Biding

I am going through a slump at the moment and have decided to just see August through and winter officially over.  I have been buoying myself with the image on the cover of this book and singing The Raggle Taggle Gypsy O  (note me on recorder). I curled up on Wednesday and read the whole book - a beautiful escape, especially as a caravan on wild Irish coast was involved.

I am leaving the garden more or less to its own devices.  The ongoing but intermittent deck building makes gardening awkward.  My 90 daffodil bulbs have done well but have been trodden down.  They have shown what they are capable of so I hope the bulbs can build their strength and have another go next year.

The pied oystercatchers have returned.  It is always wonderful to see them. Fingers crossed that their  young survive this year.  There is birdsong in the mornings now, although difficult to hear because I'm currently keeping my bedroom window closed due to very infuriating hayfever.  In the early evening the sound of the bird chorus is surround-sound magical.

This is Pinkle, the cat Georgia left with her Mum 17 years ago.  It is lovely having George 'just  up the road', a very pleasant stroll or bicycle ride.  I can't remember why I was prowling around her house on this occasion but was flattered when Pinkle awoke to look out at me.

Last Sunday Georgia went swimming with the wild bunch.  Jill PD and I did our clifftop walk thing.  I was contemplating swimming here at the end of the beach, hoping to coax Jill to swim.  She has an eye infection at present so I thought the seawater would be good for her.  She did a lot of romping through the water stick fetching, got her eyes wet but didn't submerge them.  Sadly by the time we had got to the end of the beach, the sun had gone in and I lost the good nurse impulse.  We were climbing the steep path back to the clifftop when Jill noticed a man and dog enjoying themselves as he thwacked a ball along the hard sand and the dog joyfully chased.  Outraged that another dog should enjoy thwacky ball, Jill hurtled back down the path, picked up the ball and loyally brought it to me.  When she dropped it beside me, it rolled merrily down the track much faster than I could chase it, came to a bend and bounced in big loops through the cliff vegetation.  The man and dog watched in shocked awe.  I pranced nimbly, keeping my eye on the ball, and eventually managed to return it to its rightful owner.  Though Jill did disagree with me on this point.

pine bark photo for the Floosie

Georgia has unpacked her bicycle so today we took Lauren Bacall and Madam Jade for a spin.  The weather looked highly changeable and I thought Georgia may want to postpone.  Silly me.

We set off for Mt Murray Road, a long time cycling goal for me and one of which my cycling guru, Maria Island Bruce, approves.  Mt Murray in the distance.

It was a beautiful ride and just the right level of difficulty for us.  You can see that the weather was indeed changeable.

By the time we reached the esplanade on our return, it was sleeting.  Georgia nobly stopped to wait for me - a wind gust had stopped Lauren in her tracks and put her out of gear.  I decided it was easier to walk for a while.  We got back to our place drenched on one side but exhilarated.  Heater on.  Pot of tea.

Georgia took the 5 photos above.

I have spent the afternoon in the garden and on the farm with Monty Don.  Divine.

And I'm still slogging through this one.  It is magnificent.  I'm learning and questioning so much.  Beautifully written and researched but so thick with ideas and information that I think I may spend the rest of my life reading it.