Bits and pieces

The past weeks have seen some dramatic changes in the weather in our corner of the world. Since the beautifully hot Easter weekend, the temperatures have plummeted and apart from a few days when it's been just about bearable to work outside in a jersey, we've been back to coats, scarves and hats again, this weekend being possibly the worst of the lot.

Still, those odd days were memorable, if not memoirable (as my fingers wanted to type) and the photos that I've managed to snap are a testament that there's always something of beauty to be seen in the areas around us.

Take this parakeet in the photo below, for example. I saw it, and about four other identical birds, in some trees at the university. I was just walking towards the metro when the fluttering made me look up and there they were, several of these ring-necked beauties. I stood and watched them for about ten minutes. They seemed perfectly adjusted and were busy tucking into the new greenery on the tree. I have since heard from friends on Facebook that there are several flocks of them in northern European cities, one of the largest flocks being in Brussels. Escaped pets, maybe? Of from a zoo? Whatever the case, they are now apparently becoming quite common here. Who says animals and birds can't adapt to new conditions? I was and am still thrilled to have seen them although I'm told they make as much noise as a rookery. I grew up with rooks and loved the sound of them coming home at the end of the day and waking in the morning, but I'm guessing it's not everyone's cup of tea. This small community is right next to the residential block on the campus, so I wonder what the students think of them.

Then last weekend (I think), we went for a walk across the border into Belgium where we were pleased to find the cows out in the fields again. That's quite noteworthy these days when so many are kept in barns all year round. I won't say more about that here because it's one of my hobby horses so I can clip clop around the subject ad nauseam. And anyway, it seems not all of them were out. If you look at the bottom of the right-hand shed in the photo below, you'll see some heads sticking out. I would like to believe the poor things were in for a reason and that their turn will come. They looked a bit mournful to me, but maybe I'm just projecting.

On the same farm, these other cows looked very contented and bursting with the milk of bovine kindness (sorry)

Further along on our  walk, we saw this beautiful barn. I have quite a thing about traditional barns and this one really appealed to me with its bright white walls and red woodwork. The flowering fruit tree in front of it added to the pretty, pastoral scene.

Back on the boat in Rotterdam (I forget which day it was), we had the privilege of witnessing the most complete, bright and vivid rainbow I have ever seen. The two photos below don't really do it justice, but if you look, you can just see a second one in the first photo, which was also a complete arc. I took these snaps from the hatch on my barge so I couldn't capture the entire bow, but I hope it gives an idea of how magnificent it was. We were all gasping.

This one gives a more complete view although the contrast between the sky above the bow and that below it was much greater than my picture shows. In any case, the real image will remain in my memory as much richer, more vivid and glorious than any camera could capture. It was simply stunning.

Well, next week I'll be back with my nose to the grindstone. I've enjoyed a couple of weeks with not too much to do, teaching wise. However, as of Monday, I have three new writing groups and quite a lot of examining to do for the Cambridge speaking tests, so May will be a busy month. Have a good weekend allemaal, and I'll be back with more news and photos soon.