Birds, books and backs

Nearly time for me to leave Enmatte for a short while. So glad I’ve managed to identify the mystery birds! Small (ish), pointed beak, dark grey & black, a flash of red when they fly and yes, they are black redstarts, We have mum, dad and their fledglings –the latter are fluffy, have those (now) unmistakable red under- wings,  and are making good use of the long grass to rest from their first short flights. The parents keep watch, perched nearby and make a constant sharp whir … I am here, I am here, it seems to say. 

We also have several arguments of sparrows in the hedges, blackbirds feeding from the ‘lawn’, bullfinches come and go, and in the woods by day a cuckoo, and at night the nightingale. Overhead, the hawk keeps watch. Its all a very real privilege to watch.

Finished Joyce Carol Oates collection of short stories today.  Faithless, Tales of Transgression is full of grim,authentic and wide ranging pictures of the lives and deaths of today’s Americans. I needed to give these stories space, but Oates writing always pleases. She can do as much (and often more) with a short story as other writers do with longer prose.

Gentle tasks are on my to do list at the moment –my back is still a problem, less painful thanks to  the local GP and I can now see the origin of the problem after a visit to Radiology in Fleurance. I have a drawer full of analgesia …but a glass of wine (or two) does the trick just as well.

My latest knitting project is finished and I’m so pleased that its now in Tracey’s wardrobe as it fits her much better than me! As I tried it on I was thinking how could I change these sleeves …   they are perfect on T’s long arms.

And to close the news that one of my poems was ‘commended’ in a local competition this month. Odd really, I wrote it quickly staying with B&A in Wales last May –so the first version is in their guest book, and I made very few changes after taking it to a workshop. You just never know what the judges are going to like!  Encouraging to be placed like that, its obvious but unless you write and send stuff out there there’s no chance of anything being published. So, forward with the next poem … perhaps the black redstart family might be in there, they deserve some recognition for the pleasure they give.