Late Autumn days

I have'nt posted much these last few days, too much reading of Druids and Dracula may be one reason but as a queen bee flew gently past the window this morning, I realised that the natural world still goes on and that spring will be on the other side of Xmas A great host of starlings on the lawn feeding on the bread I threw out, one bird busily stabbing the apple that had seen better days.

Yesterday we went to the garden centre for more pansies and primroses, it was alive with the sparkle of Christmas. Prettily displayed craft stuff of glass, father christmas's galore in all shapes and sizes, willow work, dried flowers a plethora (if that is the right word) of goodies.

A dark grotto for the children, and real animal sized creatures covered in soft fur to stroke, again for the children, there was a camel towering above me nodding his head gently, a sheep and a donkey! In these dark dull days of Autumn, even the most trite glittery baubles appeal to lighten up the gloom.

Two images come back to me of last year, the golden plovers on the down in the early morning light, and the deer by the woods chasing with such grace across the fields.

This morning a two kilo box of biscuits from the people next door (we looked after their house) whilst they went swanning away on the continent in their posh motor home. The biscuits were Spanish, like a confectionery shop they were all wrapped in brightly coloured papers, sugared almonds and chocolates pleading to be opened, if my grandchildren were nearer they would have had them...

Also joined Facebook over the weekend, and pottered around on there, found my son-in-law and an old friend which was rather good.. As for Dracula, which is a pretty good read, though I had a horrendous nightmare of this faceless black cloaked figure in the bedroom menacing me, I was intrigued to discover how Bram Stoker used Whitby in the telling of the story.