Another mild, dry and sunny day. Loving it.
Day spent making room in the garage for new C4. Getting excited now, still on track to collect this weekend.
Another case of clothes with a bag of shoes was taken to the Clothes for Cash shop, would love to know how the organisation works. The website does not offer any information other than times the shop is open. However it works someone is happy to receive the clothes.
Not mentioned garden wildlife for a while - still very sad to lose the Jays and Woodpeckers. Does prove however how Birds rely on a certain food. The Squirrels really have taken over now so this is my biggest issue to deal with if I am to encourage the Jays/Woodpeckers back. On the feeders at the moment are endless Sparrows and Goldfinches. A few Green finches and Chaffinches. Doves appeared today after a long break, dare say the Pigeons will return pretty soon now.
The Red Admiral is enjoying this sunny weather, the Cosmos flowers are still out which is still attracting the Butterflies and Bees. Will grow more of these plants next year, have been a great success.
Caught these Spiders red handed this morning heading for the fruit bowl.......!
Sunny, dry, mild. A good Autumnal day.
Liking this cash for clothes idea, another £6 today for clearing out a few old shirts and ties. Have filled the case again with old jackets and jeans. Now have room in the wardrobe for clothes I do wear!
Getting excited now about taking delivery of my new C4. All paperwork sorted this afternoon, car currently at Southampton Docks so should be with me this weekend. This is the first car I have ever bought as all previous cars have been in Lorna's name, will be my big boys toy. With the car packed with technology (can drive itself, parks itself, takes over if you start drifting, pulls back if senses you are close to vehicle in front etc) I will be given basic training on collection then in a couple of weeks a days training in mastering the cars technology.
When you kill that irritating fly have you ever looked at the beautiful detail the fly has to offer? Quite stunning actually, I photographed these today and was amazed at the detail.
Mild, sunny, slight breeze and dry. The storm predicted for the South appears to have missed this area in the main. A large tree at the RBH was uprooted and I daresay some side roads were blocked by fallen branches.
I was up at 4am to watch the storm unfold but went back to bed at 5.30am as nothing happening. Was raining a little and the wind was no more than a breeze. Bizarre actually because it was so sunny this morning you could have been mistaken for it being summer still.
Lazy day (cos not feeling well) spent sorting out my clothes, found my wedding suit! Any unwanted clothes taken to cash for clothes in Whitley Wood Lane. Clothes are sorted then sent to Africa?
Pictures 1 - 5 - Storm damage at 479!
" 6 - A Red Admiral on a begonia in the morning sun.
Very mild, blustery but at least dry. Gale force wind is forecast tonight to match 1987 so secured chairs and the dovecote.
All drawers now in cramps so hopefully tomorrow we will have our bedroom back.
Feeling awful, when did I last feel like this, so much for the flu jab.
Picture showing the secured Dovecote.
Very mild, a few sunny periods but mostly dull.
Woke up with a full blown chest/cough cold, where did that come from. Not experienced a cold in years.
Day spent re-gluing the drawers to the bedroom units, one of those jobs you forever put off! Used 'real' glue this time, not the micky mouse stuff supplied.
Plenty of Fungi in the garden this year, mostly of the same, not much variety.
Pictures are of three types of Fungi found in the garden.
Mild and sunny day. Made the most of today as next few days looking pretty dire.
Carpet fitted this morning in the master bedroom. Room looks brilliant, good choice of wallpaper and carpet. Just the furniture to put back now, a job for this weekend.
My day was spent harvesting the sunflowers, out to dry now before collecting the seed. Plenty of stalks to cut down which will be hollowed out and made into the largest bug hotel ever seen.
Photograph shows the sunflowers laid out to dry. Covered up tonight in case of rain.
Another very mild, dry and sunny day.
Mixed day of jobs to tackle - cleaned out C4 ready for selling, couple more picture frames made and helped decorator re-hang bedroom door and radiator along with a good clear up - ready for new carpet tomorrow.
Have had workmen in the house since May, will be glad to move on now. Have a good clear up as dust throughout the house.
After the last few days of unsettled weather it was so good to experience such glorious weather for today's trip to Stourhead.
Day spent at Stourhead Landscape Garden set in over 1000 hectares of land. Cultivated in the 1740s to include a lake with planting of every kind of Tree you dare to name . It is the most magnificent sight at this time of year. Could have left it another week as still plenty of colour to emerge.
So lucky with the weather, the sun helped in creating the most beautiful reflections.
All photographs taken at the gardens -
Heavy showers first thing, rest of the day dry but dull. Miserable.
In town again this morning for frame hooks, clips etc I forgot to purchase yesterday.
All my latest framing now ready to hang, a job for this weekend.
Decorator is amazing, attention to detail is 100%. Every man to his own trade as they say. Thinking of asking him to decorate the front room now but must save up first. Lot of expense on the horizon with Christmas and Yorkshire holiday.
Another mild, dull showery day. Right miserable.
Bliss, back almost there now. Good news as only a matter of weeks now before the trimming and shredding of branches commences. The Oak and Bean Tree have almost doubled in size this year. All those leaves to clear up, lovely. Plenty of leaf compost again.
Photobox delivered again, brilliant poster print of a photograph taken in Scotland. Will I find a frame to fit I wonder? A successful trip to town to purchase said frame, brilliant. A job I will enjoy doing this weekend once decorator has vacated my workshop.
