Growing fast

A visit to the lake today and there are lots of birds on it swimming round in the sunshine.  Good to see the swans are growing fast and there are still 5 cygnets.

They seem to have found something interesting underwater. 

Sadly the five coots have been reduced to two now.  Difficult to get a good picture but this is one of them.

Mother duck with five of her brood.

Swan update

Visited the swans today in the rain.  I was worried when I couldn't see them on the lake but there are 3 small lakes and when I walked across the road they were on the second one.  There is a tunnel that connects the lakes and they must have swum through it.  They were in the middle of the lake but when they saw me they swam over to me, maybe in the hope that I had food for them, sadly I didn't.   I stood on a small bridge to take photos and as I walked closer to them they started hissing at me.  They are very protective parents.

 There are five little cygnets and they were busy preening themselves just like mum and dad.  So much rain they need to keep their feathers in good condition to keep themselves waterproof.

Not the best of photos but when I tried to get round to the others side of them they didn't like it.  They can be very dangerous if you're not careful.  The bridge I  was on has only a top rail so they could easily have got out under it and attacked me.

Sewing

Since making the quilt for my granddaughter Jasmine recently I have got the sewing bug.  Not done much for years apart for curtains.  Don't even do those now.  Made myself a dress last summer which I didn't like.  Thought I would make a dress for my new granddaughter Safeya.  Found a pretty pattern on the internet.  It was easy to make except for the fiddly gathering on the skirt but I am very pleased with the result.  Not sure of the size but think it should fit her next summer.  I found a model to try it on and I think it maybe a bit long but that can soon be remedied.