The Rat

Today was the most glorious day so far this spring, it was warm and sunny and practically windstill.
Had my morning tea in the garden just simply enjoying the early morning sun. As I sat there quietly I noticed that a bluetit was flying in and out of the birch tree near me. Then I saw that is was going into the slate birdhouse I had placed near the roof and the drainpipe several years ago.
WOW! Our first bird family in the slate condo. So exciting, I had been concerned that I had hung it in the wrong place really with it being so close to the front door. But now I can sit on the bench sipping tea and observing the tit family! Hurrah!
Yesterday I brushed oil onto the wooden garden furniture; two benches and a table plus the latest addition a steamer chair. This is very comfy for reading. It smells really nice and should protect the wood for a while. The seasons are quite something around here with a lot of rain and wind. Many of the older trees have moss and lychen growing on them.
Lunch at the Rat Inn with Noah sitting outside in the sun and eating crab sandwiches with real chips, as they called them, with aioli. Yummy.
After that a motoring adventure around Corbridge to this place called Bywell where Basil Bunting liked to go for serenity and peace. It has two very old churches right next to eachother and we walked around the graveyards...Noah loves cemeteries.
In one a group of goths were having a picnic with a basket full of beer! Lovely site.
Had coffee at Noahs and cuddled Sofie and talked, we had a really nice family outing day.
I love exploring. Halcyon days like this are so rare in Northumberland. Tarset seems to have its very own micro-climate anyway.
Coming home makes me happy because I can be in the garden again. I laid out a blanky on the grass and spent time listening to the sounds and looking at the sky. The cats came to visit wondering what I was up to being horizontal rather than vertical as they are used to me being. Luna sat on top of me.
These days of spring are really a treat because every day there are changes in the garden and the nature around us. New blossoms appear as others fade, leaves become greener, and the countryside becomes more and more lush.
I want to enjoy them to the max.
Soon it gets busy again. Dublin for the Writers Festival in June, finishing a film for Northernness a symposium late in June etc.
I do feel fortunate to be able to do work that I enjoy and which is creative. Hopefully some of the things I have completed give something back like inspiration, encouragement and pleasure.