Good Friday - From Prospect Walk a  bare tree scene. Brilliant sunshine, sky so blue, marking the end of winter, showing that summer is not too far away. A black cat prowls among the trees, past the hedgerow Blackthorn in blossom, celandines peeping through dead grasses. Down to the Lugg Meadow, past white houses and trees in bud, birds busy catching insects and building nests too quick to pose for photos, 'sip sip'  siskins call, blue tits, great tits, and my favourite, long-tailed tits, a couple of collared doves, woodpeckers, wood pigeons and magpies  across to the river. A field of sheep on the other side.
Two majestic swans, on the river, preening their feathers, basking in the warm sun. A buzzard just spotted in the tree, then mewling in the distance and it takes off to join three more. Two young fly high on the thermals.  I look up, camera poised; right over my head their parents hover high above, a warning as they protect their young. A bee shoots past collecting pollen from hazel catkins. . . .  Time to move on.

Happy Easter Everyone! wishing you all a beautiful day xxx

As a result of an email sent to me by my sister I entered a 'patch' competition organised by the retail shop Whitestuff. To enter you had to get one of their small pieces  of material and design and create a patch. For each patch entered Whitestuff pledged to donate £5.00 to a local chosen charity which was my motivation to enter, as things like this are not something I would normally do. The local winner would receive £50 of Whitestuff vouchers and be entered into the national competition where the lucky winner will go on a crafting holiday in Italy. and, no I didn't win, and wasn't under any illusions of doing so. But what fabulous prizes! and I know at least £200 was raised for 'Hope support services in Hereford', which supports young people when someone close to them is diagnosed with a life threatening illness - donations to a very worthy cause. Below are the majority of entries, and what a wonderful variety.  Whitestuff laid on refreshments and cakes for the judging.
 The winning entry was an exquisite March hare, very beautifully machine sewn, with its ear detached from the patch, and some clever beading in the background.  Just lovely.

Below is my patch. Lots of imperfections I could point out, but on the whole I'm really pleased with the result.

The buzzard in the top photo has been a regular visitor for the last few weeks. I've seen it catch mice but not any small birds which I am grateful for. It flits from tree to tree flies down to the ground and then back to the same three trees. All outside my window, but never close enough to get a photo when it's in flight. I would love to capture those magnificent feathers.  Took this photo of an old house with the postbox, and daffodils on the other side of the road, when I stopped for petrol last week.

Using old pretty mugs to bring a little spring cheer into the house, only to find, someone has added Captain Hook to my display!