Warkworth
✽ We have fast fibre Wi-Fi and smart TV’s
“We found T.Nutt and Sons Ltd after a very disappointing time with another dealer. Walking in to the shop we were shown exactly the sort of carpets samples we needed - and their pricing was brilliantly simple. Ordering and measuring went through without any problems, and the fitting date was arranged. When it came to the time, the fitters turned up on time - a great team. They took care to look after the premises, even to moving a heavy piano - fitted expertly with attention to detail and left only after they were convnced that we were happy with their work - WHICH WE WERE! We cannot recommend T.Nutt & Sons Ltd highly enough. Thanks for your help.”
STONE SLATING
Stone slate roofing plays a crucial role in England’s architectural heritage, reflecting the geological and environmental features of each region.
Buildings in areas like the Cotswolds and the Pennines have distinct, harmonious appearances due to the use of local limestone or sandstone roofing, which ties them to the landscape. Unfortunately, the use of these materials is dwindling, putting regional identity at risk. To preserve local character, it’s essential to maintain the availability of traditional stone slates.
Known as grey slates, flagstones, or thackstones depending on the region, stone slates are not geologically true slates. Instead, they are sedimentary rocks split along bedding planes, with their size, colour, and texture influenced by the conditions under which they formed. The stone’s variety in texture—from rippled surfaces in shallow waters to smoother slates formed in deeper, calmer waters—imparts a unique character to each village. Local stone quarries, small in scale, supplied nearby communities with these distinct materials, ensuring that each building reflected its environment.
The traditional craft of stone slating involves laying slates in diminishing courses, starting with the largest pieces at the eaves and progressing to smaller ones at the ridge. This method reduced material waste and added to the roof’s distinct appearance. Quarrying was typically done by hand, with workers splitting and shaping the stone manually. Stone slates have been used since Roman times and eventually became a standard roofing material, but the rise of cheaper, mass-produced alternatives has led to their decline.
Preserving stone slate roofs is critical to maintaining the regional character of buildings. This includes using new stone slates rather than salvaged materials, which can harm the original structures and encourage theft. Proper roofing techniques, such as careful detailing of eaves, ridges, and valleys, ensure that roofs perform well while retaining their unique appearance. Supporting small, local quarries helps sustain traditional stone production and the vernacular styles that make these regions distinctive.
BAKEWELL CARPETS
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Ground Floor, Multi-Story Car Park, New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield, S40 1QR Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri: 10.00am - 4.30pm Wed: Closed & Sat: by appointment only
GOING AWAY FOR CHRISTMAS , SOMEONE COMING TO STAY OR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING NEEDS DOING?
If you require a Manual Wheelchair or a Boot Scooter to hire to take away or stay at home we can help you!
You can hire mobility equipment on a short term hire, from a full day, overnight, week or a month Opening
BOOK REVIEW
THE FRAUD - ZADIE SMITH
Zadie Smith is best known for critically admired novels such as White Teeth and Swing Time.
With The Fraud she’s travelled back to the 1870s when all London was gripped by the Titchborne inheritance court case – a true case - involving a cockney born butcher who claimed to be the lost heir to a wealthy Hampshire estate.
This tale of early identity theft is interwoven with the story of an enslaved man on a sugar
plantation who supports the butcher’s claim. It’s also, surprisingly comedic in a sharply satirical way – not something you can often say about a book featuring slavery as one of its themes.
And it’s about how we present what seem like facts depending on what side of an argument we are on. Will the Jamaican version win or the British one? Who decides the truth?
The Fraud is quite a complex book, but a satisfying read.
THE WONDERS OF THE UK COASTLINE
The UK coastline stretches over an impressive 22,000 miles, offering some of the most diverse and spectacular landscapes in the world. (Note this measurement varied depending what sites I looked at – this calculation is from The Marine Conservation Society).
From towering cliffs and sandy beaches to rugged rocks and hidden coves, our coastline is a treasure trove of natural beauty and wildlife.
Given that the UK is only the 11th largest country in Europe and the 80th in the world, it may come as a surprise that the coastline is so huge. But look at a map and it becomes easier to understand. The UK is an irregular shape, and has many inlets, bays, and islands. Scotland alone boasts thousands of islands, contributing significantly to the length of the overall coastline.
One interesting fact I uncovered is that, thanks to the wiggliness (technical term!) of our coastline, all of us are within 70 miles of the coast. The location identified as being the most landlocked is right here in Derbyshire. Coton in the Elms, with a population of less than 1,000 (2011) is 70 miles from the mean low water line at Fosdyke Wash, on the edge of The Wash, south of Boston, in Lincolnshire.
