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Not the best picture but this little lady blackbird has been visiting my patio the past couple of days, gathering nesting material. Sometimes her other half hangs around, just keeping an eye.

A favourite view of mine.

There's a lake somewhere beyond those trees.

Winter at the beach. The tide came flying in.

For me it's strongly linked to self worth. If you don't believe you're worth the time/effort/care why would you take up someone else's time? It's also, for me, that I struggle to recognise the seriousness of whatever the condition is because I have no reliable comparisons. Constantly getting...

Just wanted to say I sympathise. I've come to understand I can't have a relationship with my sister, no matter how much part of me might want to. And it's all down to history/trauma and her unwillingness to recognise it. It is what it is. Doesn't stop it being sad, though.

Autumn colour

I have strawberries growing through my lawn - wild and cultivated. I've never planted them, the cultivated ones were here when I moved in, the wild ones have been a gift from some unknown bird. Both apparently like my garden, judging by how they thrive. I'm not a huge fan so the birds get nearly...

Lots of compassion. I went through a period of just visualising being with me/that child, just so she had a presence/comfort. She couldn't tolerate anything more. Certainly no touching or hugs. I learned about some of my circumstances through my medical notes - being diagnosed with failure to...

@Rose White they smelled quite nice, I thought! Quite a strong scent, though. Both can be grown as small trees or hedges. Some of the farmers here line their fields with them (as was the case in the photo) and at this time of year it's glorious (wildflowers are very much a passion of mine).

@Rose White they were Hawthorn (May) or Blackthorn (Sloe) flowers, I can't remember which now. I took pictures of both. I don't know if you get them in your part of the world, they're very much a part of the countryside here.

Blossom day - and a showoff for a tree.

Good sleep these days, probably 40 minutes to an hour to get to sleep. That's with the help of regular medication that helps to relax me and reduce pain. Even then it's only possible to me now because I was lucky enough to attend an nhs cbt-i sleep scheduling course four years ago that literally...

It's always a lot easier to see from the outside than when you're in it. Not one to beat yourself up over.

Can you focus on what you do have? What I mean to say is your work friends, for example, as a group you can begin to build a social life with, even if as a toe in the water. I know you wouldn't want to spend time with all of them but it seems some of them might be able to help you get...

Wild carrot at the edge of a meadow, with a couple of passing crows.

@Freida the problem question is not about how the parent treated you, it's a later question that asks if your mother/stepmother was ever abused (pushed/slapped/hit, etc.) It's been in every ACE test I've ever come across.

But what rules are there that state that these researchers can't change the wording?

Yet again the survey assumes that only men are domestic abusers. It would be the easiest thing to change mother/female etc. to parent or carer. If I were to honestly answer no to that question my answers wouldn't make half the sense that they do if I lie and answer yes. It's irritating to see...

I've got a jackdaw's nest just outside my window and have spent the past two months listening to their squeaky chicks yelling to be fed. On Sunday they were taking practice flights off my roof, jumping off, flapping furiously in a circle and landing back on again, encouraged by their parents. It...

Even your therapist comments on how your life is just so f*ing weird.

From the latest walk, spotting the signs of spring. The first picture is Blackthorn and the second Lesser Celandine.

I've been working on this for a while. Simple answer is no, but that's more because until recently I never looked at myself in a mirror and now that I've started, I don't recognise the person I see. There's other issues around liking that person, too, which is a work in progress. Yet so many...

Before and during the rain -

@Aprilshowers no, not where I live. Definitely a rat. I'd love to get a cat but lifestyle doesn't suit. I get neighbour's cats in my garden, but not frequent enough to be any kind of deterrent. As for snakes, they're not exactly common round here! I'm wondering if there's such a thing as a...