Thunderbird 4

Thunderbird 4

https://youtu.be/SE0DFHim2-o


Here I am circling thunderbird 4 at Capernwray, still very much feeling my way but loving the journey.
Both Phil and myself qualified as open water divers on the 9th of August  2015 thus allowing us to dive with a buddy without an instructor to a depth of 18 metres.

Stu The Frog

Last year Phil and myself went to Mexico for the first time and decided to have a go at snorkelling and scuba. We went snorkelling first at Akumal beach with a local guide and it turned out to be the highlight of the trip, just brilliant Turtles galore and although a bit scary we shared a short time with a spotted eagle ray. On the other hand the scuba was not a pleasant comfortable experience at all. I had absolutely no experience and for me it was too soon to be diving to 6 metres then 13 metres based on 20 minutes in a swimming pool and a half hour talk. My ears were blocked for the whole of the holiday after the initial flight so I could not equalise the pressure when I descended, then I  got seasick. When we came back Phil suggested enrolling at a dive club to do things proper and the rest is history... Here's Phil with one of the instructors diving at a flooded quarry called Capernwray near Morecambe.

  

Wait a minute!

Wild Primrose

Is it me or does this little wild primrose flower  not look like it should. Leaf shape definitely different and not the lovely creamy yellow colour. I planted these last year and this is the first one to flower. Its nice but not what I expected, ever so slightly disappointed

On the other hand this mini daffodil is a stunner, simple but so cute. Bought for a minuscule 50p at B&Q

Bulb Bug

Not long to wait now. Last year I planted a bulb lasagne with a smoky coloured mix of tulips, white daffodil, crocus and possibly something else but I've forgotten. The colour of the tulips should really show off this large glazed pot that I've had for years in the back garden You can just see the first colour coming through on the crocus and if you look very close you can see the coppery coloured tulips sneaking a peak at an early spring morning. Last year I also fell in love with the giant snowflake so I purchased a few more to plant up in terracotta containers and each year I'll look forward to their brief but beautiful visit

More of Mexico

Mexico 2014

Handsome chappie

unfortunately i think this is dead coral but used in the construction of walls

Any ideas what this bird is called?

Mexican Wildlife

Mexico Riviera Del Maya Seaside suites

Pelicans circled and dived for fish all day long

Ctenosaura spinytail Iguana

We travelled to Mexico last month for two weeks with our friends Warren and Justine, it was a complete break from our usual destinations having never been abroad for the last fifteen years. I never wanted to go anywhere without my dog Harry so we always travelled to places in the UK and loved it. Not being a sun worshipper I  was a bit worried boredom would set in but it was a wonderful experience mainly due to the good company, food and of course the wildlife and fauna. This complete cultural change was just what I needed at a time when stress levels were pretty high and I was feeling at a low point. This trip has definitely spurred me on to do more travelling. On the down side my allotment was a right mess but I have plans and more energy to set that right. Justine those body massages were the business;-)

Snuggly Nest

The two bird boxes in my garden have been vacant since they were first put up many years ago, the birds preferring the bushes to artificial hospitality. Yesterday to my surprise I spotted this cosy little set up in the robin nest box. Who could it be? Have the little chicks fledged already and I've missed them? As you can see the wide rectangular opening to the nest box has been filled in with vegetation, no doubt from my scruffy over grown garden. Blackbirds have a nest in one of my bushes hope they have more luck than a pairing whose fledgling was attacked and brutally killed by a magpie in my front garden. I heard the usual blackbird alarm call followed by the call from the young female blackbird chick but I was too late to scare the magpie off it had already done its deadly work with its beak. Sadly the blackbirds kept returning all day long, quite upsetting really to see new life snuffed out like that.

 

Experiment

Can I grow a lemon tree from a pip? Silly question really but I did google this and got some great tips. First get your seed from the lemon and clean off any remaining flesh then put into a glass of water to see if any seeds float. Cool, all mine stayed at the bottom of the glass so they should all be viable. Another batch of seeds tested all floated which was a surprise so it's worth doing to save time soil and energy. Next dry the seeds then wrap in kitchen paper, put into a little container and store for a month in the refrigerator. Erm guess its watch this space for an update;-)

Allotment progress

Lavender and lemon balm grown from seed. The thyme and sage should have been planted directly into the bed but some ants have sneakily built a nest under the plants. Seems a shame to hoof em out?

The allotment is coming along nicely at the moment and this year I want to try to make the most of the plants that are growing. Although I only have one decent sized rhubarb plant I managed to make a little bit of rhubarb cordial (1 and a half bottles), it has a syrupy consistency and quite a spicy kick from the star anise, nice neat with some ice or just add water to make a cordial.  Really I could do with about four or five plants so I can store a few more bottles over the summer. According to Sarah Raven by adding citric acid you can store it for quite a while. This flower is a Geum which I bought for fifty pence from a stall in a church graveyard last year. I planted it next to my apple tree and it has just come into flower, there are loads of tiny orangey buds waiting to unfurl.

