Reading My Way Around the World

Wednesday 26 June 2019

The Birds Song

The RSPB recently released a record of birdsong which managed to go to the top of the charts - a fantastic achievement.  And they've now started a Birdsong Radio - wonderful.    It is surely the biggest delight of my day to hear the birds singing in the morning and to watch them feeding in the garden.  Check it out here


On our recent trip to England and Scotland we had a morning off in the Lake District and found TheBirds Bistro :). A brilliant place to buy special foods for the birds and squirrels.  We came home loaded down.   Check it out if  you're in the area. 

And at the same time, my Tom has written a fun song called The Birds Song - a parody on immigration - have a listen - and a watch of our birds :). 



He's working on a children's book at the moment illustrated by a friend, Colum McEvoy.  I'll post some of the images in a future blog post - it will be launched at our festival here next month.   

"We may have different feathers and sing a different song
But when we sing together, the differences are gone. "


Wednesday 12 June 2019

Getting the ducks in a row

Outside a farm shop in Fife, these wee chaps were almost in line

Firstly thank you all for your lovely comments on the photo Scavenger Hunt last week - I really enjoy that challenge and the lovely community that has built up around it.

And secondly, what on earth is going on with this weather!   I had to go to Belfast early this morning and as yesterday was sunny I thought 'no need for a scarf or warm coat' - I nearly froze.  It's like February - or as I heard someone on the radio saying "the month of Donegal" :)

Now, a question for you ... 

If you're looking for information on the internet, where do you search first?  Do you go directly to a website, or to Facebook, or do you just type in a name in Google or some other search engine?   I'd be very interested to know.

When we were in Germany last month someone said that when they searched for us on the internet, it was a different type of music coming up than what we played in our concert ... I never thought to ask where they'd searched.

So when we returned home I started looking around - something that should have been done months,  even years, ago, and sure enough depending on where you search, different information comes up, some of it years out of date.  I've had a website for nearly 20 years and what was really ahead of time back then is so outdated now and technology has jumped on ahead of us, confusing the issue (and me).

So since we came back we've been trying to get everything to line up ... not an easy job and seriously doing my head in.  And it'll take another couple of weeks of concentrating on it.

So do let me know what you do - what's your preferred way of hunting down information.

Canada Geese on Hallig Hooge - they know how to line up, almost

Monday 3 June 2019

A walk through May - Photo Scavenger Hunt

I'm very late joining Kate's Scavenger Hunt this month, but I just noticed there's a few hours left for the Linky to stay open.  

It's been ages since I've posted anything and have missed this blogging community, but work and stress have been the ruling forces for ages now and my biggest challenge has been trying to get some rest and balance as well as putting some sort of order on work, house, garden, parents, home, internet (bane of my life) and friends.  So we're supposed to be on holiday today but the car broke down and kept us at home, so I've decided the day is being spent on the sofa with reading and writing blogs, knitting and tv (and maybe there's enough in the freezer for dinner!)

So here are this month's words

Seat 

I feel a bit mean showing a snowy scene at this time of the year - although we did have snow once on June 8th here a bout 20 years ago - but this was the only seat I could find in old pics .--- It was taken at Annahgakerrig in Co. Monaghan, the artists retreat I've written about a few times.  


View (from the seat!)

And on a summer's day you could enjoy the view around the grounds - only a glimpse here.



Lunch

We've had the most lovely visitors to the garden this spring - earlier in the year there was a pair of jays, now we've got a pair of doves and the biggest surprise - a Red Squirrel.    There's been a huge effort to reintroduce reds into the Mournes as there were only greys here for years and years.   So here's our wee visitor having his lunch.



Starts with a P

I was given a present at Christmas for a pottery class and loved it so much I joined up for a run of classes - I think the wheel is not going to be my thing - gosh can I make a mess but it's great fun - but I really liked making a pinch pot.  This was my second attempt before firing - although I messed it up after this pic by punching holes in it, so you'll not be seeing the finished picture I don't think lol 

Transport

We've made seven trips now out to Hallig Hooge off the north west coast of Germany, mostly in May.   Normally we catch the early morning ferry but for a change this year we travelled later in the day and this was a gorgeous sunny afternoon.
The ferry coming onto the mainland from Hallig Hooge

My own choice.

I've had this little lilac bush for years and this is the first time it bloomed - it was in full bloom when we arrived back from Germany - a lovely welcome home gift. 




So that's it from me for this month.  See you all next month.   If you fancy joining in, the Scavenger Hunt is run by Kate and she'll be posting the June words in the next few days, I'd imagine.