MISTS AND MELLOW FRUITFULNESS!

Judging by this morning's walk, 'the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness', is here!  Jenny and Belinda and I walked to West Shepton and ended up in Bowlish, before heading up the High Street and back home through Collett Park.

It was inspiring to chat, catch up and talk about where our lives are at the moment and what we want for the future...  

We saw plenty of flowers around Shepton and in people's front gardens, as well as blackberries and loads of red berries...

Collett Park and the allotments still have plenty of colour and interest as can be seen above.  Town Street (the pedestrian walkway joining the High Street is getting more and more interesting with new interior and vintage shops.  If you are wondering what I am looking at in the picture above - some scaffolding is being put up for a building to have a facelift.  All good news for the High Street...

STRUGGLING TO ADAPT TO MY SLR CAMERA!

This is actually a report on yesterday's walk, as I had problems with my Nikon dslr camera.  There was nothing wrong with the camera, it was the operator!  I had been using a compact digital camera for so long, that I had forgotten that you have a proper view finder with this camera, not just a live screen.  I am surprised I managed any photographs, as I was just pointing and clicking!

When I got home, I had to look out the manual and idiots guide so that I can begin to operate it properly again!  Hopefully, future photographs will be better, although I do find the camera much bigger, heavier and more complicated to use.  It does hamper the walking, so I reckon I shall be back to a compact one soon...

It was a damp, grey morning with a lot of wind, but surprisingly warm.  There weren't many leaves left on the trees and it was muddy underfoot.  We walked to West Shepton and had a look at the Skate Park, complete with skate graffiti - see above right.  It is a great facility for the local skate boarders, which keeps them off the streets!

We were also interested to see the progress of some new industrial units that are being built - see above top left, and wondered what sort of businesses they would attract...

YELLOW FLOWERS BRIGHTEN MY DAY!

Today the morning was murky but mild, with the gloom punctuated with flashes of colour, from the Spring flowers.  This time of year, it is the yellow flowers, which really give a show and stand out.  It is no wonder that the official flower of March is the daffodil!

I started my walk by going to Collett Park, photogenic whatever the weather, (see above), and then walked to West Shepton, took a diversion along a muddy bridle path, before heading home...

Unfortunately, I was walking on my own again, so I had the walk but not the talk! The other day on the television, I heard somebody say that he enjoys 'twalking' on 'twalks' with a group of like-minded people!  I have never heard it called that before! I must say, I walk further and enjoy the walks more, when I can chat to a friend...

FROM MOONLIGHT TO SUNLIGHT!

 My early morning walk today took me from a large full moon to the sun!  It was still dark enough when I started for the Christmas lights and decorations to show up...

It was dry, but muddy underfoot, especially along the bridleway and footpaths I was on.  I walked to West Shepton as the sun was beginning to rise, and the sky turned to many delicate shades of pink and purple that the camera did not pick up!

I have just read an article about barefoot walking, even during the Winter months! It is all about getting in touch with nature and connecting with it in a powerful, but simple way.  According to Lynne Allbutt, "When we put our feet in shoes, we block their ability to communicate with the earth."

It does sound inviting but I do think my feet would get too cold, muddy and painful for comfort.  There is, of course, barefoot shoes you can buy which can give a similar sensation, which I might investigate for the summer months... 

By the time I was nearly home, it was blue skies and sunshine.  The sun is magical this time of year as it is low in the sky creating long shadows and a yellow glow...  

BEWARE THE SUMMER DROP!

Lovely walking conditions again today.  Belinda accompanied me and we took a route on footpaths from West Shepton.  Paths that I have been on before are now overgrown, and have a shady feel - great when it is really hot!

I recently read of a warning to walkers when temperatures go above  89.6F (32C) - falling branches!  Apparently, this phenomena of them suddenly breaking off, without warning, is called the 'summer drop' and is associated with prolonged hot spells and sudden changes in weather.  It is not something I have experienced, but I will keep a lookout...

Although there is no agreed scientific explanation, it has been suggested by a technical officer of the Arboricultural Association that when there has been a dry spell and then a lot of rain, the increase of weight, by the sudden uptake of water into the canopy of the tree, adds weight to the limbs so that they break off...

GREY AND DAMP!

It was pouring down when I woke up, but luckily it had eased off by the time we started our walk.  We went to West Shepton to investigate what was happening with the Shepton Mallet Lido - an open air pool that I usually frequent every summer.  As you can see by the pics below, it was a sorry sight.  The pool itself was completely covered up with a white tarpaulin.  I doubt that there will be much summer left by the time the repairs are completed and it opens...

