One Little Sparrow sat on my shoe

 

This little birdie sat on the grass, then hopped to my waterproof rug, bright pink side up, fleecy and comforting. rested a while, hopped again, snuggled up by my knee, then sat on my sneaker. ( sorry about the dirty look, they are my gardening shoes!!) Shortly afterwards, he hopped back to the grass, and then went to a safe place under a tree with lots of low overhanging branches. I’m sure his Mum was near.

Quotation of the day, by James M Barrie

I'm youth, I'm joy,

I'm a little bird that has broken out of the egg.

Greetings from Jean

Greetings to the Francois Family

 

 

Bonjour Erik, Valérie, Nicolas et Pierre, c'était notre grand plaisir de vous rencontrer, et cela vous aidera, et un moment spécial ensemble ce matin. Nous avons partagé nos blogs, vous avez rencontré les garçons! à côté, et nourris Orlando, Grenadier n'était pas très sympathique, peut-être qu'ils avaient déjà un petit déjeuner. Les oiseaux de bébé ont été visités, et nous ont fait des suggestions pour des endroits merveilleux à voir dans l'île du Sud. Et, comme notre famille de Rotorua était ici, et Laurie et Gina de Wellington, une maison pleine pour le petit déjeuner. Nos meilleurs voeux pour vous de continuer Voyage sûr et excitant en Nouvelle-Zélande, j'espère que le Sud, vous offre une grande hospitalité, et de leur suite, en Australie et en Asie too.Our ce qui concerne de très bons, et Jean Hugues, et tous les autres ici, Graestone le 26 Décembre 2013.

 

We had a full table at breakfast this morning, Laurie and Gina from Wellington, our family  from Rotorua, and Erik,Valerie, Nicolas and Pierre from Belgium. The Francois family are on a 11 month trip around the world!!! You can read about it all here at            

 http://valernipi.wordpress.com/

We were so happy to meet you, and hope your continued travels in the South Island give you great hospitality, exciting adventures, and stunning scenery.

Quotation of the day, Mary Oliver

“Keep some room in your heart for the unimaginable.”

Greetings from Jean

Another Six Hungry Little Mouths to feed in the Orchard

Christmas Day has dawned, cloudy, grey, and some light rain.

Santa has been here overnight, and the tree is decorated, with  lights flashing, tinsel and all else, it is truly  complete with an angel on the top… and gifts wrapped up have been delivered. I think Santa Sacks are at the doorways too.

The Best Present of All

Mrs Blackbird in the grapevine, with her babies

Mrs Thrush sitting carefully on her babies.

One little baby ready for dinner.

Mrs Thrush had 3 babies on 22nd December, they now  have  a little downy fluff covering their tiny bodies. She is a wonderful Mum, and fluffs her wings out so wide to cover them.

Mrs Blackbird has had one baby a day for 3 days, too tiny to photograph yet.She is so good too, sitting carefully, and her wings spread wide, her babies are so tiny.

Not a Dad to be seen anywhere, the Mums are doing all the trips out of their nest to collect tiny insects and maybe worms.Literally a flying visit, done so quickly, so the littlies do not get too cold.

This is nature’s delight for Christmas at our place, truly a miracle.

Quotation of the day by Lao Tzu

“ Nature does not  hurry , yet everything gets accomplished”

Greetings from Jean

Christmas Greetings

 

Hello to all my friends, everywhere in NZ and the Wide World.

 

Many people will walk in and out of your life,

but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart

 

I wish you all a Joyous Christmas with family, friends and much loved dogs/cats/horses or any other dear pet that is with you this year.

 

 

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Christmas Greetings

We have our Northern family arriving today, guests will be here for Christmas night too, so a full house.

I know I have written this before, but my life is so much richer and happier for all your wonderful friendship, comments, emails, caring and sharing, and I truly hope you will receive as much happiness as I have  with blog friendships.

Quotation of the day,author unknown

“ Gifts of love, time and friendship are the best ones ever,

may they all be found in your stocking or under the tree “

Greetings from Jean

Can You Hear The Drums, Orlando?

 

Did you run as fast as you could? Did you know today would be the day your fleece would be shorn, and soon we will see some wonderful creations from Fiona?

They are almost unrecognisable from the woolly boys of yesterday. The warm weather is a good time to shear them,  now they do look very BARE!!! But, without all that fleece, I can see they really are BOYS!!!

 

Quotation of the day, author unknown

“ Never ask the shearing gang/barber/ or hairdresser  if you need a haircut,  the answer will  always be YES”

Greetings from Jean

The How Will I GoPro Winner

Motorcycle Racing on the Clouds

Joseph Johnson

Los Angeles, CA, USA

I would travel to Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia and race a motorcycle on the largest mirror in the world to the never-ending horizon. Even in this internet era, people still don't realize there are places like this that exist in the world. I spent the last year travelling around the world to serve people in the most remote places and I love to share my experiences through pictures and video. I would love to GoPro to capture what it's like to be "out of this world."

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Congratulations Joseph, your entry is exciting, adventurous, and totally outstanding, and you so deserve to win. Enjoy your travel with the GoPro team, and we will see your video in 2014.

I am still happy that I entered , and many thanks to all my wonderful friends who cheered me on. My dream is still there, and maybe another day I will get to meet you all.

Quotation of the day from Robert Browning,

“Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,
Or what's a heaven for?”

Greetings from Jean

A Maternity Room in the Garden

 

Two young mothers are waiting patiently,   and shortly after sunrise, when the air and ground has warmed a  little,   they stretch their legs, and have breakfast. Overnight they are settled in their beds.

Babies will arrive soon, some  might be black, the others speckled.

We have one blackbird nesting in the grapevine, 3 eggs.

One thrush in the blackberry vine, her nest is  nestled so well into the  leaves, I cannot see the eggs. They sit all night, and after the sun is up, leave their nests briefly for their food and toilet stop!!! Incubation is 13 to 15 days for each bird , and both parents feed the chicks. 

I am so careful not to touch any leaf or twig near the nests, so cannot see into the thrush’s nest.  Lady Thrush seems to be quite tame, I can talk, Hugh can weed-eat nearby, and she sits and looks. Lady Blackbird leaves her nest more often.  Daddy birds not to be seen yet, maybe they do not like maternity processes.!!! They will arrive once the chicks need feeding, I’m sure.

The vege garden is producing full bore, and courgettes will be processed ,so I can use them in  a loaf recipe of Gayle’s. Beetroot will be picked soon too, again prolific plants. Did I sow too many seeds this year!!!

 

Quotation of the day, by Rabindranath Tagore

 

Faith is the bird that feels the light

when the dawn is still dark.

Greetings from Jean