2016 Round-up Part 4

In July, Malcolm and I took ourselves off for a few days stay in Portsmouth. We had a great time exploring the city...

and the sea-front...

and we had a high time up the Spinaker Tower.

While in Portsmouth, we paid a visit to Brian and Mary and spent a a very pleasant evening with them. Mary cooked a delicious meal for us and it was nice - after many years - to catch up with their son, my second cousin, Simon. It was Simon who suggested we should take a look at the delightful village of Bosham and this turned out to be sound advice. It is a beautiful village.

Back home again and high summer meant that our local countryside was blooming with late colour.

August saw a second (and in some cases a third) flush of ducklings swimming about on the lakes of Straw's Bridge.

The fields were still blooming, but the grasses were ripening in the sunshine as the late summer flowers hung on to their colour.

On 16th, our friend Jayne accompanied us on a walk and,we found a very strange object growing on a tree trunk. It turned out to be a Chicken-of-the-Woods fungus - a new 'tick' for my list.

My 49th birthday also brought some much warmer weather and the surprising sight of no fewer than eight Buzzards circling in the clear blue sky.

Things had started to slow down by September and the first signs of Autumn were beginning to appear. Rowan berries are always the first to show.

Then came the first Daddy-long-legs or Crane Flies.

Yew trees were also fruiting colourfully on Shipley Hill...

but, by the end of the month, the leaves were starting to turn and Autumn couldn't be put off any longer.

Tomorrow will see the the end of this rapid round-up. So stay tuned..!

2016 Round-up Part 3

May came around and gave us more Bluebells.

We saw a beautiful Rat at Straw's Bridge...

and a spectacular Mandarin at Mapperley Reservoir.

By mid May, the Cherry blossom was out...

and the Rhododendrons were not far behind them, adding their over-the-top style to the woodland on Shipley Hill.

Towards the end of May, we were off once again to Switzerland and stayed in the wonderful little village of Spiez. From our hotel we had a great view of Niesen.

The views from the top of Niesen, were even better with the Eiger, Mönch and the Jungfrau dominating the scene.

Lake Thun was stunning...

and Interlaken gave us an even more spectacular view of the Jungfrau.

The city of Thun provided some historical culture.

Back home again and the Summer started off with a blaze of floral colour with Yellow Flag Iris...

Bee Orchids...

and drifts of Southern Marsh Orchids.

The Azaleas didn't want to be left out either.

The bugs were out too and our walks were once again blighted by the biting of Cleg Flies. Nasty little things, but what beautiful eyes they have!

Lots more to come tomorrow.

2016 Round-up Part 2

March started chilly but the sunshine was till nice - to begin with and the Gorse was out in flower.

Fog became an issue...

and there was evidence of the stormy weather we'd had during the winter.

By the middle of the month, the sun was out once more and on Shipley Hill, the daffodils were bright and beautiful.

On 22nd of March, Malcolm and I celebrated ten years since our civil partnership with a glass or two of bubbles and fish-and-chips for lunch. The Blackthorn blossom was celebratory too...

We ended the month with an ornithological first for this area. A Little Egret was found roosting in a tree at Pewit Carr.

By April, Spring was in full swing and the Willows were starting to bloom in the sunshine.

Lambs were gambolling in the fields...

and Malcolm was enjoying the weather at Mapperley Reservoir.

By this time, the Bluebells were showing their hand too.

At the end of the month, we took a trip to Cornwall and enjoyed some lovely walks around Newquay.

By coincidence, my cousin (once removed), Brian and Mary were also staying in Newquay at the same time, it being Brian's birthday. It was wonderful to see them and we had a lovely dinner together at their hotel, to celebrate Brian's birthday. We then joined them on a trip around the area taking in Padstow...

and Polzeath...

Ending up at the delightful village of Boscastle.

More to come tomorrow.

2016 Round-up Part 1

As is normal at this time of year, I will spend the next few days looking back at the past twelve months.
January started off in a rather soggy mode. Ways were foul and mud clogged up our shoes as we strolled around our usual paths.

We were rather busy during January as my mother, who had spent last Christmas in hospital, was moved to a nursing home and Malcolm and I spent much of our time travelling back and forth to King's Lynn sorting things out. Weather wise, things had brightened up by the middle of the month with some sunshine and we were not the only ones enjoying the weather.

It got chilly...

Then it got very mild for January, leading to the appearance of Blackthorn blossom.

And the first Snowdrops.

The mild temperatures continued into February and this Bullfinch was seen enjoying the sunshine.

But then it all went downhill again with more normal, freezing conditions returning. Walking round Mapperley Reservoir, the chill was enough to 'cut you in half'.

Things were somewhat chilly on an emotional level too, as we finally lost my mother and said our last goodbyes on 18th.
Getting back to 'normal' once more, we again, enjoyed the Snowdrops on Shipley Hill. . .

It remained very cold for the rest of the month. . .

But, by the end of February, more spring flowers were appearing, cheering up what had been a rather fraught start to the year.

More to come tomorrow...

Happy Christmas

Once again, we've come to my favourite time of year, seemingly only about two minutes since last Christmas. It's been a funny old year but we've got to the end of it relatively unscathed with only a couple of extra 'laughter lines'.

So, until we meet again on the other side with my traditional round-up of the year,

Merry Christmas to all who deserve one.

At Last!

Finally, the kitchen is finished. Malcolm and I have spent the morning cleaning up (again) after the flooring fitters who arrived like a whirlwind, brought the vinyl flooring in, cut it, fit it, and finished off all within about 30 minutes. I have a new Hoover which has turned out to be excellent and have been through the house vacuuming the carpets and dusting and polishing everything in sight (and a few thing out of sight.) So now we can have Christmas - "Bring it on."
I have made a 'gif' image of the kitchen transformation, so I hope this works...

Almost Finished

We're very nearly there! By yesterday afternoon, the kitchen was finished and Malcolm and I were left to clean up and start to get things back to normal.

Now it's just a case of touching up some paintwork - particularly where the heating pipes have been boxed in. Then we need to clean up the dust, fill the cupboards, clean up some more dust, polish the surfaces, more dust, fill in some holes in the floor, yet more dust, remove the old blind and fit the new roller blind and clean up some more dust!!

Finally, I managed to get the blind fitted while Malcolm dusted and filled cupboards, then it was definitely time to crack open a good bottle of red to 'wet the baby's head'.
All that's left now is the new vinyl flooring, which will be fitted on Thursday, then we will be able to celebrate Christmas. Whew!