Nature

I'm always looking for something to watch on these quiet winter nights - particularly now that I've read all the books I was given for Christmas. For me, BBC 1's 'Hidden Kingdoms' is a current highlight.

Are you ready for part 2 of my West Cork adventure? Last week, I shared my Schull and Harvest Moon Festival experience. This week, I'm reflecting on time spent at Mizen Head, Barley Cove and Glengariff.

Ducklings, cygnets on the verge of becoming swans, adult swans - these were the sights that met my eyes as I arrived in Cahir, County Tipperary, last Friday. The cygnets were like mousy adolescents - unsure of themselves in the company of swans, but brave enough to chase a duckling or two! Hubs and I couldn't resist a riverside stroll.

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you may have heard me mention my new family of three - the swallow chicks! Ok, so they're not quite mine, but as their nest is situated just a few feet from my door I have adopted the 'watchful aunty' role and I think we're beginning to bond!

Imagine the scene. My husband cheerfully mowing the lawn, when a sudden movement catches his eye. Is it a rat, a mouse with a mohawk? No, it's a hedgehog. Cue, sigh of relief!

The heatwave seemed to invigorate all the small creatures that live around my house. While I lay listlessly on the sofa, watching the 'mountain men' scramble for a podium place in the Tour de France, they babbled, squabbled and, in the case of the flies, circled meaningfully.

With all the warm weather, my life took a turn for the joyful last week with a series of day trips, sea views and good times. A friend and I decided our summer wardrobes could do with an update and embarked on a sunny day trip to Cork City. On the way, we stopped at Youghal to buy sunscreen and admire the sparkly sea views.

A rabbit family have moved into my garden. Talk about Watership Down, it's Watership overflowing out there! Firstly, Hubs and I spotted a large rabbit, then a medium sized one, then a baby and finally two babies . . . I know, it sounds like the rabbit version of Goldie Locks and the Three Bears.

I'm missing Swansea this week; the place, the feel, my family and friends back home. I enjoy life in Ireland but sometimes I just get this ache . . . It's probably because it's over four months since my last visit.