Pages

Wednesday, June 30

A Day in My Life 1

Day 1

Got off to a good start as i received the "All Clear" following a recent mamogram! A really good way to commence my project!

Pegged some washing out, I know it sounds sad but I do enjoy having a line full of washing - just thinking of the Mackenzie Thorpe image - he was brought up nearby and his childhood memories of the lines of washing in the street are very true to my heart!



Was feeling rather delicate following an afternoon birthday celebration with my best friends Maria and Steph! Wonderful picture don't you thik? Steph returns to California at the end of the month for another long stay but will be returning home for good in October, it will be great to have her home and have regular get togethers!

This afternoon we had a mixture of business and pleasure when we had to visit a customer just outside Harrogate, so we went on the motorbike, via Pickering, Malton, York & Harrogate. We returned via Castle Howard, Slingsby, Kirbymoorside, Hutton - le Hole, Blakey, Danby. It was one of the most enjoyable trips we have made, I think it was because the roads were quiter than normal.

Took Freida for a nice walk to Scaling Dam just up the road as I had to get some deisel.

DSCN0572

DSCN0571

DSCN0585


DSCN0574



Chicken for dinner and TV tonight!

A good day!
More photos later, am tired now.

Monday, June 28

Sealed with a X!

Tuesday is a very special day in the Nesbitt household…..it is my birthday!

Today my lovely husband bought me a lovely bouquet of my favourite flowers, he knows I love pink!

DSCN0554

DSCN0555

This is the bouquet in all it’s loveliness!

DSCN0565

My card had a badge attached which I will wear with pride!

DSCN0559

Any birthday would not be complete without lots of x’s!

DSCN0560

My world is a content world and is centred around my home, family and friends. Tuesday will see me having lunch with my best friend and dinner with hubby at our local! It will be a wonderful day and a very significant one! Not age wise, but it means I have one year to go before I receive my early teacher's pension! I am certainly NOT counting down ie 365 - but counting upwards and celebrating 365 days, starting with Day 1 and noting the many things I get up to! Hmmmmmmmm now just what to share eh? Oh I see I have your full attention! lol!

See more lovely worlds here

To join in ABC Wednesday follow my link on the sidebar!

Macro Monday!

I have seen this meme and so wanted to give it a try! It will be the perfect opportunity to experiment with my new camera!

So today…the perfect egg sandwich!

Any meal depends on the finest ingredients so chop up 4 softly boiled eggs laid only this morning! Add some of our very own chives and place on fresh bread spread with butter or mayonnaise!

DSCN0551

On the other slice add some fresh lettuce! Picked only yesterday!

DSCN0552

Place both slices together and cut into portions!

DSCN0549

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Are you hungry? Do you want a sandwich? You do don’t you?

The plot! the bike, the match!


There can be no other occupation like gardening in which,
if you were to creep up behind someone at their work,
you would find them smiling.


Mirabel Osler


26.06.2010 Weekend 009
Garden 1!
On Saturday this was the area I tackled! It is situated around the greenhouse and I am pleased to say it will soon be ready to plant salad crops! There was a few salad onions and baby leeks which we dug out and used over the weekend in a potato salad as we had a BBQ on Saturday night!
26.06.2010 Weekend 033 26.06.2010 Weekend 017
Needless to say I had some help!
Jon was busy with the hedges which run round the house so between us we had a busy day!
Sunday’s forecast was another hot day! We are not football fans so we decided to make use of the quiet roads so we headed over to the coast. Whitby was busy as ever but the air was cool, obviously as it is on the coast – so we went to Bridlington via Pickering, Malton, and Fimber.
26.06.2010 Weekend 057 26.06.2010 Weekend 059
Bridlington is a typical victorian seaside town and is full of amusements and fairground attractions but it still has places of interest!
26.06.2010 Weekend 063
I always say “Hello” to Flambourough for my blogging friend Chris!
26.06.2010 Weekend 06026.06.2010 Weekend 062
The seagulls always fascinate me and I thought this scene was quite amusing as each bird seemed to have their own special place!
26.06.2010 Weekend 061
Returning home from Bridlington the roads were very quiet! This could have had something to do with the fact that we left just after 3pm – kick off time for the England v Germany match! As we were getting ready to leave we could hear the shouts of elation and cheering from the various pubs who were showing the match! By the time we reached Whitby the atmosphere had changed somewhat and the faces around the cafe, listening to the match said it all!
The final result was 4 – 1 to Germany!

* What’s the difference between the England team and a tea bag? The tea bag stays in the cup longer.
* News Flash: Huge spike in sales of pink fairy tutus at Glastonbury Festival by blokes too embarrassed to wear their England shirt

* I’m shocked at Wayne Rooney’s outburst after the Algeria game. Who knew he could even string a sentence together!

