1 There was a brilliant programme on BBC TV last night, Inside the Animal Mind, with Chris Packham investigating how animals think. Catch it if you can on BBC iPlayer. This photo sums up the happiness of dogs!
Enjoy life!
2 A friend sent me this video today. Find time to watch it if you can – it is a very heartwarming film of an animal whisperer calming a very unhappy panther.
3 The postman delivered a soaking wet and falling-apart parcel for me today and was relieved when I wasn’t cross. Not a bit! I was delighted that the Fortune Cookies I had ordered for Chinese New Year had arrived safely!
We came upon this community of elephants quite by chance when driving through the bush after our volunteering. We watched them for more than half an hour, playing in the water , gathering together and then leaving all together, the adults looking after the baby in their community and calling on the teenager to catch up and stop messing about. I have always loved elephants and this half hour was such a beautiful treat. Click on any image for more detail.
Leaving Cape Cod for Boston today, we broke our journey in Plymouth and discovered a statue of The Pilgrim Maiden, symbolic of the ‘intrepid English women’ who made that first journey to these shores.
In the harbour in Plymouth was a replica of TheMayflower. I can’t imagine how scary the journey must have been.
A beautifully trained pig was walking the streets of Boston as we went in search of Barnes and Noble Bookshop. She came to order, crossed the road as told and stopped to chat when asked to.
1 On my way into town, down a quiet lane, I spotted this rather smug-looking monster of a ginger cat tucked into the hedge.
Ginger cat in the hedge
2 There is a fabulous new shop in town on Bond Street. It is run by an artist, Kaitlyn, who is selling her own beautifully quirky cards and coasters and prints as well as lots of delightful crafty things all made by Cornish artists and crafts-people, perfect for presents! If you are local and reading this, make sure to visit.
Cornishbirdinthesticks
3 This beautiful stripy feather was on the path but I don’t recognise it unless, possible, from a young seagull?
1 This is the second time I have discovered an old Telephone box used for a book swap, this one in the village of Feock, the first place we lived when my family first moved to Cornwall when I was six years old. What a brilliant thing to do to save the box from demolition and I love the child’s chair in this one. To see the other one, click here.
Book swap box
2 We always enjoy the walk around Trelissick and I’ve always loved this old tree.
Old oak tree
Old oak tree from another angle, the Carrick Roads in the distance
3 We followed this lovely dog and its car home and at the traffic light stop, he seemed to notice us. He had been loving the wind in his fur. If you look carefully, you should be able to see the sea on the horizon, on the North coast of Cornwall.
1 Today’s first thing is both beautiful and sad. We found two tiny and very pretty birds in our garden this morning and they turned out to be Zebra Finches. We could also hear other unusual bird song and then saw two bright yellow cockatiels in next door’s tree. Realising that all these little beauties had escaped from an aviary, I went door to door asking, leaving the lovely Mr S bird-sitting to prevent the very interested magpies making off with a feathered breakfast. On my way around the neighbourhood I spotted another escapee, a lovely pink bird.
Zebra Finch
Is this a baby Zebra Finch?
Yellow Cockatiel
Is this a Galah?
I eventually found the owner of the birds who came round to try to catch the Zebra Finches, which seemed quite happy in our garden, but with no success. Sadly, he says that none of his escaped birds are likely to survive. If they are not predated, they may well die of stress but if a wind gets up, they may drop to the floor, being unable to fly in wind and then he may be able to get them. They have given us a piquant pleasure all day and have only flown off late this afternoon. I so hope they survive…… Just as I’m finishing this off, I have heard them return.
2 Do have a look at this video of bears in a park in Alberta. We grinned from start to finish.
3 I watched a Youtube video on how to plait Shallots properly and did one bunch like that but it takes ages! I reverted to my old way of plaiting as I did my girls’ hair and, in fact, I like the finished effect better. What do you think?
Using the Youtube way of braiding our Longor, French Banana Shallots to store
1 We have two new horses in the back field. They don’t stand still for long but seemed to be interested in my taking a photo!
Two new horses
2 My brother and his wife are on holiday on Tybee Island getting away from the heat of Atlanta for a while. P sent me this from the beach.
Greeting
3 We were taken out for a meal tonight by M and R as a thank you for their holiday – a really lovely treat. It was our first visit to the Meadery which was lots of fun. I liked this statement on the menu.
1 Choc Chip Uru sent this along today and I love it – both for its philosophy and because I love lemons and cooking with lemons as you will see from my recipe pages! You can add Lemon Curd, Lemon Butter Cake, Lemony Courgettes and more to that list!
When life gives you lemons
2 Our lovely horses in the back field (not really ours, we just like to pretend!) are up to their knees in buttercups! Do horses have knees?
In the buttercup field
3 Our Grandbabies have met each other for the first time tonight – three little cousins together – so delightful!