But it’s not just about the size—what really sets the UK coastline apart is its variety. From the chilly waters and towering sea stacks of northern Scotland to the warm, sandy beaches of Devon and Dorset in the southwest. From windswept cliffs in Cornwall to pebble beaches in Brighton, and the white sands and crystal clear waters of the Western Isles of Scotland.
The geology of the coastline is just as diverse. You’ll find dramatic limestone cliffs, volcanic rock formations, and chalky white cliffs like those at Seven Sisters and Dover. Each coastal stretch tells a unique story, shaped over millions of years by natural forces.
The UK coastline is also a haven for wildlife, thanks to its wide range of habitats. It’s home to seabirds, seals, dolphins, and a rich marine ecosystem. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a basking shark—the world’s secondlargest fish—cruising through the waters off the Cornish coast. Coastal nature reserves, such as the Farne Islands in Northumberland, famous for its puffins, attract thousands of migratory birds each year.
The shores of the UK are also home to seals, both grey and common, with colonies scattered along the east coast of England and in Scotland.
As you would expect, the UK’s coastline experiences a variety of climates! In the far north, places like the Shetland Islands are known for their cold, rugged conditions, while the southwest of England, especially Cornwall, enjoys a relatively mild and even subtropical climate in some areas. The Isles of Scilly are the warmest place in the UK with an average annual temperature of 12.0°C, as opposed to the UK average of 10.89°C.
We may be heading into winter now, but any time is a good time to enjoy a trip to the coast…mmmm – fish and chips!
These articles are researched and written by Laura Billingham, a local content writer and author. Laura moved to the Peak District several years ago to pursue her passion for writing. To
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Contact Sarah on 0115 849 2386
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Slimming World Recipe
Minced Beef Hotpot
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.
2. Spread out the potatoes in a large non-stick baking tray, spray with low-calorie cooking spray and roast for 25-30 minutes or until cooked and browned all over. Season lightly.
3. At the same time, put a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the beef and cook for 8-10 minutes or until browned, stirring to break up any lumps. Drain off any fat, then transfer to a plate.
4. Add half the onions and half the carrots to the saucepan and cook for 4 minutes, stirring
For more information visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk
What the world needs now is love, sweet love. That and a whole pile of comfort food. The tasty dish will fill you up and you can stay on plan. Enjoy!
occasionally. Add the garlic, tomato purée, stock cube and 600ml boiling water. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Blend the mixture until smooth with a stick blender (or use a food processor and return to the pan).
5. Return the beef to the pan, add the rosemary, swede and the remaining onions and carrots, and simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Stir the balsamic vinegar and soy sauce through the beef mixture and cook for 10 minutes more. Check the seasoning, pile the potatoes on top and serve with your favourite veg.
Serves: 4 Syns per serving: FREE
Ingredients:
• 1kg potatoes, cut into small chunks
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 500g lean beef mince (5% fat or less)
• 2 large onions, diced
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 beef stock cube, crumbled
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 small swede, peeled and diced
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 4 tbsp dark soy sauce
Ready in: 1 hour
Heritage of Bakewell
NOVEMBER 2024
GRANDAD WERE YOU IN THE WAR?
‘Yes lad, I was part of the allied invasion of France, the D-day landings, as it became known. It began on 6th June 1944. Troops set off from the south coast of England and landed on the French beaches. We needed to repel the German army, stop them from coming over here. D-day was a real turning point in WWII.’
Grandad sits in a chair his walking stick tapping on the floor. He chuckles, ‘I was only a young ‘un when I joined the Allied forces.’
‘Who were the Allied Forces?’ asks the boy.
‘The countries who didn’t agree with what the German forces were doing, the ones who supported Britain. Many countries joined the allies, but the forces involved in the D-day landings, were Britain, Canada and America. There were two plans, the D-Day landings, code name Operation Overlord, but we had a second one called Fortitude. Operation Fortitude was meant to fool the Germans into thinking we would cross the channel and land at Calais.’
‘Fool them?’
‘Yes, Fortitude was devised deliberately to mislead the Germans. The British transmitted and broadcast false messages from radio stations in Kent. We built fake army camps with dummy tanks and aircraft, to give the impression the invasion was going to be across the channel to Calais. It worked. The Germans concentrated their most powerful force, the 15th Army, in the
Calais area. That left the Normandy coast that we intended to go to protected by the smaller, 7th Army.’
‘What happened?’ the boy whispers.
