We have had Goldfinches and Greenfinches in the garden a little more regularly over the last few weeks and the behaviour of the Great Tits is changing. I suspect they are looking for a nest site.
We also have a lovely patch of violets in the middle of the lawn. We didn’t, after much upheaval, get much done in the garden last year, and I doubt we will get much done this year either. it always seems we have something else to.
I took this whilst waiting for Julia in Matlock. I think it was Matlock . . . my memory is not what it was
Julia is out wood turning and I am doing various things, though mainly rattling off nonsense on the computer. I’ve just done a couple of political blog posts and deleted them, and replied to an editor who has accepted a haibun. And looked up DARVO, which cropped up in a comment relating to yesterday’s post.
I expect Julia will be home shortly, and that will mark the halfway point of my day. It also, as I write that, marks the halfway point of the post. It can be a long old slog when you have imposed a limitation on discussing politics.
I’ve been letting my personal grooming slip recently and my hair, after a couple of weeks of neglect, was getting quite long. I say “quite long” – possibly a quarter of an inch or a little longer. That, I feel, is quite impressive for a couple of weeks. It’s winter and I’m old so it should grow slower than average. It just goes to show that though I no longer have much hair, what remains is still quite active.
Brick from Watnall Pit Bickyard – I mantione dthese somewhere recently but can’t remember if it was in the blog.
I did wonder, as I started cutting, whether the shaver would cope. let’s just say it was marginal. I did manage to cut my hair back to the scalp but the cutters protested and I had to clean quite a lot out as i went, as they kept stalling.
The lesson I gained from that, Is that I need to stick to a regular regime of hair cutting, regardless of whether I feel under the weather or my head feels cold. I also have an idea for a haibun as a result of my hair cutting experiences.
So with several learning experiences and inspiration for a poem, I have to say that it’s been a good day so far.
Fish Pie – a healthy alternative
When Julia returns with two pensioner special fish and chip portions it will be an even better day, though slightly bitter-sweet. After much heart-searching I have decided it is time for a major review of my eating habits, and the first casualties are likely to be fried food and carbohydrates. I will have fish and chips again, but it could be some time in the future.
Have you tried oven fish and chips. They lack the taste of cooking fat so they are probably better for us.
It’s something I hadn’t considered. I didn’t even know they were possible. Where should I look for them?
All our supermarkets stock them
I will have a look. Thanks for the tip.
I love when the birds come back or get more active if they haven’t left. On my walk yesterday, I saw bluejays, cardinals, and a group of robins all feeding. Last weekend it was robins all over the courtyard lawn feeding together with a group of snowbirds (dark-eyed juncoes). Soon they’ll be making more songs in the morning. Good luck with the eating habits. You’re one up on a lot of people because you can cook.
Sound like interesting birds. A bit brighter than ours. Unfortunately I only know how to cook things I like – they aren’t necessarily the things I should be eating. 🙂
Ominously, Mrs T has been reading up about low carb diets. My eating habits will have to change a lot.
That is ominous, but probably the way I have to go too. It seemed to do good last time I tried it but my natural diet is inclined to potatoes and sandwiches.
There is wild talk of chia seeds.
I used to eat a lunchtime salad of beans and chopped peppers and spring onions with chia seeds. IT was good for me, it didn’t taste too bad and to my eernal shame I lost my motivation and wen back to cheese sandwiches. Or it may have been quinoa, all those annoying little seeds are much the same. I have chia seeds at the moment as I was thinking of putting them in the seeded cheese scones.
Our violets are still slumbering under snow. After reading your blog, am anxious to see ours. Not for awhile!
Taking good care of oneself sounds like a good thing!
Violets in the lawn sounds beautiful! None on the farm here, too dry in summer for them to survive. There are other wildflowers that spring up that I have come to appreciate, but I still miss my violets.
We didn’t have them in Nottingham – too urban, but here on the edge of town they are a welcome sight.