Here he comes!
Quiet now, lest we frighten him away.
How tiny he is,
With little snub nose, and coat of velvet brown.
Stay quite still!
He's come to eat the Niger seed...
And now he's gone.
"In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun..."
Tuesday 29 July 2014
Friday 2 May 2014
A Heavenly Wardrobe...
When I get to heaven, I'll wear a dress of cherry blossom,
with wreaths of birdsong in my hair,
and shoes of gossamer thread.
I'll have a rainbow for a shawl,
the blue summer sky for a cloak,
a negligee of shimmering rain,
and a jumper of bonfire smoke.
When I get to heaven, I'll wear a gown of blazing sun,
and a necklace and diadem of dazzling stars,
and dressing will be so much fun!
with wreaths of birdsong in my hair,
and shoes of gossamer thread.
I'll have a rainbow for a shawl,
the blue summer sky for a cloak,
a negligee of shimmering rain,
and a jumper of bonfire smoke.
When I get to heaven, I'll wear a gown of blazing sun,
and a necklace and diadem of dazzling stars,
and dressing will be so much fun!
Sunday 9 March 2014
First Day of Spring?
Thursday 6 March 2014
What colour is your beak?
I read recently that you can tell the general health of a male blackbird by the colour of his beak - apparently, the stronger his immune system, the yellow-er it is in appearance.
I think the three male blackbirds who currently live in our garden must be very healthy indeed, as they all have beaks that verge on neon orange. Given that spring is just around the corner, and they are all spending a lot of energy defining boundary lines (which mostly seems to consist of singing very loudly, and fighting each other on the lawn and in amongst the bushes), it's probably just as well...
My father had a cold the other week, and as he stood there wheezing and sneezing, looking decidedly wan, I suggested he should go to bed, adding that if he were a blackbird his beak would probably be a rather pale, dirty yellow. He agreed. How useful it would be, when it comes to looking after our health, if we all had colour-changing beaks!
I think the three male blackbirds who currently live in our garden must be very healthy indeed, as they all have beaks that verge on neon orange. Given that spring is just around the corner, and they are all spending a lot of energy defining boundary lines (which mostly seems to consist of singing very loudly, and fighting each other on the lawn and in amongst the bushes), it's probably just as well...
My father had a cold the other week, and as he stood there wheezing and sneezing, looking decidedly wan, I suggested he should go to bed, adding that if he were a blackbird his beak would probably be a rather pale, dirty yellow. He agreed. How useful it would be, when it comes to looking after our health, if we all had colour-changing beaks!
Monday 17 February 2014
Flood guilt...
According to the weather on Candlemas this year, winter should not be over for another month or more, but the proverb may not hold true this year - for yesterday the sun was warm! Admittedly, the air was still cold (and sitting outside without a hat has left me with a cold), but you can't have everything. And it wasn't raining! Actually, it felt a bit strange - blue sky, warm sun, no rain - was this some kind of alternate universe?
But who knows what the weather, in its wisdom (?!), will decide to do over the next few weeks. It could deluge us with snow storms yet...
the snowdrops and aconites catch some sun... |
Friday 31 January 2014
The Big Garden Birdwatch
Last weekend I took part in the British Big Garden Birdwatch. I'm not entirely sure why, because every year I go through the same agony: "What if the birds don't come?"
At any other time of the year, our garden is practically bursting at the seams with birds of all varieties, including, occasionally, really exciting ones such as the gold crest (of which I saw one this morning); but come the Big Birdwatch weekend, and hey, presto! they all vanish, and all I get to put down is two sparrows and a blue tit. I swear those birds can read RSPB leaflets. Maybe being put on the "endangered" list gives them bird street cred. or something...
At any other time of the year, our garden is practically bursting at the seams with birds of all varieties, including, occasionally, really exciting ones such as the gold crest (of which I saw one this morning); but come the Big Birdwatch weekend, and hey, presto! they all vanish, and all I get to put down is two sparrows and a blue tit. I swear those birds can read RSPB leaflets. Maybe being put on the "endangered" list gives them bird street cred. or something...
Sunday 29 December 2013
Winter is icumen in...
Today I awoke to the first proper frost of the season. Bushes and branches were outlined with sparkling white crystals, the grass crunched under my feet, and the puddles and pond were covered in ice. The air was still, and up above in the pale blue sky, a waning crescent moon still hung. Hurriedly I filled up the bird feeders and put out a dish of water, and soon the birds began pouring in; mostly pigeons and collared doves at first, but the smaller ones weren't far behind...
Our Jesse tree came down on Christmas Eve, in readiness for the Christmas tree(s*) to go up. Because of this, I only have symbols going up to the 23rd of December, rather than the 24th. These were the symbols for the last week of Advent:
19."Sculpey" brick wall (Nehemiah rebuilds the city wall)
20. Shell (John the Baptist - the second Elijah)
21. "Sculpey" mother and child (Elizabeth - barrenness made fruitful)
22. "Sculpey" white lily (Mary - human acceptance of God)
23. Felt Eeyore (Joseph - obedience to God)
That was our Jesse tree for 2013, and now 2014 is only three days away...
*We have to have two trees, as my mother's and my decorations do not blend...
Our Jesse tree came down on Christmas Eve, in readiness for the Christmas tree(s*) to go up. Because of this, I only have symbols going up to the 23rd of December, rather than the 24th. These were the symbols for the last week of Advent:
Our Jesse tree, 2013 |
20. Shell (John the Baptist - the second Elijah)
21. "Sculpey" mother and child (Elizabeth - barrenness made fruitful)
22. "Sculpey" white lily (Mary - human acceptance of God)
23. Felt Eeyore (Joseph - obedience to God)
That was our Jesse tree for 2013, and now 2014 is only three days away...
Happy New Year, Everyone!
*We have to have two trees, as my mother's and my decorations do not blend...
Labels:
Advent,
birds,
Jesse Tree,
Things to Make and Do,
weather,
winter
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