Capture and Share #16 - Smile!

The gorgeous bull (on the opposite side of the river) was more than happy to oblige smiling for the camera!

Capture and Share #8 - The Start of a New Week

Another week begins and the beauty of an early autumnal foggy morning greets me.

Capture and Share #7 - Autumn Sails

Moulton Windmill, the tallest windmill in the country.  Its sails move in the autumn air surrounded by the ever changing colourful landscape.

Capture and Share #5 - The River Silhouette

The reward after a muddy, chilly walk?  Looking across the river at a beautiful silhouette.

Getting Chocolatey and Cozy - A Mixed Post

How much do I love the rain?...

This much!! ...

When I woke up this morning, I could hear the rain bouncing off the window panes and a smile instantly appeared on my sleepy face.  The perfect end of a very enjoyable week and beginning of the weekend!  I knew that later on today I would be walking on the Fen chasing after rain drops and the weather didn't disappoint.  BUT FIRSTLY, ThAnK yOu so much for your birthday wishes and your suggestions for my '50 B4 50' list.  I am compiling this now and I'm looking forward to getting the ticks on my list underway and sharing them with you through the next twelve months.  My birthday was a busy one and a very happy day, evening, continuing to lunch the following day.  Both days enjoying company with very special people in my life.

The day before my birthday, Chocolate Truffle Torte was made (recipe here - but also add two tablespoons of Ameretto when adding the Rum!)...

... six were made, and six were enjoyed!

And for those who couldn't manage the alcoholic content, there was cake ...

Once the cake making was completed, the chocolate was continued onto my front bench which seriously needed some TLC! (no, not real chocolate dear readers).  The front garden is now complete, so my next project will be the side garden (my back hurts already just thinking about it!).

On the day of my birthday the chocolate theme continued with near enough a year's supply of goodies from Hotel Chocolat.  I am REALLY looking forward to working my way through them but this really does not help with the weight loss for my 50 B4 50 list, but I'm not complaining!!

One of my gifts from Miss Teen was a gorgeous scented candle filling the house today with winter spices giving a cozy feel to a dark and blissfully rainy day.

Apples are in abundance in the garden, falling off the tree and those still hanging on are ready for me to make into apple sauce for the winter pork dinners later in the year but, at the moment, I am happy to add them to the kitchen windowsill showing off the gorgeous raindrops coating them in mirrored jewels.

SO, back to the splashing puddles! ... 

Miss Teen is always very happy to walk with me on the Fen in the driving rain.  I am so lucky that she is 'mini me' and loves this weather and the coolness it brings.  We dressed appropriately and then set off to just walk and take shots of the rain drops while it fell.

I loved seeing the spiders' webs capturing the falling water rather than the juicy flies.

The beads of water being caught on the remaining seed heads.

The lowered heads of grasses ladened down with the moisture that they have been longing for.

The wildlife was quiet and we had to be so careful not to harm the army of snails that were beneath our feet.

Some were sensible though and headed for the highest point, after all, the birds were keeping dry so wouldn't be picking them up.

The rain gradually became the fine incessant type that wets you through, so it was time to take a slow happy walk back, still capturing the rain drops along the way.

The tree that I love on this walk was saturated, but with the added colour of the first glimpses of autumn and the freshly plowed fields beyond.

Yes, me and 'Big Bertha' did get wet, but as you can see, I'm happy!

I am all set now for a cosy night in to start my 'regretful' indulgence of the first box of chocolates along with a very thoughtful gift from a very dear friend about London's world underneath our feet.  I'm a lucky, lucky lady!!

Thank you once again dear readers for your messages and have a wonderful weekend and an even better week ahead.

Passing Time

During my comforting walks with little Tia, I pass an old tree along one of the many paths.  Each season its branches reach up to the sky with different colours clothing its limbs and its growth takes on different twists and turns.

The surrounding fields change colour each year, sometimes with wheat, sometimes with onions, sometimes Gladioli!  The tree stands, looking at the changes around it and smiles gently.

Occasionally the tree's sturdiness takes a knock and wounds form.  The cracks start to show, some within and hidden, others for all to see.  But still it stands tall, and the knocks make the tree unique offering more to those who choose to visit it.

The rings of time begin to show and the tree ages.  Each day the sun rises, the sun sets, and in between the world continues its routine.  Some stopping by to smile, some needing shelter, some passing not noticing any more, some visiting to sit in the shade, but all in the knowledge that the tree is there.

