Mowing the moguls…

Well, hasn’t it been a most marvellous bank holiday weekend here in ol’ Blighty? I hope you’ve all had a truly lovely time xx

The sun has been shining brightly and my garden has been glowing!

I finally got the lawn mowed – it’s no Wimbledon Centre Court, it’s not even outer court 12…but it’s good and it’s green – mostly!

We live on abit of a hill and the lawn slopes – which in itself isn’t an issue but it’s all abit lumpy and bumpy…mowing it is a bit like skiing over moguls but without the adrenaline rush!! My arms were killing me after hanging onto that mower over every blessed bump…I’m surprised my biceps are not the size of Popeye’s after his spinach that’s for sure!

To be honest it’s not mown level – I have to admit it’s a bit uneven with the odd long blade hanging on for dear life here and there…in fact it puts me in mind of the time I tried to shave my boys hair with clippers – a long story but suffice to say they’d always hated the hairdressers, it seemed a good idea at the time and immediately afterwards they begged me to let them go back to the hairdressers and have never moaned since at doing so! (definitely a #fail moment!)

But hey ho, it got done and if you don’t look too closely it looks ok!

I’ve replanted the hanging baskets for Autumn with some pretty violas and a silver plant whose name I have instantly forgotten (for shame for shame!!) and am hoping they’ll bush up and look good through to winter…fingers crossed.

The Cosmos is still resolute in its mood to remain unbloomed (how utterly obstinate can you get?! I mean with this beautiful sunshine you’d think they’d come out to play hey?!) Well, the Cosmos could do with taking a hint from my second Dahlia plant which has suddenly exploded with flowers and more buds ready to open too…

Some wild flowers have sprung up which are rather pretty – not quite sure what they all are but they’re giving my garden a good bit of zing and I love them!

The Chillies are coming along nicely, I may try one or two of them this week if I can find a decent recipe and even the Mint is still looking perky which is all rather fabulous.

Yes, all in all, my garden remains a little jewel of happiness for me this summer and on Sunday I sat with a new book and a glass of vino…

…aaaand relax 😊

An Ode to England’s Red Roses

I’m so excited

Truly I am

From first note of the anthem

To final whistle

I’m with them all the way

I’m so nervous

Truly I am

From first kick off centre field

To final kick out

I’m with them all the way

I’m so energised

Truly I am

From first tackle ‘bishbashbosh!’

To final grapple

I’m with them all the way

I’m so wishing I was there

Truly I am…

I’m so inspired

Truly I am…

I’m so proud

Truly I am…

How they play with hearts & roses on display for the world to see…

Full of spirit, pride and positivity

I’m with them all the way

🌹🏉🌹

We didn’t win the Women’s Rugby World Cup tonight but England’s Red Roses will forever win a piece of my heart xx

Conflicted feelings over caterpillars of the vomiting kind…

Caterpillars are eating my rambling rose… they’re literally shredding the leaves but leaving the flowers and stem intact…

According to the all knowing bods at National Geographic these caterpillars are the ‘vomiting’ kind (how wonderfully pleasant) which will eventually become the white butterfly ‘Pieris brassicae’

Now I love butterflies. Flutterbyes, as my Nan called them, are beautiful, delicate and provide a harmonious colourful element to the garden environment…and I’ve been enjoying seeing flashes of white flitter and flutter around my garden… BUT I hadn’t realised that in their caterpillar form they were eating my favourite rose!

I’ve been planting wildflowers in the hopes of attracting bees and butterflies; I like to think I’m doing my bit for the environment whilst at the same time enjoying the beauty that grows…

So the rational part of me says “GREAT! You’ve ACHIEVED! You’re helping to keep the ecosystem flowing, you’re helping to encourage the butterflies and keep them alive – HURRAH!!”

…BUT another part of me goes “aarrgggghhh they’re eating my rose!!!”

I have no idea what to do – I don’t want to sacrifice my roses nor do I want to prevent the caterpillars from filling their tummies and transforming into flutterbyes…

What to do? What to do?

All advice welcome…

In the meantime, those wild flowers that I planted to attract the bees and butterflies (why couldn’t the caterpillars just stick to those eh?!) continue to smile at me

The Cosmos is still being obstinate and, on the whole, refusing to flower…but one little white bloom has now given in – so sweet…

Talking of sweet, I planted a mint today – I love the fresh sweet aroma of mint and hopefully it’ll fair better than the lavender which used to grace my egg pail but which was never the healthiest specimen despite my tlc. I found some cute glass beads that I’d been given as a Christmas present last year and they seem to look okay around the mint too (some of them are butterfly shaped again… is someone trying to tell me something here?!)

Well, this is all very nice and all that but I’m still conflicted about the caterpillars and my rose, so I’m going to go gaze at my Dahlias again…

…They bring me peace and I wish you peace too xx

Where’s my mojo? I had it around here somewhere I swear…

I’m amazed and a little bit terrified at how easily I have lost my form in the short time I’ve been unable run – yeah I know it’s coincided with the holidays and that means too much food and drink (and yes I admit to failing miserably on the healthy eating today but oh man that Big Tasty was delish today!!) not to mention my tendency on holidays for being lazy but even so, it’s quite shocking how quickly things can go down hill – it’s like my fitness hopped on a bike, whizzed off down the track and the brakes failed!!

