Dog!

 Oh Eliot! Five thirty is far too early to get me out of bed on a day off!  

It was still dark although the birds had begun to sing.

Odd thing ... the security light came on just as we started downstairs ... so, the question is, did Eliot hear someone before they came up the drive?  And who was it?

One bark from him was probably enough to scare off any potential intruder ... and at that quiet hour his bark sounds awfully loud.  

 Or maybe Eliot was hungry?

He hardly ever eats in the morning but I caught him finishing off what had been left in his bowl and he didn't vanish at the sight of the camera so he must have needed food.  The flash is switched off so you get nice "moody" shots in the breaking dawn light.  Take it from me that the kitchen tiles are very cold when you lie on them - but how else do you get a worm's eye view?!

 Should the dog decide that he's going to lick your face this is a very vulnerable position!  Thankfully he took a second thought and went for a drink of water instead!  By this time I'd put on the lights so the room looks a bit brighter.

Then telepathy!  The mutt just stands looking at the lock on the back door waiting for it to open, as if by magic!  He'll stand for ages just waiting!

Crazy dog!

So, I scraped myself off the icy floor and obliged ... I really am his servant!  With it being such a beautiful morning I should be filling that laundry basket and get some washing out on the line.

Later today I'm off on retreat so I'm not sure if there'll be a chance to do much on the computer until tomorrow evening.   If this weather holds then Drumalis will be beautiful (it is wonderful in any weather) and I'll no doubt end up with a few hundred pictures of flowers and scenes around that side of Larne.

Lord, we offer you ourselves this day

for the work you want accomplished,

for the people you want us to meet,

for the word you want to be uttered,

for the silence you want to be kept,

for the places you want us to enter,

for the new ways you want pioneered.

Go with us along the way, Lord,

and enable us to realize your presence,

at all times and in all places,

our loving Lord Jesus Christ. 

Morris Maddocks.