SkyWatch Friday Season 4 Episode 34

Barry took these photographs during our walks this week on different days. It was good to be out in bright, brisk weather, though the wind was keen.

Not a thieving magpie in the bare branches of this tree but a retrieving crow. We are watched and followed by crows on the days we carry treats for the dogs. Treats are thrown into the pond/s to encourage Frodo to take a bath (though often he plunges in of his own accord) and those he misses are spotted and plucked from the water by the vigilant, clever crows.

Click on the photo to reveal two ponds. These are deep - even deeper at present after our cold, wet winter - and are frequented by three mallards in the Spring. Two drakes and a duck divide their time between the various ponds in the forest but go elsewhere to nest and raise their young so we never discover which drake is the chosen swain!
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Camera Critters - ducks and drakes

Our dogs disturbed this pair of Mallards. Often there are two drakes courting one duck. Duck leads off with drake following closely.

No peace for Duck . . . Duck touches down followed as ever by her faithful swain.Though we see Mallards every year we have never yet seen any ducklings . . . strange . . .

Thank you to Misty Dawn for this meme.

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Easter trees

Today is Good Friday – always a quiet day for me and one on which I feel I should be spending some time in church, though I never do. Out walking with the dogs I found myself singing a hymn from my childhood – 'There is a green hill, far away . . . ' I never understood until I was grown up what 'without a city wall' meant. Why should a hill have a city wall? It was strange how quickly the words came back to me. I must have sung it a few times as a teacher though I cannot recall doing so, since most of my career was spent with younger children.

I had never heard of Easter trees until I saw them mentioned on a blog and then, when I did some cursory research I discovered that, like Christmas trees (thank you, Prince Albert) the custom comes from Germany. I thought it was such a pretty idea that I had to try it out, though it's rather too close to Easter – I should have started with a bare twig or two six weeks ago. I went shopping for decorations and though I really wanted fluffy chicks I ended up with painted eggs, pig (!) paper clips and a rabbit that more resembles a hare appropriately enough for the British Isles. Nonetheless they are all symbols of renewal - not quite sure about the pigs; I think they represent Easter Sunday lunch more than anything! Similarly, I'm not sure where a duck on eggs fits in; maybe it's another European custom, though I can see where the Easter poisson of France comes in as Ichthus is an early Christian symbol and is often to be seen in lapels, on car stickers, as brooches for believers.

The Easter tree has proved to be a source of fascination for the cats but I think I'll continue the custom next year.