Hobbies and Crafts

Ooops I made a mistake . Kandj isnt going to stay with the family this weekend.
Her Daughter did want to pick her up tomorrow but Kandj isnt feeling quite up to it just yet. I got the wrong end of the stick . Hopefully though it wont be too long before she will be able to enjoy a few days away with her family.

Love the selfi Puss Jem :-D :-D.

Never mind Jane, Kandj will feel able to go away soon I am sure, at the moment I expect she wants to stay where the memories are,

Thinking of kandj and her family <3

A family member who recently lost his mother, who he lived with and was carer for, for many years, explained to me that going out or away means he has to go back to an empty house and it's that emptiness underlined which he finds too much some days.

Gradual steps and brighter lengthening days will hopefully help kandj do what is right for her.

I met up with with my two nieces and their 4 children, who are aged 7, two 4 year olds and 2 year old who all visited hubby and I almost weekly. C and D decided that helping their little ones to write messages attached to helium balloons and then let all the children send the balloons off high in the sky was a way to help them say their little Goodbye to a very special great uncle....... I swallowed hard, especially when C handed over a balloon to me too. I really wasn't expecting this but swallowed hard and quickly brushed my tears away and focused on the little ones excitement..... as they shouted; "Goodbye Uncle, we love you soooo much"...... such a lovely thing to do but not easy!!

Our Durham family did offer to come and pick me up this weekend but all understand I'm just not ready yet. Son in law rang and asked if I would like to go out for lunch today. Helen and Martin were happy to drive down for the day to keep me company. They rarely have a spare moment and so I told them I was ok..ish!! Martin is bringing granddaughter Katie as it is half term next week (already??) and they will stay here a couple of nights, so we will all look forward to being together then.

I opened the door this morning and have a beautiful arrangement of bright and cheerful flowers in a box so I don't even have to put them in a vase..... sent with love and hugs from our Durham family... how lovey and thoughtful they are. I'm blessed.

Thank you everyone. Your kind thoughts and ongoing support is a blessing too. xxx

What filthy weather. The poor birds are all looking very bedraggled but still feeding like crazy.They must be as fed up with this cold and rain as much as me. Thomas has spent a lot of time indoors and has just been popping in and out.Then having a good lick to dry off his fur each time. He is now toasting himself near the wood burner.

Kandj has her SIL and Grandaughter with her for a couple of days which I am sure will cheer her up :-D Lots of love Kandj <3

Horrible weather isn’t Jane don’t blame Thomas staying in.
Kandj that was a lovely thought of your nieces and great nieces, I am sure it was hard for you but will have helped them
I hope you are enjoying your time with Martin and your granddaughter. <3

Cold winds and rain seem to have kept the birds away although the seeds have been going down as usual. Today has been glorious weather but there have still only been a few sparrows and a couple of blackbirds plus one lonely long tailed tit.

We don’t seem to have any frogspawn this year either. I shall be quite upset if the frogs have deserted us :-(

Kandj, you have a lovely supportive family. I hope you have enjoyed having your son in law and granddaughter to stay. Sending love <3

It has been a lovely sunny day here but, like you Vera we have not had many birds at all. A couple of days ago we had a pair of long tailed tits on the feefders and yesterday we had 5 (they are multipling) Wood pigeons as well as a dove. We have seen the Robin, the Wren, a couple of starlings and a couple of male blackbirds, there is a female around who visits occasionally. Not many great and lue tits though.

Big group of Goldfinch here late this afternoon :-D :-D. I just love these little birds :-D I hope they stick around .No Long Tailed Tits though :-(

Just popping in to say ""THANK YOU" to everyone for your kindness. I am watching Songs of Praise which hubby and I always watched together..... just had Love Divine, All Loves Excelling on now which has had me in tears....... sung at our wedding 55 years ago, so not surprising it hurts me so badly to listen to the words right now.

I am still the feeding the birds, they haven't deserted me and I haven't forgotten them.

My very grateful thanks to you all, it is a hard and painful road our close family are on now, but helped with kind thoughts and prayers from many lovely people on GR sites.

Hello Kandj, were I in your shoes that would have had me in tears as well, we had it at our wedding almost 58 years ago. My parents also had it at theirs, it is a much loved wedding hymn and a favourite of ours.
You are doing well though to be actually watching Songs of Praise with all its memories, I suspect it may be cathartic for you.

Good too that you are continuing to feed the birds, little pleasures like watching them are probably all helping you along the way.

