Slow but sure

It's very strange how late the snowdrops are this year in my garden but slowly they are emerging.  I spotted the first of my aconites too.  

The house being developed next door is clearly nearly finished.. the beds arrived today and various other bits of furniture and house paraphenalia.. endless deliverys.  The windows have still not been change for obscured glass.. so we remain overlooked... hmm.. I am not sure I will ever get him to comply with the restrictions to his building permissions but somehow I will try.

Today in my pile of photos I found some manificent old portraits.. one of which has led me to find my childrens 4 times great grandfather.. it turns out that one of his sons was on the Mormon handcart trail and walked from Iowa to Salt Lake City in the mid 1800's.. I need to do more research but ... crikey!!  What a thing to stumble across.. I have found a film called 17 Miracles which all about it... could be interesting to watch it. 
Extra.. a rather jolly gentleman posing on a rock beside a river.. walking stick at hand. No idea who this is.. but the whole little album is full of posed groups in the Scottish highlands (I think)