One thing we did notice today, besides the abundance of beautiful garden flowers, which provided brightness on an otherwise grey day, was that there were elderflowers out in bloom everywhere.  I had a sniff at its distinctive smell on this fabulous example - see top left photo.  I used to make elderflower cordial from the flowers, in the days before it was readily available in the shops.  However, now I can't bring myself to put in the vast amount of sugar you need to preserve it!

As we walked back through Collett Park, we could see what was left over from the festival which took place over the weekend - namely a marquee, stage and portable loos!  There were bags and bags of rubbish so someone had been very busy clearing up after the event.  Jenny told me that the Friday night pop concert was a bit of a disaster as the main act didn't play and people were demanding their money back! I expect it will be headline news in the local paper this week...

We took a detour to have a look at some second hand cars at a garage that we have both bought cars from in the past.  Jenny is in the stressful process of changing cars...

Last Friday morning, when we should have been walking, (cancelled because of some early appointments), I discovered that I have a garden guest, living under the shed!  It was a sizeable hedgehog, and by the way she was tugging at the covering on my chimera, I guessed she was looking for bedding, maybe to nest to have babies!  To save my cover being ripped to shreds, I found some suitable packaging material from my studio.  I left it nearby and it soon disappeared!  I wanted to give Griselda - yes, I have given her a name - some food, so I discovered that in the local pet supermarket there is a whole section devoted to hedgehog feed!  I will try and take a photo but she is nocturnal and rather camera shy...

FIRST DAY OF SUMMER!

Today, June 1st, is the meteorological start of summer, although you wouldn't believe it by the weather!  It was windy, grey and damp...

We didn't have long today, so it was a walk to West Shepton going the other way round!  We went past the football club which, I must admit, I have never seen before - don't think they figure in the football league!

May and June are such good months for lush, fresh greenery, blossom and flowers - both wild and cultivated...

I love roses and have just bought 5 David Austin roses to put in my front garden. They are all beautiful shades of pink and I am so looking forward to smelling them, as they are specially cultivated for their old fashioned rose fragrance.  I have some white ones in the back garden and when they are in bloom they always look and smell gorgeous...

I saw, on tv last week, David Austin meeting the Queen at the Chelsea Flower Show. They are both 90 this year and both still working!  In the early 50s, David Austin set out to develop a beautiful rose and he is still doing that today, only now it has developed into a world renowned rose breeding family business...

WILDFLOWER FRIDAY!

We set off under an overcast sky to West Shepton, as last year we had really admired the cow parsley, on one particular bridleway and wanted to see what it was like.  By the time we got there it was raining, but we weren't disappointed as besides the white billowing clouds of cow parsley, it was a day for spotting wild flowers - buttercups, dandelions, vetch, daises, lady's smock, red campion etc. As a child I used to press and name them, so I tend to be more familiar with them than flowers in the garden!

My skin felt great this morning and I felt quite buff, as yesterday I had a restful afternoon having a facial and pedicure at Skin and Tonic!  Jenny gave my skin quite an MOT, including eyelashes and brows trimmed and darkened.  The microblading on my eyebrows she did earlier in the year is still looking good!  And I now have some lovely red toes to peek out of summer sandals...

I would rather spend money on grooming - I went for hair highlights this afternoon - than expensive clothes.  After all, style and looking good is all about how you wear things - they can come from the charity shop!  If you feel your hair and make-up are the best they can be, it gives you confidence, which shows!  And clothes and make-up look so much better over a healthy and looked after face and body!

  
By the time we had finished our circular walk, the sun was shining and all the dog walkers looked happy!  Jenny made friends with a lonely and sad looking horse, which was quite an achievement as he wasn't that friendly, and she is a bit scared of horses...

MID-WEEK BLUES!

This morning, unlike Monday, was beautiful walking weather - still a slight chill but blue, blue skies and sunshine!  Now that cold wind has gone it is definitely growing weather - the trees are beginning to come to life with their new foliage.  And the birds were happy, judging by all the songs we heard, so we spent a lot of time looking up, trying to spot where they were coming from...

Vanessa Feltz on Radio 2 wakes me early on walking days.  A regular spot on a Wednesday is how to blow away the mid-week blues!  Today, 'whispering' Bob Harris, who is a fit seventy year old, gave his ideas.  Apart from music, he extolled the benefits of walking, wherever you are.  He lives in the countryside but after he has completed his radio show in London he walks 2 - 3 miles around the city streets, which he finds interesting and therapeutic.  He says a walk is a wonderful way to lift your spirits - it doesn't have to be very long or fast but just being in the fresh air does you good...

