I was seduced by the duck sellers at the car-boot sale in
Carrick yesterday, and came home with two Khaki
Campbells, quacking in the boot of the car in their box.
Okay well, it was no hard sell - as soon as I looked at those ducks I wanted to bring some home...
Given how much they obviously adore water, a temporary pond is being set up in an old bath tub that was lying around. Meantime, they have been splashing in a box.
Velma
Volente is obviously the ring-leader, but Gilda is close behind...
I see why people go bonkers about ducks - they are such lovely creatures - the way they waddle about, shaking their tails. And the ridiculous quacking. I thought chickens were amusing but they are nothing in comparison with the duck antics...
Other beautiful sights recently include this crane fly (daddy long legs)...
...lots of amber snails, with their spiral shells...
...Hedge Parsley...
...a bumble bee, sleeping in the bindweed...
...and a wasps nest in the bushes. Its about 10" across.
For the first time in my life I thought I might make it through an oiche shamhna, (that's Halloween in English) without hearing a single firework, despite being outside by a lovely bonfire for much of the evening...but I did hear two distant bangs in the end. The house is obviously not far enough away from civilisation!
A friend introduced me to Urban Sketchers recently, and its had me inspired to get pen and paper out and do some drawing the last few days, so yesterday I dragged a chair and various mark-making tools up the hill to paint the barn, as it looks so very beautiful at the moment, with the trees turning.
Concepta kept me company. She actually walked through the watercolours at one point, and then all over some paper too...little black paw prints.
Its been so long since I went out drawing or painting. I feel so very out of practice, but it was good to get out and do it.