Geum

rhubarb cordial recipe from Sarah Ravens website

Nasturtiums and do I have a beautiful mind?

I just really love Nasturtiums for their vigor as seedlings, these came up in a matter of days and have the most shapely leaves to boot. My allotment plot is really big and I need to fill it out with plenty of veg, herbs and flowers. The plan is to have sunflowers, Nasturtiums, Dahlias, lavender, sage. A while back I ordered some seeds from Sarah Raven's web site, the tomatoes Black Krim are doing well but the geraniums seeds have not come up, not one which is disappointing. I also ordered Echinacea White Swan but these are tiny at the moment and will not flower till next year. At the back of my plot is an unsightly patch where the last tenant pushed soil with all the debris to the back, so I'm not sure what I want to do with that area because it is a big job. Should I put a bigger shed so I can relax under a shady veranda or perhaps a Polly tunnel, a small decked area or a mini orchard?  Rather than buy plants I want to grow as many as I  can from seed and division but it all takes times which I don't have a lot of at the moment. Patience is a virtue they say. The satisfaction you get from planting something early this year then seeing the results the following year must be one of the best things about growing plants. Here are those cute nasturtiums with the feisty little Mofo kipping in the background.

 



Just phoned the garage to book the car in for a little spray tan having scraped it on the gate down the plot a couple of weeks ago. He asked my name then said and what make is the car? The phone went silent and the fellow said "hello you still there"? Just a minute I said.... its a, damn what is it? Its a flippin Peugeot  that's what it is, Doh. Next thing I needed to do was ring the dentist to make an appointment, name she said which I duly obliged then she said and your "mobile number"? Couldn't tell her, I had no idea off the top of my head. Now I know what your thinking, nice but dim with a lack of brain cells? In the distance I can hear my work colleagues yell "what brain" in a surreal Dallas cowboy accent. I have always been like this, my mind seemingly doesn't want to store crap I'm just not interested in, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Italian Style Herby Bread

I spent most of the afternoon making this Italian style herby bread with sundried tomato, basil and rosemary. Lots of kneading, allowing to rise, knocking back and then allowing to prove again before baking, The rosemary was freshly picked from my allotment plot this very morning along with some mixed salad. Its lovely and crunchy with a tasty rock salt topping and I was dead chuffed with the outcome, a long process but worth it, or so I thought. When asking my brother about it he said "its alright" ;-) Then Phil came home from work and I said "look what I've made" he promptly got the butter out and helped himself to a slice of white Warburtons bread... I don't know why I bother.

I like these shoes

My grandma Doris used to say, " buy the best bed and the best shoes because you are always in one or the other".  Suffice to say Doris had a shoe addiction, granddad Cyril never really knowing the true extent of her collection. However I like these shoes...

and I like these shoes...

but these boots are the best.

Apart from my work boots I practically live in these wellies

Spooky Door

How spooky is this cellar door ?


Cellar door in the old Waterfall cotton mill



Sadly the old cotton mill in Blackburn Lancashire is no longer standing as it was demolished two years ago but we managed to get some nice photos of the inside before the heavy machinery rolled in. Most of the building was recycled including the slate roof tiles, Canadian maple wood floors and cast iron support columns. Appropriate for Halloween don't you think but just missing a few raggedy zombies. 

Seeds Of Change

Picture in a barley field near Sandsend Whitby

The road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can.
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And wither then? I cannot say.

Poem by Bilbo p.g 48 The Lord Of The Rings (The Fellowship Of The Ring)

My first post for a long time...and this picture and poem sort of reflects how I feel at the moment.
Where to start. Well I was made redundant on the 29th of June after working for Crown Eyeglass (an optical company) for over 27 years.

Started a new job at Asda as a seasonal worker, nice people but a big cut in wages, looking to be taken on permanently but who knows. Turned down interview at private opticians, don't want to travel to far for a job.

Gave up sharing an allotment with my friends dad but got a new full sized plot to myself. It's still a work in progress but have had success with an abundance of crops this year. Plot still needs lots of work. Don't seem to have the time.

Dad in hospital... Prostate operation and suffering more from memory problems.
Mum still battling a long term illness, over 5 and a half years now.

 My partners aunty (Barbara) 63 recently died from cancer at the age of 63. A lovely kind hearted lady who loved animals especially horses.

Hard, strange and challenging times but life all the same...

