Effective early morning alarm systems

"Mummy.....the rabbits have escaped."

Cue much leaping about and struggling blearily into clothes before rushing out to mount a stealth mission which coerces them effortlessly (for once) back into the hutch before any of the local cats get wind of a breakfast opportunity.

Phew.

Brown, and green, and grey

Definitely not white.

Much to the disgust of the smaller Ps there is not even a hint of snow on the ground though we hear it is everywhere else. Bounce, on the phone to my sister in Norfolk, was heard to ask if she could put some snow in the post and is now eagerly awaiting the postman.

I fear terrible scenes of unbounded disappointment when he returns from school.

Ditchling Beacon

At the very top of the steep green giant that is Ditchling Beacon, a small herd of cattle grazed idly beside the frozen dew pond, apparently impervious to the biting wind whistling across the crest of the hill. The sun shone wanly with slightly grey light so the rolls of grass looked like an old army surplus woollen blanket thrown carelessly down, the folds left crumpled and creased.

I sat in the fuggy warmth of the car gazing at the villages strewn along the valley below and enjoyed a short pause in my busy day.

Birdsong

Seen today:

A gaggle of very noisy sparrows, filling the air with an almost deafening musical chatter from their treetop perches. Twenty or more of them all singing at the tops of their little voices with joy.

A solitary kestrel floating majestically above the road, eyes scanning for roadkill which may constitute lunch. His wings flap occasionally but his head remains absolutely still.

Three red kites wheeling around above the trees with the same speed and frivolity of small boys playing a game of tag.

A flash of green as the woodpecker moves from tree to tree.

Red boots

Whilst surfing for some boots to replace the ones I have worn out, I found this.


Not quite what I had in mind but isn't he the sartorial pig about town?

Bright start

Monday mornings are notoriously tedious as the weekend is reluctantly sloughed off but who could fail to be enticed out of bed by a sunrise as beautiful as this?

Babysitting service

Seen outside an enterprising pub in the nearest shopping town:

I like their thinking.