My day one tea at a time

The first.
I stumble downstairs to a waiting mug  that Himself has made, our favourite - Scottish tea collected on our holidays. Mumbling incoherent morning themed words that don't necessarily make any sense. .. somehow I manage to make four lunches, three breakfasts, put on makeup and brush my hair into some sort of submission then drive to work. ..

The second.
Still bordering on incoherent I arrive at work and the first thing I do is to switch the kettle on, toss a teabag in my mug then put down my bag,  coat, camera and keys. Just enough time for it to brew.  Hmmm, sipping the over-hot first mouthful kickstarts me into action.

The third.
Usually an hour later, when the next wave of staff arrive - would be churlish not to participate. ..

The next few..
Well this is where exactly how many I actually make and drink gets a little hazy however I suspect I average one an hour. .. shhhhh don't tell the tea police! Depending on my mood it will be a peppermint or green or chai tea, each has it's merits, each comforting a need.

The subsequent.
Over the lunch hours, half the staff evaporate and the rest have what has affectionately become termed as our lunchtime tipple. ..yes you guessed. .. tea, for me it will be a smokey tasting Assam.

The next.
My turn for lunch, a swapping of staff,  the click of the kettle, a swish of a spoon and the splash of milk, this time a rich red Yorkshire tea.

The return.
Lunch hour gone with a blink of an eye. The consolation mug of tea accompanies and fortifies me as I return to work.

The afternoon.
Three o'clock herelds the the arrival of steaming mugs,  our appreciative hmmmms confirm our pleasure as we sip the almost scalding liquid.  Our days are often so busy that if we don't seize the moment to drink our brew whilst still hot, we end up downing it when it is tepid...

The one for the road.
 If there is time,  I'll join in with the  evening staff for a final cup of cha... to get me home.

The one sitting down with Himself.
A calmative restorative mug where the balance is restored, I breathe, we talk,  we share stories and feel the day disappear and fade away leaving just him, the boys and me.

The final.
This last Friday evening,  fingers curled around a huge mug of steaming Scottish tea, we watched three pipistrelle bats flit noiselessly through the trees. We listened to the evening songs eminating from the bird filled trees.

We sat, holding now empty mugs and listened as the village became quiet and the sky darkened.

Do you mark your day with the click of the kettle ?
Is it punctuated by mugs of tea?
Are you a connoissuer or a tea-pig?
What is your favourite brew? (Of the tea variety of course! !)

And, as you probably have guessed by now,  as I  type this, I am accompanied by my mug of tea.

Lunch time walk

A quick post, coz I am really tired.

I am sure I must have worn a hole through the glass of the window where I work - I kept longingly looking at the glorious sunny day outside ... I was folding what felt like hundreds and hundreds of newsletters and found my eyes repeatedly wandered off to stare at the hills and blue sky ... come lunch time I wolfed down my food and yomped up the hill I'd been eating with my eyes.

By the time I got two thirds the way up, it was time to return. Time to take a few photos of the lane I'd just powered up and the view of the town below before returning back down - feeling a whole lot better!

Road trip

Now,  every now and then I get very dissatisfied with myself and forgot to see the beauty of my surroundings and that in reality I am very lucky.  Saturday was one such day. The weather certainty didn't help. Despite it being a bright blue sky,  it was cold, the sort of cold that feels brittle.

I tried gardening in the greenhouse but even with a heavy coat and boots the cold, like my mood was rather stony. Being numbingly tired certainly aggravated the situation...

Then, mid way through the afternoon both the weather and my scowl lifted and I announced firmly that, when Youngest had returned home, we would jump in the car, stop along the way at our favourite  fish and chippery then we would find ourselves a hill, watch the sun go down and eat hot chips with our fingers.

Funnily enough every one agreed without a moment 's hesitation.

So that's what we did.

Our 2CV cheerily trundled us and a large flask of tea through the country lanes as we headed to Settle. The town centre was quiet - so very much quieter than it had been the day before - when the bicycle racing fraternity came to town. (A story for another day).

