Out of hibernation...

We were quite surprised to find this small tortoiseshell in our kitchen sink this morning. I can only assume that it was brought in with the ivy we used in our Christmas decorations. As it was a mild, albeit very windy day, I took it to our ivy-clad fence, which is sheltered by the greenhouse, hoping it would be able to find another suitable place to complete its hibernation.

The last couple of days have been filled with family and friends, just as Christmas should be. We spent Boxing Day with Pete's Mum and partner, and today our closest home-educating friends came down from Boston. Ross and I took both dogs for a wildly windy walk around the Rowing Lake, and managed to find a devious route that avoided all the flooded areas. Lots of merriment, cake and delicious food followed, although we now seem to have even more leftovers!