Show me the horizon

Another sneak preview and to say that Jak's Scavenger-photos - despite technical hitches - have landed xx

#MicroadventureChallenge

View over my morning coffee

This morning, I woke up to this ...

Will share details soon, promise :) 

More Scavenger-photo hunt posts still coming in - will do round up, I have seen some gorgeous photos, thank you my lovelies for joining in and sharing your wonderful pictures!

May 2016 Scavenger Photo-hunt

May 2016 Scavenger Photo-hunt

A photo inspired by a word, words inspired by the photos - enjoy xx

Path

A favourite springtime walk of ours, 

(posted here, here and here) provided the path that I needed. 

We followed it, walking through bluebells, wood anenomes, cowslips and primroses. 

The air was so sweetly scented, we always come away feeling so positive and buoyed up!

Hairy

Our house has a sizeable population of plants,
mine tend to be tropical or subtropical and LARGE,
Eldest adores his carnivorous plants and succulents
and Youngest loves cacti and this particular cactus belongs to him.
A prickly creature with a crown of bright pink blooms that, when the afternoon sun shines,
looks to have a beautiful but bristly exterior :)

Edible

When the boys have had a day that has worn them down, 
stressed them out or they are tired or emotional -
 when asked what they would like to eat always, 
always 
always
always
ask for macaroni cheese.

Small

A tiny hover fly. 

On the whole I am not keen on flies, however -

these small black and gold

busy little flies

feast on pollen and generally fill the garden with a happy buzzing.

Poem

A few years ago, whilst out walking, we came across a little sign on a farm house wall.

Curious we went over and found a transcript of a poem - the full version is here,

written in 1818 by Betty Chester when she was just 18. 

It is a lovely heart-felt piece of writing and is really worth reading.

Hands

My wonderful, dear, precious Himself.

He'd just replaced the back half of an exhaust pipe 

and I found him extracting himself from beneath the car 

feeling quite pleased with his efforts.

Vintage

When Eldest was younger he, as part of his DofE, 
would set off on a Friday laden with tent, huge havasac and his group of friends. 
We would wave them off as they set off chatting and full of bravado. 
 We would then scoop him up on the Sunday afternoon at the end of his weekend of walking and orienteering. 
He would be tired, sweaty, smelly, dirty and ready to go home. 
After one such walk we had to collect him from the small town of Grassington 
and by happy co-incidence it was staging a roaring 40s event.
It was one glorious celebration of all vintage!

Shadows

Pan in chequer board sunshine.

View from a Window

Loch Doon Castle in Galloway Forest, the view through the window is of the loch.

My own choice

A special holiday memory, 
walking on the beach below Bamburgh, 
the fading light throws the most amazing colours on the clouds 
giving heart stopping reflections.

I hope you have enjoyed my selection, 
 don't forget that the top of this page 
are the links to the pages for Eldest and Threads through my Life's offerings for May.

1. Lovely Lady - Thread through my Life
2.  Eldest
3. Susan- Granny Smith's Quilting
4. Eileen T - In my playroom
5. Jackie - Winters End Rambler
6. Kezzie - KezzieAG
7. Julie  -Julie's Scrapbook
8. Tess - Driftwood
9. Sustainablemum
10. gz - "ook?!"
11. Ellie - This Country Girl's Journal
12. Amanda - Graham's Landing

Keep an eye out over the next few days to see how everyone's scavenger photo hunt develop :)
Now, am off to check out what you lovely lot have been up to!!

Blah blah blah sigh...

Life has a habit of getting in the way of blogging.

Stories run through my head and I think - that would be great to share, 

only to find I am too tired at the end of the day or busy right up to bed time.

So, what have we been getting up to when not at school or work?

Well, we have a couple of small furry people staying with us for their holidays.

They are funny and happy little hairy folk 

with simple pleasures

and waggy tails.

I have tickled hairy chins

and rubbed knobbly heads

and we've dodged heavy showers

and enjoyed warm sunshine.

Oh, we've done more that this, but it is normal day to day boring routine essential stuff,

you know the stuff I mean

shopping

cleaning

watering plants

blah blah blah

Just a reminder and an update for May's Scavenger Photo-hunt.  Jak and Lovely Lady have been rather organised and already forwarded their photos and stories, Eldest has been handicapped by lack of camera - his has gone in for a service and has been having to use mine. I am still searching for 'path' as the one I'd mentally put aside isn't 'doing it for me' ... hhmmmmm. Need to wrestle my camera from Eldest's grubby little mits! 

Now, for the reminder - a photograph inspired by a word, words inspired by the photos.

1. Path
2. Hairy
3. Edible
4. Small
5. Poem
6. Hands
7. Vintage
8. Shadows
9. View from a window
10. My own choice

Remember to think laterally, interpret as YOU fancy, be it a current photo or a favourite one from your past. We'll reconvene and post our words and photos from Friday 27th May -  have fun, enjoy!

1. Lovely Lady - Thread through my Life
2. Jak
3. Eldest
4. Susan- Granny Smith's Quilting
5. Eileen T - In my playroom
6. Jackie - Winters End Rambler
7. Kezzie - KezzieAG
8. Julie  -Julie's Scrapbook
9. Tess - Driftwood
10. Sustainablemum
11. gz - "ook?!"
12. Ellie - This Country Girl's Journal
13. Amanda - Graham's Landing
14. And You? ... Fancy joining in? Please do, just let me know and we'll add you to our snap-happy list :)

Cat of many guises

Hello, it is me(iow) Pepper -
 the fearless Yorkshire Wild Cat (living in Lancashire), 

I have been given free paw to tap out a note or two.

