but where are the berries man?

It's been a stressful few days.

I had my latest myeloma check-up and consultation to get through (which is always stressful) and then our washing machine which has provided faultless daily service for at least the last ten years decided it had had enough and just gave in (I know the feeling so I can't be too mad at it).

But worse was to come.  

When I disconnected the water supply, it became evident that the shut off or isolation valve was also giving up the ghost, meaning cold water was spraying all over the kitchen until I could get the pipe re-connected.  So, we had to get a plumber out to fix that, and judging by the amount he charged he can probably retire before he's thirty!

So, to escape all this, I headed down to the woods in the hope of getting a nice picture.

And then I spotted it.  A robin, resplendent in a holly bush, and I figured if he just moved over a yard or so I could get him along with some holly and lovely red berries in the shot for what would be a Christmas card worthy shot.

But he wouldn't oblige, and this was the best I could get.  Really, as it was so dark there, I had to use a shutter speed of 1/15th of a second and rely on the robin keeping still along with my camera's anti-shake thingy working flat out.

At least that didn't pack in!

Fujifilm X-H2, Fujinon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 at 400mm
1/15th of a second at f5.6, ISO 800
hand (and breath!) held