Liz and I did one of our famous "runners" today. We had got together to
drink tea and bemoan the state of our own particular worlds (well, mine
actually, she has just returned from a week in the French Alps so was
feeling decidedly full of bonhomie!), when the phone rang and another
friend, Jakki, asked if we were up for sitting by the river (Thames) at Streatley and drinking coffee. Were we!
A couple of hours later, we were full of coffee, a glass of wine,
somosas, Calimari and spring rolls......we had watched a couple of kites
(the feathered kind) wheeling over the river, and we were invited to
visit Jakki's home-in-the-building, high *up* on the Berkshire *Downs* (I
know - go figure :-).
But not before Liz & I had had our regulation visit to the antique shop
just across the river, after which we drove up to Jakki's house and took
a tour around the property. Oh, to see the snowdrops out now, along the
stream, oh to walk past the quaint, historic village houses, with the pale spring sunlight shining at last - it was heaven!
The house is being built on farm land - hence the presence of the geese
and all the other sorts of bric a brac and curiosities that old farms
seem to collect - a magical mystery tour around each corner, that put a
spring into both our steps.
And the cardboard box ? Well, I found it in the antique shop for five pounds - and this is what it contained.

25 little birds, 15 sheep and lambs, a farmer and his cow. All hand carved from wood - the birds then gessoed and hand painted, the sheep all with wood shaving wool and all of them bursting with character.
They are all old - and I am wondering if the birds are Indian (there is a guinea fowl or two in the collection, and their construction is similar to that of a set of Indian servants that I have in my possession). I'm thrilled with them - I find carved wood of any sort fascinating, and regular readers will know of my passion for old toys. What could be more fun than to have opened an old, brown cardboard box and found this treasure inside? It has turned out to be a very good day after all!
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