A Peacock’s Proposal

It all started with a little bird (no, he didn’t tell me so). He looked so small and cute just walking around big Trago Mills, our favourite shopping complex (for want of a better description), and he caught my eye. He became a bit twitchy when I became a twitcher and took out my mobile camera. The unwilling model walked over to a couple of lovebirds for moral support but they only had eyes for each other and the tiny bird darted off into the air.

The amorous peacock and the interested peahen suddenly noticed that they were stood next to a motorised chariot, the type used by disabled or old people who have difficulty in getting around under their own steam. And now I think I’ll let the photographs finish telling the story…

Keeping Tight-Lipped

“Ow! My lip is still sore,” I said trying to keep my top lip from stretching too much as I spoke.

“Oh, you poor girl, even a thin cut is painful in such a tender place,” answered Chris turning away from the television screen to look at me (we were on the sofa).

“I can’t think how it happened. Maybe a bramble thorn caught me unawares when I was out walking the dogs today,” I pondered, still keeping that upper lip as tight as possible.

“You remind me of Ronald Fraser,” Chris smiled.

“Oh no!,” I cried, making my mouth into an even smaller “o” shape. “Have you ever kissed someone with a really small mouth?” I continued.

“No, but I can imagine,” Chris laughed.

“Well, I have – his name was Dino. He was Italian, quite good-looking but the first kiss was enough,” I informed.

“I remember you telling me,” said Chris. (When you’ve been married for nearly seventeen years most things from the past have been told already.)

“Do you think it’s politically incorrect to say that someone has a small mouth?” I wondered.

“No, I shouldn’t think so – not yet,” Chris said and added, “but you could be accused of bad-mouthing someone!”

 

The Laughing Pig

Well, Harry the pig may not have actually guffawed but he smiled and smiled and smiled, and his tail wagged and his back trotters were particularly animated – you might even call that laughing, inasmuch as a pig can laugh. This charming little ritual occurred whilst Harry ate his breakfast, not just any average breakfast of grey pig food pellets and scrap vegetables; no, the secret to Harry’s happiness is a nice fresh egg on top. Shh, don’t tell Rosie or the hens that I pinched an egg for him!

 

The Great Escape – They’re All Quackers

They couldn’t stick any more of the antics from the mad cock that was carrying on, chasing and pecking at anything that moved, so the ducks decided to make a run for it. And who could blame them? Well, why not? It was just the weather for quasi crazy ducks and silly geese.

On Top of the World

Lots of things make us feel ‘on top of the world’ – don’t they? It could be something as basic as waking up and feeling healthy, or being out in the sunshine, or finding that you’ve lost a pound or two in weight, or you are in the most scintillating company…

Well, it’s actually raining here – just a light misty rain – nothing to get miserable about, and the sun is behind the clouds but it’s not dark and grey like some winter days, and it might well come out soon; and no, I haven’t lost any weight recently but I am keeping even and I don’t feel unhealthy. On the contrary I reckon I must be in blooming health because I’ve just come back from a walk right up to the topmost fields on Rosie’s farm; Malachi and Inca, the younger of the four dogs went with me (Sasha and Jas couldn’t face going out in the rain). I took an umbrella and walked in my green Wellington boots.

The dogs led the way, up and up, until I could see not just the farm below, but the neighbouring farmsteads and properties, and beyond to the River Exe, the estuary, the headlands and the sea in distance. Even the dogs seemed to take pleasure from stopping every so often to take in the view from their changing vantage points.They enjoyed also bringing me sticks and an old tennis ball one of them had found; and it was fun to be with them, throwing the sticks and the ball, and patting their heads when they came up to me for contact. Malachi never goes too far ahead lest I should be out of her sight; she’s as watchful as a mother hen.

I can’t say that I’ve yet mastered walking up steep grassy hillsides in Wellingtons – no matter how well-fitting, my socks always slip off and into the toes of the boots – and my feet still manage to feel wet and cold. But nothing could dampen my spirits. And although it’s raining harder now, and we are all indoors again, I still feel on top of the world. It is not only because we five are easy companions, comfortable sitting in near silence (Sasha is snoring a tad and someone is gnawing on a bone) as we warm ourselves by the Aga stove, or because ‘Horsey’ the cat came in just now for some food and a bit of love… Ah! Typically of England, the sun has broken through and the world outside looks so much prettier for it, but that’s not all… my beloved sister Mary returned from Australia on Tuesday.

And for fans of The Carpenters….