It’s quite disheartening when you realise all that hard work you’ve put in has just ‘poof!’ disappeared…and I think my mojo has had enough and gone into hiding.

The euphoria of the first run wore off quick but I will not be deterred – there’s worse things that happen to people all the time and so I’m trying to stay upbeat and find where that mojo hiding place is…

Today I found myself in the New Forest at silly o’clock so I thought – hmmm? The sun is shining, I’ve nothing else to do this morning and it’s all rather pretty out there, so let’s lace up those trainers and see how far I can go in half hour…well, it actually took me 40 mins but I managed 5km – which is not setting any records but you know what? It’ll do for me for today!

Through the heather, up & down the tracks, past the horses (they snorted at me but I forgive them as they clearly just don’t recognise a sophisticated running style when they see one) and all in the warm morning sunshine.

I think I can see my mojo peeping round the corner at me…

Hugging, NOT Leaning…

Sitting in McDonalds car park whilst I munch on my Big Tasty and sip my Coke (I know I know!! I promise to run an extra 5km this week to make up for it) and there’s a chap loitering under the umbrella’s trying not to get wet in the rain…

… I notice a silver car pull up and out climbs a young woman and, yep, she’s who that chap’s been waiting for – they hug…a proper fling your arms round, pull in tight and squeeze hug… there’s no kissing, there’s no hint of romance, there’s no leaning – nope, none at all – it’s a proper full on friendship ‘oh how I’ve missed you and it’s SO great to see you hug’. She’s red cheeked and looks like she’s going to burst with happiness and he’s laughing like a loon – they wander off into McDonalds chatting nineteen to the dozen…

A small moment of joy in this crazy world and I got to see it in a McDonalds car park.

What’s been your moment of happiness witnessed this weekend?

Epilogue…

I love the film While You Were Sleeping; it’s witty, it’s sometimes bittersweet, there are laugh out loud moments that are just joyful and it’s observant. I hope you like this little clip…

Leaning

My weekend in quotes…

Thank You For The Music…

Look at me now, will I ever learn?

I don’t know how but I suddenly lose control

There’s a fire within my soul

Just one look and I can hear a bell ring

One more look and I forget everything, w-o-o-o-oh

Yep…Friday night and the lights were low, I’d been looking out for a place to go…and I found it at the theatre – Mamma Mia was showing and it was FAB-U-LOUS as dear ol’ Craig would say…

Cocktails to begin with – Greek Martinis with Brandy & Cointreau (oh myyy) and then singing and dancing in the aisles during the encore – oh we can never resist a boogie and I do wanna sing when they do their thing! Just the best night out!

Live Long and Prosper…

Saturday we boldly went where no man had gone before…off to a Star Trek Murder Mystery. I was wearing the red jersey and so was everso slightly concerned that I’d be a goner but my friends and I set our phasers to stun, chased the Klingons round the moons of Nibia, round the Antares maelstrom and round Perdition’s flames too and survived!!

We introduced the next generation to Star Trekkin’ by The Firm…our work here is done!

https://youtu.be/FCARADb9asE

Stop and Smell the Roses…

“The rose is without explanation; she blooms because she blooms”

Angelus Silesius

Sunday, ahhhh, it was a lazzzy day…time for pottering in the garden – some weeding here, abit of pruning there…niiice.

My red rose which the fella bought me as a surprise one Anniversary LONG ago and which I thought had finally said that long farewell has suddenly bloomed again…and oh what a bloom!

The air was hot and still, it was reminiscent to me of what the quarry was like for Them…so I sat, in the sunshine smelling that sweet rose perfume and visited some old friends and thought of the future – where there’s a boy and his dog and his friends. And a summer that never ends…

I wonder what next weekend will involve?

Wishing you all a great one xx

Apples from my tree…

Today I ate an apple from my tree
The first of many I hope
Crisp and juicy, full of zing
Today I ate an apple from my tree

Today I sat in my sunny garden
Felt the warm rays on my face
Kissing my cheeks with freckles
Today I sat in my sunny garden

Today I smelt my roses and I smiled
The scent so sweet and balmy
Delicate petals of pink
Today I smelt my roses and I smiled

Today I watched the bees a buzz-buzzing
Flitting between the flowers
Collecting their gold nectar
Today I watched the bees a buzz-buzzing

Today I heard birds sing their melodies
Soft, cheery and full of joy
Loud proclaims of happiness
Today I heard birds sing their melodies

Senses full and sated, Heart joyful as can be…
…and all because today I chose to eat an apple from my tree

(Move over Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy…hahahaha!!!)

