I take this opportunity to thank my readers for your visits and your much-appreciated support during 2023, and wish you all a Very Happy Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year.
This year has been a bit difficult for us, with Lindsay struggling with her mobility. Recently it was looking as if things were improving and then, on 17th December, she woke up in the morning, unable to straighten her left leg - not the one she had a replacement knee in a year ago. An x-ray has shown that she's had a serious deterioration of the arthritis in her 'old' knee, and until she can get that one replaced, she will have very limited mobility. This effectively means that it looks as if I'm going to be responsible for virtually all household duties for an extended period. As a result of this, you may find that the scope of my output on this blog is rather limited in the New Year - time will tell!
The Snowy Owl that features above, and on the header while this post is current, represents what, for me, is the greatest highlight of my wildlife photography so far. The photos were taken on Tresco, in the Isles of Scilly, where snow is even more rare than Snowy Owls!
Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) (female) - Tresco, 27th March, 2018
I look forward to visiting your blogs during the coming year.
My very best wishes - - - Richard
Meilleurs vœux à toi également ! Magnifique ce Harfang des neiges !
ReplyDeleteMerci, Philfff - rendez-vous en 2024?
DeleteMerry Christmas Richard. So sorry to hear of Lyndsay's (& your) predicament. Hope she gets back to strength. Thanks for your wonderful blogs & I'm green with envy of your glorious snowy Owl shot- a bird I've yet to see in the wild. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteI was in two minds whether to go to try to find that owl, which had been reported a couple of days earlier, Neil, as I didn't have appropriate clothing (particularly footwear) for the snow that had fallen that night. It was my wife and daughter that encouraged me to go and I was so pleased I did. As far as I know, there were only two of us that saw the owl in the snow, which had gone by the next day.
DeleteBest wishes for Christmas and 2024 - - - Richard
A Merry Christmas to you and your family Richard. Ifs been a pleasure to follow your blog throughout the year and look in at your excellent accounts and photos. Best wishes for a Wildlife filled New Year.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your support and encouragement in 2023, Marc. I hope that sometime we may meet. Best wishes to you and the family - - - Richard
DeleteA picture for all time, Richard, and the memory that goes with it. Miriam and I send you love and best wishes for a great Christmas and a wonderful 2024. David
ReplyDeleteI know how excited you get when the Snowy Owls turn up in Ontario, David - and they do so regularly! So I guess you'll appreciate just how excited that experience was for me.
DeleteMy love and best wishes to you and Miriam - - - Richard
Espectacular el búho blanco, que maravilla!!! Feliz Navidad amigo mío, un fuerte abrazo!!!
ReplyDeleteGracias Germán y un fuerte abrazo para ti también!!
DeleteHello Richard,:=)
ReplyDeleteI just came over to wish you and Lindsay and all your loved ones, a very Merry Christmas.
I'm so pleased you got the opportunity to see the Snowy Owl and your photos are very special.
I'm sorry to hear the bad news about Lindsay. It looks like we are both in the same situation. I know how she feels, after having a knee in a bent position for a long time, it is excruciating to try to straighten it. We will struggle on together. Please give her my best wishes and a hug and hope that we both get the operation we need in 2024. I do hope it's a better year for all of us.
Take care
Sonjia.
I'm sad to learn that you too have a serious knee problem, Sonjia. You have my full sympathy as I know, through Lindsay's situation, how difficult and painful it must be for you. I hope that you manage to get it fixed soon.
DeleteThank you for your kind words, and your visits in 2023. Hopefully, 2024 will see a turnaround in our personal situations, and in the world in general - 2023 has not been a good one for the planet.
My very best wishes to you - take good care - see you in 2024 - - - Richard
Te deseo todo lo mejor para ti y tu esposa. Las fotografías son preciosas. Feliz Navidad.
ReplyDeleteGracias Teresa. Una Feliz Navidad también para ti y tus seres queridos - - - Richard
DeleteHello Richard
ReplyDeleteThe thing with Lindsay is of course a very unpleasant story, you're happy that things are going up (hill) and then something like that, but the way I see you, you have a fighting nature and you'll do it together, I'll keep my fingers crossed and wish you that I also wish you all the best a wonderful and contemplative Christmas and good health for both of you in the New Year and, not to forget, a long, exciting post... with beautiful stories
Greetings Frank
Thank you for your much-appreciated kind words, Frank. My very best wishes to you too for a Merry Christmas. I look forward to seeing what you do in 2024. Take good care - - - Richard
DeleteWonderful Richard!!! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ana, for your visits and your inspirational blog. I hope your Christmas is perfect for you, and that 2024 is filled with wildlife for you to photograph.
