The colour of winter

Farewell to January, hello February.  It looks much the same to me, but I'm happy, whatever the weather.  An excuse not to go out quite so much, to stay in and enjoy playing games and reading with the little people, well, it can't be bad.

We did get out a bit this weekend.  On Saturday we went to the Festival of Birds at Slimbridge.  There were various bird related activities, as well as talks, stalls and lots of wardens in the hides to explain what was to be seen.  The biggest boy had a whale of a time dissecting an owl pellet.  The middle boy made a nesting box, and the very kind man on the stall let the other two make one for free as well, when he heard me telling them that we could only afford to have one.  Such kindness.

You've no idea how thrilled three small boys were to get the chance to wield power tools.  Now I just need to shin up a ladder and fix one of them to the garage.

Today was Sunday.  The day that people like to get up slowly, to the smell of coffee and freshly baked rolls.  I wandered down to the kitchen to find the contents of an owl pellet spread all over the counter.  The biggest boy had been going through everything the owl had coughed up and washing it and laying it out neatly to dry.  Oh well, I don't drink coffee anyway.  And the owl pellet contents were actually quite fascinating.

Not a great photo, but you can see skulls and teeth and long bones (legs) and things.  I shall look out for pellets more when we're out and about now.  I had a quick squirt round the kitchen and over the biggest boy with some disinfectant before making the breakfast.

This afternoon we went and looked at the sea.  Such beautiful winter colours.

The sandbags were out, ready for high tide.  People have been surfing several miles upstream on the Severn Bore, the big wave that runs up the river a few times every year.  It's caused by the shape and size of the estuary; the big tides are funnelled up an ever-decreasing width of river, and at a certain point the flow of water turns into a wave.  Surfing and kayaking it is always popular, and with all of the extra flood water big things were expected.  In the event the flood water swallowed the bore and it was a bit disappointing.  Maybe we'll go and watch it one day, when it's safer.

A busy week lies ahead, as ever.  I'm focusing on inside things at the moment.  Putting the house in order.  Cooking good things.  Spending time with the little people.  Soon enough it will be time for going outside.  In the meantime I'm enjoying this winter.  I love the low light, the damp, chilly days that make it so good to come home and the beautiful muted colours.  I'm happy for it to continue a few weeks more.