it came, it went (sunshine)

We woke last Sunday to a glorious and sunny day!

We all went straight outside to soak it up.

It was lovely to finally get close to the flowers.

Not a raincoat in sight!

I climbed ladders to take down and clean the birdie boxes.

Sadly, there was a Tit skeleton in one.

I moved the box to a much safer 'cat resistant' spot.

We visited family in Cholsey and bought eggs at their local farm...

I loved the colourful ones the best, and they belong to Ben ...

Best of all I loved the gentle cows!

Always have and always will.

But then I returned to work and this happened again

R A I N

I didn't even fancy opening the office window to take this (I work on a beautiful country estate, well it is when it isn't raining!)

Bingley and Darcy are keeping their paws crossed for more sunshine and respite from the floods.

Take care xx

PS. Shortly after this display of brotherly love, they had a scrap.

6th Gotcha year!

We are Valentines! But more important than this, we are 6 today!

It's lashing down outside so we haven't been out in the garden birdie watching for long, but we have had some treats...

Bingley and Darcy sleeping off their Birthday

Winding back the years!

... Arrival! their first few minutes in their new home...

kittens Bingley and Darcy

settling in ... and exploring ...

Here are shots taken of the River Thames this week, having burst its banks

the lower photo is during part of my commute to work ...

Counting our blessings that our home is on a hill.

over the rainbow

"Count the rainbows,

not the thunderstorms ..."

These were taken this week .... 

We are having an absolute downpour, day and night!

Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire

The Hoe, Plymouth

Liskeard, Cornwall

Mr Bingley may have done better to search for the pot of treasure, rather than someones tail!

Big Garden Bird Watch

#rspb Big Garden #Birdwatch conducted by Helen, Bingley & Darcy: 

Blackbird 3. 

Blue Tit 2. 

Robin 1. 

Collared Dove 1. 

Wood pigeon 1.

... have you been counting birdies this weekend?

if so, tell us what you saw ...

XXX

Happy New Year 2014

We wish you a very happy, healthy and prosperous

2014

We had a special, simple festive period and look forward to visiting you all again soon!

xxxx

We went out to check on the cobwebs by the greenhouse ...

Bingley and Darcy

It was colder and we didn't see any birdies ...

there were plenty of leaves and some of them the most beautiful shade ...

Bingley

The garden was SO damp ... and then it began raining again.

Darcy

... why drink from a clean water bowl, when you can lick rainwater from the terrace!

Darcy

...eventually I ask to come back inside ...

Bingley

But my brother had already taken MY spot.

He keeps Mrs H's laptop case warm as much as possible.

Call for information from Mrs H: 

Do any of you dear Bloggers know who makes this fabric and where I can find it?

running to seed

Autumn is here and our last post was in August! 

What happened to those months in between?

How could they have disappeared so fast?

Well, here we are again, and all is well.

Mr Bingley checking over his conker collection ...

Mr Darcy demonstrating disdain for the worker ...

Harvest bounty at a wonderful garden centre we visited just outside Stratford.

Chinese Lanterns light up the garden even on the dullest day!

Dahlia bonanza, the one above is in our own garden,

but look at the display below at Baddesley Clinton in Warwickshire.

'Warm Welcome'

Our new orange rambling rose which we are training round the urn.

Lady Hillingdon flowers one more time!

  “The summer-flower has run to seed,

And yellow is the woodland bough;

And every leaf of bush and weed

Is tipt with autumn’s pencil now”.

John Clare ~ The Village Minstrel

So we are home once again. Allow me to tell you more ...

Mr Bingley in his favourite chair

Story teller at heart

Bingley

It began with me playing dead (writhing tummy up in a terrible, slow death) when I discovered Mrs H packing her travelling bags!

I had no choice. 

She CANNOT go.

When my attempt at being dead failed to achieve the desired response I undertook 'Plan B' and simply encamped.

View from the sitting room

What I didn't know then was that my brother and I were being packed too!

Not home alone afterall but off to Cornwall!

Some of our dear readers will know that Aunty B died (previous post) and so there was much to do in Cornwall to sort her home and we stayed there. 

It was sad and yet comforting too because she had been so ill near the end. 

A release for her.

Time to reflect for us.

... the wild flowers were magnificent and so many bees and butterflies in her garden.

Bingley

I checked out every corner of the garden, swishing my fluffy tail all about as I went!

This is 'Small Cat' (yes his actual name) and he lives in the lane. 

He always comes over to see us ...

.. for such a 'small' cat he has BIG claws

(but we still like him and sniff noses and sit together - a discreet distance, not looking each other)

The black cat theme continues ... this one Mrs H met in Fowey in the Old Grammar School garden. 

He seemed to have bonded with the young seagull. They went around together.

Downderry Beach

We love these rainbow coloured pebbles!

We spent a lot of time in holiday mode and pose to show Mrs H how it is to be done 

(she isn't very good at it!)

Darcy and Bingley

... well someone needs to keep the guest room warm!

This we saw as our chief role.

We hope you have all had good times, wherever you are and whatever you have been up to.

We can't wait to visit you...

xxx

.. she was ...

Say not in grief "she is no more" but live in thankfulness that she was ... 

Beryl Roome
1924 - 2013

If Roses Grow in Heaven

Don't think of her as gone away,

Her journey's just begun.

Life holds so many facets,

This earth is only one.

Just think of her as resting

from the sorrows and the tears.

In a place of warmth and comfort

Where there are no days and years.

Think how she must be wishing

That we could know today,

How nothing but our sadness

Can really pass away.

And think of her as living

In the hearts of those she touched,

For nothing loved is ever lost

And she was loved so much.

~ Kirsten Preus 

Some of her much loved roses.

The view from her home as the sun sets. Farewell.

Uncle George with Aunty Beryl

Together again

After Glow

I’d like the memory of me

 to be a happy one.

 I’d like to leave an afterglow

 of smiles when day is done. 

 I’d like to leave an echo

 whispering softly down the ways,

 of happy times, and laughing times

 and bright and sunny days. 

 I’d like the tears of those who grieve

 to dry before the sun

 of happy memories I leave

behind ~ when day is done.

~ Helen Lowrie Marshall