Oh What a Beautiful Morning .

When we awoke this morning it was glorious Sunshine just as the weather man had predicted . And as last night I had, had one of my Rip Van Winkle moments ( I'd gone to bed at 7-30 pm and slept the clock round without wakening up ) I was suitably refreshed and raring to go .
As you know if you read this Blog regularly Papa Bear has to do these bird surveys for the British Trust for Ornithology and we had one more to do for this Spring . It's a long walk and the last two miles are tedious to say the least and never have any birds to record . With that in mind we hatched a plan . We took a flask , butties , fruit juice and biscuits and set off . It was great walking in the sunshine though at first the wind was a little chill . We saw plenty of birds and had regular stops for refreshments . It proved to be a good idea and we weren't as tired as usual . When we got onto the lat two mile stretch we put part two of the plan into operation . I'd taken the bus passes and just as we arrive at the bus stop one arrived :0) . We save walking two miles and took a half hour off our journey home .

Chickens enjoying the sun and scratching round.

You can just about make out DH and Meg on the road .

This field's ready for planting . I wonder what the farmer is going to grow here. There was quite a few Lapwings on this field , you don't see them as often as you used to with all the change in farming methods .

This field has got a good growth of grass already . It will probably used for silage later on.

A Blackthorn in blossom . There'll be sloughs on there in the Autumn. Mmmm Slough gin . How blue is that sky .

Broom or is it gorse I can never rememberwhich is which , showing it's bright yellow blossom.

Lunch Break.

This goose was sunning itself but when I started to take it's pic it took offence and started hissing . Quite the Diva .

This cow was looking out on the field as if to say " Can't we go out and play yet " Won't be long I expect though David Archer let his cows out last week :0)

Another Blackthorn .
As you can see it was a good walk and made us both feel better and as the clocks went forward last night it won't be dark early tonight.

On being very remiss .

I need to apologise to my eldest for not showing the following pic sooner . All I can say is that I kept forgetting.

About a month ago a big brown envelope came through the door addressed to Mum and Dad . I knew it was from No 1 son because he always send mail addressed like that. What we didn't expect was what was inside . He'd bought us a tree but not just any old tree , this tree was going to be planted in a plantation in Scotland at the RSPB reserve on Corrimony to replace trees destroyed by fire ten years ago . We don't know what sort will be planted but it will be a native broad leafed variety. There won't be a plaque or anything but the citation our son sent will be read out as the tree is planted . Just in case you can't read the writing in the picture the citation is

For bringing me up

in the way that you did

and the love we have become

X
He had done this after having a particularly horrendous week and when everything had got sorted this was his way of celebrating . We were deeply touched at this very thoughtful act and I'm choking up as I write . Things like this makes being a parent all the more worthwhile .

If you are interested in the Trees for Life scheme you can find out all about it if you go here