Hi folks, despite rain every day but one for a month, I've not let that spoil my fun and have taken a few days trips!
Last week hubby took me took to Mersey Island, near Colchester. My paternal family lived on the island for several generations in Strood House and Strood Cottage, visible as you come off the mainland on to the island, just before the area where the water cuts the island off at high tide. There are marshes on each side of the road and the tide comes in preventing traffic for a few hours twice a day. My cousin told me that family members learned to swim on the road during high tide.
The beach huts are spacious, but- they are expensive to buy. Some are a rental income for owners. I have a memory of going here as a child, it's got a nice sandy/shingle beach and gets busy in summer as there is a large caravan park. I am starting to research my family tree and this was a first step to get a feel for my roots.
Today I took the train to Lewes. It's only a 30 minute journey. Lewes is best known for its castle and for its 5th November bonfire night procession with men in stripey jumpers carrying fire torches.
The castle is best seen in Summer. Throughout the afternoon I walked by, there was torrential rain.... but it was deserted, so good for taking photos as no tourists in sight.
Lewes has lots of cafes, antique shops and an old converted needle factory that houses arts and craft shops.
The charity shops are particularly good, I saw two Paul Costello coats labelled unworn/brand new at £20 each.
I had a Waterstones gift voucher and treated myself to a River Cottage cookery book and had a sandwich lunch with coffee.
It was our monthly walkers group outing last Tuesday, ending with a pub lunch at Weatherspoons We noticed the green shoots of bluebells showing, celandine and catkins along the wooded pathways.
Thanks for stopping by. I will be visiting a few more local towns and villages as the weather improves so stay tuned!
Happy New Year! I had a calendar printed for 2026 with pictures from our holidays. I really like bright colours and these pictures are very vibrant! There are a lot of companies online who do these calendars, this one is from Photobox and I am pleased with the quality. Here's a video of the pages.
Today it is raining and forecast to get heavier as the day goes on. We should have been doing our monthly walk with our friends from the allotment but are feeling fatigued so staying home.
View from the kitchen. Wet and grey.
Mollie cat is not her usual self either after catching and eating a mouse. I think she is probably feeling very sick. Here's a little video of her playing the other day.
She's gone all ferral and, despite the cold weather, wants to be outside from. 7am until 9pm with just an occasional pop in. Then much howling if not let out again immediately.
I have been running errands and at the shops found a 205cm obelisk in the sales (£4) which I hope to use in my garden to grow sweet peas on. I also got some builders buckets for £1 each which we will drill holes in - these are for hubby to grow his black tomatoes in - we will grow these in the garden but have other tomatos to grow on the allotment. It's far too early for planting but I like to plan ahead.
I have hurt my back whilst opening the iron gates at the allotments - no idea how as been doing it for years without issue, but something I must have done has caused a lot of pain so I am not swimming for a few days - really annoyed.
Last week I was invited to a spiritualist 'show' locally. It was interesting, lots of laughter and 10 or so people got messages from loved ones - none for me but I really enjoyed the experience.
I also went to a panto at our very own tiny town theatre which is under the railway arches and run by volunteers. It was an adaptation of Alice in Wonderland and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Not hubby's cup of tea, so I went along with a friend from the allotments.
At my allotment hubby helped bring some woodchip to the plot by wheelbarrow from our communal supply (financed by donations)... I have put new membrane down and woodchipped my paths. I had done a spectacular video then accidentally deleted it!
Looks messy, but there is a plan! You can see the central herb bed has been removed - I am planning a much bigger herb bed in the Spring as I have freed up more space.
My herbs are over-wintering in the communal polytunnel, Im hoping they will survive the frost this way and took root cuttings of most.
I have been watching vlogs on YouTube by allotment holders like me and later this evening will be watching The Night Manager on tv - a sort of spy thriller.
My 2026 promise is to take better care of myself and family... starting with healthier meals. Im really enjoying dates and walnuts instead of biscuits with my morning tea and have a thing for avocado on toast for lunches!
Thanks for stopping by and Happy New Year! Have you been outside much for walks? I noticed catkins the other day and the morning are beginning to get light earlier, I can't wait for warm sunny mornings with my cuppa outside at 6am!
We got back from Mauritius on 17th December and busied ourselves getting our house decorated for Christmas. A brief review is on my other blog *HERE*
Both sons had a virus over Christmas but we still managed to make the best of things - lots of good food in the form of roast dinner with turkey crown for the men, roast chestnuts for me. We made tons of bubble and squeak (ref for overseas bloggers this is left over roast potatoes and boiled brussel sprouts chopped and shaped into patties to fry for breakfast, freezable, a lot of people in the UK enjoy this as a way to use up roast dinner veggie leftovers). We watched a lot of tv: I laughed a lot watching Amandaland on BBC. We had too much food and too few people (due to illness, everyone we know seems to have this flu type virus), never-ending pre recorded tv programmes like Ted, Back to the Future and Fantastic Beasts that we had not previously had time to catch up on .
On Christmas morning I went to our Baptist church. We had a good sing song! It was good to see old friends there too. We sang the 12 days of Christmas, divided into groups we jumped up to sing our allocated verse and sat back down fast in between. There was a lot of laughter! Brief video of the moment below
We visited the allotment on Boxing Day and laid woodchip as a weed suppressant and mulch. My plot neighbour was planting strawberries and gave me some - I gave him some of my pink garlic.