Vinegary and salted yummy purchases made, we set off for a conveniently situated hill, 

the car filling with mouth watering hot food smells 

and rumbling tum sounds.

As we drove upwards, we slowed to noisily rattle over a cattle grid 

when we were bleated at VeRy LOuDlY

by a ewe and her lamb.

So Youngest hopped out - well this was our 'road trip' and we could do what we wanted!

He knelt down and fed handfuls of grass to a rather friendly ewe.

She must have been expecting her farmer with her evening meal 

and we appeared instead!

A few short (but increasingly hungry) minutes later,

we had parked up,

view sorted,

picnic blanket laid out

and with extra blankets wrapped around us

we tucked in to our delicious paper wrapped meal.

Tea poured, fingers licked 

and satisfied hmmmings filled the air.

Even the biting cold air

didn't damped our mood.

We were cozy under crochet blankies,

slurping hot tea,

tummies full and happy.
We sat and gazed on an endless sky
and scudding clouds.

Reluctantly, we eventually grew too cold

to linger any longer,

so picnic packed, we returned to the car

and continued our road trip.

Himself followed the country lanes as they

gently rolled up and over hills

and through valleys.

Along the way we spotted the  magical folk who fill the space in evenings.

Hungry raptors feasted on fallen lambs

while being harassed by loudly cawing crows.

Eventually giving way to crow crowd pressure

effortlessly soaring away before vanishing into a nearby woodland.

Later still, as we still bumbled along,

more dusk dwelling folk were spied

quietly lolloping through silent meadows.

We watched, 

our road trip temporarily halted.

The light fading to a soft grey haze, 

I felt ready to return home,

I felt a lot happier.

I felt stronger and more able to practise gratitude.

The magic of our micro-adventure had worked.

Scavenger photo-hunt list for May 2016

A photograph inspired by a word, words inspired by the photos - May's Scavenger photo-hunt list - enjoy!

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

Beltane thoughts and Scavenger photo-hunt round up

Today traditionally heralds the start of the summer season when cattle were driven up on to their summer grazing pastures, fires were lit and feasting occurred. However the weather outside is damp and cold and the wind is howling around the house.  No lighting of fires here though as our fire is still burning since being lit last end of autumn!  Not a nice day to be dancing around Maypoles.

To help bring a little warmth and cheer here at home today, we had 'sunshine soup' and cheesy toasties for lunch - yum.

Beltane blessings!

I must congratulate everyone who was involved in our first Scavenger photo-hunt, there have been some wonderful versions and interpretations of a single word and the cameos that accompanied were delightful!

Some really tickled me or stood out for me, so I thought I would share my favourites - Lovely Lady's picture of lambs for 'Orange',  Jak's 'My own choice' had quite a few of us giggling, while Eldest's 'Memories' of a rusty tractor seemed to generate a fair bit of interest. Aril's photo for 'Something fresh' of her son's (she delightfully refers him to as the 'teenogre') tidying up certainly resonated with me! And on the subject of sons -Tess from 'Driftwood' shared the workings of a teenager's mind when it came to cutting a cake with 'Something else' - brilliant!

Susan's 'Growing' was amazing - a stalagmite and stalactite growing towards each over thousands of years. Sustainablemum had a lovely mixture of stories with her pictures and the one that I had to go back to and have another look was her wonderful view for 'Horizon' - I would love to have that as my view!
Julie's 'Own choice' is something I have a personal liking for - red post boxes, particularly ones that seem to been organically emerging from the undergrowth. I have to applaud Jackie from 'Winter's End Rambler' she managed to squeeze in her contributions during what sounds to be an epic house move entailing an awful lot of alterations, paintpots, dust and having to cook on top of a woodburner!

Kezzie has some really fun stories with her photos - I was particularly taken by the story of all her fruit juicing for 'Something fresh' and the blackbird song for 'Memories'
And finally Jules who shares some lovely photos and stories, my favourite photo and caption? It has to be 'Lily the chicken worrier' for 'Feathers'.

If you've not seen them yet, please go and have a look and leave a comment - it is so rewarding to receive a thought or two.

