Springtime

Well what a gorgeous walk I had to see my Gran - the queen B at the weekend. After getting off the train and seeing the sun shining I thought seeing as I'm giving up not exercising for lent, I would walk rather than get the bus.

My decision was well rewarded by the beauty that I saw along the way. Daffodils lifting the faces to the sun, pink cherry blossom gently blowing in the wind.

This beautiful Magnolia reminded me of the one in my grandparents garden. It was stunning every year and had gotten so big. I wonder if the new owners of their home are enjoying it this spring.

 

The music on my phone helped me pace out the couple of miles I had to go. Mostly I was listening to The Instant Classical Collection, with a bit of Caro Emerald, Christina Perri, Nina Simone, Bon Jovi, Paulo Nutini, Lady Antebellum, and the Wicked and Les Mis sound tracks thrown in for good measure. 

Although realising that you are singing along at the top of your lungs as you walk is rather interesting! At least it explains some of the odd looks that I got.

The sunshine, the music and the beauty that I saw along the way as I took my walk up the main road really made a wonderful interlude in my day. Much better for the soul than the bus. Look at what I would have missed, all the beauty of nature showing itself to remind us that winter is passing and new life is beginning again. We should put the dark in our hearts away and move into the light.

Then to top off my walk I arrived at the queen B's and spent time catching up and drinking tea.

happy hols part 1

Well we're back after an amazing few days away down in beautiful Cornwall, camping by the sea. I have to say we found a great campsite right across the road from Porth beach.

Porth was a great find right across the coast road from a brilliant campsite with great facilities and good sized pitches. There were a couple of shops, a pub right on the beach and a little tapas restaurant.  It is only 20 minutes coastal walk from Newquay but much quieter. The sea goes out a long way but when it comes into the cove, the water stays at a great swimming/body boarding depth all the way in. Which means that it enables a good area for accessing fun in the sea. It has a stream running down the right had side which children loved to play in damming it up or using it to fill the moats of their sand castles.  Although it did disappear when the tide came in creating some currents that the life guards kept reminding everyone to be aware of and stay out of.

 Whilst the life guards are on duty about 10am -5.30/6pm no surf boards are allowed as the cove doesn't make too flag sections possible. Which I'm sorry all you surfers makes it more fun in the sea for us body boarders. In the evening all sorts of water users appear with surfers, row boats, canoes,  paddle boarders, including yoga on paddle boards - yes that isn't a typo! I only wish I'd  had a camera in my wetsuit. 

We had a beautiful walk out onto the beach and out onto the headland just as the sun was setting. 

There was a beautiful full moon out although I don't think my camera got the best shots of it.

 It  is amazing how quickly one becomes relaxed at the seaside. Something about the perpetual motion of the sea, the wide expanses that make you feel so small even the air seems different. Things worrying you seem so far away. The fact that you are always exploring something new and different. Towns and villages, shops and restaurants, beaches, roads along coastline or green expanses. 

Even cooking on the camping stove just doesn't seem the same as cooking at home. Especially as we lived on cooked breakfasts and bbq style food, veggie and meat so everyone was happy.

mmmmmmmmm

who is in the garden this week

Well this week I've been enjoying sitting in the sun and shade reading a bit of Austin.  Whilst sitting I could hear a loud constant buzzing of the bees and the see the fluttering of white butterflies. 







I love that my garden seems to have lots of plants that encourages these visitors. They are so important to our environment so I try and plant native perennials and bee/butterfly friendly plants along side my fruit and veggies. 











Then to my surprise I reached down to get my drink and saw a little snail sat at the bottom of the chair leg. I don't put anything down to get rid of slugs and snails. Plants just have to cope with these little garden poppets.


I love sitting in nature and know I am blessed to be able to enjoy the restorative of the outdoors in my garden and the creatures that visit me there. 

My garden this week –

The cosmos that I planted from seed have started booming

I am eating blueberries, strawberries and raspberries for pudding nearly every day the taste so sweet.

The tomatoes have flowered and now the fruit are starting to grow, let’s hope that with this gorgeous sunshine they will ripen so I can eat them soon with my nasturtiums in a sandwich with cream cheese.

The lavender and roses smell wonderful and are attracting bees and butterflies.

It really is such a lovely place to sit, edit photographs, read a book, or generally potter and relax. Although I have plans which involve a sledge hammer, some bricks, stones and wood.

 It is however too hot for that today, I’ll just sit back and enjoy.