Later on Christmas Morning

Peter and Holly came by for a dog walk and stayed distanced to talk to Matt and Ellie and the girls.  Sadie shows off her new sweater and Matt his new slippers.

 

Christmas Morning, 6 a.m.

The old-fashioned things like panda socks, coloured pencils and Russian dolls were still the top of the tree.

 

Christmas Eve in Cambridge

There had been heavy rain the previous night, and the water was high around the Mill and in Coe Fen.

 

Welney

Very few visitors at the WWT reserve today.  Only eight swans at the feeding; one Mute and the rest Whooper.  The occasional Marsh Harrier was the only raptor we saw.  The sunshine brought out a battered Peacock butterfly.  We drove home in the dark - the first time for many months!  

 

Looking For Lost Elves

A damp day at the Botanic Gardens searching for various objects: a boat named Timothy, Santa's sleigh, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, red socks and various elves.  Then hot chocolate with cream.

 

Mushrooms Again

A muddy trip to Hardwick Wood led to these fungi among the leaf litter.

 

More Mushrooms

We went up to the Wood to get some photos for the 25th anniversary book, and then to the banks of the Bourn Brook to see whether the fungi were still there.  They were.

 

Brightlingsea

Ann had booked a birdwatching trip on the Hydrogen, a Thames barge.  I had a coffee at the Beachbox, and damn fine coffee it was!  Then I wandered around the dock looking for images and did not notice the rising tide, which eventually came all the way up to the blue shelter (Pic.2).  I took off my shoes and socks and waded through to sit in the shelter and wait for Ann, although the fixed part of the walkway (Pic.8) was by then underwater.  She wasn't able to disembark until half an hour after the due arrival time.