1. Lovely Lady - Thread through my Life (private blog) - Link
2. Jak - Link
3. Eldest - Link
4. Aril - Wonderings & Wanderings from Gnat Bottomed Towers
5. Susan- Granny Smith's Quilting
6. Sustainablemum
7. Julie  -Julie's Scrapbook
8. Tess - Driftwood
9. Jackie - Winters End Rambler
10. Kezzie - KezzieAG
11. Jules - A Hidden Jem

I will post our new list of words on Monday, I have them already and waiting, Eldest has come up with some brilliant ones - think I might keep him a little longer!! Enjoy what is left of the weekend and for those of you having the Bank Holiday Monday - enjoy that too! (I on the other hand will be languishing at work as we do a stock take!)  *yay*    

Scavenger photo-challenge - April

Welcome to our first Scavengerphoto-challenge :) A photo inspired by a word, words inspired by the photos - enjoy xx

Orange

When, in 2000, we'd returned to the UK with not a penny spare I fell in love with a Kilim rug in a small junk shop. It had a price tag of £75 - way way beyond my pocket but I really really wanted it. I saved pennies, saved pounds, walked passed the shop almost daily, watched watched saved saved and eventually managed to pay for it. Carrying it home on my shoulder was an amazing feeling. It has been part of our family life and as you can see - is becoming threadbare in places. I have been researching how to do an 'authentic' repair job but so far (and several unpickings later) I haven't quite succeeded...

Feather 

We were on a really good walk Himself and I as we bumbled through the quiet little village of Whittington where we discovered a mosaic depicting St Micheal the Archangel. Apparently the pebbles used were locally gathered by the villagers from the River Lune, just a couple of fields away. Notice his 'feathery' wings? Yeah - me too! Bam! Job done :)

Something  fresh

We love terrariums and my current favourite is this one - a mini 'woodland floor' with tiny ferns, pebbles and moss. I'd just sprayed it with water and it made the delicate fronds sing in a bright fresh green.

Horizon 

Despite a cutting breeze - the view was amazing. (Tap on the picture to 'enbiggen' the view)

Wet

Slipping along the pathway we met a couple, he was scowling and muddy up to the knees and she just smiled apologetically. He looked at us and pointed at his feet - 'The track is a mess, puddles are deep - you are going to get wet'. I glanced over at his wife, she was barely muddy. He was correct about the track being wet - but we seemed to survive (as had his wife) - he must have overbalanced and hit the deck.

Craft

Some years ago, I lived in a commune style set up, worked for an educational environmental charity and learned about life. I fell in love with traditional crafts and learnt a few. One of them was hedge laying - I loved it, the cutting and layering, the weaving and steeping, the wielding of bilhooks and axes. So when I see a hedge being laid - I always gravitate towards it. 

Growing 

It has been a slow start to spring but last Saturday the sun shone and it warmed our bones and the buds seems to just swell.

Memories

Camel hair coat and tiger's eye signet ring - both inherited from my Gran. They are very 'her', elegant, full of gracious poise and timeless. 

Years and years ago she once told me a story about that ring.  We lived in a hot and steamy African country and she had been cooking that evening's meal using beef mince.  A day or two later, when she was doing some house work, she wiped her hair off her face and inhaled an awful whiff. She searched the room for the smell in vain. Once or twice, when her fringe was plastered to her hot forehead (did I mention we lived in a hot and steamy African country?) she wiped her hair away only to be almost over come again by the rotting smell. She blamed the cat, she blamed the dog. It was only when, once again her hand was near her face she realised the stench was emanating from the tiger's eye ring - she pulled off and found that underneath was a small nugget of mince - happily rotting away beneath the stone .... I can still hear her horrified voice regaling the story, and it still makes me giggle :)

Sticks

 This one I only just got my the skin of my teeth - it was the one image I was just not 'getting'. Nothing I saw fitted my ideal for 'Sticks' until, that is, one day last week during lunch. I'd driven out of town and parked up to make the most of the glorious weather and while I was absent-mindedly munching on my lunch, these walkers quietly pootled by. I stared enviously - they were out enjoying the day and I was watching the clock.  It was almost as they walked out of view I realised what I had very nearly missed - they each gently strode out with a walking pole in their right hands - Sticks!!! 

