Over The Moon

The Supermoon is the closest full moon of the calendar year, when the moon appears largest in the sky.

Tonight it was visible over the UK and I ventured out into the darkness to get a quick shot.

Considering I couldn't really see what I was doing, I am pretty pleased with the image!

Love Birds

Some time ago I saw bird seed wedding favours on Etsy. They looked simple, but very effective. I thought I'd have a go at making some and created this Valentine garland for our feathered friends...

To make :

I added 2/3 cup of boiling water to two sachets of gelatine (9g each). I stirred until the gelatine had dissolved. I then added 2 cups of bird seed and mixed well, coating all of the seeds.

I packed the mixture evenly into my heart cookie cutters, finally placing a cut piece of drinking straw into each mould, to provide a hole for the twine.

After an hour or so in the freezer they had set and were ready to come out of the cookie cutters and thread with twine.

 
Happy Valentines!


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Cattle be the day

In the fields behind our home, Exmoor ponies Asprey, Ralph and Dixon have company...

One minute I was looking out at an empty field, the next there was a herd of Longhorn cattle!

At first they were a little camera shy ...

... but they soon learnt to strike a pose

There's plenty for them to munch on ...

And the trees didn't escape!

I guess we'll have to be extra careful where we tread from now on!

Proud to be British

Here in Britian we have a 4 day weekend, celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. It's something only to happen here once before, during Queen Victoria's reign. I will never see anything like it again in my lifetime, so I have tried to soak up as much as I can.

My favourite tea towel has a new lease of life

Yesterday, I attended a Commonwealth Celebration at a local Multi Faith Centre. What a day! So many people, from so many backgrounds, coming together to celebrate the Jubilee. I was working (covering the occasion for radio) and I have to say it was quite an enjoyable day's work. It made me proud of the multi-cultural West Midlands.

The weather has been typically British! Today it has not stopped raining.

Earlier we visited our local pub for a quick drink. We were welcomed with flags and bunting. A great atmosphere. Everyone was watching the TV coverage of the preparations in London (it was raining there too).

Once home, David and I settled down in front of the TV, fire on (in June!), to watch the Jubilee Pageant down the Thames. Umbrellas everywhere, but fair play, the crowds were jubilant. I sat watching with pride. I stood for the National Anthem.

If only I had bought those glasses from Asda, I could have worn them today!

One fine day...

The weather here in England has been far from what you'd expect from May. We have had so much rain the past two months, that the drought which was declared back in March has been cancelled!

However, today was a fine day and a chance to go out and explore what we have literally in our back yard... The Leasowes.

Our view ...

I forget sometimes how lucky we are, especially as we are only a few miles away from the City.

The Leasowes was owned and designed by William Shenstone, an English poet, back in the 18th Century. 

It houses many pools, cascades, a golf course and club house (Shenstone's former home) and this month, these 3 beautiful Exmoor Ponies ...

These are just a small amount of the photos I took - I got a little 'camera happy'!

We took a walk around the canal basin which neighbours the land ...

And we fed the life down at the pools

At the entrance to The Leasowes is a picnic and children's play area.

How great to see this little girl feeding a very friendly robin ...

As I type, I can see the park at dusk and I'm hopeful that England will see some more Summer soon!

Somewhere over the rainbow...

In the past 24 hours we have had drizzle, heavy rain, sunshine, cold blue skies and snow ... had to snap this view from our back window yesterday afternoon...

... Sadly, there was no pot of gold ...