‘Oh, we was all on edge. The Normandy coast is further south and that was our real target you see.’ Grandad leans forward. ‘It was dark when my convoy set off. Packed in like sardines we were, tossed all over the place, I was thinking that any minute we’d capsize.’
‘Were you frightened?’
‘Lad, I were terrified, but we were soldiers. We arrived, the ramps dropped, and the doors opened. We were supposed to land on the beach, but we were yards away. We had to wade chest deep holding our guns in the air through swirling waves. Flashes of mortar bombs, bursting shells, gun fire, erupted around us as we reached the beach. Heavy black smoke hung in the air, choking us and blotting out the early morning sun.’
Grandad pauses and shakes his head.
‘There were so many casualties, in places the sea ran red with blood. A shell exploded right next to me, the blast knocked me right off my feet. I was covered in sand. The smell of explosive was all round. I’ll never forget that smell. I ran past bodies of the lads who beat us ashore. It dawned on me then that a few seconds or just a few steps can mean the difference between life and death.’ He pauses.
‘They fought us hard on the beach where I landed, but we did it.’
He laughs.
‘Then about 5 o’clock, we were resting waiting for orders when a woman came out of a house at the top of the beach. She collected her washing from the line, then disappeared inside again, calm as you please. We all burst out laughing. The house stood right in the middle of the fighting. She must have been in there all that time.’
The boy sits, his head full of images of the D-day landings and all his Grandad has told him. He thinks about the beaches in France, the fierce battles, the brave soldiers fighting for their country and the terrible casualties on the day the sea ran red.
Bakewell Old House Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 11am to 4pm. You can contact us on 01629 813642 or go to our website www.oldhousemuseum.org.uk Please see the website for opening hours and prices. Alternatively contact the museum to book or for details of tours.
Rowsley War Memorial
Ends 30th November 2024 with
The Old Bank 1 Radcliffe Road, West Bridgford NG2 5FF 0115 9818 777
Free parking on Pavilion Road. Enter Post Code NG2 5FP
The Old Church, 31 Nottingham Road, Ripley DE5 3AS 01773 747 456
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10% OFF SUPPLIERS LISTED IN THIS ADVERT. Ends 30th Nov
OPEN MONDAY TO SATURDAY 9.30AM – 4.30PM
SUDOKU #52
Fill in all the numbers!
This is a sudoku 1 square grid 81 cells 9 3x3 blocks
1 simple rule: Use all the numbers 1-9, with no duplicates allowed, in any row, column, or block.
visit www.pitcherwits.co.uk
Guess the words and Fill in the crossword !
1 Set to a previous time when tacked on to bad planning (4-5)
7 Balls! And that’s not being rude! (7) 13 Had a bio-op. against Jezebel (7)
Drew clear plans for sticky gear? (3-6)
Pitcherwits® are crossword puzzles where some of the clues are in pictures.
Sound easy? It’s not called “Pit-your-wits” for nothing! The mixture of cryptic and picture clues, combined with Professor Rebus’ unique sense of humour, will keep you entertained for hours.
Across
5 Antelope harvesting nuts to store (3)
6 Go down with sauce, not style (3)
10 Nothing with vanilla in it! (3)
11 Well set in when ace ends the play (7)
12 Basmati recipe generates fury (3)
16 Take in estimated arrival time at first? (3)
17 An individual from Indonesia (3)
Down
2 Encamps, with men leaving for the tops (4)
3 Each upset is a pain (4)
8 Old cinema, with a square screen in Spain? (5)
14 Sketched in a good reward (4)
15 Assumed the shielded ones to be offside (4)
All Around the Shire
A GLIMPSE OF STOCKING TOP
In every group we meet on our travels there will be at least one person who worked in the hosiery trade either as a seamer, a finisher, a dyer, an examiner or someone who sewed the seams into stockings. People still remember the shops or market stalls which provided the service of invisible mending for fine stockings. They were too expensive to discard just for a ladder.
A question I always ask is “What did you do if you couldn’t afford stockings?” People invariably answer and tell me about drawing a line up the back of your leg with a pencil or dying your legs to make them look like you were wearing stockings.
We have heard a multitude of things used for staining the legs: gravy browning, coffee, tea, soil and, the strangest of all, rubbing in red sand. I often wondered if dogs would come and lick your legs, but no one remembers that. Talking about suspenders also provokes many memories: if you lost the little white button, you could replace it either with an aspirin, or a coin, usually a
sixpence. I had a story from a woman who used to hold her stockings up with three sixpences, so she always had one and six for her bus fare home! They have never completely gone out of fashion, and we met a man at Tibshelf a couple of weeks ago who still repairs the machines used for manufacturing stockings.
