We count ourselves extremely fortunate.  We have escaped.  No we haven’t stopped working - nor do we wish to, but we have changed our environment.  We recently moved into an old farmhouse and found a new peaceful lifestyle.  We still do the work we used to do, but each morning is enhanced by our newfound friends - the creatures that inhabit our garden.  We bought a bag of bird food to entice them to feed near our window.  Now each morning before we sit down to breakfast we first have to feed the inquisitive squirrels who plead for peanuts at our kitchen window sill.

From our dining table we watch, first the rowdy chaffinches, great tits and blue tits squabbling amongst themselves as they attack the birdseed.  They are followed by a gang of sparrows and a lonely robin who gather the pickings that the rest have scattered on the ground.  Over in the corner of the garden a rabbit quietly munches away at the grass - and the dying snowdrops too, but hey who cares, it is lovely to see him there.  A blackbird drinks from the birdbath, then jumps on to the food dish disturbing the smaller birds who fly off grumbling noisily. 

Next through the hedge comes a majestic cock pheasant with harem of four females in tow. They strut slowly over to the food dish for a morsel or two, before being startled by a plump pigeon swooping down close by.  Rooks and magpies hover in the trees along with green finches and even a woodpecker.  The scene changes daily of course, but it is well worth getting up a little earlier than usual to watch it unfold.  It is certainly a wonderful way to start the working day.  Our only regret is we didn’t make the move to rural living sooner.

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