Spring 2024

 Oops ... April already and I haven't posted this year at all.   Guess what, I've been busy and haven't taken that many photos but here is a resume of the year so far.

The year started cold and we actually had some snow but not enough to require boots of any sort.  It does always make the garden and park look pretty especially those cold crisp sunny days.   Following that we've just had rain, drizzle, downpours and more rain.   Our local weatherman in town said that in Feb 2023 we had 6mm and Feb 2024 we had 155mm.  I think March has been worse - the grass is soggy so Spring gardening jobs are being delayed.   We have got some pruning done (we had 2 dry days) but it's rained again.

There are signs things are improving - Spring flowers, new buds, primroses etc.  We've had the usual birds in the garden - Bluetits, Blackbirds, a Coaltit and unusually a Sparrowhawk.   I came home one day to an awful lot of feathers in the back garden and something pecking under the bushes.  Eventually he appeared with dead pigeon, had his fill, wiped his beak clean on the bench, fly off and left the body for us.  Luckily the next morning it was gone and the feathers have gradually been collected for nesting materials.  Such is the circle of life!!

Now we are into April and I'll try to blog more.....

Elaine 

Wet and Windy

 Another year comes to a close and here it has been a very wet and windy month.   Looking at the photos though, there have been some beautifully pink sunrises, moody skies, and I seem to have taken lots of the moon, half, with halos, behind whispy clouds etc.  Enjoy....

On the walking front I've done 1245miles and  completed 7 challenges.  I started walking the length of the country from Land's End to John O'Groats and finished the year with the length of Ireland from Mizen to Malin.  I've also climbed Everest,  done the Coronation route in London, wandered round Mont Blanc and toured Transylvania and Victorian London.   

I'm next heading to Scotland for Hogmanay, or rather Inverness to start the North Coast 516.

Happy New Year everyone.

Elaine xx

November

 November went very quickly - I spent 2 weeks in a sports hall doing exams so not much time to take photos.   Lots of autumn colour, moonlit nights with the last photo showing Jupiter too and a few birds.  The blackbird was back which always heralds cold weather and it certainly is!!

I've still done some walking although not as much - I've been busy and it's been rainy.  However I did 77miles round Transylvania which was an interesting country and I'm up to 280miles up Ireland.  With this one I've mostly been on quiet country lanes with not a lot to see but I have been on 2 ferries so that's been nice.

I'm hoping to get to Malin on the north coast of Ireland by the end of the year so that I can start the North Coast of Scotland for Hogmanay.   For December, I'm also going to venture into Victorian London for the Scrooge Challenge.....watch this space!!

Elaine xx

Rainy October

 Autumn has arrived and it seems to be passing fast.  I think it's been a fairly dry summer and the leaves are being blown off the trees before they have really had chance to show their glorious colours.  October has been wet, very wet in some places, but I've had chance to get out and admire the views.  

My Oak Tree went brown in the space of about one week and as I said.....wet...the tiny snail was on the recycling bin several mornings!!

Whilst still walking up the length of Ireland, I decided to detour round Mont Blanc so I've done 105miles through France, Italy and Switzerland admiring the peaks.  Some days I've been on ski runs, others in lush valleys beside chalets - it's been very scenic.   Starting today I'm also going for a wander round Transylvania.  I've never been to Romania so this one should be interesting too.  I'm planning on finishing the year on the north coast of Ireland having walked approx 1200 miles in 2023 and then starting the North Coast 512.   Well it will be nice to celebrate Hogmanay in Scotland!!

November will not be quite as scenic, it'll be the inside of an exam hall but I'm hoping for some good days!!

Elaine xx

September

 Where does the year go - zooming along into Autumn fast.  It started with some very misty foggy days but it seems settled into warm 20 C and sunshine sometimes.  I've been on a few nature rambles as the photos show and done a few more miles on my virtual challenges.

Lots of berries, conkers, the start of autumnal colours and ending the month with the Harvest Moon.

Mid-September I arrived in John O'Groats and immediately started the Mizen to Malin Challenge - the whole length of Ireland.    The website uses Googlemaps so you can see the view from street level.  I started in Mizen but seemed to start from inside a room with a person in bed behind me -  I was in the Signal Station Museum lol.   I had another look and found myself on a balcony overlooking the wild Atlantic crashing on the rocks below.  Much better!  

Mizen to Malin in 360 miles - I've done the 60 miles and hoping to complete the other 300 by 31st December but it does depend on the weather.  

Happy Days

Elaine

August already

Well September really - August went passed in a flash!   Not much to write about.  The weather has been a bit iffy but there is always something to photograph -  a family of Bluetits, a few Sparrows with mum feeding one of the babies and a blue butterfly.   There have been some interesting skies and of course, the Blue Moon last night.

I'm still walking towards John O'Groats - I've got less than 50m to go out of 874m so should be finished in 2-3 weeks and then I have to decide what to do next.  I'm tempted by the length of Ireland so maybe I will do that.    Here's my 800m postcard:

That's all for now folks!

Elaine

July News

July has been a mix of sunshine and showers but we've enjoyed some good days in Hampshire and Cambridgshire visiting Fort Nelson, waiting for butterflies to stay still in Nene Valley Country Park etc. Here are a few photos:

I live in Pooh Bear country so when I saw this I thought I'd include it in this summery blog post!

If I had a ship,

I’d sail my ship,

Through Eastern seas;

Down to a beach where the slow waves thunder - The green curls over and the white falls under - Boom! Boom! Boom! On the sun-bright sand. Then I’d leave my ship and I’d land, And climb the steep white sand. ~A.A.Milne

Having said that I've just reached the snowy summit of Everest - 19696ft from Lukla Airport to the top in 4 months. I thought I was going to struggle to finish having been on holiday in The Fens where there are no hills and very few inclines, but I managed it!! Here's my last postcard:

I'm also doing well on my Lands End to John O'Groats walk - over 714 miles, with 160 miles to go so I should be done in September, then which challenge to do next??? Pennine Way? Ireland? Scotland? You choose!!

Elaine xx