I decided to visit mum today instead of my usual Tuesday fixture. We both felt cold and subdued on such a grey and gloomy day but it was good to see her.

On the way home I stopped on the A1 for petrol – at my favourite cheap and cheerful and somewhat run down station where, for some reason, they sell kosher pretzels. Probably just to tempt me! I always succumb. From the forecourt I had a great view of the wind turbines that I drive past every week.

Happy that….

But very sad that

Son and Jeremy dragged it to the near bank

It will dry out for a few days before running repairs begin. It has done well for the last six year but some of the wood underneath the house has rotted in the water.

We have had two sightings of similar birds along Mill Road last year. This is either a Little Egret or, rarer still but distinguished by a yellow beak and NOT a black bill, a Cattle Egret. Since the 1990’s both species of these small herons, first the little egrets and more recently the cattle egrets, have been seen in the UK having migrated from the warmer Mediterranean countries. Beautiful creatures – see below for three videos

The Silkie chicks are growing and Nigel eyes them up – as friends or a snack?

This morning I fancied pasta for supper. I have plenty of containers of homemade tomato sauce in the freezer, however there are two pots of basil on the kitchen windowsill. I found a simple BBC recipe for pesto

First the greenhouse, then the courtyard