What is this life if full of care...

...We have no time to stand and stare?

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows:

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass:

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night:

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance:

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began?

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

Leisure by WH Davies, 1911. In the public domain.

Probably even more true today than when it was written. This is in the gardens of Greywalls Hotel, where T and I were for her belated birthday afternoon tea, and we did have time to stand and stare. After looking round the ornamental gardens, we sat on a bench and watched hens, cockerels and a muscovy duck which was quite hideous. I dare say it didn't mind, although it had no companions of its own.

We also spent time using the plant identifier part of the Photos app and the Merlin Bird ID app for bird song which will tell you which birds are singing. It can cope with several birds singing at once. I heard a skylark for the first time this year - two to three months later than normal for me. It was a lovely afternoon altogether, with a fair amount of sun and warmth.