Mr Blackbird vs decorating Swede: 1-0

Last year I thought I had a brilliant idea about decorating the front of the house with Christmassy apples and, yes, just like so many years, moss balls...

There was just this one little glitch I had not considered. My plan did not include greedy, even if understandably hungry, blackbirds. Let's just say that there was a lot of 'topping up' needed on the apple heart for a few weeks leading up to Christmas! 

Well, perhaps it could be seen as my Christmas gift to some feathery fellow beings in need...

As for the wreath... well, a pine tree-hungry Swede not finding a single pine tree to maim in the name of wreath making, can easily turn into an unstoppable Swede on a mission. After driving around for some time, I ended up outside an industrial estate with the most pine-resembling trees around, galloped into the reception of the nearest company and begged to grab a few twigs, promising it would not show at all... The manager must have realised a 'no' might have resulted in tears or worse, so there we are, chop-chop-choppety-chop followed by a wreath and a happy Swede.  All in the name of Christmas decoration...

The entrance door is in a part of the house that was extended years before we bought the house, where whoever did the - I believe it is called - pointing (I call it grouting, but perhaps that is just with tiles?), must have been under the influence... please look away from that, if you can...

Wishing you all a lovely weekend!