Bird friends, woolly creations, apple tiles

For the last couple of months the garden bird friends have been gathering in our bit of garden as they think about nesting. I have been reluctant to put food out with the large number of mice there are here but when my favourite bird, Gladys the Great Tit appeared tapping on the door handle for food I had to give in.

She is such a character and an intelligent little bird, Graham her husband is with her but he is a little more timid. We can now stand outside with arm stretched and food on hand and Gladys will flutter and land on you for tit bits. Graham won't come that near.

These pictures are not very good as taken on the phone but if you look carefully you can just see her coming in to land.

We have 2 robins, given the usual names of Robbie & Ruby although they must be different robins to previous years as they act quite differently. I'm convinced it is the same two chaffinches so that is Judith and Brian mentioned. We have Barney the Blue Tit who has recently brought along his friend Beryl. And new this year, on his own at the moment, is Dave the Dunnock.

Whilst the birds have been busy teaming up, I've finished what will probably be my last neck warmer until winter again.
I just had to use up this weird, fluffy wool and it's quite horrible to use so it leant itself to wrapping around a knitting loom.

I have crocheted another flower necklace with the cotton yarn which is very nice to use.

I'm just working on something which I don't know if it will work yet, I've done a quick prototype which suggests it should work and now I'm embellishing a felt sugar skull before moving on to the next stage with it.
All will be revealed if I do have a successful outcome to this project.

Finally, I do like a bit of simple, 1970s retro design. I spotted these apple tiles in B&Q at the weekend, not a shop I've had reason to go in really with renting a house for 7 years but DIY shops do seem to have some interesting things in occasionally.