* Fabio Capello was wheeling his shopping trolley across the supermarket car park when he noticed an old lady struggling with her bags of shopping. He stopped and asked, “Can you manage dear?” To which the old lady replied, “No way. You got yourself into this mess, don’t ask me to sort it out!”

* What do you call an Englishman in the knockout stages of the World Cup? A referee.

* What’s the difference between Wayne Rooney and Shrek? Shrek can save the day.

* Three hours of football and Robert Green is still England’s top scorer.

* What’s the difference between a faulty jet engine and Wayne Rooney? The jet engine eventually stops whining.

* Apparently that fan had no trouble slipping into the England dressing room – Robert Green was guarding the door

Saturday, June 26

Weekend....sorted!

Back lawn June 2010




The Gardener's Morning

The robin's song at daybreak
is a clarion call to me -
Get up and get out in the garden,
for the morning hours flee.

I cannot resist the summons,
What earnest gardener could?
For the golden hours of morning
Get into the gardener's blood.

The magic spell is upon me,
I'm glad that I did not wait;
For life's at its best in the morning,
As you pass through the garden gate.

- Howard Dolf


I find the sheer size of our garden quite daunting at times and need to find a way to identify the various tasks which need to be tackled and come up with a plan!
This week, a blogging friend of mine, Weaver took delivery of a mini=printer and is using it to document her nature season. This gave me a wonderful, (well I think so!) idea!
As I see a task which I can tackle I will simply take a photograph (yes, I am awaiting the delivery of my very own mini-printer) tackle the problem then take another photograph of the finished result! The photographs I will then put into my garden journal which I will make tonight, or when the weather isn't suitable for gardening!
I have a vast collection of Country Living magazines, about 3 years worth of back issues to be precise and I have been looking for a use for them, so these will be used well!

Watch this space!

Friday, June 25

Friday 55 Flash Fiction

Friday 55 Flash Fiction is brought to you by G-man (Mr Knowitall). The idea is you write a story in exactly 55 words. If you want to take part pop over and let G-man know when you've posted your 55.


A wonderful, gorgeous spaniel in all his golden glory, the epitome of a faithful hound! Big soulful eyes followed her as she crossed the road. Vulnerable and despite her best intentions she walked towards him, reaching out to touch but went the extra mile and reached into her pocket and did her bit for charity!




Wednesday, June 23

Thinking Aloud! (Skywatch Friday)

I always think the sky is a bit like my moods - not that I am a moody person, but sometimes life can be fluffy and nice so we feel the same - other times there may be a storm brewing and then life can be a bit rough - a bit like a boat on the sea. We sail along and usually all is well...then there are the moments!




I am a great lover of quotations, sayings, and poetry. I subscribe to a couple of daily quotation sites and cast my eyes over them quickly as like most things some are better or more appropriate than others. Yesterday's however made me sit up and listen!

You are the master of your mind
so you can choose to create the results you want.
Remove the weeds of unwanted feeings & undesired outcomes
& plant seeds of positive thoughts.
Then sit back & watch the fruits appear ...
Tip:be patient, otherwise unripe fruit only causes indigestion!


A few days ago something happened which not only annoyed me but upset me deeply! It was something concerning a friend, or at least somebody who I had regarded as a friend. Being the sensitive soul that I am I found myself thinking about what had been said!

As I was so preoccupied with the matter I missed certain things going on around me! The rose which I planted in memory of Dad was in full bloom, yet I had failed to notice. As I sat quietly on the kitchen patio the perfume of the rose allerted my senses and I was so pleased to see the rose in all it's loveliness beckoning me to look at it, in full flower. I bought this specific rose because of it's reliable flowering - it is in bloom on Father's Day! Yes, I had missed Father's Day - a day when I always take time to remember the wonderful time I spent with Dad. When I thought about it however I did feel so much better - positive thoughts I guess!





I had been working in the garden for quite some time - one of the jobs which I find very tedious is the weeding of the patio! It covers quite a large area and takes me a few afternoons. I always listen to the radio as I do the laborious task but as I worked away the words of the quotation came back to me :-

"Remove the weeds of unwanted feeings & undesired outcomes & plant seeds of positive thoughts."

As I worked through the afternoon the hurt I had experienced became lesser and lesser and eventually I felt so much better. I looked at the flowers which had been planted earlier in the season and as I took in their beauty I found myself thinking more positively!


By this time I was looking over the garden and it was about then that the chickens came to see me, and I can never fail to look at the girls without smiling!




The person who hurt me was posessed by a need to lash out at me - and I recognise this, however that is their sad action. I am protected by a wonderful husband a good family and sound friends who have witnessed what has happened knowing I did not deserve what was done. I can move on knowing this but the person involved will not benefit from the same generosity and good feelings.

The following popped up today - says it all!

"Comes a time in life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama
and the people who create it,
and surround yourself with people who
make you laugh so hard
that you forget the bad and focus solely on the
good.
After all, life is too short to be anything but happy!"



For more skywatchers see here!



