Birthday Pairs

Yesterday was my birthday so I'm featuring my birthday flower - Lilly of the Valley. 

Over the years I have been given several items decorated with my flower and now I have them in my garden too - planted by the previous owner and discovered by me 10 months after I moved in when they appeared.

me on Monday

enjoying some warmer weather with no rain.

Just right for a day at the Big Nature Festival on Saturday which was handily being held locally.  Knowing that I would be sharing this on a meme created by Sian, the Champion of Storytelling, I couldn’t pass by this site/sight

Plenty of stalls to browse plus some interesting talks on

- using wild plants such as nettle, dandelion, clover

- 10 local places that are great for seeing nature.  I had to laugh and applaud at the last item – Aroundandabout – a reminder to keep your eyes open wherever you are for interesting plants and beasties

- a park ranger led walk talking about the creation of the area from the ash piles deposited by the local coal burning power station.  Lots of interesting stuff but the downside is that we were walking at park ranger speed – although I suspect he thought he was slowing down for us!

Then on Sunday I enjoyed a bit of cute animal crochet with a great free pattern for baby guinea pigs from the talented Kati Galusz

Waving to you all before I head out to enjoy more clear weather – have to use it when it is here!

the goslings are here

 

big enough to be eating grass and already used to having people close by – the parents are used to people too so no hissing

two groups of 6, with one group a bit older than the other

I love how both adult and chick are pecking at the grass in this one

and for the third year the mixed couple of one Canada and one Grey Laggard Goose have a chick – the resulting birds do look different but are part of the large group of geese (of both types) who live along the river)

I might not see any cygnets yet as I saw the swan nest abandoned with 5 eggs in it but no sign of the adults – it might have got wet when the river rose after the rain.

Pairs by the river

Some lovely sunshine in between rain showers giving blue skies and lovely reflections on the river

and a nostalgic return to look up, look down as I did for all of 2013.

My 20th pair and I'm still enjoying playing with the different pairs and being inspired by all of your pairs too.