Photographer Simon Dell from Sheffield, United Kingdom, noticed a mouse in his garden while he was out taking photos of birds. Did he scream and jump in his car to drive to the store to buy mouse traps? No. But he did aim something at the unsuspecting squatter: his camera. He was elated to find that the mouse was standing in the freshly cut lawn near his feet. But he didn’t want it to leave, so he decided to build it the most adorable tiny log cabin you’ve ever seen.
Simon Dell wasn’t afraid of the mouse he found in his garden, but he was worried it might be hungry. He didn’t want to come off as ungracious, so he treated the little guy to some peanuts. But as he watched him enjoying some tasty nuts, he came up with a name for the mouse and an idea to build the little guy he named George a shelter. It looked like Frodo’s house by the time Simon was done building the shelter for his tiny new friend. Simon piled up a couple of logs around a box and used moss and straw to cover it up. This would ensure that George was safe from a nearby cat, who was looking at the mouse like it was a Happy Meal with legs.
Simon also added some wire fencing around the fence. This would absolutely guarantee that the cats lurking nearby wouldn’t be able to get to George when he left the safety of his home. But then Simon noticed something shocking. A few days after he built George his shelter, he noticed that a couple of more mice had moved in. The two had come out to see if they could find some food. At one point, Simon must have realized he had built a full fledge Shire from “The Lord of the Rings”. As a wildlife photographer, Simon had a soft spot for wild animals so he created a lovely village that would literally provide creature comfort for the mice. Simon wanted the habitat he created to look picture-worthy, in case the mice were photogenic. Building the first log cabins was simple. But as more mice showed up, he realized he had to expand the village.
Although the photo shows the main entrance to the dwelling, there’s more here than meets the eye. But according to Simon, the interior of the box has one or two other escape hatches, so the mice can run away should a predator make its way through Simon’s sturdy fencing. As time passed, the log pile became a miniature city and home to these mice. Simon noticed that the mice community wasn’t about to stop growing not even when winter came. So, he prepared the village for the chilly winter, so that the newest arrivals wouldn’t freeze.
Simon also hollowed out other objects like this one which provided the tiny village with props that let the mice play around in. But this also gave Simon the opportunity to take some impressive photos of his new guests. Now, we’re not sure if it was a coincidence, but some of the mice appeared to be posing for the camera. Maybe they were trying to pay Simon’s kindness forward by giving him the most adorable photo shoot ever.
To make the village even more interesting, Simon started adding a couple of fun decorations such as tiny dining tables, motorcycles, washing lines, and weight sets. And obviously, the mice loved them because more of them keep moving in with no intention of leaving. But despite his hospitality, Simon has to be careful not to spook them, so he snaps these close-up photos using a zoom lens.
Simon really has a great idea for creating such an astounding environment like this one. If you’d like to see more of George the Mouse and his friends, be sure to follow them on [Facebook][1], [Instagram][2], and check out his website, [George the Mouse][3]. Simon has also created t-shirts, coffee mugs, tote bags, and other awesome goodies that you can order on [RedBubble][4]. [1]: https://www.facebook.com/Georgethemouseinalogpilehouse/ [2]: https://www.instagram.com/simon_dell_photography/ [3]: https://georgethemouse.com/ [4]: https://www.redbubble.com/people/simon-dell/portfolio/recent