Just about bordering on odd, I see things through different eyes.The heading says it all - I live, I love, I craft, I am me...

30/06/2017

June's Scavenger Hunt LINK UP party :)

If you have joined in with my

Scavenger hunt, please link

with me on your blog :)



Please add your name to the

link up tool below,

just follow the easy instructions,


don't worry - if I can do it so can you!



Please just add your Name or Blog Name in the 'Link Title',

Now, let the Link-up Party begin!

Don't forget to leave a comment when you visit

edited to add: it has been brought to my attention that not everyone can see the link up tool,
if you can't - please leave me a message and a link to your photo hunt post and I will add you :)


xx
Links for those who are unable to see the link-up-tool...


  1. Sharon
  2. Lovely Lady
  3. Hawthorn's staying wild!
  4. Julie
  5. Diana
  6. Jak's Tales
  7. Fil's Songs and stories
  8. Simplenaturalhandmade
  9. Fiona
  10. Susan

Scavenger Hunt JUNE#30DaysWild final day, ‪#‎staywild‬

So ends June's #30DaysWild,
it has been wonderful following other folk's entries on the facebook page and on twitter,
it has been good to share stories and questions
and I have really enjoyed it, however,
it has been a bit of a blogging marathon, so if you'll excuse me, 
I may just go and lie down in a dark corner for a day or two!
But before I do that, here are my photos and wafflings for June's Scavenger Photo Hunt :) 
Some have links to posts already written in June.

A wonderful walk up to the playing fields was rewarded by this sunset.

Our local nature reserve is the perfect little place to escape, play and walk.
And should you need a cup of hot chocolate? You can get it there too :)

Mug of Tea in the Garden
My plans to set up an afternoon tea in our garden
sort of didn't happen.
Firstly the Scavenger Hunt deadline seemed aaaages off,
then I was busy,
then I forgot,
then the camera battery was dead,
then it rained,
and rained...
So, suddenly it is the evening before the deadline,
still no photo.
I have dredged this one from July 2012.....



My Kind of Beautiful #30daysWild day 12
Watching the bright heat of the day slip into a softer more gentle evening - Glasson docks.

Huge volatile clouds, 
soft wispy strips,
speckled mackerel skies 
or hazy dreamy drifts - clouds are amazing creatures!  


The garden is an amazing source of insect life.
It always seems to rattle with 'busy-ness'.

Rain - Petrichor 
After a particularly steamy hot day up at the walled garden, the clouds were innocuously  forming a huge black and menacing wall.
I decided that discretion was the better part of valour
especially as I could see lightening,
so I packed up and jumped in the car to head home.
The rain came and as soon as it hit the road,
it almost steamed right back up again!
The scent of rain filled the air.
A favourite smell of mine - petrichor.
That delicious earthy tang of rain. 

Something Summery
There is something so delicious, so reminiscent of holidays,
the scent of summer.
Coconut scented summery memories,
Gorse blossom on a hot summer's day = bliss.

I love the sweet sweet scent of Valerian,
and on a hot day their fragrance is quite heady.

My own Choice
Moss.... sporting a 'wig' giving her a flowing coiffured look.
She dreamed of being able to shake her luscious locks.
So, Youngest helped her with that dream.
By finding a wonderfully large piece of sheep's fleece
in the perfect shade white,
and draping it over her ears.
Marilyn Monroe eat your heart out!
And Moss?
She battered her eyelids,
lifted her face,
felt the breeze waft her 'hairdo'
She for a brief moment knew what it was like to have a 
bobby dazzler of a barnet fair! 
And, 
in case you need further proof of Moss' tresses...

#30DaysWild



Thank you EVERYONE who took the time to read and comment on my posts,
I really appreciate your involvement - you made my marathon possible! 
thank you :)




I shall ‪#‎staywild‬


29/06/2017

Setting my heart aflame #30DaysWild day 29 #staywild

I was going to write about going slow, 
how to breathe the air and watch the clouds,
I was going to waffle on about feeling the grass beneath your bare feet,
the sand between toes,
I was going to reminisce on the thrill of delight on hearing that first cuckoo of the year,
seeing that first snowdrop,
smelling the first of the dog roses as they open in the hedgerow.

I had planned to write how my heart soars at the sight of a far horizon,
how it skips a beat at the sound of a crashing wave,
how it thumps in time with the earth's own beat.

I wanted to mention how rain can be a blessing
and a curse,
how we need it,
then when it does rain
we sulk.

I felt the need to share the feeling of that early morning summer's sun
on my face before I don my hat,
or the gentle sound of a warm breeze
as it flips the grass heads back and forth on a hillside walk.

I even wanted to share the icy tang of feet in a river
or in the sea.
That crush and woosh of the salty water
over the beach pebbles
as the tide drags back the waves.

I wanted to say how the complex song of a skylark,
when I lie in moorland grasses,
can bring me to tears.
As can the deep sound of the thunder
as it rolls across the distant hills.

I had planned all these eloquent words
these heartfelt and deeply loved
moments of nature,
then I realised I'd run out of time,
run out of steam
and then....

I noticed,
I'd said it all anyway.