Over the last few weeks I went swimming almost every other day and completed 50 lengths on some visits. We are lucky to have an olympic size pool in our town, heated and, best of all, empty! only 3 people in there on average - no doubt it will be busier in the New Year with new memberships and the resolutions/good intentions of many!
Currently watching a really good thriller,: The Beast in Me on Netflix and just about to start reading a new library book.
I was gifted this book from one of my brothers - the gardener - its called Teaming with Microbes and is all about decomposing matter and generating micro-organisms to create the best organic soil. I will continue to manage my plot the organic way, I have never needed pesticides on my plot, companion planting and coffee filter waste for slugs has been helpful. Most unwanted pests get eaten by something bigger eventually and it all works out.
Im writing this post on New Years Eve. wishing everyone who I blog with a happy. Healthy New Year 2026.
I decided not to make New Year resolutions other than to value every minute of life on this planet and not waste any opportunities for magic moments!
With 3 friends from the allotment group. I went to a candlelit carol service at St Mary's, Church, Horne, a small village near me. The church has been on this site since around the 12th century when there was a wooden structure. It is a beautiful place and it felt spiritual and special. I posted pictures here of their Armistice Day presentation recently. The choir was excellent. Their conductor was a mum from my sons school days who always played piano at school concerts. Her daughter from my sons class was in the choir, I felt old remembering those days but also connected to this little community!
I don't see myself as any particular faith these days, Ive settled for 'being spiritual' (a backsliding church member whilst my sons grew up and prior to that a pagan upbringing makes it complicated). So when I go to church I don't focus too much on the detail of the service these days, but more on what I feel. The church had a lovely spiritual atmosphere.
At the allotments we had a social and I made a large wreath to help with festive decorations. We had mince pies, I brought marzipan/walnut stuffed dates but was the only one to eat them!! I also brought my scrumped blackberry gin but everyone was supping mulled wine, so I have saved it for New Year celebrations.
My plot has a handful of leaks, parsnips and carrots, not sufficient for a big spread but will be great for soup.
I made a wreath for my own door and one for my youngest son and took it over to his house yesterday. The roads are quiet and the woods feel as though waiting for something, heaving with holly berries, usually a sign of a hard Winter ahead.
I will put a link to my holiday blog soon as we have just got back from 10 nights in Mauritius, I haven't loaded the photographs up yet.
Yesterday I made the spare beds up for my sons who will be staying over Christmas. I thought it would be fun to do little trees and festive duvets!
After a long swim at the local gym Hubby took me to our local.pub. We have been looking forward to a trip to
the Jack Fairman, a Weatherpoons pub in our town, which reopened this week following refurbishment. The carpet pattern echoes the original detail of art deco tiling and windows in the upper part of the building. Jack Fairman was a racing driver from this town.
I hope wherever you are you will be with family and friends, safe and enjoying this special time of year. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a peaceful happy New Year. Thank you for following my blog!!
Recently I had a wonderful art day with my son's girlfriend. She suggested we start by both creating a painting, setting a 5 minute timer, then swapping paintings, adding something to the one in front of you, 5 minute timer, then swap again. We carried on for some time until the paper was filled - right down to the wallpaper in the little cottage and the clouds on the salt lake forest cottage - see how this sparks the imagination?!! who knew you could have a salt lake by a forest...
We also played around with sewing and I made a little blackbird.
My dried wreath is now finished. The hydrangea ran out, but a good friend cut some heads from her garden for me to finish the job.
Mollie found it resting on the bed and thought it was the perfect spot for a nap!..
I will add some greenery at Christmas time.
Here's a brief video of my windswept soggy allotment. My Autumn raspberry canes arrived by post, but in poor condition - they weren't kidding when they said 'dry root' as they were bone dry, were in transit with no moisture for 5 days, but I am hopeful they will recover and sprout green in the Spring.
With UK temperatures plummeting and the first frosts arriving I have only been swimming once a week but have been on my rowing machine at home daily. We have had walks out in the woods around here and I have had day trips to Brighton several times.
This is my favourite shop to browse lately, they have an amazing hothouse display worthy of Kew Gardens!
I liked the map window art here
Gunns flower shop is in The Lanes
This week it's hubby's birthday and official retirement. Time to start planning some adventures!
We took a 4 1/2 mile circular walk with friends from the allotments today. The weather is unusual for November in the UK with temperatures reaching as warm as 58f in sunny Surrey. Heavy rain yesterday meant the ground was very muddy.
We started at Outwood Windmill, which is just up the road from our home.
Past this pretty little house is the entrance to the woods.
The pathways were covered in beautiful golden leaves and the ditch alongside was running fresh rainwater, the sound of the running water made it magical.
The fields were full of grazing sheep.
It was Armistice Day today. As we approached the village of Horne, we saw people coming from the church. We had missed the service but were invited in to see the beautiful display of crocheted poppies above the aisle and a photo display of the local men who had lost their lives in the first World War... one soldier was called Christmas Day! He died with his brother in battle.
Outside, amongst the gravestones. there were ceramic poppies over the name of each soldier who gave his life, it made quite an impact.
We noticed the poppies held rainwater.
Our circular walk took us back to The Bell at Outwood for lunch. I had potato and leak soup, hubby had sausages.
Surprising to see so many flowers mixed in with Autumn colours.
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