Daffodils, Bird Food and A Visitor

Our friends brought beautiful Daffodils yesterday and today they are nearly all open and have that delicious scent of Spring.

Daffodils in bloom

I made a Chicken, Ham and Leek pie yesterday for lunch and today have rolled out the leftover pastry and studded it with bird seed as a treat for our bird visitors.

Bird treats

We had an unusual visitor at the peanuts today. We think it is a female Blackcap but her colouring was very pale. I’m sure someone will be able to confirm or otherwise for us.

Female Blackcap, we think

 

Rudder, Bee and Birds

Today the rudder came home after being renovated beautifully by Daughter No1. It is 6ft long so I just photographed the hole! It has been fitted back onto our boat, Skippalong, this afternoon. Re-launch is tomorrow!

Re-painted rudder

A bee was in the grass this afternoon and I thought it was looking a bit lost and weak. However, when I put the camera close it buzzed off, not in need of a sugar boost at all. Aren’t the wings just beautiful?

There were two Robins in the garden this evening, one on the beak of our sculpture, Fledgling. I took the photo from the kitchen on a long zoom.

Robins and Fledgling by Richard Holliday

 

Garden Birds, Tiny Mittens and Embroidery

1   I sat and watched our garden birds this morning.

Pied Wagtail

Bullfinch

Another Robin

Robin

Female Blackbird with the sun on her breast

Pigeon

2   I finished the tiny fingerless mittens for Grand-baby B last night and love how the size compares with the gloves of her Grandfather, the lovely Mr S.

Two pairs of gloves

3   Today I have used one of my Granny’s hand-embroidered tablecloths. She taught me to do all these stitches except the one that creates the hole. I would love to know how that works. She also taught me to iron on the back to make sure the design is properly in relief on the front.

Granny’s embroidery

 

Sunrise, Garden Birds and Flowers

1   Sunrise from our own windows can be as beautiful as those we’ve seen while in India and Nepal.

Sunrise over the back

2   It is always a joy to watch the birds in our garden. This morning we have seen the blue-tits  a pair of great tits, a male blackcap but not his mate, some hedge sparrows, goldfinches, blackbirds and a stunning pair of magpies and all in just a few minutes.  They are enjoying the berries of the Berberis and the seeds on the fennel as well as the fat-balls and various seeds that we put out for them.

3   It’s very pleasing to find so much still in flower in November too – a couple of Dahlias, Chocolate Cosmos (which has been in flower for months) Fuchsia and Viburnum, Kashmir Lilies as well as Heliotrope and Verbena.

Viburnum

Kashmir Lily

Fuchsia