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[These events took place and this entry was written pre-lockdown 3.0.]
The last time we went to Croome, Humuhumu was a toddler and Keiki slept through the whole thing in his sling. The grounds are stunning - it’s a Capability Brown extravaganza, no expense was spared, not even that of moving an entire village to improve a view - and they loved it. I’m still kicking myself for not bringing the dSLR but comfort myself in the knowledge that we’ll definitely be back.
( More photos )
The last time we went to Croome, Humuhumu was a toddler and Keiki slept through the whole thing in his sling. The grounds are stunning - it’s a Capability Brown extravaganza, no expense was spared, not even that of moving an entire village to improve a view - and they loved it. I’m still kicking myself for not bringing the dSLR but comfort myself in the knowledge that we’ll definitely be back.
( More photos )
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I know it's not uncommon for some of you, but it hasn't snowed properly in our part of the UK for three years, so we were a teensy bit excited when we woke up this morning and went for a walk by the canal as soon as it was light and we'd eaten our porridge.
( More snow )
( More snow )
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- Are you Irish?
I find this question distressingly unspecific. If what is meant here is “Are you a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a UK resident in Northern Ireland”, then the answer is no. If the intent of the question is “Do you have Irish or Northern Irish ancestry” then the answer is yes (at the grandparental level). - Do you like Guinness?
Yes. I don’t drink it very often, though. - Do you know what the symbol of Ireland is?
Yes. I suppose this is meant to trick people into answering “a shamrock”. Down with this sort of thing. It is not a shamrock. It’s a harp, innit. - Have you ever watched Father Ted?
Yes. I do wish these questions could have been phrased to be a little more open-ended. (Careful now.) - Do you believe in leprechauns?
No.
Well, that was probably about as edifying as a conversation with Bishop Brennan.
In other news, we’ve received a reminder that it is still winter and had several inches of snow dumped on us overnight. The Shaggy Ponies are as unfazed as ever.
Cousin It (the black shaggy pony) trudges through the snow in the early morning in search of better grazing, its muzzle coated with clumps and its back dusted from the clouds of the white stuff whirling around.
The snow departed more than a week ago*, but I wanted to share these photos of unusual visitors to our garden who appeared over the course of that long cold spell. I do believe our feeders kept our local population alive during it, and also provided a much appreciated welcome to the arrivals who’d been overwintering elsewhere. We don’t normally see the following birds in our garden. They only come to us when their need is great.
A wagtail. This one was with us for the entirety of the cold spell, and got in frequent arguments with the robins.
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We also spotted a fieldfare and a green finch, but I didn’t get any decent photos of them.
* I prepared this post yesterday, blithely thinking that because the temperatures had been in the double digits (Celsius) for the past few days, spring was finally around the corner. Guess what it did today. That's right. IT SNOWED. -.-
** Yes, this was the legendary rainbow cake selected by Humuhumu for her Daddy's birthday. We all got a little sick of it so there was a small piece left over that we forgot and then found after it had become thoroughly dried out.
A wagtail. This one was with us for the entirety of the cold spell, and got in frequent arguments with the robins.
( +2 )
We also spotted a fieldfare and a green finch, but I didn’t get any decent photos of them.
* I prepared this post yesterday, blithely thinking that because the temperatures had been in the double digits (Celsius) for the past few days, spring was finally around the corner. Guess what it did today. That's right. IT SNOWED. -.-
** Yes, this was the legendary rainbow cake selected by Humuhumu for her Daddy's birthday. We all got a little sick of it so there was a small piece left over that we forgot and then found after it had become thoroughly dried out.
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The canal, partially iced over, and the pub, viewed from beneath a bridge.
We had a snow day today. Humuhumu's school was shut, the roads are an ice rink and Keiki has a fever anyway, so it made sense to stay home. Around 4 PM, however, we were all getting a bit restless so we decided to tog up and venture down the towpath to the one destination within easy walking distance: the pub. Drinks, snacks, friendly neighbours' doggies, and the roaring open fire were enjoyed by all.
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Poll #19583 Empty glasses
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 39
When I'm at the pub and I finish my drink, I
View Answers
Take my empty glass with me when I go to the counter to order
30 (76.9%)
Leave my empty glass on the table
9 (23.1%)
If I'm with a group and it's my round, I
View Answers
Take their empty glasses with me
10 (28.6%)
Leave their empty glasses on the table
25 (71.4%)
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As you may have heard, we have had some Weather here in the UK. A storm dumped a good six inches of snow on the West Midlands on Sunday. Which, since the whole of the UK goes into a blind panic at the slightest whiff of anything other than "10 degrees C, clouds and a slight breeze", means that the place has basically shut down for the past three days. The road network is an ice rink.
We have been doing our best to make the most of it, as Humuhumu's school has been shut. For instance, we built a snowman.
Keiki and Humuhumu put the finishing touches to their snowman. Snowman has genuine bits of coal for eyes and a carrot nose. He is also sporting a Robinson College [Cambridge] scarf.
And here is snowman two days later. Alas, he is listing hard to starboard.
We have been doing our best to make the most of it, as Humuhumu's school has been shut. For instance, we built a snowman.
Keiki and Humuhumu put the finishing touches to their snowman. Snowman has genuine bits of coal for eyes and a carrot nose. He is also sporting a Robinson College [Cambridge] scarf.
And here is snowman two days later. Alas, he is listing hard to starboard.
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