September Miscellany

Mainly photos taken with my iPhone.  Lately I’ve been falling into a bad habit of relying on my iPhone instead of taking my dSLR out with me.  But not no more!  A mobile is fine for fun photos but just not as good as my big girl’s camera.  Full stop.  I could have taken some lovely photos of all three boys yesterday afternoon when they were absorbed in play but I didn’t take my camera with me and I was sorry afterwards.  Lesson learned.

Anyway, these pics have all been taken over the last week or two and they include:-

• A visit to Uppermill garden centre last Sunday affy.  William and I spent ages admiring the winter plants.  Do you see the Pom Pom tree on the left hand side.  I’d love one of those.
• A pretty pink fuchsia in our garden still flowering despite all the bad weather we’ve been having.
• A cute sign in a Hebden Bridge restaurant window.
• Beautiful skies.
• George bringing me a latte from the lake visitor centre cafe.  He didn’t spill a drop.
• Lots and lots of rain.
• A visit to the library, probably one of my last trips too.

• A solo shopping trip into Manchester including a visit to the city’s great cathedral.
• Sipping a Starbucks coffee in St. Anne’s Square while watching the world go by.
• Joyfully listening to the voice of an angel. Or what I imagine one would sound like.  The young woman in the centre photo serenely sang her heart out .  Her classically trained voice filled the whole of the Square despite the busy market etc. and all with no amplification.  I could’ve listened to her all day.  Such a shame it was raining or I’d have grabbed another coffee, sat outside Starbucks and done just that.
• All three boys were here yesterday affy. 
• We strolled around the estate.  They jumped huge puddles up Middle Starring and amused themselves for ages climbing over and sliding down that small handrail as though it was a bannister.
• Handcrafted shell lights to die for.
• Crocheted my first granny square.  Encouraged by my efforts I’m now in the process of making a blanket. 
• A productive (I don’t know if that’s the word I’m looking for but it’ll do) visit to Todmorden Antiques.  I found a Christmassy looking Johnson Bros transfer ware dinner plate - Thanksgiving pattern, Historic America series.  A bargain at £3 and a simple pleasure every time it catches my eye. 
• And finally I’ve got one.  An All New Kindle Touch.  A birthday present form my girls.  I had been dithering over which Kindle I wanted but I made my mind up and here it is.  I’m thrilled with it!  Thank you daughters! 

Can you believe tomorrow is another first.  The first of October!  It’s not all bad though,October means autumn and I love autumn.

Kathleen.

 

An Afternoon Stroll

Such a lovely word.  Stroll.  It conjures up images of contentedly wandering through the countryside to me.  And that’s just what I did this afternoon with one of my girls and one of her boys. 

We strolled down through Ealees.

George dipped in and out of the stream.  Careful not to let the water go over the top of his wellies.  To be truthful I don’t know so much about the careful part but his feet stayed dry anyway!

I’d brought along my binoculars and George had a fun time looking at anything and everything through them. 

He looks happy doesn’t he?  No wonder. He’d had a gooey choclatey knickerbockerglory kind of ice cream at the visitor centre.  No picture of it though.  I must be slipping!

I’ve had time on my side this week and yesterday I drove over the tops into Hebden Bridge.  The river was swollen once again by heavy rains.  I really hope this little town isn’t heading for yet another flood.  They say its nice weather for ducks when it chucks it down but the ducks weren’t having such a good time yesterday.  Rather than risk being swept away they sat it out on the riverside.

I can’t close this post without mentioning the senseless murder this week of the two young police women in Greater Manchester.  My heart aches for their families, friends and colleagues.  As the mother and mother-in-law of serving police officers it brings home to me what a dangerous job serving in the Police Force is and what a huge debt of gratitude society owes to those who do serve.  I admire the courage they show day in, day out turning up for work when who knows what might be ahead of them and for their courage I am eternally grateful.   PC Fiona Bone and PC Nicola Hughes, RIP.

Kathleen.

Last Weekend in The Lakes.

Well, where to start on the subject of Last Weekend in the Lakes?  For a kick off, it didn’t really happen.  What should have been a Weekend in the Lakes in the event turned out to be only one day!

This was the plan.  On Saturday morning William and I along with our sweet friends John and Lesley were going to drive up to the spectacularly beautiful Lake District.  Two double rooms had been booked well in advance in a quaint country pub in Askham, a pretty village near Ullswater.  We had an itinerary worked out which included amongst other things visits to Windermere, Hawkshead and Buttermere returning home Monday evening tired and weary from a full weekend in one of the most picturesque corners of England.

This is what actually happened.  We did drive up to the Lakes.  The journey being the longest one ever due to not one but two closures on and two long detours off the motorway due to serious accidents.  

Once at our destination we had planned to spend the afternoon in Whinlatter Mountain Forest and this we did and had a lovely time.  That’s where the above three photos were taken. 

