It's Still Life

1. The week started off with frost. I’m thankful that the temperature didn’t dropped lower. They had snow from the Highlands to the Borders.

2. Thankful that Peder and I love veg; it makes for an easy and quick dinner. Lots of chill peppers and oyster sauce.

3. The Apostle Trees have dropped most of their leaves now — it’s the bare season when the wind blow freely through them.

4. Discovered several self-seeded plants that appeared after our recent rainfall. We’re still under drought restrictions, but every drop is something to be thankful for. This is columbine.

5. Thankful for one dahlia still blooming. It lifted its chin to the sky and said PFFFT to the frost. 

6. Witch hazel. Love the branches and twigs that twist around. It still has most of its leaves, which is surprising because it’s usually bare and twiggy by now.

7. Beautiful leaf colours on the grapevine. It’s a single flame that lingers. The grapes were particularly delicious this year.

8. I love playing with B&W photos. I’ve discovered that they’re also easier for me to pick out detail than colour images. I put on a B&W filter so I can see them more clearly — not sure why this is so, but I’m thankful for new ways to do things.

9. Example: This is a photo I took during a walk nearby. I didn’t even notice the sheep in the image until I used the B&W filter.

10. My crow, that’s not my crow, and never will be my crow, but I am his (he thinks). For many years he’s come into my garden (or perches on the kitchen windowsill outside and looks in), and he’s as much a part of my morning as making breakfast for my husband. Years ago, I found him, a small fledgling, wing caught in the laurel bush. I wrapped him a warm towel, fed him apple and blueberries, sang to him — I thought he’d die during the night, but we stayed together in the conservatory until morning — when he flew away. He’s returned every morning after that. He doesn’t like when I go away on holiday; when I return, he shouts at me. It makes me laugh. If that is not something to be thankful for than I don’t know what is.