Finding relief....

....from the heat.

I had wondered why my little family of Butcher Birds liked to congregate at the far end of the back veranda, and today I discovered why.

Mama Butchie has found the water in my watering can, and I caught her helping herself, with her little beak way down in the can. 

After she flew away, I renewed the water.

And so we end another year! I have a number of missed blips to add at some stage for this year, and will get to that progressively, but for now, here I sit at my computer, nearly 8 pm, with just four hours of the old year remaining.

To everyone on blip, I would like to wish you all the happiest of New Years, good health, good luck, and the best of everything your heart desires for 2015.