Home to Roost, chicken at the Christmas Fayre!

So she comes up to me, giggling in only the way she can when something has amused her greatly. From behind her back, she thrusts the item in my direction. "Something", she grins, "that couldn't be more perfect, an ideal gift made just for you!"

I have to say, I absolutely LOVED it! The chicken, the knitting needles with ball of wool, the vintage apron. It HAD to be bought, hardly a hesitation and now it perches (!) on my shelf for all to see, the feathers moving with the heat of the radiator below.

Of course, we have to view her from both angles! Absolutely brilliant purchase, I'm sure you will agree!

And the response from dh? "For goodness sake!" followed by a nod of approval. He likes it, so all is well and she stays on the shelf to be admired by some and despaired of by others!

Two minutes silence

On Radio 2 this morning, General Sir Richard Dannatt read part of a poem by Major Malcolm (Sammy) Boyle, from the 7th Green Howards who went to Normandy in June 1944 for the D-Day landings.

Life and Eternity

If I should never see the moon again
Rising, red gold across the harvest field,
Or feel the stinging of soft April rain,
As the brown earth, her hidden treasures yield.

If I should never taste the salt sea spray
As the ship beats her course against the breeze,
Or smell the dog rose and the new mown hay,
Or moss and primrose beneath the trees.

If I should never hear the thrushes wake
Long before sunrise in the glimmering down;
Or watch the huge Atlantic rollers break
Against the rugged cliffs in battling scorn.

If I have said goodbye to stream and wood
To the wide ocean and the green clad hill,
I know that he who made this world so good
Has somewhere made a heaven better still.

This bear I witness with my latest breath
Knowing the love of God, I fear not death.

Major Boyle never returned from Normandy. He was killed in action on 16th June 1944.


Nothing to add.....

Delphi in pictures.

The oracle spoke from beneath the temple of Apollo pictured below.

Half of it's original height, the ampitheatre just needed  2 actors to try out the acoustics with  1 musician and guitar accompaniment!

The stadium at the top, need to look up the length...apparently a Stade is a measurement.  The mountains would have provided a great backdrop and I can only imagine the cheers reverberationg around the site as the sounds echoed around.

Greece Days 1&2 in pictures

A little insight into the first few days!  Waiting for the ferry over to Evia to browse the market and enjoy a local taverna, no moussaka though...or stuffed tomatoes but the Pasticcio, a sort of baked pasta with bechamel sauce and mince was not a disappointing alternative just rather a huge helping!

No time wasting, the ramp is lowered before it docks!

The Olives at the market on Evia

Would love to grow one of these in my garden.

Not sure about one of these though, we tried one, too much effort for not enough eating delight!

Black olives against the blue sky...in the back garden.

Introducing Lisa,

and Connie ? basset/bloodhound cross,  rescued from certain death by  the roadside, starving. a bag of bones about 5 months ago.

and finally Elsa, leader of the pack.

D, man of the soil, getting stuck in!

and into the raised bed in preparation for the spring bulbs.

Over to me for the planting bit...

Tulips and crocuses beneath the olive tree.

Consultation on matters botanical....

and I knit and watch and listen.... and smell the fragrance of thyme and oregano on the breeze.

View to the right.

and the left, the sea in the far distance.