Autumn slips in uninvited

I've just stumbled back in from a dog walk - we, Willow and I, definitely needed the air and now we have returned, she has fallen asleep at my feet and I am contemplating a brew - hmmm - yup, I agree with myself, I do need one.

Thank you everyone who commented so kindly on my last post, I won't go in to details how awful these last few days have been especially as it seems we have come through from the other side and I don't want to dwell on what has happened.

Has anyone else noticed the nip of autumn in the air? I know that trees have shed their leaves early this year due to water stress however, that metallic scent of decay that comes with the cooler weather seems to be swirling around first thing in the morning when I take Willow out for her first piddle before breakfast.

I am not ready for autumn. I never am.

I watch for the swifts and mourn when the skies have been left empty and then when the swifts go a few short weeks later - I can feel my heart crack. I have been scanning the sky today - nothing. They have left whilst I was sinking in the mire of moving house and truculent parents. 

It doesn't seem that long ago I was all nerves and white knuckles while I was learning to paddleboard with a dog who hated water (which as we all know turned out to be a fallacy and this woofing lunatic loves swimming after all!) 

Life

 Life has a funny (not so funny) way of turning things upside down. 

There are things you know will eventually happen but until they do - that day seems far away.... until it is not.

We have just helped my parents to move into sheltered accommodation - which is something they have been trying to get into for the last two years and now that it has happened - their lives, or rather their health has just evaporated. 

So - if I am a little quiet on here for a while - there is a reason. Or many reasons.

Shuttling aging parents to doctor appointments, hospitals and collecting scripts from the chemist. 

Dealing with the wound clinic, the memory clinic, the council.

Organising the council tax, change of address, getting the gas turned on, arranging for the tv aerial man to connect said aerial, meeting well meaning new neighbours and their very yappy dogs, dealing with the original rather unhelpful landlord, moving a greenhouse, emptying a shed - and so it goes on.

Helping those who used to be independent to get dressed.

Trying not to sigh or to snap when a simple question is answered and then asked again, then answered, then asked and answered, asked and answered ..... - all day......

The absolutely terrifying thing is - this sudden deterioration of their health and of themselves - has been so rapid that I feel like the wind has been taken out of my sails.

I'll be back, but not just for a little while.

Of sun and moon and rounders in the park

Yesterday was rather silly busy - and if I am honest - I was regretting getting involved. Well, I say involved, I had originally suggested then ended up organising a picnic and game of rounders as a birthday treat, then discovered that I had double booked myself and suddenly my parents needed help moving into their sheltered accommodation. I did not know where start!

However, it turned out to be such a laugh and to see folk who'd not played rounders since they had left school having such fun - it was certainly worth it. It was, I have to say - rather a scorcher of a day so we found the biggest tree we could and spread out our picnic feast on three blankets and then tucked in to some rather delicious food and birthday cake.

We chatted and caught up - this lovely group of folk were the volunteers I'd worked with at the walled garden and they, when I left, were made to feel 'surplus to requirements' so drifted away. I could not bear to see these lovely people feel cast off, so we now meet once monthly either to celebrate a birthday or just in a pub for a natter around a table. And they are genuinely a lovely group of people.

The rounders game was definitely a sedate affair - I did not want to be responsible for over heating any one and we stuck beneath they shady tree and fortunately Willow did most of the outlying fielding - she was marvellous at it. I also had to make sure I didn't over heat my dog too so she was doused in copious amounts of water and silly girl absolutely loved the attention.  What ever happened to the wee timorous beastie I brought home six months ago?

Then we hugged each other good bye at the end of our afternoon and Willow and I drove home with the air con on full - my hot and sweaty dog was definitely pleased about that! Shortly after we arrived home, Himself did too and within moments we had to eat, shower and dress up for .... Othello at East Riddlesden Hall done by the Lord Chamberlain's Men. What a performance!

The Shakespearean play was delayed by 15 minutes so that we could watch the eclipse and all the lads in the company came out in their costumes and watched through glasses or pin hole boxes like the rest of us.

The theatre group was excellent and there must have been over 600 folk sitting on the lawn watching them - and at a particularly poignant moment - a skein of geese flew overhead in the evening sky with their bellies lit up by the stage lighting and it was just.so.magical.

And in the late evening cool air, we left feeling that our souls had been refreshed - what a day indeed.

A teeny wee sun and moon shadow in my home make viewing thingy which worked far better than I had hoped!

During the play, Othello says ....

Methinks it should be now a huge eclipse
Of sun and moon, and that the affrighted globe
Should yawn at alteration.

