Deer in the Park

It was such a perfect day that I abandoned the grand plan to attend to the final items of Christmas shopping. Instead, I drove to the Phoenix Park for a major Blip session. I wasn't alone. Also there were many joggers, birds of various sorts, and far too many cars whizzing up and down the central thoroughfare. I blipped trees and fences and more trees; I spent almost half an hour trying to get a decent close-up of a nettle; I resisted the temptation of calling in for afternoon tea with The President.

All in all, I spent a hugely enjoyable hour and a half blipping away until my fingers were ready to fall off because of the biting cold. I got in the car and continued along the main road in the direction I'd come in, intending to turn back at the next roundabout. I'm glad I did now. I've bemoaned the fact before that I was the only person in Ireland never to have seen any deer in the Phoenix Park. That changed today. I pulled over to the side of the road with a squeal of brakes, jumped out of the car before the heater had brought the circulation fully back into my fingers, and crept slowly and carefully closer and closer to a herd of grazing deer. I spent the next twenty minutes trying to get at least one half-decent shot of these glorious creatures. This is the pick of the bunch. It isn't as good as I'd like, but I simply had to blip the deer. Now I know they really do exist I'll return and try harder next time.

I have a further checkup appointment at the Fracture Clinic early tomorrow morning about my wrist. I may just nip back to the Park afterwards and see what I can see before I do what I should have done today, brave the crowds of shoppers and tick off the final items on the Christmas shopping list.

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Don't miss Bubble Bath from An Apple a Day -- it's a classic!