COMPUTERS AND INTERNET ACCESS

We have the worst broad band coverage in the Country.!! I have been promised an up grade but that is yet to happen,but an engineer is coming today,which in Irish time means I will be lucky if he turns up next week.Any way I am having big problems getting on line lately ,hence not many posts recently.
I may be off line for a while,will catch up with you all when I can,by reading your posts on my daughters computer,I will post again when we have been sorted.
The visitors from Pakistan arrive to day for three weeks,so I will be cooking and entertaining them,I also have the wedding cake to finish and the wedding  on Saturday.
Take care everyone,see you as soon as possible.xxxx

HAND MADE SUGAR PASTE ROSES

I am making a three tier wedding cake for a friends daughter who gets married the week after next.In traditional fashion,it will be white and she wants pale yellow roses on it.I started these roses a week ago,but I can only do a few at a time as it makes my back ache and the arthritis in my fingers does not help.!!Only 24 more to do,I will be glad when I have finished them.

They come in large,for the bottom tier,medium for the second and small for the top.

Not a perfect rose,but it is the one I used for inspiration.I will post a picture of finished cake at the end of next week.
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Changing the subject completely,this next photo was taken just before we were hit by a massive rain storm.

The next is after the storm.I was surprised how much detail of the aircraft was visible ,as it was just a silver dot in the sky.

Wish I was being carried of to somewhere exotic,could do with a holiday.!!

UP DATE ON EDDIE THE EAGLE OWL

Remember my post on our owl rescue.?
Well I am happy to report that he is almost recovered,he is moulting at the moment,so getting his new feathers.He has started to fly and has become very fond of John.He hisses and spits at everyone else but he hoots when he sees John.
Today I was contacted by the head falconer of a bird sanctuary in County Clare,who have offered him a home .He will have a proper flight run and will be used for breeding in their rare bird program.The public will also be able to see him,which is excellent.
He can not be moved to his new home  until his moult has finished, I guess he will go at the end of next month.We will be sad to see him go,but it is for the best and this is an excellent bird of prey sanctuary and we can visit any time we want to.
I wish we could let him free,but we are not allowed to that,I found this poem that sums up my thoughts.

SYMPATHY by paul laurence dunbar .

I know what the caged bird feels,alas!
When the sun is bright on the upland slopes;
When the wind stirs soft through the spring grass
and the river flows like a stream of glass;
When the first bird sings and the first bud opens,
and the faint perfume from its chalice steals--
I know what the caged bird feels!

I know why the caged bird beats his wing
Till its blood is red on cruel bars;
For for he must fly back to his perch and cling
when he fain would be on the bough a-swing;
and  a pain still throbs in the old,old scars
and they pulse again with a keener sting--
I know why he beats his wing!

I know why the caged bird sings,ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,-
When he beats his bars and would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart's deep core,
But a plea,that upward to heaven he flings--
I know why the caged bird sings!!

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FRUIT TREES AND SWALLOWS.

40 years ago Pam planted a cherry tree in the lake garden,it has grown quite large now but has never ever born fruit.We are high up the mountain and fruit trees do not do well at this altitude.We have a pear tree that has fruited once in 30yrs,a plum that produced 2 plums and apple trees that do fruit,but never ripen.
While trying to photograph a bird in the cherry tree,I noticed a red blob under one of the leaves,our very first and only cherry.!!

I searched the tree for more
but this is the only one.Don't laugh,but we cut it into 4 so that we could all taste the rare cherry!!
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The swallows have now fledged and left the nest.6 baby birds successfully raised and free.These are the last photo's,as they flew for the first time as they left the nest.

The parents were calling to them to leave,and dive bombing me.!!

The first two to hop out on to a drainpipe just under the nest.

The last two to go,I hope they all make it back next year.
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Thank you to those who responded to my last post,your comments and support were very welcome.I will let you know when B gets his transplant,when ever that may be.