RAIN FALLING ON HOLLY

I wasn't going to do a fourth Christmas picture unless it was riveting or very beautiful. Hah-hah, you can't trust me. I have gone back on my word.

If the amount of water falling out of the sky right now was snow, we would be up to our eyeballs in it again. As it is, the temperature is 13C/57F. It won't be this warm in April or May. Our little burn is crashing down the mountainside and roaring like Niagara Falls. The wind is twisting around in Quixotic gusts and it is dark as a dubh loch out there. How do people take night pictures? I couldn't focus on a single drop of water.

I did get a shot of a robin, though. This is a first and un miracolo. He is nicely framed in dripping rose branches but there is too much rain between him and me.

Santa is arriving here this afternoon in the shape of Favio, the Mac techie with a designer beard. He is bringing an external hard drive, Christmas present from Himself. He can also try to rest his stubby fingers on the back of my sizzling iMac. Favio suffers from a bit of the machismo. He addresses himself to Himself even though I am standing right there.

Late addition. This is Favio. See? I told you he had a designer beard. Techie