Gorgeous pictures

A friend in America - Glorious' other half - just sent a beautiful collection of some photos he took in Virginia. I am amazed at the colours! Will be browsing them in earnest over the weekend, but in the meantime if you're into nature or photography or Virginia or all three, have a look!

Animal story

I don't mind lizards. I mean, I'd rather they stayed out of my place, since for all that they resemble miniature dragons their smelly little droppings are not my idea of home decor. But I would never intentionally harm one. The last time I sent one to the Great Lizzy Heaven, it was because it got stuck to some scotch tape I had used to pack my mini stairmaster. So you can imagine how horrified I was this evening when a little one got sucked into the vacuum cleaner. I moved the coffeetable out of the way and it sprang out from underneath and direct into the machine's powerful suction. Oh, its horrific struggle to get free! For a couple of micro seconds I was frozen to the spot - I was sure it was going to get whooshed into the dust bag and from there to oblivion. But Nature is wise - the little beastie shed part of its anatomy (the upper right limb), and even before I could cut the power it had wriggled its way free, minus one limb. What survival instincts!

I hope its lost limb grows back!