Happy St. Patrick's Day

Love Is In The Air

"Love is in the air everywhere I look around
Love is in the air every sight and every sound...." 

Well - you'd think there should be sound, with those open beaks. But I haven't been able to hear it over the gulls, and the rush hour traffic. I think you can hear the grey wagtails, though.

February Favourites

Too busy!!

Here are my favourite cards from February.
The anniversary one was for my parents-in-laws' 60th wedding annviversary, and the wedding one was for one of C's work colleagues, made when he didn't like the only two I had on hand to offer him. But I think Linus is my favourite one - I'm sad that Stampabilities will no longer be producing Peanuts stamps any more.

I didn't bother updating my blog header in February, there weren't many photos from last February to choose from. If it comes to it, there weren't that many from last March either. Some siskins and long-tailed tits, but taken through the window so a bit grainy. I've chosen a hen blackbird, instead.

Spring Dress

I was watching the cormorants down at Heuston station yesterday morning - back in breeding plumage ready for the Spring. This morning was beautiful, but by the time I'd done a big supermarket shop and unpacked it, the day was already changing to the usual dull gray.

Farmleigh

As promised, a few photos from Farmleigh last week:

It was a beautiful morning, but bitterly cold. The witch-hazel smelled just beautiful, as did the wintersweet growing against the outside of the walled garden. And the birds were in full song...

This last photo is obviously not Farmleigh at all - it's a reflection (and reflection of the reflection) of a sculpture outside the civic offices in Blanchardstown. On another lovely sunny morning...

January favourites...

It just occurred to me this morning, when I was thinking that I'd be pressed to find any photo-editing time this weekend, that I still haven't uploaded my favourite cards from January, so here goes...

I spy with my little eye

Something beginning with B -  a hen blackbird in a tree above me on a visit to Farmleigh yesterday. She was tucked away inside, and I'd never have seen her if I hadn't looked up to see the robin singing its heart out at the top of the tree. And since I'm going with B, I might as well add in a black-headed gull from the way to work the other day. Too windy and rainy for any photos this morning.

More photos tomorrow - I hope!

Tails you lose...

Tails from the zoo...

And from the garden (head and tail), we seem to have more visitors again; the long-tailed tits are back from time to time, and yesterday I spotted this lovely female blackcap. Just as well C cleaned the windows recently!!

Heads You Win

I was treated to a trip to the zoo the other day with friends. I can't tell you the last time I was in Dublin Zoo - over thirty years ago, I'd say.
More photos to follow, but here are a few head-shots.

December catch-up

The first week in January has just flown by.
Nothing else to post, so I'm just going to share my favourite non-Christmas cards from December!
Along with my new header photo - a robin singing in the garden last January.

I made the seabird notebook for Lorraine, and liked it so much that I made similar ones  for my sister (who paid me a great compliment by saying she couldn't quite decide whether I'd covered it myself or bought it), and one for my Dad who can't even remember seeing his - so much for using "Carpe Diem" as the sentiment on his.