Survivor...

This little pansy has flowered continuously since last summer. It's looking a little bruised and battered but still beautiful and I think for that alone, is worthy of a blip.

I actually intended to blip the snowdrops but the weather is so awful I took two steps out the back door, saw this little pansy, went click and hurried straight back inside.

Alan's had a more productive day. He went to B&Q with Ed to get cable ties and other technical stuff to fix his bird table, then to Dobbies for bird feed then on the way back stopped off at Ed's house for a snack and to see Ed's wife Elaine who for some unknown reason blonde and beautiful he rather likes.

In other news, something quite lovely has happened to me in the last couple of days. A new community facebook page has recently been created for the village I grew up in and I was kindly sent an invitation to join.

At the start of the week I uploaded some photos I've taken of the village and surrounding area over the past five years and I have been absolutely astounded by the positive reaction to them, not only from the villagers themselves but from those who now live many miles away, in some cases as far afield as Canada, America, Australia & New Zealand. It seems my photos have struck a real emotional chord with everyone.

Anyway, long story short, the local community is trying really hard to fundraise to buy a community Christmas tree and decorations (the council refuses to provide one despite every other town and village in the area getting one) and I have been asked if my photos could be used to make up a 2015 calendar to be sold as part of the fundraising effort.

I am so touched that not only do they love my photos but that they think they are good enough to sell as a calendar! I hope they are right as to be able to contribute to the fundraising effort in such a way would be a joy and a privilege.

Watch this space! :))