A bunch of flowers...

...to thank Debi from Hawai Bound Bandster and Tina from Tina's Weightloss Journey for their kindness in nominating me for this blog award -

 and most of all for their warmth and friendship - what a wonderful world this blogland is.  From the recent number of these blog award pictures on my favourites roll of honour appearing to the right of this text I know that many have already received this award, so I'd rather just say that bandits have the biggest hearts and the greatest understanding for those of us who are struggling.

Ten things I love (other than people, and in no particular order):

1.  The colour green - specifically on spring foliage with the sun shining through it - I'm absolutely mesmerised...

2.  Blogging - a new means of expression, the pleasure of which has taken me almost completely by surprise.  (By the way, have you seen my new blog?  Shameless plug top right of this blog...)

3.  Banjo and Rusty - my affectionate, sweet cats.  They comfort me when I'm sad, they have me feeling livid with them for scratching at my armchairs (for about a millisecond), and when I get up in the morning barely able to move from stiffness, my eyes red from lack of sleep - because they've plonked themselves in the way of my legs - or my face -  and I can't quite bring myself to shove them off me because they purr so.

4.  Horses, those beautiful spirited creatures, which when treated right are gentle, noble and true, and a joy to watch. 

5.  The wonderful, gorgeous, gentle rolling countryside scenery of the United Kingdom.  Lose yourself in that green, imagine yourself lying down in it, looking up at the swaying branches overhead, or the blue sky... if there is one.  (How do you think it stays so bewitchingly emerald?).  The picture below was taken in the Usk valley near Talybont in mid Wales.

6.  The space of Patagonia, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, the wide open skies and the Southern Cross at night,  and the warmth of the people who live there.

 

7.  Languages, and our will to learn at least one other apart from our own.  The ability to communicate on the same level with people from another culture and really understand them.  In understanding their anger from the inside - or if they understood ours - there would be less conflict.

8.  Music - Joseph Haydn and George Handel, for composing music which for me transmits the feeling of joy like no other, and lifts the lowest of spirits; the guitar, my companion since age 10, the sound of which blends so perfectly with the human voice.

9.  Water - the delicious feeling of swimming in clear cool water on a hot day, particularly when you let yourself sink under the surface and feel the cold on the top of your head, cooling you down instantly.

10.  Ice Cream, God help us all...

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Photo Finish

From Lonicera's non-digital archive

Fauna & Flora

Spanish type bluebells

Peaches in Valencia, Spain

THE...

END!!!!!!!!

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