Siskins....and I'd give it all away in a flash.

Not one but two - sprinkled with raindrops -   hooray!

And they are siskins  -  not green finches ( I did intensive RSPB research to check - smaller in size, sharp pointed bill, forked tail, distinctive stripes on wings) male on left female on the right.

I was  talking on the phone this evening when I saw them, through very rain spattered windows,

in very poor light so the photos are blurry and not good at all but

but I'm so thrilled they have come to the garden. And they don't seem to be too fat so may have escaped the dreaded parasite disease....although now that I look more closely the male does seem a bit plump.....

And it's rare for a starling to come to the feeder...

I know they are noisy and aggressive when they are en masse

but I love the iridescent purple and green spotty plumage on this one.

Not sure why I'm so tired tonight... it's been raining, cold and miserable all day.

I had a long meeting with financial advisor this morning concentrating on tricky concepts, figures and percentages....I wish Robin was here to do it with me...but then he would have been in charge of it all anyway and we wouldn't need a financial advisor. I wouldn't have this money if he was alive anyway.

I'd give it all away in a flash to have him back.

A dear friend comes to tea later and we walk and talk the house plans and she inspires me about possibilities for my new kitchen. The designs are all on hold till next week when Feng Shui consultant will come back to me with a revised layout. I have been feeling impatient about the delay...but keep trusting that there's a right time and a right place for everything....whether I like it or not.

I've been thinking about this quote from Kahlil Gibran ....

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.

I feel carved up for sure but haven't mined the joy yet...