Kind Gifts And Where Have All the Holly Berries Gone?

  Tom. my youngest son and youngest daughter work driving around severely disabled children. It is a very rewarding job and they are always touched by the gratitude of the families of the children when really they are only doing their jobs. They often get gifts given to them but where particularly touched by these presents today. One of the boy's sister had made Tom and my youngest son who work together these hand made chocolates and chutney. To prove just how much home made  presents can mean they haven't stopped talking all evening how kind and thoughtful it was. The chutney is going in the store cupboard for Christmas but I have a feeling youngest son is going to give in and eat the chocolates before then.

    Although I haven't put up the Christmas decorations yet I have been planning. A couple of weeks ago at my Mum and Dad's house I was admiring their old holly tree. It was a mass of red berries and looked beautiful. I said I must take a few low branches home soon as I love to put sprigs on top of the pictures around the house. It looks so natural and old fashioned. I couldn't believe it today when I was there every single berry had gone. Apparently Redwings migrating from Iceland have arrived and they stripped the whole tree in a matter of days. Whilst I don't begrudge them a good meal after a long flight they could have left me a few sprigs at the bottom. I wish I had taken a photo before the onslaught but here it is stripped bare. I don't know how they managed to fly after all that!