The weekend was a bit meh for a variety of reasons. Saturday was spent shuttling from place to place and home to shop, drop, pick up and browse. The washing machine gave up the ghost on Friday and we had to arrange a new one at short notice and ferry both about. All unwanted hassle but thank goodness there wasn't the classic flood-the place-out scenarios just a 'poh' a pop too lacklustre to even bother finishing. 

What with rain forecast for Sunday afternoon we were mindful to get the outdoor activities completed by lunchtime before the conditions took a turn. As it happened there wasn't anything much in the way of precipitate before nightfall so I needn't have worried. Just after lunch we decided to spend our hour partaking in the RSPB Garden Birdwatch. Over the last few years we have tried to make better provision for our local feathered friends including feeders, baths and birdboxes. C had prepped by topping up all feeders the day before with the usual assortment of feed - fat balls, mixed seeds, peanuts and mealworms. We had the stage set and kept our eyes peeled for the usual array of birds we often see in the garden. Would you believe what a paltry showing we had?!! I have to say I was heartily disappointed that our results were so lacklustre, especially considering the crowds we have drawn so often to date. It doesn't reflect well on our area or personal efforts!

Here are some completely unrelated photographs from another new walk from a couple of weeks ago when it felt like we ventured into an abandoned countryside location, almost a derelict feel to empty fields and neglected woodland. The mud, the mud was awful over several fields. 

The momentum for capturing content has maintained itself over the past month which has pleased me immensely. It's never a problem finding things to cover over here; there's so much to say about everything from the walks we take, the garden, allotment, flower patch, clothes I wear and all the other bits and bobs. It's always good to feel like I'm accumulating as fast as publishing; a neat conveyor belt operating at optimum velocity. The time of year, however, is drab and dull which means that everywhere does tend to look the same for weeks, nay, months on end which doesn't give much scope for things of interest to present themselves. 

The weekend just passed felt a bit of a rubbish one as they go for various reasons, but as we take in the last few days of January we can consider what the new month may have to offer.