How very approriate.

Swindale - remote, wild and beautiful

Last week we had a few days away - we keep having these mini escapes and they are rather addictive! The weather was a little damp at home (we 'joke' that we live near Mordor* as it is usually overcast and driech a lot of the time) and although we need the rain, the urge to get out drives us to pack the van and head off. We stopped at Glasson Dock for a walk and lunch before heading up to Swindale a remote valley in the eastern side of the Lake District.
 

And it is remote.

There are a couple of places to park both big enough for several cars so we tend to choose the quieter. This time we used the one further up the valley. We arrived late in the afternoon as folk were leaving and after we'd eaten we donned boots and took Willow for an evening wander. It does feel isolated and wild and forgotten. There are houses along the valley, a number we think are privately owned homes with a couple of working farms - we suspect they are tenanted farms from the water authority with the RSPB very actively involved.

We discovered a nature trail that we'd not known about and gave that a gentle try - it was getting dark and we (well - me) didn't want to get to far out on an unknown path and have to stumble back when the light was failing. So I ushered back a reluctant husband and dog to the main track and we headed back to the van for a hot brew and to pour over the maps to see more about the trail for the next day.

After breakfast we set off with flasks of tea, nibbles, dog biscuits and cameras and re-joined the new trail - which was a delight! (especially to a dog who discovered revolting things to roll in - I was SO cross!) The path followed the now 're-wiggled' Swindale beck which had been straightened 160 years prior and within six months of returning the beck to it's original state had filled with salmon and trout and natural gravel banks, eddies and deep sections have given space for nature to return. The wild flowers and insects were lovely to see and (despite a stinky dog) we loved heading up towards the head of the valley.

We met a few folk about - a woman checking on her Dalesbred ponies (which were beautiful), a group of RSPB blokes checking on the terrain and a couple of lovely older chaps who were just resting for an early lunch just before heading up for the tops. They were chatty and fully of joy for the area. They pointed out a waterfall we had spied and encouraged us to check it out - and so glad we did!

There were multiple pools and drops each the more lovely or dramatic and I was tempted to shed my boots, roll up my jeans and dangle my feet in - I made it as far as my toes - it was definitely chilly mountain water! However a small, stinky and sweaty dog threw herself in with glee and swam and paddled until she smelt sweet again! Happy dog (happy me!)

The falls were the furthest point of the trail so we crossed the footbridge and returned back down the valley on the other side. This was more treed - so cooler but also boggier, can see why it is used by the water authority as a collection point for water. A bit of skipping over mud and forging through shoulder height bracken was called for but it was still a delightful walk.

I want to go back and do it again.

The one small thing that irked me - something that still makes me tense up - I'll explain. 

A quick back story - Willow is afraid of men, not all, but something triggers a reaction. 

A voice, a stance, a smell, a look - something makes her react. We are working through it and with patience and time I think we will get it to a stage where she will be wary rather than reactive.  A couple a weeks ago I had an incident with a man who despite me asking him to step back and his wife telling him to do the same, invaded both my space and Willow's and she tried to both be protective of me, of her space and her need to hide really rattled me and obviously her.

On this lovely trail, we met a family of four, mum and dad and two teenagers. 

And their puppy Archie. The dad was in charge of the dog - let me rephrase that - dad was holding the lead and had absolutely no control. The pup leapt up at us, charged at Willow and as before despite me saying please keep your dog away - he just let his dog bounce on its hind legs trying to leap on to Willow, I retreated and (this is where I can feel my hackles rise)  he...followed.... being dragged by the pup.

It was his teenager daughter who stepped in and sharply spoke to the dad before he stopped, and like the previous man's wife - I made a point of thanking her - but this is where I feel my blood boil - why do they think they know better, why do they not listen when I ask them to give her/me space? 

It is not all men - but it is always men.

And to change the subject - here have a picture of our lunch in the van 🌞

* - Mordor is a reference to a place in Lord of the Rings - always covered by tempestuous clouds and grey skies

In which walking, gardening and friends feature

Yesterday was absolutely delightful.

We met up with some of our favourite people who we don't see nearly enough. We met at their new home and wow what a lovely house they have. Willow, who can be a little shy, very quickly settled and soon wandered around as if she owned the place!

We had lunch in their garden and were surrounded by butterflies, bumbles and could hear a frog croaking in the little water feature.  We all stopped mid mouthful to listen 😊they were delighted - they've been trying to encourage wild life into their space which had been a barren gravel only 'garden' when they took it over and now it is filled with perennials, climbers, pots and planters in the most delicious shades of blues, whites and lime greens.