Top of the World (The Carpenters song)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
“Top of the World”

Cover to the single “Top of the World”
Single by The Carpenters
from the album A Song for You
A-side “Top of the World”
B-side “Heather”
Released September 17, 1973
Format 7″ single
Recorded 1972
Genre Country pop
Length 2:56
Label A&M
1468
Writer(s) Richard Carpenter; John Bettis
Producer(s) Jack Daugherty
Certification Gold (RIAA)
The Carpenters singles chronology
Yesterday Once More
(1973)
Top of the World
(1973)
Jambalaya (On the Bayou)
(1974)

Top of the World” is a 1972 song by The Carpenters. Originally recorded for and released on the duo’s 1972 studio album A Song for You, the song topped the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart in late 1973, becoming the duo’s second of three number one singles, following “(They Long to Be) Close to You” and preceding “Please Mr. Postman.” Originally intended to be only an album cut for the Carpenters, country singer Lynn Anderson covered the song and was the first to release it as a single. Her version nearly topped the U.S. country singles chart, reaching No. 2. Karen Carpenter re-recorded the song for the band’s first compilation as she was not quite satisfied with the original.

In Japan, the song was used as the opening theme song for the 1995 Japanese drama Miseinen. In 2003, it was used for another drama, this time as the ending theme song for Beginner. It appeared on the 2010 soundtrack of Shrek Forever After when Shrek enjoys being a “real ogre” and terrifying the peasants, as well as in a prominent scene of the 2012 film Dark Shadows, with a performance by the Carpenters seen on a television screen.

 

“Top Of The World”

Such a feelin’s comin’ over me
There is wonder in most every thing I see
Not a cloud in the sky, got the sun in my eyes
And I won’t be surprised if it’s a dream

Everything I want the world to be
Is now comin’ true especially for me
And the reason is clear, it’s because you are here
You’re the nearest thing to Heaven that I’ve seen

I’m on the top of the world lookin’ down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I’ve found ever since you’ve been around
Your love’s put me at the top of the world

Somethin’ in the wind has learned my name
And it’s tellin’ me that things are not the same
In the leaves on the trees and the touch of the breeze
There’s a pleasin’ sense of happiness for me

There is only one wish on my mind
When this day is through I hope that I will find
That tomorrow will be just the same for you and me
All I need will be mine if you are here

I’m on the top of the world lookin’ down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I’ve found ever since you’ve been around
Your love’s put me at the top of the world

I’m on the top of the world lookin’ down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I’ve found ever since you’ve been around
Your love’s put me at the top of the world

 

Birds in the Morning Mist – A New Oil Painting

It’s been a good day. Pleasurable shopping with Mum in the morning, while the sun was shining and the sky was a picturesque blue and white; and painting in shades of blue and white in my studio all afternoon.

Here are some before and after photographs of my new oil painting – notice the addition of birds and sparkles of light on the surface of the water. You may recognise the spot from previous photographs on my blog; it’s the River Teign as seen through the eyes of an artist (I hasten to add that at some point I leave the photograph behind and let the painting have the life, and colour, it dictates).

Posted in Art

The Baby Rig Takes a Few Steps

There was a bit of excitement out on the terrace this morning when we all noticed that the smaller rig was on the move… towards us. Pretty soon the smaller rig will be right in front of our house and we’ll be able to wake up and wave to the men in orange from our bedroom.

Spot the Lizard

No, the lizard isn’t called Spot, as you will realise when you read the ensuing email. It came in from Roly Attenborough, our ‘Birdman’ and all-round naturalist (not to be confused with ‘naturist’) friend from Brisbane…

Just thought this might make a good quiz for your loyal blog followers. In this picture there is one of my lizards in the tree, can you spot Larry? Or should I say Larissa for it is a female. Women always hide and shy away, well some do!

Now how (not ‘how now’) does Roly know that the lizard is female? I think she should be called Twiggy or Cate Branchett.

 

A Sparkling Clear Light on the River

The day was yesterday. The river was the River Teign, where it runs by the Passage House Inn at Newton Abbot (and where Chris reads my blogs to my dear old mum who is nearly blind). The sheep were in the fields on the Newton Abbot road. The glorious sunshine and the high clouds created a clarity perfect for photography. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my good camera on me – these shots were taken on my trusty little ‘unsmart’ mobile.

A Water-Berth

There has been great activity on the sea at Dawlish in the last month. A large section of the sea wall is still closed while repair and construction work continues, thus many people may be unaware of all the comings and goings; we, on the other hand, have a balcony view of the proceedings, which is why I can bring you the good news – the big rig gave berth successfully to a baby rig on the 12th January! Ever since then there has been even more toing and froing across the bay – a little one always brings interest.

This morning – thirteen days on –  four eager well-wishers came visiting in their canoes.

Chris took photographs of the happy event and some of the comings and goings.