Swans

So yesterday, I decided to pop out to Strichen Community Park, to see how the cygnets were doing. They're doing ok, but more of them later.

When I arrived, I immediately noticed that there were TWO pairs of swans on the water - and the original pair weren't happy at all!

The male charged at such a speed down the towards the other male, he created a bow wave!


A fight ensued ....


.... which went on for a long time .....
(Please click for a bigger image)

.... and flared up again a few times afterwards.


Look at the speed they can move!



So anyway, back to the cygnets ..... well, it looks like only three of the nine have survived, but oh my, haven't they grown!!


By the way, these are mute swans, which is definitely a misnomer, because they can make a lot of noise when they want to!

xx

Final Five for January

27 - Bare
This is a cupboard in the bathroom that my children used when they still lived at home. It used to be filled to overflowing with all the toiletries, combs and brushes, razors and the rest, that every teenager needs! Now sadly, like Mother Hubbard's Cupboard, it is bare.



28 - Sky
Lovely blue sky outside the front door. It may look nice, but it was very cold!


29 - Favourite
I do love my Wolf Blass Yellow Label!


30 - Left Over
The detritus left over from making my pincushion set (see bottomn of this post) last night ..... including the chopstick that I broke whilst poking in the stuffing a little too enthusiastically!


31 - False
A bowl full of wax fruits! These look so realistic and a friend once asked for an apple from it!

So, that is January's prompts all done - and I didn't skip a single day! :-)


Finally, a picture of the pincushion set I made last night from a pattern I found on Pinterest.
The pincushion is weighted with uncooked rice and the little bag for holding scraps/thread tails/clippings etc, is detachable.
I love it! :-)

x

Another Three

Getting up-to-date again!


24 - Spoon
Jodie decorated this wooden spoon when she was a child at school. The flowers used to be vibrantly coloured, but now sadly, all are faded. I still love it though - and it still hangs in my kitchen.

25 - Read
I loved the series on TV, so now I am beginning to read the books. I got this one on loan from Jodie, but I have now downloaded them all on to my Kindle, so I gave her this one back today!

26 - Corner
The corner of the roof on my barn, with the trees away in the distance.

x

Aurora

There was a display of the Aurora last night, but clouds low in the sky prevented me from getting a good view. This is the best I could get ... just the green glow. And I shook the camera. :-(




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Catching up Again!

16 - Breakfast
While boiling my eggs for breakfast, I managed to catch some boiling droplets bubbling up in the air!


17 - Morning
I was up an hour and a half before this! I had to get up early to sit with my grandchildren, while Kerry took Simon in to the airport.


18 - Fresh
This is one of the flowers that is still quite fresh, in a bouquet I got from my sister before New Year!!!


19 - Rare
Inuit sandstone sculpture of a polar bear sanding over the body of a seal.


20 - Handmade
I made these three mugwarmers yesterday!


21 - Silly
The pheasant was in my garden this morning. They are really silly birds ..... this one spent ages chasing the blackbird around, instead of eating the food on the ground!


22 - White
Only one of my Little Apple Dolls has white hair.


23 - Time
Yes, it is dusty! :-)

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In the Garden

I decided to get some outdoor shots today - even though it's REALLY cold!!

13 - Layers
Layers of screen blocks on the walls of the patio - with bright sunshine streaming through.


14 - Pattern
The tiles on the roof of the house male lovely patterns!

15 - Brrrr
Frost on the moss and clover. I had to lie down on my belly to get this shot!

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4 More

I'm really enjoying the Image Quest prompts - and here are my next four.

9 - Low Light
One of the lilies in a lovely bouquet I received as a 'thank you' for knitting something for a friend. I love lilies!

10 - Float
This little rubber fishy has been mine since I was very small - so he is well over 50 years old now! He doesn't float so well as he used to ..... I think he'll need a snorkel soon!

11 - Vintage
In the kitchen of my vintage-style doll's house!

12 - Just a Part
Some of my favourite perfumes!

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Oh dear!

Yet again, I've been a bad blogger and fallen behind. So I shall begin 2012 with my pictures so far for January's list in Image Quest!


1 - New
New crystal cases for any DVD's I might record.


2 - Cold
The barometer may have said 'Fair', but it was very cold on the 2nd January!


3 - One
Last one! :-)


4 - The Street Where I Live
Not a street, but a main road between two towns.


5 - Beginning
Beginning of the year, beginning of the month, beginning of the word.


6 - On Your Head Be It
One of my summer titfers. I wish it was the weather to wear this just now!


7 - Crisp
The only kind of crisps I am able to eat at the moment!


8 - Boot
My very cosy slipper boots!



I had a lovely day in Aberdeen with Tim recently.
This is His Majesty's Theatre, with the statue of William Wallace in front. The sky was gorgeous!

We went into Yo!Sushi for lunch, where amongst other things, Tim had this ....


.. and I had this .....
Three bowls of Miso soup, with no veggies or tofu in it. Just the liquid. I really can't wait till I can eat proper food again.

We visited the Art Gallery, where I stocked up on postcards for my Postcrossing hobby.
Then, when I got home, I got them written out and here they are, ready to be posted!

x

Books, Movies and More

25 - Reminds me of a Movie
"Carousel"! :-)


19 - Treat
A mug, hot choc powder and a cone of marshmallows and choc drops. Part of my pressie from Kerry and Simon - and definitely a treat!


22 - Love
A lovely polished stone from my niece Pauline and her hubby Mark. :-)


26 - Twinkle
This gorgeous little cottage, with its twinkly lights was from my sister and BIL many years ago!


10 - What the Dickens?
I took this literally and chose to take a picture of a set of ancient Dickens books that I got from an old couple my parents used to know.

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Six More!

14 - Up Above
There are loads of berries on the holly tree this year. It's a strange old tree ....... the leaves at the bottom are all normal holly leaves with spikey bits, but as you can see, the higher up you go, the smoother the leaves get!


15 - Down Below
My feet, as I took the 'Up Above' shot!


7 - Wrapping
Nothing fancy in any way, but it only gets ripped anyway!


9 - Indulge
I saw this in Tesco and just HAD to get a tub!


12 - List
What better list than the one I'm using right now!


21 - Candy
Candy canes hanging from the festoons on the stairs.

x