DeleteTake good care - - - Richard
It's my pleasure to join everyone above in wishing you Richard and Lindsey a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to sharing with you a hopefully less difficult 2024.
With Kind Regards from Pete and KT.
Thank you, Pete. Fingers are crossed for a good year for all of us and the state of the planet and its wildlife.
DeleteMy very best wishes to you and KT. I look forward to visiting B2B in 2024 - - - Richard
Spectacular Snowy Owl photograph!
ReplyDeleteI know the memory of the experience is equally special.
Since Gini may be having a knee replacement in the coming year, she is especially empathetic to Lindsay's predicament. We both shall continue to hold you and Lindsay in our prayers and hopes for favorable outcomes.
Despite all the negative aspects in our lives, we have so much for which to be thankful and can therefore truly wish you and Lindsay a HAPPY Christmas and a very HAPPY New Year!
Hi Wally. I hope that you're having a great Christmas.
DeleteLindsay has, unfortunately, fallen victim to the problems with our National Health Service. She was diagnosed as needing a hip replacement 6 months ago, and put on a waiting list - we're still waiting! The faulty hip has led to the dramatic deterioration of the left knee, and there is no way we can wait for the NHS to deliver, so we're having to go private at great expense. I'm sure, as you are geared to such things there, and that Gini will fare much better.
I hope that you are having a Wonderful Christmas, and that 2024 is kind to you both in health and happiness - - - Richard
Beautiful white owl. Merry christmas !
ReplyDeleteThank you, Caroline - and a Merry Christmas to you too. - Best wishes - - - Richard
DeleteSo sorry about Lindsay as if you have not go enough on your plate at present. Almost too belated to wish you a Happy Christmas but all the best for 2024. Fingers and toes crossed. Keep safe and take care, My very best wishes Diane.
ReplyDeleteP.S. the little owls outside are going frantic, not sure what is going on, wish I could send you a recording. Sounds like 3 of them.
Thank you for your words of encouragement, Diane. I'm pleased to report that we now seem to be getting things moving - with both Lindsay's and my own situation.
DeleteDid you discover what was causing the Little Owls to make that racket? I hope that they're OK.
Best wishes to you both - - - Richard
No, but there seems to be an evening chorus of them from different directions most nights at the moment. I have yet to see one though for some time.
DeletePossibly preparing for the mating season?
DeleteSeason's Greetings Richard and Lindsay, beautiful headers.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Bob. Best wishes to you too! Take good care - - - Richard
DeleteMy very best wishes to you and Lindsay. I'm sorry to hear she's been struggling with her mobility. I hope this new year will bring better things.
ReplyDeleteThe snowy owl is amazing, I would love to see one. We get many Eagle owls and Long-eared owls here, and a few snowy owls were seen in northern Spain but I doubt they would be seen in my area any time soon unless there's a drastic climate change haha.
Happy new year!
Guillermo
Thank you for your kind words, Guillermo. Hopefully, we will get Lindsay's mobility sorted out in the first half of 2024 - fingers are crossed!
DeleteI would love to see an Eagle Owl in the wild, and have only ever seen Long-eared Owl twice in UK.
A Happy New Year to you too - - - Richard
Hello Richard, I am so sorry to read that things are not that good at the moment for Lindsay and you. Dous this mean she has to get an operation in the near future to have to replace that knee as well? I want to wish you and Lindsay and loved ones all the best for the New Year 2024 but most of all good health and great moments in nature.
ReplyDeleteAll the best from Belgium,
Warm regards,
Roos
Hi Roos. Although Lindsay had her right knee replaced last December, she has advanced osteoarthritis in her left knee (bone-on-bone) and is only just able to walk, with a frame to support her. It would probably take her about 10 minutes to walk 10 metres. She can't manage steps, so she now has an adjustable hospital bed set up downstairs in my study. On Wednesday the doctor said that it might be up to 2 years before she would get a replacement through our National Health Service, so we are having to pay for her to have the job done privately.
DeleteThank you for your visit and kind words. I hope the world comes to its senses in 2024 and that you have a very happy and healthy year - take good care - - - Richard