Sunday Smiles

Hello Everyone,

Hope your Sunday has been good so far. It's raining here - good for the flowers. Typically, I didn't make it to Annie's Friday Smiles again this week. Didn't make it for Saturday either so I thought I'd post what's made me smile this week today. 

First up, the following photos explain why I was really busy yesterday. 

As mentioned in my last post, Alan is learning to knit. He's been inspired by Tom Daley, the Olympic diver and talented knitter. 

It's not coming easy to him but, with the help of YouTube and me, I'm sure he'll master it eventually. I can't wait to show you his first knitted masterpiece. 

Next, our cherry trees have been attracting interest from a large flock of starlings. 

The crop has been amazing this year - so many we've invited all our neighbours to help themselves. 

The starlings must have spotted them, though, oddly, we haven't seen as many of the birds in our garden this year. 

Not a very clear shot but I hope you can spot all the starlings sitting atop my neighbour's roof. This was after they gorged on as many ripe cherries as they could. 

Again, not the best shot. I wasn't quick enough to get the full effect of the murmuration that followed. A fabulous sight. 

And finally, our most exciting family news. My daughter's rottweiler, Ebony, gave birth early this morning.

Six puppies in the litter, four male and two female. One of the females, puppy no. 3, was not doing too well but a quick visit to the vet for treatment and she's doing fine. 

That's it from me. It's not been a bad week with plenty to smile about. Hope you've had an equally good one.

Thanks for visiting - it's much appreciated. 

Have a great week ahead 

Elizabeth

Saturday's Smiles

Hello Everyone, 

I did intend joining in with Annie's Friday Smiles yesterday but, sadly, it wasn't to be. That being so, I thought I'd come in late with what has had me smiling this week. 

First up is this photo of my son-in-law, Graeme. 

He's had such a hard time of it recently with a really nasty case of infection in his spine. He was first admitted to hospital with it earlier this year and discharged on treatment seemingly on the mend. Then he got so much worse and had to be admitted again to be told he was going to have to stay in hospital being treated with intravenous antibiotics for three months. You can imagine how we all took that. Happily, after six weeks of this his doctors decided that as long as he goes in every day he could be treated as an outpatient. While none of us likes to be in hospital even for  a short stay, for Graeme it's much more difficult because he's deaf and usually communicates with sign language. This makes everything about hospital all the more difficult for him but everyone soon worked out that they could write him notes to help him understand. So, as you can see, he's now back home and just going back for an hour every day for treatment. He's got a big smile behind that mask. 

That was the main reason to smile this week but here's a few more from the garden. 

My one remaining hollyhock. The others have been lost to neglect - this last year neither of us has been well enough to tend the garden. I do what I can but it's become very neglected. 

One of our many clematis, this one is Hagley Hybrid, that has climbed through the roses and black elder. I thought I'd lost this one last year but it's just been in hiding.

The huge cotoneaster at the bottom of the garden is in flower again and the bees just love those tiny blooms. Every day I go and stand under its branches and just listen to the hum coming from all the insects feeding on it. Bliss!

And finally a funny,

Anyone who lives with someone hard of hearing, like my hubby, will identify with this. Conversations with Alan can be very quirky at times - so much so we just have to laugh at them. 

That's me done for this week. Hope what's made me smile has amused you too. 

If you are wondering why my signature isn't my usual one on some posts, it's because they are composed on my mobile phone and I don't have access to my PC from here. 

Take care and bye for now,

Elizabeth