We totally agree!  Our walks don't always have to be a marathon trek - we find even our short ones beneficial.  However, our walk this morning turned out longer than we expected!  We walked on a bridle way to West Shepton, around the local hospital, and ended up in Bowlish before heading home...

    
We had some great sights today - some lovely flowers, mossy banks, leafy paths and interesting tree stumps.  Also wildlife -  squirrels and rabbits, and some domestic animals, including a friendly horse with foal and loads of cats...

Talking of sights - how about these two paint jobs!  We saw these two cars parked side by side.  I wonder if they belong to the same family...

My favourite pic of the day is this duck!  On our way home through the park, we marvelled at the way the sun was catching the plumage of the drakes - like a rich, iridescent velvet - gorgeous!

SPRINGLIKE MORNING!

It was the most amazing Spring morning!  We walked to West Shepton and both enjoyed what felt like the real thing - flowers, warm sun and the prospects of a perfect day...  But an hour later, after we got back, what appeared to be a harmless hazy mist turned into freezing fog!  What a turn around, so clearly we were out at the best time of the day!

Helen was looking forward to a day in the One Craft Gallery doing their Easter window and I was all geared up for another busy day in the salon...

I've had a whole three weeks now on a juice first thing in the morning, and I am really feeling the benefits.  Here is the combination I have been using:-

2 organic apples

2 inches ginger

4 large organic carrots 

1/2 Lemon

And every other morning I have been adding 2 handfuls of organic Spinach.

A juice I can strongly recommend...

GETTING LIGHTER!

Strangely light this morning!  Well, we are so used to it being dark, cold and wet... It helped that half an hour into our walk the sun shone....! We found ourselves on a new route in West Shepton - long, muddy lanes to explore.. We stopped several times today to listen and try to see the birds that were singing so loudly.  We tried to spot the wood pecker that was making muffled knocking noises from the inside of a fantastic old hollow tree.  No luck there!  We agreed that it felt a little different today, in fact I think I mentioned the 'S' word!  Yes, I actually said it was Spring-like, and then remembered it's only the second week in February!!  Bit presumptuous don't you think?...

DARK, DAMP AND DREARY!

It was dark, damp and dreary this morning.  The frost and ice has gone already.   That's what I love about the weather in this country - it keeps changing and always gives you something to talk about!  I would hate to live somewhere, cold or hot, where the weather was predictable and the same day after day... 

We moved on at quite a pace in the gentle rain.  Loads of bins were out ready for collection, but the one pictured above blended in better than most!

Our walk took us to Bowlish, past the infant school and then back through West Shepton.  Couldn't resist a quick detour into Aldi to see if there were any bargains! Bought some cheap tea towels for the material, not for drying dishes!  We always carry a bit of money - just in case...  Unfortunately, when we got out it really was pouring down, so by the time we made it home we were soaked!  I was glad I was wearing my waterproof trousers!  Jenny was not so prepared...

I have just been given some silver birch bark by one of members of the gallery, who is a wood turner.  It is incredibly thin and paper like with lovely markings.  I will be incorporating it into an artwork sometime soon...

HORSING AROUND!

We headed to West Shepton today, along the old Wells road.  A calm, mild morning but not along that road - a lot of traffic!  We were soon off up a muddy bridle way, where we met this lovely friendly horse who wasted no time trotting over to see us. Have to say I'm scared stiff of horses but this one was clearly very calm and friendly! A good round trip at a steady pace set us up for the day. My day was unexpectedly fully booked, so made sure I had time for my veggie juice and wholemeal toast and honey. Yes, still juicing...

Pedicures are one of the most popular treatments I do - very important for walkers! I have several foot clients a week, but never seem to get to do my own!  So, this evening I will spoil myself with a lemon balm soak and my luxury coconut foot scrub.  It is most important to care for your feet, a regular treatment has so many benefits, for example,  nail shape and length - important for comfort and looking good, especially if you want to paint your toenails!  Then there is the getting rid of hard callus skin and general foot health that can be 'kept an eye on'.  And finally, the finishing foot massage has endless benefits... 

I get asked a lot this time of the year about skin care in the autumn/winter months. I always advice a facial every six weeks. This ensures fresh, deep cleansed pores, enabling your products to access lower skin depth, to produce great results.  But I always tell people that the biggest beauty aid is WATER!!  Drink plenty of it - we all know we should...

Next week we are hoping to get Paula, the Holistic Therapist, out with us!  Her energy adds a different feel to proceedings and we always enjoy her company...