After this we headed to our accommodation in Askham arriving there at around 6 p.m. and that’s where things went hurtling downhill.  The village of Askham is still as pretty as ever but the pub, The Queen’s Head, we had booked into was to put it politely a dump!  It was such a disappointment.  William and I had been to the pub a few times over the years.  Then it had been a smashing little village pub serving excellent food but not anymore.  Goodness knows what had happened in the intervening years but it was nothing good. 

Anyway to cut a long story short we now had the task of finding somewhere to stay for two nights.  It was an impossible task!  We must have tried well over 20 hotels and guest houses with no luck.  (I don’t know about the economy being in a bad way. It’s certainly alive and well in the Lake District!)  We drove up, down and around some very dark and scary country lanes too.  So instead of arriving home tired and weary from a full weekend we arrived home just plain old tired and weary some time past midnight.  It had been one looong day!

Oh, and did I mention the trip was a special one to celebrate our ruby wedding anniversary?  And that I love the Lake District and was really looking forward to going?  We all were.  We all four had talked about it such a lot.

Looking on the bright side of things William and I couldn’t have spent the day in better company.  We managed to laugh and joke about the situation.  What would’ve been the use of the four of us crying?  As it turned out the weekend wasn’t lost.  We still had a great time - walking in the countryside, eating an excellent pub lunch at the Stubbing Wharf, enjoying a glass of wine or two -  it just happened to be spent closer to home that’s all!

Kathleen.

 

How Can That Be?

I turned sixty last week!  Tell me.  Please.  How can that be?  Sixty is getting on a bit isn’t it?  But I don’t feel like I’m getting on a bit.  I still think I’m what?  Well… maybe 39.  I was going to say 29 but that’s pushing it a bit.  Sometimes my bones are a little on the creeky side and my eyes need a bit of help from ready readers.  So, yep, 29’s pushing it a bit.  I might be getting a bit broader in the beam too and no way do I look too closely in the mirror anymore but no way can I be sixty!  Can I?

I didn’t want to post each individual photo, it would’ve taken too long and I don’t have the time just now.  I’ve been lazy too, I didn’t edit any of these photos.  So I decided a collage was the best way to go today.

I had a really lovely day right from the start.  The start being breakfast with both my girls at a favourite cafe.  I know I am very fortunate to have my family close by to spend times like this with.  And if that wasn’t enough  – the sun shone too!  Definitely a day for counting my blessings. 

Kathleen.

A Lovely Day

Yesterday morning was spent with my girls walking with our dogs round Watergrove Reservoir.  Set high up in the hills Watergrove is a popular spot for walking.

Summer must be drawing to a close for all three little boys are back at school now.  September already!  Much as I love it I’m not ready to give into autumn yet.  Happily for now summery weather is continuing. 

All the way round the res chatting and laughing, the girls and I had a good time walking together.  It makes me so happy that we all three enjoy being together.

When noon rolled around Caroline went off to collect Charlie, he’s just doing mornings at school for the first week and a half, Victoria went off to do her thing and I went off to do mine.

The thing I had in mind to do was grab my camera, drive over the tops and head for Cragg Vale where last Sunday morning on our way to Hebden Bridge William spotted this new tree carving.  I wanted to take a closer look.  It’s an interesting carving but I have no idea what it represents, some kind of folklore perhaps.  I’m hoping that sooner or later an information plaque will appear.

So whilst I was out I rambled up through the little country lanes.

This little outbuilding took my eye. 

Now used for the convenience of storing firewood, in the past I’m sure the residents of the nearby cottages used this outbuilding with its three separate cubicles for a completely different kind of convenience!

The cottages only have a very small outdoor space, the field is blocked off by a dry-stone wall, but I loved the way the owners, above, have made a container garden.  I wanted to get a better picture than this but that would’ve meant going right up to, peering over the wall and invading someone’s privacy.

Like I said in the title I had a lovely day.  Simple pleasures are life’s treasures.

Kathleen.

A Few iPhone Photos

I know it’s been a while since I posted – I seem to be getting out of the habit of keeping this blog up to date but I don’t intend to get out of the habit altogether.

Over the end of August Bank Holiday weekend Caroline, Charlie and I spent six very relaxing days down in our home away from home in Devon.  The weather was mixed but we did get to spend a couple of days on the beach and we managed to spend the rest of our time happily content rambling around and taking things easy.  A lovely break.  Caroline did all the driving, so it was very relaxing for me!  Thank you, Carolina. 

Oh, the flowers were a welcome home gift from William.  Wasn’t that sweet?

Talking about William.  This picture shows him in John Lewis last Saturday afternoon checking out my birthday present.  My little iPhone is getting a big brother!  The fact is I’m having one of those birthdays tomorrow with a big fat zero on the end and this little baby is going to make it so much easier to bear!

Sunday morning found us over in Hebden Bridge again. We had lunch and read the Sunday papers.   Little things like that really float my boat.

Finishing on a sweet note.  I made a carrot cake on Tuesday.  Actually the carrots should‘ve gone into carrot and coriander soup but after grating them I looked in the cupboard and discovered I had no coriander.  So, carrot cake it was.

Kathleen.