A SPOOKTACULAR HALLOWEEN MOUSE VILLAGE COMES TO LIFE WITH VID AND PIX By Shuk Yee Tsang Take a peek into the whimsical world of a tiny mouse village where the residents are getting into the Halloween spirit in style. Simon Dell, 52, from in Yorkshire, UK, has been building and photographing his magical mouse world in his garden for over six years for his little visitors. Each year, he handcrafts little homes, costumes and props to mark special occasions, and Halloween is no exception. Inspired by the film Little Shop of Horrors, Simon created a man-eating plant for the spooky season, while the adorable clay ghost costume remains his favourite prop, perfectly framed for the mouse to peek through. Simon carefully places treats like peanuts and sunflower seeds to guide the mice into positions for photos and videos, often letting them explore props and stage setups at their own pace. Over the years, Simon has watched countless generations of mice explore his village. Simon said: “In the wild, mice can live a short life, but they have many offspring, so the inhabitants of the mouse village are ever-changing. "We’ve just seen more babies, maybe four or more, who are fast becoming adults and could even have babies of their own for Halloween.” “We always have fun with Halloween in the magical mouse village. I’ve been working on some costumes and props, even a pumpkin house for them, you can bet whatever we do, it will be spooktacular. "The plant is inspired by the film " Little shop of Horrors" with the man-eating plant Audry II. “They responded great and always enjoy checking out new things in the garden mouse village. In most cases, as soon as I put something new out, they come to explore within seconds. “I often feel happy when they interact with the little homes or stage. They enjoy exploring and I love to watch them explore new things. “I love to recycle and use whatever I can to make little homes or things for the garden wildlife. I did plan on doing a whole new mouse village with everything made from recycled bottles, cans, or boxes, kind of like a trash heap village. “Most people love to see what the mice are getting up to next. “I like to see the mice doing anything us humans do; they love to interact with almost anything. “Some days the mice come out as soon as I enter the garden as they know I often bring food. I sit around eight feet away and they have become used to me being around so know I mean them no harm. “I often place food on or around any props or tables I put out, always thinking about what direction the mouse may come and how it will reach or sit to get the food, so it fits with the type of photo I want. “They get a wide range of food, most often peanuts and sunflower seeds, along with other mixed seeds all blended or crushed together. “Sometimes when a mouse is holding something mid-air, I can use a bit of wire to suspend the item bottle or cup, but in most cases, no wires are used. I just put some thought into how to get a mouse to pose in the way I would like. “Often, they shock me and just sit, stand, or pose by themselves; some of my best photos are just down to luck and clicking the shutter at just the right time. “I also pick and collect anything that grows locally or wild such as berries, hazelnuts, apples, and even wheat from a local farm field. Almost everything they get from me can be found in the wild. “I started in 2018 with the first mouse that came out by chance and made him a tiny shelter. After that, I am out there most days for around six hours, either taking photos, making props or homes, or just sitting watching them as they live the best life a mouse could live. “I take the photos using a DSLR camera and a mounted tripod, often sitting on the patio under a little homemade shelter. I have at times just sat on the ground right next to them, and they feed from my hand or come very close with no fear. “Most days when I am putting food down for them, one or two come and almost take it from my hand or just eat right next to my fingers.” END
Be the first to comment