There's a birthday this week, and seeing this tree has made me think of my own life with its knocks, turns, happiness and tests.  I now have a year to think about my 50 before 50.  Why is it the '0' birthdays always fill my heart with dread?!  I'm not thinking of parachuting, running a marathon or travelling the world, these simply would not be practical in my life right now (plus strangely enough, I am not a lover of heights unless my feet are touching wood!).  So I'm wondering if you have any suggestions?

Any ideas for my 50 B4 50 list??

Please let me know either by comment or if you want, by email (in my side bar - Email Me Privately), or over on any of my other links.  I'm struggling a bit to think of some unique ones and ones that I will actually do!!

So, let this week begin and a new list start.  I feel excited already!!

Have a wonderful Sunday (and Labor day!) and an even better week.

Postcards of Summer

Hellooooo everyone!  I hope you have all had a good summer (and winter for those in the Southern Hemisphere).  It's the end of August... HaPpY sKiPpY dAnCe as I say to my good friends!

The lead up into September and then stepping into my favourite month is my time to come out of the doldrums and embrace each and every day of Autumn (I count 1 September as the beginning of my Autumn).  The trees start to turn, the conkers start to fall, the nights draw in, the shops are full of delicious orange from pumpkins and trick or treat goodies and I can start to enjoy the early evening sunsets once more.  A happy month indeed.

The trouble with having a blog break, and one that has been so long, is where do you start?  The organisation of a blog post and editing photos become a little out of sync.  You forget just how long it takes to post something, the nerves of "is anyone going to read this?" as you hover over the publish button and hoping that the content is true to you.  Well, after days of unbelievable humidity and me in the grumpiest of grumpy moods as a result of it, I now type this with thunder and lightning performing an amazing show outside, the air is cooler with a very welcome freshness and, I've just noticed, a welcome darkness outside (I do love a good storm).

So, what have I been up to during August?  ... Well, there's been trips to my London town...

... and the climbing of a very steep hill in Lincoln! ...

... a start of a new job (in the same place but different responsibilities).  The view is slightly different but still in a wonderful medieval setting ...

... catching up with family at the seaside ...

... and of course, walks with little Tia ...

... and enjoying capturing the growth and then the early harvest of the surrounding fields ...

... there's also been some creative crochet and I am sorry to say that I gave up on the CAL as the different patterns had different gauges from the variety of lovely ladies that wrote them.  I couldn't get on with it so had to frog all the squares I made and decided to use the colours in one of Attic 24's Cozy Striped Blanket patterns instead.  I do love these colours.

This summer holiday has felt different to ones of the past with me just having one week off and not being needed for the rest due to the Teens now older and having their own interests.  The new job has come at a good time as change is forefront in my life and I am embracing all that is new, so with the Teens doing their own thing, I am able to get my head around what I want to do.  (By the way, the GCSE results were magnificently positive for Miss Teen!!)

So, this has been my postcards of summer.  I know some of you will say, did we have one?!  Well, I certainly felt it and will be glad to start breathing cooler air on my dog walks with Tia and out and about with Big Bertha (the camera).

I have missed my little corner of Blogland and the connection with you all, I'm really glad to be back!

Autumn's nearly here and I am SOOOOO happy!!

Five on Friday - Moments Captured

We've been walking back on the Fen again this week which has been a wonderful way to end each working/school day.  With GCSE's in full swing for Miss Teen it's been stressful so with each ending of the day just to walk along the quiet pathways, pass the time of day with friendly walkers and just listen to the wildlife surrounding us is sheer heaven.  The colourful crops sway in the breeze, not minding the winged birds and insects, enjoying their dance as the wind blows gently through the once neat rows where they now rebel against the uniformity of their prepared beds.

Wednesday night brought on a whole different conversation as we happily walked along one of our favourite pathways.  The air was still, geese flew low above our heads and then... we saw this...

It was an interesting conversation.  We were in the middle of the Fen next to water filled ditches and a copse of trees with a funnel cloud above us.  If the funnel touched the ground, things would be a lot different and a tad bit uncomfortable for us.  Mr Teen said he would go into the ditch but me and Miss Teen opted to try our luck in the copse of trees.  Thankfully within a few minutes the funnel slowed and the cloud separated scribbling  thin clouds in that part of the sky.  Phew!

Looking at the sparse trees around, the weather leaves its scars to make the normal look more interesting.

Sneeze makers surround us in abundance, but surprisingly the only sneezes come from our lovely Tia who is getting used to the night routine again of a longer walk in the light.

At the end of the walks we have our treat (to boost our energy of course!).  Chocolate and long quiet walks - a perfect end to the day!

 Sharing with the lovely Amy at Love Made My Home's Five on Friday.  Go along and see some lovely blogs sharing their five.

Have a great weekend lovely readers.

Sharing with:

Five on Friday at Love Made my Home