Archive for March 31st, 2007

I should be paid

Grandad March 31st, 2007

Herself wanted to buy a bottle of water.

So I had a pleasant couple of hours to spare in the village, where I sat out in the sun with my coffee and pipe, outside the coffee shop.

There was a nice couple at the table beside me. They were talking away, but I’m not the type to listen in. I just enjoy watching life go past.

However, as I lit the pipe, I couldn’t help but overhear them say what a pleasant smell pipe tobacco is. And they agreed that you don’t get the whiff as often these days.

So their conversation naturally turned to people they had known who smoked a pipe. Their Grandads! They started reminiscing about their childhoods and their granddads, and I didn’t listen in any more. Because it was none of my business.

But my simple act of lighting a pipe brought back memories for them. I hope they were pleasant memories.

So, far from being banned from places, I should be encouraged to enter. I should be allowed puff my pipe whenever I like. Because a pipe produces a pleasing aroma, and evokes memories.

I should be paid to smoke in pubs!!

George and Mildred

Grandad March 31st, 2007

We have a new addition or two to the family.

George and Mildred have decided to build an annex on our house. In fact, they have built just outside our kitchen window.

It is a beautiful nest, and extremely well hidden, even though it is only a foot or two from the window pane. I tried to photograph it, but as I didn’t want to disturb anything, I had to shoot through the glass. And that causes reflections…

nest1.jpg

I have put a little arrow in showing the nest, but even then you can’t see it.

I tried a telephoto shoot of the nest, but that didn’t come out too well. And even then it’s hard to see.

nest2.jpg

The nest is the lower half of the photo.

George took a long time to build that nest. He started off with twigs. Then came the moss. And finally, a nice layer of Sandy’s hairs which I left out nearby.

George and Mildred are blackbirds and are having a busy time of it. They are taking turns on the eggs at the moment. The switch-over happens every couple of hours. One will land in the branch just at the window and the other then flies off for a drop of lunch or whatever.

Then come evening time, George heads up to the top of the nearest tall tree and joins in with the other blackbirds and thrushes and they all roar their heads off. It’s quite a sound.

I like Spring.

Breaking news….

I just went to boil the kettle, and had a look at the nest.  As I watched, George arrived with a beak full of grubs, as Mildred flew away.  George did his bit and then he too flew away.  So the eggs have hatched.

Congratulations George and Mildred.  I haven’t seen your offspring yet, as I don’t want to disturb anything.

Which goes to prove - you can’t make a blackbird without breaking eggs.