Look after yourself Kandj and don't forget to eat will you? and keep calling in here too <3 <3 Much love to you.

Dear Kandji

<3 <3 Thinking of you <3 <3

Good to see you feel able to post now and then Kandj. Just pop on when you feel like it. Don't feel you have to do anything too soon; one little step at a time. Sending you love <3

Not much to report on the bird or wildlife front. I think they are coming in, grabbing a bit of food and going back to shelter before they get soaked. I don't think our dry area of the country has seen so much rain for years.

The birds were very miffed this morning after the window cleaner had been. He had taken the feeder off the window and put it on the ground where everything spilled out.
They were still flying to the window LOL At least I had the opportunity of giving the feeder a good wash before refilling it and sticking it back on the window. It was well overdue a good clean. I have swept up all the loose seeds and suet pellets up so the birds werent feeding off the ground. Thomas has had a few recently :-( :-(. I dont mind it when he has a Mouse or 2 but not the Birds.

Love to our Kandj as always <3 <3

Good morning. Despite the temperature being minus 3 this morning the little gold crest is back :-D

<3 <3 <3 Kandj <3 <3 <3

Morning all
That’s lovely Von. Goldcrests and Firecrests are such pretty birds but so tiny. I’ve only ever seen a couple at our old house but they were gorgeous little birds.

Yesterday OH and I were at the window watching half a dozen long tailed tits on the suet balls when a rat ran across the patio :-(. I have told himself that if I see another one we will definitely be getting another cat, whether he likes it or not.

Thinking of you Kandj <3

The birds don't seem to feel the cold much. it is still minus 1 outside and they are still stocking up, as we have just been at Tesco. Not with a huge load, just enough tos ee us through the weekend if it does get bad. We are a bit miffed because we have had to cancel a trip down to see the babies in Hampshire, didn't want to risk it. Can't get there mow until April.

We are having a pair of long tailed tits visit so they must be starting to pair uop. Apparently they only go round in flocks out of the mating season when they become territorial.

von, how lovely we don't get those little birds here.

Not long in and it is now snowing. so not going anywhere else, although the sun is shining through the snow so it won't be much.. I had the dentist and OH had to collect new glasses. My next appointment will be around 21st March apparently I have to wait for a letter from 'head office'! :-D

Thinking of you Kandj and wondering if youa re still at home or if you have gone to family, hope wherever you are you can keep warm and safe. <3 <3 <3

Not seen Jane on here for nearly a week, hope you are ok Jane

Ann I thought I did a post !!!! I'm sure I did . But with this Error Message coming up all the time maybe it didnt go through. I am fine just blooming cold LOL . We haven't had much snow to speak of,just some heavy flurries . But my word it is getting colder and colder now. I can't keep the bird bath ice free and as for keeping the window feeder topped up well I can't keep up with that either.
I have seen some Red Kites and Buzzards recently.Unusual for this time of year.They must be hungry.

I hope everyone here manages to stay warm and safe in this dreadful weather and worse to come by the sound of things :-S. Ann you did right not to risk the journey to Hampshire now. Better to be safe than sorry. April is not too far away.

Yesterday was a reasonable day so I had a day of bits and pieces shopping and collecting new batteries from the hospital in case the forecast weather happened.

On the way home I saw a beautiful green woodpecker intent on piercing the grass of a nursing home, while it hunted for food. I haven't seen one for ages, although we have had them in the garden at times.

Today the snow has arrived and the ground feeding birds are looking out for food. I put some out at lunch time and it was gone in minutes because seagulls swooped in and took the lot. I usually throw some under the bushes to give other birds a chance, so will have to make sure I sneak out unseen by the 'gull guardians' tomorrow.
The bird bath is frozen and likely to stay that way for a few days,( maximum local temperature will be 0) so that will need sorting too.
There is still the fluted sheet of ice on the grass that I took from the birdbath at the weekend.

Just a quick post now from a very snowy Kettering. Kandj thanks everyone for all their continuing thoughts and wishes. She is struggling somewhat when it comes to getting out and about. I think meeting people at the moment is still hard for her and hugs make her weep :-( which is understandable. Emotions are still very raw. But I am sure in time things will become a little easier. <3 Kandj

Oh my the snow is coming down again thick and fast.It's blowing around a lot too now.
Thomas is out there somewhere !!

A Red Kite just flew so low over our garden ! I h ope he hasnt spotted Thomas. :-S