About time I say, (and according to my humans I have a lot to say... how rude!)

I will take you out with me
 show you how a real Yorkshire Wild Cat (living in Lancashire)
stalks, checking the perimeter fence along the territory

Grrrrrrr (cough) Hear me RoAr and fear me (squeek)

It all started on Saturday morning, 

with my nose a-twitching and my whiskers a-quiver

I demand my humans let me out

I am not a house cat 

(although my humans keep me incarcerated - they say it is for my own good) 

PaH! I am a fearless Yorkshire Wild Cat (living in Lancashire)

and can pull off wearing a harness with such purrrrnache!

However, my humans have to put the damn thing on me first!

I can scale trees - for I am a fearless ...

(yes yes I know you know what I am, but I have to say it often!)

My own personal human (a rather tall lanky creature)

needs playing with, so kindly I deign to do so.

He seems to like it. 

He needs to learn to purr, instead of his yelping sort of happy sound.

I climb trees to a heady height - just a quick paw's reach to the garage roof

I am destined for a loftier life

for greater

higher

things

I am alert, my whiskers are radar ready and I am wild 

I am cat, fear me

Oh oooh errr,

I feel a little dizzy...

Help!

Human - a little help would be nice! (NOW!)

Phew, managed to turn round without disgracing myself (too much)

 

 Think I need to get off this lofty branch

down to terra firma

For I am cat

master of the savannah

the prairie

the ground (quickly)

I survey the grasslands

I smell the air

I stalk

I spy

I sit and ponder

and watch

the wild creatures of the plains

(silly creatures that cluck and crow)

I am lost in deep cat thoughts

I am cat, I have no concept of time

however this human time-y-wime-y sundialy thing 

makes a good vantage spot

 Where I can launch myself

upon unsuspecting prey

(Flies and beetles beware!!) 

I shall lie

and dream

and watch for birds

for I am cat

fear me

(yawn)

I need to rest,

I have done my duty

I have toured the perimeter fence

I have scaled heights

stared at chickens

pounced on flies

sunbathed

grumbled

purred

zzzzzzzzz

What to do on a surprisingly sunny Saturday?

Well,

You could start by celebrating a birthday...

by drinking frothy coffee

 and planning

by baking

by setting a special spot in the garden

 by slathering double cream and raspberry jam on hot fruit scones

by serving super gooey gluten free choc-brownies made by Eldest

by filling plates with delicious and sinful nibbles supplied by fav sis-in-law

by putting on a feathered and furry floor show 

by picking flowers (the first 'crop' of the season)

by inviting family to 

sit in the sun and

drink tea...

HaPpY BirTHdaY MUM!!

Thank you for sharing your day with us :) 

Now, we are watching and counting and cringing or supporting the acts of Eurovision 2016!

...and the 12 points go to.... (significant pause) 

fingers being chewed

waiting waiting waiting

the winner

is

UKRAINE!!

Liebster Award

Thank you  dear Jackie from Winters End Ramblings  for kindly nominating me for the 'Liebster Award -Discover New Blogs'.

 

As part of the nominations, I have to answer Jackie's ten questions then choose some lovely bloggers, so here goes :)

Tea or Coffee?

Tea every time!

Bath or Shower?

Shower - so much quicker and easier

Book or Kindle?

Books (especially with a mug of tea)

Real or Fake Christmas Tree?

Real - we have a small growing one that lives in the garden during summer:)

Christmas or Yule

Yule

Starter or Pudding?

Starter unless there is a cheese board on offer as an alternative to a desert

Cup or Mug?

Mug (of tea with that book and cheese board after a shower!!)

Up to the Table or Couch Dinner?

Table

If you could choose to go back in time, when and why?

West coast of California during the early half of 1960's - 

coz I think I might just be a delayed bohemian flower child!!

Right, time to share my chosen nominations with you and reveal their questions too :)

*******************

Driftwood

The View From Bag End

Wonderings & Wanderings From Gnat Bottomed Towers

Super Gran

Rural North

*******************

What's your favourite season?

Knitting or crochet?

Holidays by the sea or a city break?

Fairy lights or candles?

Do you dance to the radio?

Were your school days - your 'best days' or 'best forgotten!'

What is your favourite meal?

Did you have a nickname as a child?

Do you have any tattoos?

Night owl or up with the larks?

Right, now it is up to you and this is what you are supposed to to - 

Link back to the blog who nominated you so that more lovely bloggy folk can find new and interesting blogs to read,

Then copy and post the Liebster award picture, 

Answer the questions posed to you,

Choose a new list of fun questions, 

Nominate and notify new and lovely bloggers ! 

Enjoy!

Thank you again Jackie for nominating my little blog and introducing me to new blogs :)

There's magic up in them there hills

There is a small hill that at this time of the year

usually turns a striking cobalt, 

a beautiful hyacinth shade of blue.

However, this year our rather cool and dreary spring

has delayed the much awaited opening of the bluebells.

However, their late arrival was our blessing -

instead we found clouds of primroses...

...and galaxies of woodland anenomes 

Interspersed with sprinklings of tiny tiny violets.

We struggled to find a spot to sit

and sip tea

amongst the flowers. 

 Coppiced hazels appeared to burst out from the ground

with veils of stems

and explosions of twigs.

Down close to the floor

a delicate perfume 

gently drifted across the meadow,

a sweet scent which would have been lost

under the headier bouquet of the bluebells.

And, punctuating the gently undulating flowers,

spikes of orchids

and stalked clusters of cowslips

added to the drama. 

It was a visual delight

an unexpected twist on what we'd come to see.

We shall return when the bluebells awake.