The two photographs showing some Autumn colour in the back garden.
Wow, what a start to the day. Thunderstorm big time at 7am. Such brilliant blue lightning strikes, sadly unable to photograph.
Rest of the day was mild with showers although late afternoon the sun did appear.
Enjoyed a Rooster Breakfast with the family at Lockey Farm Shop. Sadly children unable to play farmyard golf due to wet conditions.
Farm Shop had Marmite Sausages on offer today, had to buy some didn't I?
A very mild, dull showery day.
Up early for flu jab at 8am, did the trick last year, no major colds so hopefully 2014 will be the same.
Nothing doing as resting back - slight improvement so fingers still crossed.
Picture 1 - Last Moth to be photographed this year, trap now cleaned and stored for the winter. Been a good year, nothing to scream about but the good news was (after such a bad Spring) the quantity of Moths.
Picture 2 - Was a bedroom! Decorator doing a great job.
Another mild, dry day with a little sun.
Day resting, slight back improvement. Fingers crossed I will not have to endure treatment.
Photographs ordered, one poster print and three A4 size. Guess more frames now required.
Andrew (decorator) managed to prepare and stick up the lining paper. On track to finish next Wednesday.
Winter upon us, watched the One Show for the first time this year and what a surprise with an interesting report on encouraging Little Owls to be self photographed by use of a pressure pad.
Have missed getting about the garden this week, hopefully can catch up this weekend.
A much better day with some sun and no rain.
Back awful, all the work I had planned this week now delayed.
Decorator prepared and undercoated ceiling, a job I could not achieve these days.
Photographs now sorted. hopefully will order some prints from Photobox tomorrow.
More showers but again, mild.
What have I done, unbelievable back pain. Can only assume it was a week of driving a dinky toy not helped by moving furniture last night.
Decorator turned up and made a good start in stripping and re-plastering. Can't believe the mess, new carpet then?
While resting this afternoon I spotted another bird not seen here before (probably not true but I had not seen one before). Pretty sure it is a Siskin?
What a contrast in weather, dull & showery but very mild.
Day spent unpacking and sorting out the best of the photographs to upload from last weeks holiday.
Decorator starting work on the back bedroom tomorrow so this evening moved out all the furniture to the landing.
With an early start to the station it was dark, dry but mild.
The hire car was left locked at the station (by arrangement), a cup of coffee and the train was ready to board.
As the day moved on the sun appeared that was until we reached Stevenage and the change was dramatic. Wet and windy.
Arrived back at Kings Cross at 8.30pm in awful weather and finally back home at 9.20pm with even worse weather.
How lucky were we to have enjoyed such lovely weather.
Last day of the holiday and weather today a little blustery on the coast but at least dry.
We were in the hands of Sarah today (Barbara's daughter). We were hoping for a sighting of Dolphins on the Moray Firth, they let us down but the photographs speak for themselves. Plenty of other wildlife.
After a coffee and another bun it was time for the climax of the holiday. You see, Sarah has a horse called Topi which I follow closely on FB. Sarah has worked hard on Topi and has found the art of dressage and winning many awards. The day was not going to end until we had experienced a trot on Topi. I was ok with it and actually enjoyed the experience learning a fair bit on rein control. Kerry next and loved it. Barbara was brave to attempt as was petrified but to her credit, did it to the relief of all of us!!
Once back on two legs we helped in getting Topi prepared for bed before retiring to the local Pub for a steak and a pint.
This has been a 100% holiday, good food (bar one), good beer, good scenery, meeting up with the family. Thank you Barbara, Kerry and Sarah for sharing your homeland with us and thanks kids for sharing the family evening. Love you all.
Pictures 1 - 6 - Wildlife at Channery on the Moray Firth.
" 7 - Sarah collecting Topi from her field.
" 8 - Royal Ascot next?!
The days just get better, another very warm, sunny day. Perfect for another day on the highlands.
With Kerry working today we were in the hands of Barbara. Suggested a morning of retail therapy at a local weaving factory now converted to rather classy shop outlets. Bought a couple of shirts and a CD of Scottish music. After a brief stop for coffee and a bun we picked up a B road to Dores where in effect Loch Ness ends. Dores was made famous for a saw mill and landing stage for some larger boats arriving/leaving the saw mill. After a pint in the Dores Inn we moved on to Foyers, well known for the waterfall and the Aluminium smelting plant (Alcan).
Sadly, with so little rain recently the water fall was nothing more than a trickle. It was hard work climbing back up to base so an excuse for another coffee and bun!
This next and last stage of the trip proved to be the most spectacular. With this being the rutting season we were not disappointed. The noise was ear splitting, what a way to end the trip. From here we dropped down to Fort Augustus following Loch Ness back to home ground.
The day was sadly spoilt by our evening meal back at the Snow Goose. Barbara ordered a steak which you could bounce like a ball and my pint had what looked like the pump badge complete with glue, muck and hair. Sorry Snow Goose, let us down badly tonight.
Picture 1 - Retail therapy.
" 2 - Remains of Dores landing stage on Loch Ness.
" 3 - Loch Ness from Dores beach.
" 4 - Loch Ness Beach at Dores.
" 5 - Dragonfly sunbathing on beach pebbles.
" 6 - Reflection at Flores.
" 7 - Flores trickle water fall.
" 8 - Scenery at Whitebridge.
" 9 - Rutting at Whitebridge.
" 10 - Scenery at Whitebridge.
