Blogtober Twenty Five

06:20 Up early this morning, mainly due to the change to GMT, but also because I could hear a bird singing. In my semi-somnolent state I couldn't identify the songster, but big respect to whomsoever it was. Mocha was pleased to see me though, at least up until the point that she realised the thrushes were going to be fed before she was. As I sliced up some apples, I tried to explain to her that the Blackbirds were out in the awful weather and probably needed a bit of pampering much more than a cat did. She remained wholly unconvinced.

07:10 Mocha has now been given her meds, heavily disguised in a cat yoghurt treat. From the kitchen window, I count 17 Blackbirds and a single Redwing. The wind and rain are increasing in intensity, and now hitting the rear of the house, meaning that the front garden is a little more sheltered. As if to prove my reasoning, a pair of Dunnocks appear from under the kitchen window.

07:30 Mocha fed (Cat edit: "finally fed").

08:45 Megan's up and Mocha forgets I exist until she is next hungry. The drying green in the back garden has puddles of water in it.

09:45 More apples out for the Blackbirds. The Redwing count in the field is up to 65.

Yesterday afternoon, possibly to fight off cabin fever, Megan was busy in the kitchen, creating wondrous things right, left and centre. A huge pan of cauliflower and broccoli soup was on the go to provide for lunches during the week and a meatballs in tomato sauce recipe was simmering away on another part of the hob. Whilst those were cooking, she chopped up the fruit for the Christmas cake mixture and left it to soak in brandy overnight.

11:00 I'm really looking forward to lunch. Sadly, no sign of the Blackcap today, although I can't say I blame it. 

11:30 A glimmer of sunshine between showers. The Redwing count is now 154. I guess these birds still have to feed whilst they have the chance, even if it is blowing a gale, as it will be even worse weather later in the afternoon.

13:00 As the windspeed ramps up, the sliding patio doors to the back garden are beginning to make ominous creaking sounds. I suppose one advantage of a south easterly gale morphing into a north westerly storm is that all the windows of the house have a wash.

15:00 The vegetation in the back garden is thrashing around wildly now, driven by the storm force winds. Thankfully, these are the dead stems of grasses and wildflowers, rather than any prize blooms. Mocha the cat has buried herself under a blanket in her bed, directly beneath an indoor unit of the air source heating - it is that type of day, to be fair.

16:30 We close the curtains on the day and go in search of some Africa sunsets courtesy of several wildlife cams in Namibia.

18:00 Another couple of hours of the alert still to go, but then things will start to calm down. By breakfast time tomorrow morning, windspeeds should be back to normal (for here).