OH JOY OF JOYS!

Yes, at long, long last I have my new spectacles! I can now see properly, read without strain, actually see what is on the computer, and my headaches have gone!

What more could I ask?



What's more, the snowdrops in the Park are really lovely....




The geese are friendly (and looking for food).....





The buds on the willow are beginning to swell......




And the crocuses are coming out in the Park.

Altogether a great feeling Spring is coming!

ONE

Carmi's Thematic Challenge this week is "One".

I immediately thought of "Green Grow the rushes, Oh!" but I couldn't lay my hands on any Lily-white boys so decided to post these two bird studies.




Its hard enough to get close to a heron, let alone a heron trying to balance on the park railings! its not the world's best photo, but I was anxious to get something before he took fright and flew away.





Now I know the gull is sitting on a figure 6, but he is only one gull! He was on a marker buoy on Lake Windermere in the Lake District.

Only a short blog again - new glasses still not made an appearance! I'm keeping my fingers crossed for sometime this coming week.

CURVES

Carmi's Thematic Challenge this week is CURVES.

So here are a couple of cheerful curvy pictures, both, oddly enough, taken at Garden Centres, though not the same one!




Terracotta always looks good, doesn't it?

BRIGHT BLUE !

Carmi's Thematic Challenge this week is BLUE.

I have lots of photographs with a background of blue sky, but thought something blue itself would be better. This is actually the door to the work place of the Park staff - bolted and barred for the weekend. With a lot of expensive machinery in there, it makes sense.



The second photograph is of a Grape Hyacinth (Muscari). I have loads of them in a low brick wall, and they cheer me up every year with the very clear blue of their tiny flowers. They are not out yet, but I can imagine them with this photo and hope it won't be too long before they arrive!

SPRING-LIKE DAYS

We've had a couple of days when it has seemed really Spring-like and its been a pleasure to go out in the park. So just to let you all know I am still here, still waiting for my new glasses, but otherwise fine, I've posted a view of the lake, with our visiting Canada Geese




and one I took as I was so glad to see these crocuses and daffodils coming up. Considering that this bit of ground has been walked over, and even sledged over all winter, I am delighted to see that you can't keep a good bulb down!

You might have to peer closely to see the green shoots - they are there but I couldn't get any closer!

WET, WETTER, WETTEST !

Carmi's Thematic Challenge this week is WET.

Well, we have had plenty of that this winter, so I have managed to restrict myself to three photographs! The one above is water drops after rain. I love the way the drops just hang on the leaf. If you get close enough, and the light is right, you can see reflections in the drops. There is a whole world in there!



The next is a little jetty that sticks out into the lake in our Park. Lots of people and children come here to feed the ducks. But it can get very wet!




And the last is our tiny stream after a heavy rainstorm, when it does its best to imitate Niagara Falls down the stepped culvert to the Lake. The sound of running water is just lovely. There is a seat nearby and if you can find a dry bit you can sit and listen to it. Sheer pleasure!

HAPPY NEW YEAR !

A Happy New Year to all my readers! Still can't see very much, and I am suffering from eyestrain through trying to read too much, but I must get my blogging fingers to work or it will be February before we know where we are!

Come to think of it, a glimpse of Spring would be great! I had some crocus bulbs just showing little white tips before the Great Ice Age descended. Now they look a bit brown and unhappy, but I am hoping they will make it through. Crcuses are tough little things!

So wherever you are, and whatever the weather, I wish you every blessing for 2011.