A Blog Anniversary! Four Happy Years!

Time has flown by during my four years of blogging.  Journaling my weeks, learning different techniques, expanding my love of photography and 'meeting' wonderful and creative bloggers all around the world.   It has been amazing to connect with so many of you either through you visiting, commenting, emailing and following.  You have certainly kept this blogger smiling!

I feel as though I can sit under this tree with you all, enjoying a summer's picnic and catching up with all that tests our lives.

The different paths we take through our writing and photography.  Taking risks occasionally, but doing what we feel is comfortable.
 

The people that stay with us through our journeys and the ones that visit occasionally before heading off for further adventures.

 The colour that many bring us through our screens with their positive thoughts and humour.

 The sunshine with their posts and dreams, inspiring us all to continue with our own. 



 The dark times shared on occasion and the joy of witnessing the further posts showing that life does get better. 



 The brightness shines through eventually and new growth comes through enriching our own vision and minds.

Blogging sometimes feels as though we are swaying like grass on a breeze.  The ups, the downs, the being knocked sideways.

But, if you are steadfast and true to yourself, your words will remain and the world seen through your eyes will give comfort and happiness to more people than you will ever know.

Strawberry Moon taken at Summer Solstice

 

So from one person to another, thank you so much for following along, commenting, emailing me privately and reading my ramblings.  I really appreciate the support you have given me through all the different social media platforms.

 

You're wonderful!!

 

Five on Friday - Through the Lens

1.  Looking through the camera card this week, I was desperate for colour to jump out and dance in front of me.  The rain has been relentless and even for a rain lover such as me, I am even getting tired of it.  The Summer Solstice is upon us and I'll soon be preparing for Christmas, so a little sunshine would be nice to break up the summer months!  But, as you can see above, the Mall leading up to Buckingham Palace with its red tarmac and crisp flags blowing in the breeze before the business of a certain Majesty's 90th birthday street party, was full of colour.

The celebrations were going to be very merry!  This ship made me laugh with the alcohol stacked up on a separate boat.

Don't you love the simplicity of Love locks?  The stories that each one could tell always sends my mind racing.  These are on Westminster Bridge with the Eye nearby.  Simple flashes of colour with memories and wishes locked away.

Buckingham Palace looking quiet beyond the trees at Green Park.  The trees all in full leaf with the different greens catching any light left to give.

2.  Back at Peterborough the view from the office window differs each day beyond the Cathedral stonework.  The sky changes with every hour but when the blue is caught it makes the stone shine out.  Welcome colour indeed.

3. On the Fen in Lincolnshire the bees busy themselves on any dry flowers in between the rain storms, taking absolutely no notice of cameras in close proximity.

The wheat fills the brown fields once again with its green stalks waiting to ripen and turn the fields gold.

4. The rain has watered my garden so there hasn't been the need for hosepipes as yet.  The most beautiful thing happened on little Tia's anniversary of us meeting her - our beautiful Coco's rose bloomed in her memorial garden.  A lovely touch to a special day.

I sat with Tia on the door step as the rain came down again, watching the droplets of water dance off the petals.  A special moment indeed.  And then, I couldn't resist the beauty of the Nigella plant that had seeded itself next to us.  So beautiful with the rain acting like a cardigan on its skeleton.

5.  So a busy week at work, Miss Teen's exams finishing and school ending, Mr Teen's first car being sold and him moving on to his second car, Tia's first anniversary of joining our family, some very enjoyable catching up with very dear friends and, a fourth blog anniversary next Wednesday (yes, four whole years!).  I just need to...

So that's my five for another Five on Friday with Amy at Love Made My Home.  Pop along and join the party!

Have a wonderful end of week and even better weekend.

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Five on Friday at Love Made my Home

Happy Mid Week - Searching for the Sun

With the constant rain and storms, it's a joy to see a spot of yellow without water forming on the edge of delicate petals.

Happy mid-week everyone!!  Sending you some sunshine!!

Five on Friday - Views of my Week

And in the blink of an eye it's Friday again!  Time to look through the camera card to look and see what I have captured. I am absolutely delighted to share with you a few photos of another trip down to London on what was the beginning of a sun shiny day.  My trip this time was work related and involved entering the House of Lords at Westminster.  Normally no photos can be taken here but out on the terrace (the part you can see from Westminster Bridge and the opposite side of the river) I was able to capture a few extra special moments.

