I smiled today ...

We have loads of goldfinches too and this afternoon we had a pair of chaffinches which we have not seen for ages either. It's silly how honoured we feel when flipping birds deign to honour us with their presence.

The beeping squirrels, on the other hand.................

And, the pigeons!!

goldfinches are here all the time. Sadly not allowed to give blood here! And anyhow have a very rare blood group (AB+).

And I smiled when a friendly check-out lady in Waitrose pointed out that one of my earrings was loose.

I had a pair of bullfinches earlier in the year, and also quite a lot of goldfinches. At the moment the greenfinches have the upper hand claw. Several neighbours also have bird feeding stations. I've had to chase the squirrel off mine twice today and goodness knows what he was up to while I was out. Oh yes, about smiling... I smiled at the very jolly lady who relieved me of three vials of blood!

aghh lovely. Ours will turn up when the raspberries are ripe- which won't be long- little blighters- but I'll share with great pleasure ;) Do you know that the first ever bullfinch I saw was in the Outwoods- I often used to stop ofr a walk on the way back from school (for those outside Leics- the Outwoods is a wonderful wood, famous for its bluebells, granit rocks and sessile oaks- between Loughborough and Leicester. A wonderful place- quite near Bradgate Park of Lady Jane Grey fame).

For the first time in at least 10 years we have a pair of bullfinches coming to feed. It's ridiculous how pleased we are and one or other of us does that whispered shouting, that the other can't hear, to come and look!

... but before I go- I just had to look it up, as those green finches are just so bright yelllow- so I smiled again when I looked at RSPB website and realised they are in fact 'citril finches' (carduelis citrinella) (and in French Venturon Montagnard - or 'mountain adventurer' how lovely).

another smile yesterday when we saw the nuthatch was back - I can see her (or him...) on the feeder right not- battling it out with sparrows, greenfinches and all sorts of tits... We kept saying they had gone... so hurrah for their return (must go and get on with decorating though!)

*anno*.

Smiled when out to lunch in the lovely - and drizzly - Peak District at Castleton.

turned my frown upside down with some lovely messages from a couple GNs..thank you ...and some lovely supportive coments...

wow what a massive smile- just seen GS reading poetry on the BBC news- celebrating Alice's in wonderland 150th anniversary at beautiful RHS Wisley we visit so often together. ahhhhh

because our Danish guests today left, happy ... my first residential French course with guided visits since we installed the new bathroom. Tiring, but so enjoyable and motivating- loved being 'back'!

I smiled today because the 'mummy' blackbird that is nesting in my garden scavenged through the pile of rubbish I had swept up and distributed it all over the patio !

I smiled when I found pink forget me nots in a border.
I don't remember ever seeing any colour other than blue but apparently there are shades of blue, pink and even white varieties

I smiled today when my parking was 58 minutes.

I smiled because there were four jays under the lilac tree scavenging the seed that the woodpecker was shaking out of the feeder.

I smiled yesterday as I watched a blackbird flying in and out of our passionflower carrying nesting material!

It was lovely.

I smiled this morning when I came downstairs and saw the debris that I couldn't fit into the dishwasher last night, after Book Club. An evening of friends, book talk, raspberry cider and nibbles - wonderful.

Am now also smiling because it's raining! Which means that I shan't have to spend hours watering our very dry veg patch.

I loved that, really made me laugh out loud! Thank you shysal

Aw that was so good shysal - great to start the day with a big smile, thank you

Me too shysal.

I smiled when I watched this video, it is so cute!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU4DgHHwVCc

I smiled this evening when I got home from our holiday as it was good to be back!

I smiled this morning because I went to Zumba Gold class for the first time since having both knees replace and I had NO PAIN !!!