One of my own choice 

Eldest and Himself working away at what looked like a half hundred weight of bamboo which had taken over part of the garden - thanks guys - it was far more than I could handle xx

Well, I have enjoyed sharing little stories with the photos - If you want to see what everyone else has done - here are the links :)

1. Lovely Lady - Thread through my Life (private blog) - Link
2. Jak - Link
3. Eldest - Link
4. Aril - Wonderings & Wanderings from Gnat Bottomed Towers
5. Susan- Granny Smith's Quilting
6. Sustainablemum
7. Julie  -Julie's Scrapbook
8. Tess - Driftwood
9. Eileen T - In my playroom
10. Jackie - Winters End Rambler
11. Kezzie - KezzieAG
12. Jules - A Hidden Jem
13. Cathy -The House with the Blue Door 

Excuse me now, I am off to have a look at what you lovely people have done :) Woo hoo!

In which I waffle ....

I am not the only one that seems to be getting excited about our Scavenger photo-hunt - I keep getting lovely comments and emails saying how much fun/inspiration/enjoyment you lovely people are having and cryptic footnotes about items found and plans to dash off to photo the last missing feather/wet/sticks etc.  I would love to know which one you found the most challenging to find :) And there has even been a number of tentative enquires whether there will be another one! (Eldest and I are working on a new list as we speak :) )

On a different note,
...the boys and I spent a most precious and glorious Wednesday in Kirkby Lonsdale and walking around the little picture postcard village of Whittington. The sun was so so wonderful, warming, bright and very welcome. We spent time munching our lunch on the river's edge punctuating it with bouts of stone skimming. Youngest took photos whilst I skimmed - I am a bit rusty, think I need more practice!

The boys tower over me now. 

Baked vegan brownies - they were very successful and very quickly consumed.

I have had requests (repeatedly) for another pan, 

however a distinct lack of cocoa in the cupboard has put paid to that!

(Note to self...remember to buy some more -SHARPISH!).

A certain sporting event is happening this Friday (no I don't mean our photo-hunt!) but Tour de Yorkshire! 

Stage 1 culminates in the town I work and it has certainly sparked a flurry of bunting and flags and all things blue and yellow and bicycle shaped!

We even have a Hollywood style name, I could not resist taking photos.

It is strange what you stumble over when walking out on the hills.

A manhole cover .... with a personalised touch ... a little on the batty side.

Himself has been baking too - he made GigANtiC custard slices!

They too were scoffled rather quickly. 

He has just told me that he has been thinking how to improve and refine his recipe ...

watch this space!

Weekend

Gardening.

Walking.

Sleeping.

And you?

PS Gentle reminder of our Scavenger photo-hunt : 

All you need to do is be inspired by the list. 

interpret it as YOU please - think outside the box, 

think laterally, take photos

 and most importantly - have FUN!

1. Orange
2. Feather
3. Something fresh
4. Horizon
5. Wet
6. Craft
7. Growing
8. Memories
9. Sticks
10. Any subject of YOUR choosing.

Ok, it is now down to YOU - we shall reconvene and and reveal our pictures and a little bit of waffle, over the final weekend of April (starting Friday 29th).

Today

Today - 1
Part of our service to the farming community is to drop off parcels at a mutual venue, today I delivered a parcel to an auction market cafe.  I queued up with the hungry farmers to speak to a staff member and when I finally reached her, she said in a dull monotone ... 'yes'.

I said who I was, who the parcel was for and then made a request that as it was a fridge item, please could it be stored in their fridge until it was collected.  The sweat-shiny faced woman looked at me for a moment or two with her mouth open, then shrieked 'Fridge?? Fridge??'

She turned to the rest of staff and said loudly 'She said to me - put it in the FRIDGE!!' she screamed a manic laugh and snatched the parcel from me and, as I tried to explain that there was an icepack included and could she just place it somewhere cooler than the sweltering kitchen, she stalked off still screeching 'fridge ...FRIDGE' (Now, I am not sure what I triggered but I suspect it was a raw point ...)

