I really have...

...got to stop planning my days. It's not going to work!

Today I do have to visit my old workplace to deliver a silver chain, and I need some groceries. But, last night I saw the Andy Murray game advertised for this morning...it was said to be about 8:15am. My plan was to watch that and then make the journey. It was never going to happen. This morning they said the match should start at about 9:30...following the Venus Willliams game...they should have told the young Spanish lady Venus played, as she took it to three sets and won. Carla Suarez Navarro...from Gran Canaria...and a very good win too.

The A Murray v M Granollers (from Spain)...started at 11:00. The young Scot has taken the first set, and is looking at winning the second, so I might leave it to him...

I have been working whilst watching. I've photographed and listed some new beads...see right. Some pretty feminine colours ready for valentines. I'm a white tulip kind of person myself, not being keen on red roses...

I also had entertainment on my new feeder stick. Watching a squirrel try to work out how to climb or jump up to the food. He made the first level, but can't make it to the seed or nuts...but, you can see him trying to fathom it out. He shared his pickings with a pheasant, but chased the magpie away. The small birds were sitting on the top, and you could see their smirk.

Stretching...

...the poor laptop to it's ultimate. I usually use the PC in the office, but today I've dragged my old laptop into use. That's because I'm trying to do several things at the same time, and the office is in the wrong part of the house. I'd love a new laptop...but...ahh well.

I went to one of my favourite garden centres this morning...Van Hages near Ware, and came away with a bird feeder spike and have placed it near(ish) the sitting room french doors, with a shelter of a white flowered, evergreen honeysuckle the other side. At present I can see blue and great tits hanging from one part..a robin, hopping from place to place...a blackbird hanging around the base. They'll all vanish soon, as the wind is rising. I wonder if the squirrels will cope with it! Yesterday, I sat and watched a greater spotted woodpecker pecking away at one of the logs we've left around, with the blackbird and sparrows picking up the pieces he was throwing away. That's one reason I'm on the laptop, so I can see into the garden. I'm listening to CAFCTV for the commentary for the Sheffield Wednesday v Charlton game starting soon, and I'm trying to update this and Etsy...and read some of the blogs I enjoy.

I looked around the plant part of the centre, but I prefer dedicated nurseries for those. We've got some glorious ones locally.

All last week...

...we had a haw frost over snow, and by Friday I'd decided to take my camera into the garden and snap away. Below are some of my efforts

Part of the garden

Winter Jasmine

Holly

Choisya (Mexican Orange Blossom)

Pheasants toes

Hiding Place

And then on Sunday looking out, this sunrise greeted me. (I just turn on my side and get this view)

So pretty I decided to pad downstairs and walk to the end of the front path for this...

No artificial lens' were used in the making of these photographs...I'm not that clever!

Snow...

...and ice!

I couldn't have been listening to the weather forecast very well on Sunday, because when I padded across the landing yesterday morning, and looked out the window, there stretched before me was a blanket of white, all crisp and even...and deep enough not to have a blade of grass peeping through. It's still here today, though not quite as deep and even, but still white...and still chill!

I babysat grandsons yesterday, as they had one of those school inset days.

To start, their central heating isn't working properly, and as the day was so cold, granny decided to take them to her house...but, she needed the local shop first, which is past her house, through two villages, and down a steep hill. Unfortunately they don't grit those roads, and have only just started to outside granny's house, as they've seen fit to give us a bus! But, travelling sensibly...at 6-8 mph, we made it...then came the long way home. November 2007, my land rover skidded on mud left on the road from harvesting beets, in the Fens, and I ended upside down in a ditch...that was after being careful, so now I'm ultra careful...and I had two grandsons in my car, so 6-8 mph...is fine with me! They enjoyed the ride, and sparkling snow...and the village shop. They also had fun watching the squirrel hanging upside down from the bird feeder, and the birds foraging away around the base.

In the afternoon we made the unanimous decision to go to the cinema...Madagascar-Escape 2 Africa...and if you haven't, then you have to see those apes! They give the penguins a run for their money! Granny then took them shopping...so now I'm the wearer of a snug pair of suede, sheepskin lined boot/slippers...oh, and so warm today!

So today is my first "normal" day after the holidays...now where did I put that teapot!

Yesterday....

...having a stop for an afternoon cup. I sat looking out through the french doors into our garden, watching the last of the leaves fall, and the birds tipping them up looking for bugs, and scuffling around under the hanging seed box I have out for them. I have a couple of pheasants and a moorhen who are there most of the day. Suddenly something made them take flight, and slowly wandering across my vision was a monkjack deer. He had all the time in the world, but, not enough for me to grab my camera. They're nervous enough and even though I was indoors, my movement would have disturbed him, so I preferred to sit and watch, as he wandered through and fed.

I knew we'd had one around as we found footprints last week, whilst clearing some leaves. I've also seen the squirrels back...the rabbits still abound...and various varieties of birds. Though I've never had the kingfisher back...that was very special and a one off!