22nd February

Hi

The groups of violinists seem to be coming in leaps and bounds at present. This morning the older group learnt to play the melody of Ode to Joy, Kum ba yah and This is the day. Their confidence in their music reading is amazing. They all learn to play the parts but some are still more comfortable to play underneath accompanying parts as they did for the Thanksgiving weekend.

Here is a video of them playing Twinkle Twinkle in 4 parts without me - as I'm videoing

One of the things I often do in my rest time after lunch, when hopefully the young children back in hostel from school are resting as well, is to watch the different wildlife from my window. God's creation never ceases to amaze me.

There are trees at all the different parts of the years cycle all at the same time.  The mango tress are in flower.

There are lots of butterflies around at present too. This one was kind enough to sit and pose for me but most are camera shy and fly away as soon as I get the camera out.

There seem to be quite a variety of birds around now rather than just the jackdaws, and I think a bird like our starling but a big bigger. There are lots of egrets too, not just in ones and twos as we may see them but as flocks near lakes and ponds and in the evening as dusk falls they fly over here to wherever they go to roost.

One lunchtime I watched 4 of these little budgie type birds playing among the trees, this one came close enough and sat long enough for me to take a picture.

I have also seen this red crested bird which appears to be in the woodpecker family from the way it flies and behaves on tree trunks.

There have also been a a lot of bees, not from this big nest as it is empty - but one of the bees stung me yesterday.

And the little squirrels, which I think are chipmunks, they are just full of life and are running around, playing with each other, up and down trees along the walls, up and down the walls and in little holes they find. Here is one though that sat down sun bathing in the tree outside my window.