Cheeky Hazel Nut Gobbler

Well I never learn do I. We get quite a few squirrels in the garden from time to time, usually they are on my mums peanut bird feeders causing havoc. As it was the Christmas period I'd treated myself to some hazel nuts intending to make some nut toffee. Alas I spied Mr squirrel on the lawn and decided to open the top window and throw him a nut, to my surprise he did not run off but looked me in the eye. When the nut was thrown he picked it up and scampered off, but not for long. After a few minutes he was back, looking expectantly at the little window. I guess squirrels are not blessed with patience, they get what they want when they want it. Not content with waiting for his nutty nosh he's taken to climbing on the window sill to alert us to his presence.  Needless to say the bag of hazel nuts is empty, buried no doubt in the damp earth. Phil sent me to the pet shop for some supplies of monkey nuts and peanuts...not that they will last last long.

Find Brook

I came across this distressing article in a local magazine recently, called Lancashire Life and was saddened to think that people could inflict such heartbreak upon others for a quick buck. The magazine was already over a year old  by the time  I read the article so I was eager to see if the couple had managed to find their chocolate labrador called Brook, sadly it was not to be.  Despite ongoing searches and a hefty reward which is currently set at 5 grand Brook is still missing they believe he was quickly sold on and could be anywhere in the country with unsuspecting new owners. Caroline and Aubrey Hoyles to this day have not given up hope of being reunited with their beloved friend. View Brooks appeal from his family below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Lmel7oRIKA

Live Life Love A Labrador

September  20th 1999- May 31st  2011

If only could make a deal with god
I'd get him to swap our places
Be running up that road
Be running up that hill
With no problem...
Lyrics by K Bush.

My partner's favorite picture of our kind and faithful boy Harry.

Gardening Bits & Bobs

Thank you to Sarina at Sarina's Allsorts blog for sending me this lovely gardening book. The book gives you a month by month guide when best to sow seeds,  how to cultivate and then harvest. Just what I need really because I'm unorganized and messy. The gift inspired me to sort myself out so I decided to treat myself to a few garden products. Well that's my excuse:-)

My seeds were in an old chocolate tin but I think this is much smarter. I don't usually spend money on stuff I don't really need but I've not spent owt for ages now so it's time for a treat. It's also my plan to be less of a scruff bag at home too but no doubt the tidying up bug  won't last long. You can't change nature can you.

My tomatoes did ok this year but I sowed too many again and the beefsteak too late in the year. I've just got one red beef tomato on my windowsill at the moment but all the rest are green.

Golden Sunrise and possibly Gardeners delight

This is a pic of my greenhouse down on the allotment, it's earlier in the year when it was still relatively tidy. The comfrey is a bit of rogue it keeps coming up but I haven't the heart to dig it out completely.

Sesame Seed Bread

Has anyone been watching the new series of the great British Bake Off with Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry? Several series have been made now and I'm still not tired of watching it. I've made a couple of loaves of bread over the years, not all with positive results.  One of the best was a Delia special Goats cheese, onion and potato bread with thyme, very quick and easy. After listening to  the famous Frugal Queen on her local radio station she set me thinking what I could do next, so I dusted off my 1000 Classic Recipe book and picked out a bread which had few ingredients and breaks off into individual rolls

Sesame Seed Bread....

It came out ok but should have let it prove more, really it should have reached at least to the top of the tin.
Here's the recipe as requested by Allotment Lady Lives Again

Makes 1 23cm/9in loaf
2tsp active dried yeast
300ml/Half a pint of luke warm water
200g plain flour
200g wholemeal flour
2 tsp salt
5tbsp toasted sesame seeds
milk to glaze
2tbsp sesame seeds, for sprinkling.

Combine the yeast and 75 ml/5tbsp of the water and leave to dissolve. Mix the flours and salt in a bowl. Make a well and pour in the yeasty water. Stir from centre to get a rough dough.
Transfer to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Return to bowl and cover with a plastic bag. Leave in a warm spot till it has doubled in size. 2 hours
Grease a 23cm/9in round cake tin. Punch down the dough and knead in the toasted sesame seeds. Divide into 16 balls and place in the tin.Cover with a plastic bag and leave in a warm place until risen above the rim.

I didn't and the dough was just under the rim when I made it, I think it best to leave the dough until it has got above the rim for a better sized loaf.
Preheat oven to 220/425f/ gas7. Brush the loaf with milk. (I think this made the top crunchy so perhaps leave it off if you don't like a crunchy top). Sprinkle with the extra sesame seeds. Bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 190c/375/gas 5 and bake until the base sounds hollow when tapped, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

A Room With A View

I've always loved the view from my back bedroom and the occasional wildlife that passes through. These old micey pics are a favorite of mine...We called him big bum;-) The coloured lights are the reflections from my christmas tree lights. Unfortunately these poor little guys don't last long these days because of the arrival of Mofo. An expert in mouse detection and destruction;-( Brother Mick calls him Mr Bitey for obvious reasons. Btw Happy Birthday Mick, where have those years gone?