Pigeons, Hollandaise, Rabbit's fart

Very early in the morning the view from the bathroom window of back gardens and our neighbour's patio is peaceful and there is a scent of flowers and other growing things. Suddenly a clatter of wings. A pigeon. Then another. Finally three pigeons perch together on the fence. They nod and tilt their heads, the way birds do working their beady eyes, as they search for food or look out for enemies.

Making Hollandaise sauce - a lithe amalgm of egg yolks and butter scented with lemon.

The CassellsFrench dictionary, which I keep upstairs, is old fashioned and in many other ways less than satisfactory, but it often provides pleasure. I don't know if the expression is, or ever was in common use, but I love "ce ne vaut pas un pet lapin" - it's not worth a rabbit's fart -which it gives as an example in its definition of "pet".