The last few days.

The other day we went to the local aquatic centre to get a cleaning pump for the pond.  We were delighted to see some deer next to the car park and I managed to get some pictures of them.

We admired the large carp

These ones looked a bit like skeletons!

One day we will hopefully have a large fish pond of our own and I imagined what fish I would have in it!

Sunday was a lovely day and we managed to get out for a walk locally.

Although I only took the one photo!

Today I took Percy to the huge woods and park I often go to.  We haven't been there since before the storms and were saddened to see several lovely large trees blown down including a fabulous oak.  It was the perfect day for a walk, the sun was shining and even felt quite warm!  A change after Monday and Tuesday's horrible weather.

Some large fungi.

This was dry last time we were over there and is now gushing at a great rate!

Some of the storm damage.

I had choir practice last night, having just joined the local community choir and really enjoyed it.  I also recently joined an afternoon singing group which is jolly good fun and had a lovely afternoon there.  

On another note....having reached the grand total of 1000 posts it is time for reflection.

Things are changing and after having no phone or internet access for the last four days, as well as some chosen absence from various online social network groups for the last month and a half I have decided that I really don't miss it much and get a lot more done! I want to focus on other things and so I have decided that I am going to be winding down this blog over the next few days or weeks.  I haven't quite decided whether to take all I have on here off and just keep it for the odd photo and sharing I want to do, start another , or just stop altogether.  Certainly the information on here will go to private at the very least if I can't work out how to export it all.  I don't want to lose the last few years as they are a record for me, which is why I started this blog, but I have got to the stage where I don't want to share all this any more.  So if I disappear, you will know why!  

Come for a walk with me.

It was grey, wet and drizzly for most of the day yesterday so Percy and I didn't get to go out for a walk until late afternoon, and that was just around the local streets.

Fortunately this morning was a completely different matter!  Sunshine, blue sky and temperature of aroumd 15 degrees Celsius, now that is a result!  It was really lovely walking through the woods today...would you like to come with me...

Down we go between the trees...

The sun is shining through...

Across here...

Glancing across to the left.

A slug on some fungi

Chestnuts fallen to the ground and bursting open

Teeny tiny fungi...you had to look carefully to spot these.

Through the woods we carry on.

Observing as we go.

Look at the way this chestnut casing as spread open...almost looks like a butterfly shape.

Plenty of interesting shapes and textures to see.

Sunlight through the leaves...

Looking across to the right, an interesting shaped dead tree.

Two toadstools!

Fly Algaric

Strange shapes.

Almost back to the car park, glancing back where we have been.

It was the most perfect of mornings, warm, sunny and bright.  A lovely day for a walk in the woods indeed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have been working on my journal, not everyday, but just when the fancy takes me and these are a few of my latest entries....

Now artist will I make, but I can have fun 'pretending' I am one!

The other day I spotted a book on a blog that seemed strangely familiar but I wasn't sure why...I ordered it as I found it for £2 (and the first one) and thought what did I have to lose?  They duly arrived and it was as soon as I opened the pages that the penny dropped...I had some of these pages photocopied from when I first came to the UK in 1994/95!

These are great little books, full of pearls of wisdom and wonderful quotes.  I shall enjoy dipping in to these books.

I have done this very thing myself...starting 1st October, I turned over that page, started going for walks...the more I do the better I feel and the clearer I can think.

Lastly some shots from the garden this afternoon.

The little Nuthatch taking a drink.

Enjoying the peanuts

A rose in sunshine

A slightly more mature one from the same plant.

Some experimental shots with different settings...only two I was even remotely happy with.  On another note, I was really surprised to see a bee with heavy pollen loads busy round these flowers...unfortunately it didn't stick around for long

May need to have a rest for a few days now as the crocheting I did last night has caused a flare up in my arm...so need to take heed and not do any more things that irritate it...computer included!