Weather better

After an overnight frost and a cold, dull morning, we are now bathed in winter sunshine. It is still very cold - much colder than it has been - but there is a blue sky and sunshine this afternoon.

Some good advice

I found this on Facebook earlier.  Personally, I think it is good advice for a happy and stress-free life. If all of us tried to follow this, then the world would be a better place.  I think it originated in the USA judging by the writing style.

RSPB Garden Bird Count

The annual UK RSPB garden bird count is any hour in the last weekend of January. I have been doing this for years. You just choose a spot and count the maximum number of each species seen in the hour. It can be surprising. When done, I submit results to the RSPB online. It is always a great pleasure and you do not need to be an expert birder to do this. Each year, the RSPB get a great deal of data.  Some years I see very little. Some years I have seen up to 11 different species.

Most times you will see quite common birds, but occasionally you may see something unusual. It is the number of the ordinary birds seen that tells the real story.  If you can, grab a coffee and sit down, look out the window, and count the birds in your garden or park.  I am sure, like me, you will enjoy it.

See https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdwatch .

Stroke

A nurse who worked in neurology at Addenbrookes hospital today described me as, "a walking miracle", but I'd settle for my old self please!  Although I still feel I'm living "on the edge" each day,  I am thankful to be here, but I wish I had no problems with my voice, swallow, felt less giddy, and got less tired.  My fine motor skills are still far from right. In many ways I am lucky and I could have been left much worse. Today I have to adapt to the new "me" and hope things still improve, albeit slowly. Everyone says that I look so well. This, in many ways, makes it worse as they all assume I am well, when I really am not at all well inside. I have mentioned this before, but in some ways a visible form of disability might be easier. At least people would know one is not well.

Hawkedon added to East Anglian Churches blog

The East Anglian Churches blog has been updated to include Hawkedon, Suffolk. This is a fine old church now in a very rural setting. It once was in the centre of the village, but nowadays all that remains are scattered farms and cottages.  See http://eachurches.blogspot.co.uk/ .

Milky Way time bombed by Aurora

See https://www.facebook.com/greenpeace.canada/videos/10153577012364961/ .

If you have a Facebook account you may be very impressed by this time-lapse photo. It certainly impressed me!

Sun shining - visit to Ickworth NT

After what seems like ages, the sun shone, we had a real winter day (cold and frosty) and we visited the National Trust grounds at Ickworth near Bury St Edmunds and did a walk down to the bridge. Unlike at Anglesey Abbey, there were no signs yet of spring flowers. It was muddy off the main paths. There were even signs of snow.