Leaving 2014 and heading off into 2015

Firstly, a very happy and peaceful new year to all my readers and fellow bloggers

and thank you for your kind comments over the year.

Well it's been an interesting year - some pretty unwelcome downs in terms of health problems throughout the family and a couple of very close friends.  But let's dwell on the positive.

Had some pretty amazing holidays with Pete.  March saw us enjoying wonderful sun and warmth in Seville..  and May saw us in probably my fav country to date... Italy... where we had some great days using Verona as a base.

In July we headed off to Munich - not too sure I'd go for German food.. but going to the Cotswolds on a rather delayed UK holiday (Pete's Dad being taken unexpectedly unwell)..had me revisiting some favourite places in the Cotswolds - albeit the weather could have been a little kinder.

Been to some interesting concerts and ballets at Covent Garden, the Coliseum, Wigmore Hall and the LSO..

And what will 2015 bring?  Hopefully improved heath for all.. and some new and interesting places to visit.

Certainly some good holidays to anticipate with Pete...In March, a return trip to Florence... a place which will always have a special place in my heart.  May in the Spring sees me in Guernsey.. a first time visit here.

Then staying in the UK and visiting Yorkshire and Lincolnshire so many more places to enjoy for the first time.

Then finally, off to Sorrento... again a different type of holiday with loads of history to explore.

So - lots to look forward to.

and I shall be posting loads of pictures and accounts of my doings and where I've been.. as usual - well my blog is my diary :D..

Widewater lagoon... a few birds about

Was meeting my daughter today so I headed off early for Widewater Lagoon.  All was sunshine all the way there and then the light was really odd... not good for pics....

A family of 1 adult and 2 juv Mute swans were being fed.

Birds seen: 7 Little Grebes, 2 Redshanks, 1 Shelduck, 1 Little Egret (flyover), 4 Teals, several assorted gulls... and strangely, no mallards - they must have been hiding.

And out on the beach a few Turnstones...

A Frozen Warnham..

The Goldfinches et al are eating me out of house and home... this is what they've eaten in one day... feeders were full in the morning.

Two robins visited the other day and I saw them again this morning...

The lake at Warnham was frozen over..

Work-in-progress... nothing happening today

Gulls on Ice!

The usual culprits on the feeders but so crowded in the hide so I didn't staylong today..

Sheffield Park - cold but sunny

Popped over to Sheffield Park this morning... it was cold but glorious sunshine... I didn't take many pics.. have taken so many there, but instead just enjoyed the walk...

Warnham for a breath of fresh air and a few birds

Gave a lift and moral support to my daughter this morning who had an emergency dental appointment..  Ouch, ouch, ouch

After that the sun came out so I went for a wander around Warnham.. About 6 cormorants and loads of gulls out on the lake

In the field a few black and some white sheep..

ooooooh nice to scratch the itch!!

Around on the feeders a Nuthatched visited.. also a Coal Tit.. nice to see

and a couple of male Pochards..

in amongst several Tufted Ducks

A pleasant stroll in the cold and crisp sunshine!