Running at a slow idle

Last week we were joined by my cousin Graham and his wife Sheila, it was good to see them both and to catch up on things. We had a couple of good walks around the local countryside and many hours laughing, sadly though, they have now gone back to their world while we stay put, still running at a slow idle. I have tried some grayling hunting but I've had no recent success, every time the water begins to run clear it rains some more, brings the level up and puts the colour back. Never mind, nothing we can do about that. I have been keen to make something most days, (I have to keep busy) and I have experimented with different techniques for cutting, dying and polishing. The items on the left are pocket knife pouches and the three on the right are pouches to fit "Zippo" lighters. Because I struggle to obtain the correct tools I have recently modified a few for specific jobs and so now it is my intention to make some of my own design. Other things that I have difficulty getting my hands on are press studs and rivets and when I do find some they are very expensive. The bird life is still keeping us amused with daily squabbles at the feeders and one day last week, we had a kestrel land right outside the awning, where it wandered around for several minutes, I don't recall ever being so close to one in the wild before. One morning we saw a group of five little egrets on a nearby bend in the river which does not seem to impress the herons and we see a fox most days, checking out the hedgerows.