The wearing of nylon stockings still evokes a feeling of postwar euphoria. They have always stood for the opposite of scarcity, austerity and making do.
THE FUNGUS SEASON
Wet weather and falling temperatures, make Autumn the mushroom season. Though hugely important as they breakdown dead organic matter, recycling nutrients into new life, fungi are frequently unseen biodiversity. Now, often following early frosts, fungal fruiting bodies (mushrooms or toadstools) suddenly appear in grasslands, woodlands, and gardens. The latter may be particularly rich if you use forest-bark or woodchip-mulch which fungi love. The mushroom or toadstool is just the fruiting body like fruit on a fruittree. The business end of the fungus is the almost invisible massed hyphae, which power the ecological world. Some of these unseen fungi form so-called mycorrhizas with great trees to help their nutrition and survival. Fungi scavenge soil around old trees and pass vital mineral nutrients into their roots; by way of return fungi gain sugars from arboreal photosynthesis. Neither plants nor animals but are a separate kingdom of fungi, they are probably more closely related to animals than to plants. Because of these remarkable relationships, searching under old oaks, beeches, birches, and pines, is a good way to find autumn mushrooms. When they appear, depends on weather with frosts, warmth, and moisture, all important.
I spotted a fungus or mushroom known as Spindleshank (one of the ‘toughshanks’) or scientifically, Collybia fusipes in a local ancient woodland. This parasitic fungus grows on the basal roots of deciduous trees like oak, and identification was by my friend Dr Paul Ardron. As explained, the ‘mushroom’ is merely the fruit-body of the fungus the hyphae of which are inside the wood of the roots breaking them down. Underneath the cap of this mushroom, the gills bearing reproductive spores, are distinctively widely spaced. This parasite potentially causes root-rot in deciduous trees, especially oaks and beeches, both of which are in this woodland. It may cause dieback of the tree’s crown, and occasionally they also attack conifers. The spindles (with stems swollen but then tapering sharply towards the base) and which give the fungus its common name, are generally hidden under soil and root-wood. When young mushroom clusters emerge, they look rather like a mass of copper nails. Mushroom enthusiasts are frequently interested in finding and eating them (which can be risky) and whilst the Spindleshank is noted in guidebooks as ‘edible’ it is also described as ‘not worthwhile’ on account of its toughness.
Another find was a southern Bolete toadstool (Boletus radicans) and it has turned up abundantly under beech trees. This is a spectacularly large, colourful, but sadly inedible mushroom. The massed growths on the tree-roots look almost brain-like when they emerge en masse. The Boletes are characterised by incredibly complex organic chemicals, some of which are hallucinogenic and others seriously (sometimes deadly) poisonous. This particular species turns bright sky-blue when cut open as the organic chemicals react with the air’s oxygen to oxidise and change colour. This toadstool is spreading northwards perhaps driven by climate change. Whatever the reason, it is becoming more common. As we head into November, more and more exciting and interesting mushrooms will appear, although heavy frosts may bring things to a close rather sharply.
Growing in mown grassland and feeding on animal dung are a range of fungi called the ‘Inkcaps’ including the ‘Lawyer’s Wig’. These auto-digest their own mushroom cap to produce a black spore-rich black fluid once used as ……. ink.
Professor Ian D. Rotherham, researcher, writer, broadcaster on wildlife and environmental issues in the Peak District and elsewhere, is contactable on ianonthewildside@ukeconet.org. Follow his website www.ukeconet.org, blog www.ianswalkonthewildside.wordpress.com/ & Twitter @IanThewildside
SHAGGY INKCAP
SHAGGY INKCAP
BOLETUS
COLLYBIA FUSIPES
Gardener’s Calendar
Top Tip:
This is a good time for pruning most types of roses, including climbers which will flower on shoots grown the same spring. You can cut them back fairly hard.
Tulip planting time is on us. Plant them deep if you want them to flower year after year, but even if they’re just going in for one glorious show, do plant them at least six inches and if you have heavy or clay soil add sand for drainage – they don’t like sitting in clag.
November is also clear-up and prep time. Bubble wrap your terracotta pots. Terracotta absorbs moisture which means in freezing conditions they’re quite liable to crack as the water expands into ice. Gather leaves for leaf mould – a good element of compost. Run the mower or shears over them to give them a head start and pile into a heap, a simple container from chicken wire would do. Cut back oregano and chives which have gone to seed to give them room to grow early.
Don’t leave old plastic pots lying around in the garden unless you’re a lover of slugs. They make a great winter hiding place for the voracious little beasties and you’ll regret your lack of housekeeping come the spring.