Today - 2
A burly gruffly spoken farmer came in today, I'd just taken a call from him not ten minutes before ... he'd found a newly born lamb savaged by a dog. He was angry. He was furious.

When he arrived, I directed straight down to the waiting vet as he humphed and growled and vented his feelings.
A ringing 'phone distracted me as he left.
It seemed not two minutes before he returned and I assumed that he'd left it with the vet to be stitched up ... how wrong I was. It had been savaged beyond rescue and it was decided that it was kinder to put it to sleep and the big and gruff and tough and now deflated farmer was unable to watch his lamb being injected. His anger was now sadness - I felt sad for him too.

Today - 3
Waiting at the auction mart, I over heard this conversation ...

Well 'e ******* put t' ******* line in t' wrong ******* place an'  he painted it t' wrong ******* colour ... can ya see it? (vigorous pointing at a sign above the door).
A-a-a-ye I can. (A craning of a craggy neck upwards).
Also, also he ****** well 'e dint match t' *******colour wiv the writin' Can ya see it? 
A-a-a-ye I can.
Well, I was ******* mad, I were, ******* mad!
A-a-a-aye (nodding head sagely).
So - I did 'im, I dint pay 'im, I ******* well dint pay 'im.
A-a-a-ye (more head nodding).
So, (a very audible rubbing of scaly raspy hands together gleefully) I go't  fer free! I was *******, ****** chuffed wi' me'sell.
(Just more nodding and staring at the floor).
An' I ******* put that **** sign oop an' I neva paid a ******* fing fer it!

The two gents then wandered off back inside through the door below the shamed shop signage cheerfully resplendent in it's various shades of yellow and green sporting a crooked line. I looked at it and wondered at the thinking of the first man - he was unhappy with the sign, refused to pay however he still used it and despite his annoyance was triumphant because he 'go't  fer free!'

Today - finally 4
Watched a nondescript grey car pull up with three occupants. The driver, an older stern faced man, had a light grey blue shirt on with military style epaulettes and the other two were obviously in police uniform.  All three solemnly removed their police jackets and donned civilian fleeces. As they walked past me, I could not resist ... and said 'Now that's a sight you don't often see ...'
The older man turned to me and tersely said - 'What's that?'
I replied ' I noticed the epaulettes and decided that you were not farmers ...' (followed by a slightly nervous giggle as I wondered if they had attempted some form of casual undercover').
The man suddenly smiled back and laughed a 'Well spotted'. And with that, the three of them turned and slipped into the crowd.  What had I just witnessed I wondered??

When I told Himself of my day he looked at me oddly and said ' What a strange world you inhabit'.

Generous servings of Sunshine and Snow

Dish of the Day.

Ingredients

• Take one gloriously sunny spring Saturday

• Add one husband, walking boots and a flask of tea

• Omit two teenagers (deposit one at his Saturday job and the other with the Girlfriend)
• Go to Kirkby Lonsdale **

Method

• Arrive early, before the hordes of day trippers

• Wander through gloriously quiet sunny streets

• Find a lovely bakery with an unexpected tea-room at the back and sample their most delicious wares - yum yum
• Return to same bakery a little later and purchase something for lunch by the river
• Pop into shops that give you a serious case of the 'wanties'

• Drool over yarns and wools and patterns

• Fall in love with a lime green scarf, speckled with indigo flowers and acid yellow tendrils
• Walk along the River Lune, breathe in the fresh spring air

• Steep gently as you follow the paths through rolling green fields

• Sit in sunshine and slurp tea appreciatively while sand martins scream and weal over the river
• Skip over puddles and bumble through villages

• until...

finally return to the car, still in drenched in the welcome sunshine.

Optional extras

• Collect various sons from various location on return journey
• On reaching home, stick the kettle on, stoke up the fire and watch the snow flurries as they fall.

What a way to to end the day with generous servings of Sunshine and Snow!


**Please follow the link for Kirky Lonsdale and watch the 2ish minute video, it shows everything beautifully - a lovely lovely little rural town.