Weekly bird in the hand

Here is this week's "bird in the hand" - the things I am grateful for:

Photo by mikebaird

• The safe flight for my sister Mary, hubby Fin and nephews Matt and Pete, who arrived from the UK yesterday.  They stay with us until 7th August so we are really looking forward to having time together.
• Good docs and medical staff. 
• Our friend Dennis, whose birthday it was on Sunday. He had a fun party!
• My friend Andy whose birthday it was on Tuesday. Look forward to celebrating with him soon.
• The arborists for making all our trees look happy and neat again.
• Catching with a friend over a wonderful salad lunch and hearing her good news about a new job. Congrats Jo.

Hope you've had a good week too.

Ubiquitous Quentin

That Quentin quail seems to be everywhere. There I was in Lincoln with him and my parents (as you'll see in Sunday's blog) and then I get these photos from my nephew in Watford (look carefully on the snowman's head, near the birdland merlot logo cap!!).


You just can't keep a good quail down!

Thanks Peter for looking after him and letting him join in the snowy fun!


Don't see him on the trampoline with you...but then he is only small....


Heading down to see my nephews Matt and Peter today, and of course Mary and Fin...and whatever Quentins might be there.

Sunday's spotlight - Spring

By guest blogger Pete

Being retired is something that I can definitely recommend. It doesn't mean that you stop doing things but it does mean that you can do more of what you want, when you want and how you want to do it. Hobbies come into their own when you retire.

Just occasionally, however, life continues to get a bit hectic. I'm retired and, from time to time, a lot of things get booked for a short period of time. When I was working this seemed to be the norm but now I'm retired it is the exception. If nothing else the experience will give my few remaining brain cells a little exercise - and, probably, make me appreciate retirement even more.

Two more of my retirement hobby pastels this week. I must have been in a thunderous mood when I drew the landscape below BUT if you look carefully I hope that my scanner has caught the touch of yellow in the picture to represent the sun (trying to get through or trying not to be squeezed out?). Mind you, even on a sunny day I don't think I'd fancy living in that cottage. I don't suppose the inhabitant(s) enjoy many modern day appliances. At least they wouldn't complain about noisy neighbours, though.

I had trouble sharpening the other drawing below. It is a photo of a drawing but that original drawing has now been framed and the non reflective glass doesn't favour photography. This is a drawing I made last year of my younger grandson, who showed considerable talent and intelligence right from birth by starting off life with the same Christian name as mine.

Is it Spring where you are yet? Some foolish - nay, extremely foolish - man once said that young men's fancies turn when Spring arrives. We're beginning to get the early signs of Spring here in Lincoln but this morning the local radio station forecast that tomorrow (Wednesday) would being a heavy frost and sleet showers. I'm glad I'm not a daffodil bulb!!!!!!