Delight

After our long journey from Norfolk to the Yorkshire Dales finally rounding the corner in Leyburn to see the glorious countryside spread out before me

What a lovely post! For me recently it's the scent of our lilac tree in the front garden which greets me, that it gives my husband pleasure too - and seeing other people pausing to have a sniff.

Yes I am with all you lovely ladies being in the garden in late afternoon and listening to the blackbirds makes me happy,such simple pleasures

Witzend Blackbirds are returning to my garden for the third year to raise their young. So many areas are being turned into concrete jungles having a devastating effect on our wild life.It is a joy to see the parents fly in and out of this 'scrubby area' that I have provided no doubt with tasty morsels for hungry chicks.

Getting proper, handwritten letters from DGD and DGS who live in America ?

Just heard the first cuckoo of the year in the wood behind our garden - I have the door open here so I can listen to it as I type.

Train journey through Shropshire and Cheshire yesterday with green hills and fields swathed in may blossom.

Dear GS flying in through the door and grabbing my arm and rubbing his cheek along it and say "I love to cuddle your arm - it is so soft!"

Puppies and babies!

Being in the garden and looking at the view. The fields bordered with hawthorn which is in full bloom, have some in the garden too, with the Dumfries and Galloway coastline in the distance over the Solway Firth. Then hearing all the birdsong. The curlews have a lovely voice. Also getting on the scales and loosing weight!

We have a few birds that visit our birdbath, I watch from the window as they flick there feathers splashing water everywhere and I love the way they dip their heads and drink from the bath.
Yesterday we had a green parrot pop down, we have a lot in this area, he was vivid green they really are lovely when you see them close up.

Wild flowers in hedge rows and grass, birds singing, lambs skipping, and my 5 year old grandson jumping up and down and laughing for no reason other than the joy of being alive.

First roses out in the garden. GS running towards me beaming. Happy days ?

The lovely heady scent of lilac. Also all of the wild flowers in the hedgerows, it's such a beautiful time of the year. My grandchildren live quite a distance from me so photos and updates are always a delight. I love them.

The multitude of bees of all sizes on the ceonosus flowering shrub.

My beautiful very big healthy Twisted Willow that 10 years ago was just a couple of twigs that were told they had two choices as they were planted in my garden.
They must have thought 'blow you' & have grown & grown. The tree gives me so much pleasure knowing how hard it must have fought to live to grow to the beauty it now is!

The smell of the garden after summer rain. The smell of bleach in the loo (weird Imknow but t smells so clean). My granddaughters giggle......so many lovely things that just lift your spirit.

Apart from the wondrous joys of family things and my beloved grandchildren I take great delight in light itself. Watching the changing hues of sunrise and sunset, moonrise and the rosy hues of clouds. And the rose gold of the afternoon light through the crimson of the autumnal colours of the ornamental grapevine on the pergola & sunlight through the purple wisteria flowers in spring.

The bright, hard blue white light of the dawn of a blindingly hot Australian summer day or the clear bright light of a sunny autumn day in southern Australia.

And the wonders of the stars camping in the remote Australian outback where the Milky Way is like a river of diamonds across the night sky. Light itself is one of life's great delights.

I went to a concert in my church last night - a Men’s Voice Choir, and then a ladies’ 4-part acapella group. What a whole evening of absolute delight, watching and hearing people singing with such joy, to a really large audience. Came home singing.

Quite a few bird-delight moments on here. Here's another. Yesterday, I was standing on a bridge with a friend overlooking a dam. The swallows were swooping round like little kamakaze pilots after flies - they came so close we ducked and then found ourselves laughing in delight.

An otter, floating on its back holding something in its little paws or with a baby lying there relaxing.

My two small granddaughters racing to be the first into my arms.
The dawn chorus.
A hug from a dear friend, or their voice on the phone.
Being able to share good news like this.. I don't have cancer any more!!

Gosh, isn’t it amazing that so many of our “delights” are from nature! No wonder people with depression are encouraged to do gardening, or just get out into a green space. Another of my “delights” is opening a new book- you just don’t get the same effect, the smell, the texture, the feel of a new page, with a kindle.
(Of course, family always comes first in the list, but that goes without saying: I was wondering what other things delighted people. And I really should recommend Hannah Jane Parkinson’s articles, and above all JB Priestly’s book.)

The cuddles of my grandchildren, the little twittering birds when I walk the dog in the morning. The baby birds feeding in the garden, blue sky and sunshine, a cup of tea and my knitting. I could bore you for ages.!!!!

Mr Swan is a delight. He comes to the hatch of my boat every day for food. He visits if I am sitting on the riverbank. He will sit for a while next to me. He has become a friend...

I love looking up through the filigree pattern of trees to a blue, blue sky.

A cup of coffee any time of day on my balcony overlooking my garden full of flowers at the moment. Later a glass of Baileys in the same spot. Looklng out for my robin and other beautiful birds.
In the Galapagos once I saw a big mummy Sealion lying on her back, with a protective arm across her little baby.
Today I have just been invited to my son's for dinner tonight,
Life is good. May it be so for all our Grans.