Can ducks count?

This lovely duck was hiding in the rushes on our local canal with 10 baby ducklings.She came out when I threw in some bread the ducklings swim around like clockwork toys little legs swimming like mad.When she went to swim off she quacked like mad until all 10 came out of the reeds,so can she count or is it instinct that tells her when some are missing,makes it even sadder knowing that not even half will survive.

This is the Stroud water canal and the trust has just been given the go ahead plus money to clear it and make it navigable,at the moment it is choked with weeds and fallen trees, it is going to be a hard task.

I went to a local gallery to see Theresa Poole`s work she is a local artist working from an old mill in Chalford.She trained in paint finishes and trompe l`oeil,her pictures have an oriental feel and she uses metal leaf and mica in her work.I loved the one of her ornamental chicken with great flowing feathers .but it is a very large canvas and would need a huge room,it was also well out of my price range.

I did buy this picture of a branch of cherry blossom hanging over the sun, it is a golder colour in real life,I sneaked it into our bedroom and it is up on the wall and my lovely husband has not even notced yet maybe I could have got away with the big picture!!