‘Look, there’s a peacock.’

‘Oh, like a statue of one?’ My Australian husband frowns, shading his brow as he looks at the bird perched on the high stone arch.

‘No, a real one,’ I say, as the bird moves, hopping down and letting out one of those plaintive cries they make.

‘What?!’

Then ensues a small chase, me with the pushchair, him with the camera as he follows the peacock along the ruined walls, surprised by the penchant of the British to keep such birds in the grounds of their stately homes.

It’s a magical day, one of three we spend at Ruthin Castle in North Wales as part of a family celebration for our much loved grandmother, taking her back to the land of her birth for her 80th birthday. There is a dinner, formal attire and I receive a compliment from a stranger on a staircase, reminding me of who I am and who I can be. During and after dinner we are entertained by a harpist and a welsh male voice choir, harmonies blending to bring tears to our eyes. My daughter sings along in her highchair, banging chubby hands on the frame as the music swells around her, the newest link in a long chain of family all brought together in the same room.

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The rules of the Five Photos, Five Stories Challenge are:

1) Post a photo each day for five consecutive days.
2) Attach a story to the photo. It can be fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or a short paragraph. It’s entirely up to the individual.
3) Nominate another blogger to carry on the challenge. Your nominee is free to accept or decline the invitation. This is fun, not a command performance!