Taking a running selfie is a dangerous thing…

Today I went for a run, well I say a run whereas if you saw me you'd think I was mildly jogging or possibly even fast walking (with less of the wiggle and more of the wobble)…but I can assure you that it was a 'run' for me!

I haven't run for nearly 6 weeks – it definitely showed!! To be fair I've not been running for a while because I hurt my back and have only just had the 'go ahead' from the Osteopath to try running again…it's been soooo frustrating not being able to run, not being able to get out there and participate in something that makes me feel good – that raises my spirits and makes me feel like me – so although my time and the distance are absolutely nothing to write home about, they are a personal achievement none the less.

I am most definitely not a natural runner; I've participated in quite a few races, events etc. and my sole aim in most of them is just to finish. The only distance I really try to improve my time in is the 5km. I don't know why but I kinda feel that is the distance where I have a chance for me to show ME that I'm getting better. The rest of the time I'm trying to enjoy the experience and get to the finish line without collapsing!

My lovely friend Dana first got me started with all this running malarkey (I tried to work out how many years ago but it made me feel old so I stopped) by encouraging me to join her in a 5km Race for Life and after that I was, as they say, hooked!!

Which is strange because I hated running at school – we used to have to do roughly 1.5miles round the block; my legs would cramp, my lungs would be fit to burst, it was just torture! I much preferred Lacrosse (something about having a big stick to run around with was much more appealing but I try not to analyse that as I might scare myself!!) Anyhow, Dana tempted me and I succumbed to the running bug and I've been trying my best ever since!

I've completed two Great South Runs (10miles), run a couple of local 5milers and the Race for Life 10km several times. Last year I managed the London Marathon which was such great fun! I had to walk some of it which was annoying and let's not linger on the time (I was asked by a colleague who regularly runs marathons what time I completed it in and he laughed when I said 6:32 – charmed I'm sure!!) but I'm happy as at least I did it, I crossed that finish line and I have my medal to prove it too!

Despite all of this though I'm not sure I'd call myself a 'runner' – I don't feel I do races/events often enough to qualify for that title – I'm probably more what would be called a 'woman who runs'. Well, today this 'woman who runs' got back out there to start again.

The sky was beautiful and I was running through a pretty local park – it was a lovely…

I was feeling SO good I thought 'let's take a running selfie'
yeah…great idea…hmmmm…in the history of me taking running selfies this has never gone well…

Example A

Example B

Example C

None are great pics are they??!!

Whilst taking Pic A I tripped over a dog who appeared from nowhere, when taking Pic B I nearly fell in a ditch and today taking Pic C I nearly ran into a tree…taking running selfies is most certainly hazardous to my health!!

So, I think perhaps it's wise that, as my body is just starting to let me start running again, I should just stick to taking scenery pics and concentrate on not falling over!!

Just found this… hmmm, maybe I am a runner after all??

I want to see sunshine after the rain, I want to see bluebirds flying…

Today the sun was most definitely shining, the birds were singing their hearts out – the wood pigeon in next doors mahooosive tree, the blackbird sipping from my birdbath and goodness knows what others perched in hedge! – it was a day for pottering, and where better but around my garden…

The recent rain has certainly perked up the plants and my rambling rose has blossomed again and smells oh so sweeeeet!! The Coleus has sprouted something tall & spiky – I wasn't expecting that but okay let's see what it turns in to – and my lovely orange bush rose has several buds either open or ready to burst.

The fuchsias are still little fiery pops of colour in my window box and my chillis are starting to look rather plump – my mouth is already tingling…can't wait to try them out!

Only slight marring of my little colourful spot of joy is my Gladioli which have fallen over – I am off to purchase some string and stakes, hopefully I'll have them upright again soon.

In the meantime I'm sharing another pic of my delightful Dahlias – I really do think they're the prettiest flowers I've ever grown.

Wishing you a peaceful evening; I hope you find your sunshine after the rain xx

There’s nothing like the roar of the pack to get the heart racing…

I'm 10 minutes late but I'm glad to be getting there at all (long story for another time)…

I arrive at the club grounds and even before I reach the pitch the roars, cheers & plain ol' shouts can be heard loud and proud!!

I get to the stand and grab the nearest seat, I don't know my new neighbour but we're soon laughing and cheering the teams together like old friends.

The rain (typically) is trying to make its presence known but no one cares…it just makes the game more fun as the ground softens and the mud starts to splatter.

The ball is spinning, the players are pumping and adrenaline is at an all time high (in the stands too!).

"Drive drive drive!" The cry goes up and the maul begins to push up the pitch…the big guy's calling the play, slapping his teammates on the back to direct them where they need to go…"break now!", the Winger comes flying in and takes the ball at pace, side step one, side step two – Yeeeessss!! he's through for the try!

The stand erupts – we cheer and clap and stamp our feet then hush for the kick…the flags go up – Conversion made!

The whistle blows for half time. Just got time to grab a coffee then…quick!!…the players are back out on the pitch and ready to do it all again…and we're going to cheer them all the way too!

3-2-1…the whistle blows…let's go go go!!

Oh how I've missed this…