This morning I even managed a sunrise, although it had already risen for some time when I stopped hugging the bed. However, it is shining down on us and there are even a few clouds to accompany it. I was up stripping the bed linen as today is that day when everything gets clean sheets and duvet covers. I start a little earlier to get finished, as I still have my normal daily routine to complete. Mr. Swiss says “why rush” as he turns over in bed. I suppose he has a point, but I like to deal with things and I am not going anywhere.

I arrived in the kitchen and saw that we had a sprinkling of snow here and there. I scattered some bird food and some minutes later the first group arrived to sample the goods. I took this photo this morning so it was done with my iPhone camera which I can direct upload without a big processing operation. The photos are perhaps not so sharp from a distance through the window, but it is an actual record of what I saw a few minutes ago. The advantage of the iPhone camera is that you can adapt the photos to a short film image and capture the movements of the birds. I played the photos through and got this sparrow as it was preparing to land.

I also took a couple of shots of my Lent roses which are now flowering. They also had a slight layer of snow on their petals. The sun is now shining and the snow is disappearing. I will be glad when our Winter will eventually finally say goodbye and leave the Spring to do its magic everywhere. Although we have sunny spells, it is still very cold and not inviting for a wheelie into town. I will be glad to get out again on my wheelchair or scooter, but when you have a headwind blowing as you speed along it is not very pleasant.

At the moment I can hear the sound of one of our large trucks. It is the day of the newspaper and cardboard collection. I am so grateful for No. 1 son at times like these. He bundles the papers together and yesterday shifted it outside for the collection as they arrive to remove it very early in the morning.

And look who paid a visit yesterday. There are actually a pair of crows, but they were too far apart to capture them close up on one photo. They arrive for an afternoon stroll around their territory and are convinced that they are the bosses, which they probably are. All the other birds move to one side when they arrive. They used to be regular visitors, but now just put in an appearance to make sure they have everything under control. Perhaps I might begin to spread some walnuts outside again. They are quite partial to them and the only birds here that can crack them open.

It would not be the same if my robin did not arrive. Yesterday it was perched on the raised bed wall outside the window. It seems to be putting on weight or perhaps it is a male bird and wanting to impress the ladies.

Otherwise it was the usual stressless day. I baked a bread yesterday and even had a remainder for my breakfast this morning. I might bake another today, I should be able to fit it in between cooking a spaghetti dinner. It is all a matter of routine.

Television was full of cooking programmes yesterday. I quite like watching them, I might pick up a few ideas, although they seem to use my ideas most of the time. There was nothing new in the news yesterday. The Brits are still trying to convince the remainder of Europe that their Covid vaccine is perfect. I am no expert but in my naive understanding of it all, I am glad we do not have the British version in our country and that I can get it all dealt with after waiting the four weeks for the second jab, and not 12 weeks as in england (because they do not have enough and are bent on vaccinating the complete population as one of the first). I leave it to the experts to deal with it all.

And now to move on with the remainder of fresh linen on the beds and dealing with the rest. Have a good day everyone and keep safe. Here is a photo of our local mountain Weissenstein. It now has a coat of snow in the meanwhile.