Sunday, June 20

Wow!



Noise proves nothing.
Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she laid an asteroid.

Mark Twain

My day always starts with letting the hens out of their hut. I usually do not open the door until 9am. By this time there are usually a couple of eggs in the nesting box and as the day progresses from time to time I see the odd hen making her way back to the hut to will find a space, snuggle down and lay an egg! The hens have preferences for when they lay their eggs, Bev the black one prefers late afternoon whilst the Brown ones, Olwyn and Mabel are definitely keen to lay first thing! I know this information by the colour of the eggs!

I find the hens fascinating to observe and their little faces peeping through the kitchen patio door always makes me smile. This was the case today and indeed it was just what I needed!

Having hens ensures we have a regular supply of eggs. All our hens lay so we get 6 eggs every day! When I went to collect the eggs I was surprised to say the least to find somebody had delivered a HUGE egg! Now........question is will it be a double yoke? What do you think?


One Egg = One Day by Fran Crawford

I have a picture of an egg
Painted by a friend
It's what I see to start each day
Hanging there at my bed's end

A day is like an egg, you know
Self-contained within its shell
Filled with energy and purpose
And yet remains so very frail

To free the many options here
A crack is all it takes
The shell turns loose potential
Like the dawn as each day breaks

The fate of either is our choice
The egg ...to hatch ...or boil ...or fry
The day ...to fill with worthwhile tasks
Or just enjoy as life goes by

All of our days, as all of our eggs
Are ours to use, but listen, folks
Beware of how you handle them
Some of them have double yolks!


This was MY World Today! What was yours like?
It is also my contribution for ABC Wednesday!

Friday, June 18

Our Holiday 1 (IOM TT 2010)






This was to be the second year in a row we were to stay in Port Erin. We came here, for a short trip out in 2008 and we fell in love with it straight away. I had enquired about a room for 2011 a few weeks ago as it is necessary to book so far in advance and was dismayed to learn there were no vacancies. I had a frantic day of phoning round the island for accomodation and managed to find a guesthouse in central Douglas. With this knowledge therefore we headed for Heysham ferryport on Friday morning and along with the hundreds of other bikers waited to board the ferry.

A chap nearby started chatting to us and the subject came round to accomodation - and then he began his worrying, nay alarming tales of B&B/Guesthouse disasters in Douglas! We were both listening intently, eyes opening more and more as each disgusting detail was described with graffic detail! Fortunately at this moment the bikes were summoned to board the deck and so we did not see this guy anymore but his words were ringing in my ears for a very long time, however I didn't say anything to Jon, as I was still in shock - so much so that I didn't eat anything once on the ferry!

We arrived in Douglas and eventually as the bikes drove off the ferry we turned left and took the "All Other Rotes" journey out of Douglas. As we headed towards Castletown the memory of the same journey from last year skipped into place. Taking the signpost to Port Erin, we soon found ourselves riding along the seafront and eventually turning into Port Erin, straight down Station Road to the promenade, where our hotel is situated.

We pulled up and as I got off the bike Jon said" Denise, we have GOT TO try and get in here next year!" I knew then that Jon had also been alarmed by the B&B stories just as much as I had been and he too deciding not to share his worries with me.

The sun was warm on our faces as we made our way to the reception. The receptionist recognised us from 2009 and before she even booked us in I asked her if there were any vacancies for 2011. "Oh there's no problem, I have automatically allocated you a room" was the wonderful reply! Apparently I had spoken to another member of staff who did not know this valuable piece of information! The smiles on both our faces said it all and later as we had a meal in the conservatory with the wonderful coastline in the background all was set in place for another wonderful stay on the island we have grown to love, in particular the wonderful Falcon's Nest Hotel in Port Erin!



It has been a while since I took part in Skywatch Friday, but decided to hop aboard for a while.

Monday, June 14

V is for ...the end of an era for a VIP!



Today we said goodbye to our wonderful Jo. After such a wonderful time away in the Isle of man we returned knowing he was unwell. Initially we thought it was arthritis again and infact had been giving him the medicine which had worked so well previously, but when we took him to the vet it was confirmed it was a mental problem, caused by anything from a stroke or a tumour. His legs were strong, as was his wings but his mind was suffering some sort of dementia.

As he lay on the vet's table looking weak and dishevelled I thought of how he had always been so clean and elegant, constantly pruning himself in order to maintain his majestic appearance. The photograph below illustrates this perfectly!




He would have been mortified with how things had worked out and so we felt it was the right thing to do, guided by the advice from our vet to allow him a release from the place where he was.

Jon stroked his neck, I stroked his chest and as the medicine worked Jo closed his eyes and went to sleep.

“How do geese know when to fly to the sun?
Who tells them the seasons?
How do we, humans know when it is time to move on?
As with the migrant birds, so surely with us,
there is a voice within if only we would listen to it,
that tells us certainly when to go forth into the unknown.”

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross