Life: February 2026: RSPB Arne, Embroidery, Kitten Alert

A few excerpts since my January update. 

Spoonbills at RSPB Arne

This year, I am trying to do something wildlife related every month. As we are still clearing out a flat in Bournemouth, we took the opportunity to visit RSPB Arne which is near Poole. I can't believe we hadn't visited before - it is an absolutely beautiful spot. 

I'm just a beginning birdwatcher really, but I had heard that we might see Spoonbill at Arne, and indeed we did. It was really special, and as their name suggests, they have a very unusual bill which seems to sift through the mud in a sort of swathing action.  My good camera was playing up that day (or maybe it was the photographer) so the photos are just taken with my phone. 

Embroidery

I started this sweet embroidery set whilst I was in Lundy for my birthday (something very mindful about stitching in front of a fireplace). This shell set is from a Natural History Museum collection and was a birthday present, although I have also bought myself a similar set with beetles.

Exhibition: William Scott

My local museum had a tiny William Scott exhibition (literally three paintings that had been loaned from the Tate). I confess I had never heard of him but he was a contemporary of Mark Rothko and actually lived in Somerset for a while.

Hector the Ragdoll Kitten

Probably the most exciting news is the arrival of little Hector, a perfect little Ragdoll blue mitted kitten. He is now 14 weeks old and an absolute darling. Even though Dougie is only 5, I had completely forgotten how exhausting a kitten can be. However, he is loved to bits by the humans and Dougie (not so much by our 15 year old Maine Coon, Atticus). 

Topsham and Comedy

Yesterday we celebrated my husband's birthday with a really delicious lunch at The Salutation Inn, Topsham. It is featured in the Michelin guide and specialises in fish, and even has it's own fishmongers. Topsham is a great place to have a wander around with plenty of vintage shops and nice little independent places too. When it comes to clothes, I don't shop second hand enough, but I did buy a great necklace and a German boiled wool jacket.

In the evening, we saw Rhod Gilbert at the Great Hall, Exeter - he is just so funny. 

Love Mrs Jones x