Feathered Friends...

Backblip
After a lazy morning that consisted of a long(ish) lie in and a bowl of cereal in the smallest bowl in the world (excellent for portion control) David, Alan, Ed and Elaine headed out to explore our surroundings and see what was what (always important to do that :-)) whilst, due to creaky hips, I opted to stay at the chalet sitting on the balcony over-looking the forest, in the sunshine with a coffee and my camera.

I had only been sitting there a few minutes when a little visitor arrived in the shape of today’s blip.  I think he's a chaffinch (I am more than willing to be corrected)  He was quite friendly and looking at me expectantly so I went and got some bread from the kitchen (yes I know bread isn’t the best thing to give them but it was seeded bread so I tried to pick out all the seeds) and before long he was happily pecking and munching. 

He must have passed the word to his friends as before too long there were four of them all perched there looking at me and happily posing.  The camera didn’t seem to bother them.  I just wish I’d put the bread closer to where I was sitting but I didn’t realise they’d be so tame.  There was a little robin that I was desperate to photograph but he was a bit shy and didn’t come close enough.   I also saw lots of little bunnies in the grass but by that point I was so intoxicated by the sunshine, the view, the breeze on my face and the utter peacefulness of it all, I wanted to just experience it rather than photograph it.

In the blink of an eye almost four hours had passed.  Four hours of not thinking about the world and what’s happening in it either on a domestic level or a larger scale.  No thinking about what’s happening on social media, the BBC website, blip, incoming emails.  Utter bliss.  So much so I am determined to limit my online time when we get back.
 
The gang arrived back having been on a lovely walk on the edge of Kielder water.   They also investigate a number of activities Alan will hopefully be able to do over the coming days.  Unfortunately we’re not sure if he will be able to do any water sports as power wheelchairs are not allowed on the jetty.   We thought that might be the case but couldn’t bring his manual chair as it doesn’t fold down and he’s too heavy to be pushed in it all week so couldn’t bring it in place of his power chair.  The Kielder team are trying to think of a way round it (perhaps transferring him into one of their manual chairs despite it not having the right supports but it’s for such a short time it might work.)

After his dinner Alan headed off with Ed and Elaine for an organised evening walk that ended in a bonfire.  Alan caught the eye of a young lady called Sally who, according to Elaine, was very taken with him.  Lots of glances, smiles and waves till she was brave enough to say hello.   A holiday romance eh?  Honestly, if he fell into the Clyde he’d come out dry!  
   
David and I had a relaxing steak dinner washed down with a lovely malbec and I was crashed out on the sofa by 9.30pm.  There’s something in that fresh air!