Clouds on fire

Up before dawn today to catch the sunrise - that's early, in my book, 5 am, but it was worth it. Took about 70 shots, between the camera and the mobile, but narrowed it quite easily down to two for today's blip. Choosing between them was really hard, though - the other shot is more traditional, and clearer, but the way the sun caught the wispy clouds that rose up to meet him from the valley was breathtaking. If I knew how to put a link to the other shot, I would - but maybe that option's only for full members.

Between stages, I set an armchair by the window, sipped coffee, listened to and watched the birds. And reflected that I'm going to have to slow down on Blipfoto, I just can't afford the time at the moment. I so enjoy seeing other people's amazing photos and reading their blips, let alone posting my own, it's hard not to spend hours browsing.

Out on the porch now with the computer and heard the oropendolas clicking and squawking in the trees, so popped out to take a look. The Brazilian variety isn't as colourful as some, but they're good-looking birds, black, with white beaks and yellow under-tail. They move around in bands and make long, untidy nests (bird equivalent of a tenement?). The hummingbirds have been busy too.

HH has gone off to a meeting at the golf club - too busy preparing for it to play today - and my knee gives me a good excuse for staying home with the dogs. So now I'm going to turn resolutely away from Blip and get on with sorting out my computer, files etc. Please wish me luck.

P.S. Called out again by the birds. This time it was a parrot, making such an unusual noise - a very rapid series of short clucks. Took me a while to spot him, but had to laugh every time he did it, nodding his head frantically with every cluck. Then spotted a small pear moving in a mysterious way, and realised its stalk was clutched in another parrot's beak. The pear won the day, though - the parrot dropped it in the end. Eventually, five or six parrots burst out of the trees and flew off, with their usual squawking - I think one of the dogs must have snuck up there when I wasn't looking.