Playing For Change: Song Around the World

an inspiring message for all my dear friends in this world ....... peace to you all :-)

Silly mandalas

After watching this video with the kids on Mandala making, I was happily surprised to wake the next morning to find these beautiful mandalas made by the kids for my birthday!!!!  They filled hula hoops with things they found around the house, and look what amazing creations they made!  Can you tell who made what?

mandala birthday cards for mum!

Voeren en Beloeren

A bullfinch couple entertained us this weekend, which is always a rare and delicious treat.  But this weekend was the Flemish equivalent of Audubon's Great Backyard Bird Count, and so we were doubly pleased to include such a beauty to OUR list!  The males are striking, but this female I found particularly attractive, esp. when perched in the holly bush.  Doesn't she look like a mini killer whale?

We had a record finish this year, with 25 species and 67 birds total, including a Tawny owl (Bosuil) that hooted and howled Friday night AND Saturday morning!!!!!!  Stijn and the kids heard it too, which is as rare as hearing thunder in Belgium.

Survey results ......

2 blue Tit   (Pimpelmees)

5 great Tit   (Koolmees)

2 coal Tit   (Zwarte mees)

1 marsh Tit (Glansklop)

2 long-tailed Tit  (Staartmees)

2 crested Tit (Kuifmees)

2 nuthatch  (Boomklever)

1 robin (Roodborst)

4 dunnock  (Heggemus)

8 greenfinch (Groenling)

2 chaffinch (Vink)

2 blackbird (Merel)

1 g. spotted woodpecker 

(Grote Bonte Specht)

4 brambling (Keep)

1 hawfinch (Appelvink)

2 bullfinch (Goudvink)

1 ring-necked Parakeet

(Halsbandparkiet)

2 collared dove

(Turkse Tortel)

14 wood dove (Houtduif)

2 magpie (Ekster)

2 crow (Kraai)

1 goldcrest (Goudhaan)

2 jay (Gaai)

1 starling  (Spreeuw)

1 tawny Owl (Bosuil)

peace

Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.       Mahatma Gandhi

Peace does not dwell in outward things but in the soul.        Fenelon

Peace rules the day where reason rules the mind.       Collins

Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.      Buddha