Life and times in my particular environment

Ariadne always something going on near water, isn't that just so. I am happiest near water of any kind - ocean, river, loch or stream.

Or canal, Grannyknot. I really miss our holidays on our narrowboat. with the help of my flower and bird books I learned such a lot. I used to learn a new flower every time we went to the boat. One visit I was without the flower book and wanted to remember a flower to look up when we got home. 'That's easy ', I thought,' it's leaves are like an arrowhead'. When I looked in the book ,there it was - called ,would you believe, Arrowhead! The banks of the canals were as good as any herbaceous border, meadow sweet, puple loosestrife, willowherbs and ragwort. Still my garden's pretty marvelous too. Last night I saw a badger on the lawn.

I miss my boat as well. I really loved 'Psalm of Life' she was a Sadler 29 and we sailed over to the Channel Islands and France on her every year!
When my dh died, I couldn't manage her single handed, so, after I'd scattered his ashes from her off Berry Head, I sold her! That's 10years ago now, but, I still miss her. And him of course.

Galen (hug)

Wonderful

That was to J0
Galen what a sad post

Galen . Hunt that's the sort of thing I do (go around trying to identify plants) - of course I had to learn everything new about northern hemisphere flora and fauna when we moved to the UK in 2000. I still haven't mastered it all.

This morning we drove to the local market - the last few days the fields of sunflowers have bloomed - amazing how fast they grow and open when the sun comes out. Even fields that were so late growing due to the unseasonal rain a month or so ago have almost caught up.
Spent a frustrating twenty minutes actually walking through the market - only needed to go to the baker - and trying to get to our friends where I was due to meet DH - amazing how many people take large pushchairs and big dogs into the crowded market. One couple actually had a sort of trailer of the type you pull behind a sit on mower - they had a baby about nine months old lying in the bottom amongst the shopping.
I blame the travel writers of the Sunday papers showing photos of the place and saying what a really French experience it is ----

Garden full of large white butterflies and a few smaller ones. I've never seen so many at once. I've tried to make it bird/insect friendly, but!

Backwell Lake which is only about 200 yds from my house has a large number of wild birds .Some overwinter and some permanent residents.
With a grant from local council and lottery fund an improved footpath has been constructed which makes the lake more accessible to disability scooters and pushchairs.
This year has seen an unusually large number of baby birds - such a joy to watch them grow.I could sit there for hours.

Maniac - thumbs up emoticon! I can't think of many better ways to while away the hours.

Maniac that sounds a great place to be - DH would absolutely love it there.