All the leaves are gone

Well almost but not quite. The hazel leaves hold on and the catkins emerge. The thrushes and blackbirds have stripped the yew tree of berries. The wood pigeons sit in the holly tree swallowing away. The cotoneaster has turned into a bloody sunset and the berberis is aflame.

I was walking down the lane to the bay, the wind having died down, and I smelt this sharp, peppery, spicy sweet smell. All along the ditch the thick leaves of the winter heliotrope abound and now here and there are blossom heads.

I blipped one earlier in the year (4th Jan) and now it is out already in early December. The new camera makes a difference.

A dead blackbird, picked open by magpies, succumbed in the storm and a wood pigeon was scuttling around under the trees with a thick neck and broken wing trying not to be noticed. If I'd been brave I would have dispatched it but I skirted around feeling the pity of the thing.

I've amended the blog I put out yesterday ( a different way at looking at Blifopto member numbers). . Been pleased - in a grudging sort of way -  that the Blipfuture Directors have issued more communications. (It was time). Queried things I still don't understand and generally felt uncomfortable with my position - *fearless* blogger and *querulous* Blipper. Or some mix of that.

We watched The Bridge on catch-up ( so much death - who needs it?) and I took John his box of decorations with a promise to take in a Christmas tree tomorrow.  For he do marvel at a tree to look at. Brings him so much pleasure. We continue to munch our way through another box of chocolates. But it's hard these dark wet nights to get in the car and drive over there. But if it was me I'd appreciate it.

Not sure whether to push out another blog or just shut up tomorrow. Hard to gauge.