So, No. 1 of my Five on Friday is the view from the House of Lords Terrace.  Looking over my favourite river towards Westminster Bridge and the London Eye.  The perfect place to sit with colleagues and enjoy a cup of coffee.  A very happy view indeed.

Scaffolding above us for the maintenance of such an iconic and beautiful building.  The red awning to signify the Lords area and the green for the Commons.  Big Ben striking the hours and the quarter hours above us.  A very special view.

After walking through the incredible rooms and halls with paintings, chandeliers, ancient books on tall bookcases lining the lush corridors (oh yes I was in heaven!), old clocks above ornate doors, we were shown into the Lord's Chamber and stood near the throne.  Solid gold and incredible beauty surrounded us.  A place that is so surreal and hard to believe I was standing there.  

2.  After lunch (House of Lords fish and chips were incredible!) we had to leave before the House sits and this is when we realised the sun had disappeared as it did last week when I was in Greenwich.

Then, thunder and lightening of epic proportions!!  TAXI!!!!  This is the view from the taxi window as we passed Westminster Abbey!

3.  From the City to the Country and the hustle and bustle of London is a long way away.  Here on the Fen me and Tia walk amongst the wildflowers look up at the enormous skies.  The contrast of my view from one day to the next couldn't be any different.

The yellow and red lines on busy London streets are replaced by the green and blue lines of the dykes.  The yellows and greens are now being interrupted by scrumptious reds of other flowers popping up.

With occasional flashes of vibrant fiery red in amongst the luscious green wheat swaying in the Fen winds.

4.  With my past two trips to London having me dancing in the rain, it is only right that I show you my progress so far with the Sheepjes CAL for this blanket.  I am way behind, but loving the new stitches I am discovering and viewing while resting in the evenings.

5.  Lastly, well it has to be a little view of my Tia.  One year ago I met this little girl after she had been rescued.  One year on she has survived so much change, being spoilt, tooth loss and long happy walks making new furry friends along the way.  She still hates cats but there are none on the Fen so she can safely trot off with her little friends and incredibly happy.  Here she is on the swing enjoying the sun!  I have never known a dog to love the sunshine so much, she practically sunbathes!!

So that's my five views of my week to share with the lovely Amy at Love Made My Home's Five on Friday.  Go along and read some lovely blogs showcasing their five too.

Have a lovely weekend.

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Five on Friday at Love Made my Home

A Short Greenwich Post - Blame the Phone!

Many times I have walked past this wall at Blackheath on my way back to the tunnel when my Grandad was alive.  This was the first time without him and another first with Miss Teen.  The blackened brick gave me comfort with the memories of this place so firmly etched in my mind by him.

(I have to make a note here that the photos this time were with my Samsung phone as I left 'Big Bertha' at home, so I am sorry for the quality this week)

For the first time EVER it rained when we arrived.  NEVER have I known it to rain when I'm there, maybe because I was so happy following my Grandad in the past that I didn't even notice, or maybe because I just LOVE, Love, love walking in the rain.  However, as soon as we emerged from Greenwich Market after having a small bite to eat, the grayness remained but the spots of rain kept mainly away until we left the pier later.

 Thanks Grandad!

Usually we have at least one other person with us when we head down to London, but this time we agreed that it will just be me and Miss Teen this time, and I have to say it was incredibly enjoyable as we are so similar with our outlook on life and what we like to do.  We haven't had a trip together for a long time and with her in the middle of her GCSE's and Prom preparations, things have been a little stressed at the moment.  To just happily walk in a place that she now shares her love, it was a welcome and relaxing trip.

Unfortunately, after going through the shots taken with my phone, not a lot came out as I wanted due to grey and gloomy day, so the ones on show today were the best of a bad bunch - such a shame, but I will just have to go back soon with Big Bertha!

The Royal Naval College with The Queen's House in between.

Thank you so much for all your comments and emails.  As I said before, things are very stressed in the household at the moment, and my blog is my little escape to share the things I love, so to hear from you gives me the positive inspiration I need to get through the busy weeks.

My Perfect Place in Greenwich, London

This is the spot.  The spot where the most wonderful, intelligent, interesting and knowledgeable man would say to me ...

"So, where shall we go on our journey today?"  

It was a grey and rainy day but living through memories of my Grandad and walking through the beautiful landscape of Greenwich, London, I didn't even notice. (My past posts on this place are here)

With many photos to go through and tell the story, I have a couple of days of recounting old memories of happy days in this most beautiful part of London when I was with the most gentlest of men.

Until next time, have a wonderful rest of week.