#30dayswild - what sets your heart aflame?
#staywild

28/06/2017

Now for something slightly different #30dayswild day 28 ‪#‎staywild‬

It is absolutely dashing it down out there - we need the rain, 
the reservoirs around us are looking decidedly low and the rivers are slow and shallow. 
So, I shall not begrudge a little bit of rain however it has made today's post a little different.

It is almost as wet inside as out - my house plants which make up my 'indoor jungle' 
are all needing a drink so, in shifts because they don't all fit in the bath,
 have been sitting under the shower for a good dowsing. 
In that rather damp indoor jungle - I have an indoor wild thing.... did you spot her?
I know that eventually she will stop hunting the dribbles of water, 
she will get bored listening to them tinkle down 
the plug hole and she will want to rest her weary little indoor-tiger-bones, on my desk....
Never mind, from 'our' desk 
we can watch the soggy starlings carrying equally soggy worms 
to starving youngsters :)


Celebrating #30dayswild any way I can!
‪#‎staywild‬

27/06/2017

It's a bug life! #30DaysWild day 27

 On our walk through the Bell Sykes Coronation Meadows I was delighted by the amount of insects buzzing around happily.  So many that the flowers rattled and shook with all the activity.

I did not take nearly enough photos this time - too engrossed in enjoying the meadows as a visual feast, the ones I did manage to 'capture' are here - enjoy!

 

'30DaysWild - it's bug life!

26/06/2017

Oh what a beautiful day #30DaysWild day 26

One of life's pleasures is visiting our 'local' Coronation Meadow - 
We try to go during June - July when the summer wild flowers are out.
Last year we went a bit later in the season when the taller flowers dominated,
this time there was a delightful display of smaller vibrantly coloured flowers.
I, like I did last time,
dawdled, photographed, 
felt,
sniffed,
stared and smiled (a lot)
at all the flowers.
When the fields are taken in a visual sweep -
they appear like a dimpled textured tapestry swaying in the breeze.
But, when I sat, eye height with the flowers,
I was the richer for seeing.
Bright spots of colour, clustered in swathes.
Insects were spoiled for choice.
Yarrow and meadow crane's bill swayed alongside greater burnett and knapweed.
Hawksweed, red clover, campion and yellow rattle,
buttercup, lady's mantle and field parsley
all grow in the wonderfully unimproved meadows. 
We lingered and wandered,
we photographed and watched,
we walked and we left happy.
Image result for what a beautiful day

#30DaysWild - oh what a beautiful day

25/06/2017

Bleary eyed at dawn #30DaysWild day 25


Although, this year, our longest day here in the northern hemisphere was sublime,
with it being during the week we couldn't really do anything spectacular,  
so we watched the sun go down on solstice eve, 
I awoke early and acknowledged the day 
(and fell back to sleep almost immediately) 
and later, at a less extreme time 
I took time to appreciate the light and the significance of the day.
So, these pictures are from a couple of years ago,
when the stars aligned,
the weekend was right, 
the boys were home,
we wild camped.
On solstice eve.
And it was magical.
It can still make me cry at the beauty of it all. 

While Solstice eve's sunset was dramatic and fiery ....
next day's dawn was soft shades of blue and silver.
The valley filled with mist, the cotton grass twinkled with dew,
sheep occasionally baa-ed in the distance.
The earth was gently stirring,
she was still sleepy,
as were we, 
however the scent of the coffee soon had us awake.
We have wild camped since and will again,
however, this one,
this place,
this particular day - is forever engraved on my heart.
#30DaysWild - a whole lot of magic

24/06/2017

All that glitters.... #30DaysWild day 24

Walking through an overgrown sunken lane on a hot summer's day,
there was just the occasional flash of the sky
between the low hanging hedgerow trees.

The heat of the sun filtered,
making the lane a cool green sanctuary.

We were not the only ones sheltering from the glare.
 A female Broad-Bodied Chaser Dragonfly was quietly resting in the damp grass.
 Her extraordinary black gold livery with shiny chocolate brown eyes 
made her glow against the shades of green and shadow of the lane.
She was staggeringly beautiful.





Stu Harley Jul 2013
the 
transparent wings of
the 
copper dragonfly
fades
into
another mirror 
through the sky
above
the
copper mine

#30DaysWild - what beauty have you seen today?

23/06/2017

Getting up to 'antics' #30DaysWild, day 23

On Wednesday, when it alternated between furnace hot then heavy thunderstorms, 
I managed to get a few hours up at the walled garden 
where I have the happy pleasure of volunteering at.

I was weeding, where the weeds were rather enthusiastically 
managed to organise a 'flash-mob' swamping the juvenile vegetables. 
I was busily hoe-ing as I created a mini dust storm at my feet 
when suddenly I exposed these little busy fellows.....
I felt bad that I'd disturbed them and then when I noticed this activity going on....
Which, lets be honest, made me feel even more of a monster!

The worker ants quickly bundled up the cocoons and larvae and 
marched away with their precious juveniles.

So, as a way of an apology, 
I sprinkled some of my bread crumbs
and carefully watered near by so the ants could have a lunch break during maneuvers,
which they did!

By the time I'd finished working,
the ants and their precious cargo had all disappeared.

#30DaysWild - have you got up to any 'antics' recently?