We walked after lunch and although we do know the area, it was lovely being taken around and shown around 'their patch'. Willow decided that she definitely liked walking and playing ball here.

And I have to leave you with what must be my favourite photo at the moment, Moss and the lady who's garden I work in on a Tuesday. There is a ball down there 'somewhere' and they were discussing (as you do with a ball obsessed dog) how to retrieve it!

This week has been filled with things to do from our jobs list including getting solar panels up on the roof - we are trying to work towards a carbon zero home - not easy for an old house but we will do what we can, all the climate news is definitely scary and we need to act.

glimmers

 Three gentle moments during a rather unexpectedly cool and damp day.

That one moment my back is turned and a small finger sized yellow courgette suddenly becomes a huge baseball bat of a thing!  Fortunately the yellow variety stay tender and sweet even when rudely oversized and almost marrow like!

The ballcock from zinc water tank - discovered by a dog who insisted on carrying it around with a silly look on her face - precious.

And a sigh of relief as I hear the water barrels filling up.

What little things have made you smile today - go on share, let's spread the gentle joy of glimmers.

'och aye the noo'

 A Scottish mini holiday - yes please!

What a lovely few days we have just had. We went up in our van, staying with my brother and SiL, where we parked up on their drive and used the van as our accommodation. They have a traditional one bedroomed Scottish farm cottage so being able to use our van makes so much sense.

It was also the first time Willow met her 'cousins'. Two boisterous Labradors, one yellow and the other fox red. There was definitely one or two argy-bargy-snarly moments as they sorted out the pecking order and our nearly 2 year old little shy rescue dog firmly put her self second with the 5 year old Lexi at the top and 2 1/2 year old Freya (the biggest) at the bottom. Who would have though it!

Once the pack formalities were sorted, the rest of the holiday was a mad dog filled few days as they ran wild in the fields, hurtled around the woodlands and swam in the lochs. Well, the Labradors certainly swam at every opportunity, Willow decided paddling was the way to go😄

We talked into the wee hours, ate far too well and celebrated a birthday with so much cake!

It was really good to go up and I was a little sad to leave but we are returning sometime soon which I am really looking forward to.

These little micro-adventures are definitely good for the soul (may be not the waist line though😄)

PS Willow definitely suffered a little PHD (Post Holiday Depression) and I have been told that the Labradors seemed to be looking for their little pesky Welsh cousin. 

O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?

 Just back from a day out working - I feel very dusty and rather weather beaten and desperately in need of a shower - well, I feel to need a mug of tea first and may be some lunch ..... hmmmmm decisions decisions decisions!

Thank you so much for your wonderful comments, it confirms that blogging is a far kinder and friendlier space in the tinterwebs. I'd sort of slipped over to IG coz of the whole 'vanlife' thing especially as our youngest son is about to set off for a stint in his converted landie. He and his partner are off to Spain meandering around, living off grid and exploring for the summer.  And since February, we'd been pretty feral in our own van travelling all around the north of the uk. IG seemed a good way to find out interesting things and to share lovely adventures however as I mentioned yesterday I was saddened how quickly I discovered the shallowness of the majority of IG users - not all - please don't get me wrong, I have found and met up with some lovely folk. But also IG itself seems to have programmed to pit the users against each other and have to fight hard to be seen - I do not have that level of neediness to constantly make content / videos / follow a 'hook' / play a trending track or follow a viral trend .... 

A couple of weeks ago we went to East Riddlesden Hall (Keighley) and watched an open air production by The Duke's Theatre Group. We loved it - not the first time we've spent a glorious summer's evening in a field full of people with picnics whilst bats fly over head and there is a stage full of thespians doing amazing things - this time it was Romeo and Juliet and it was really good. 'Romeo' had the best head of hair ever (and he knew it! He was cruising the audience leading up to the performance selling programmes and he tossed his heavy fringe like a Shetland pony tosses its mane!)

Leaving the performance at the end of the evening was rather a magical ending to a lovely production as the gardens were filled with twinkling lights -  we do enjoy these evenings, we take a small picnic of tea and biscuits or cake as we have already eaten by the time we get there and sipping a brew and chewing on a buttery shortbread whilst Romeo was breaking his heart over the fair Rosalind then falling instantly in love with Juliet, is rather good.

Silly question time ... Have you heard of / eaten American Breakfast Biscuits?

They are basically a type of scone but made with only three ingredients.  Tinned coconut, self raising flour and sugar. I tried them for the first time last night and although they are not quite scones they were tasty and a good vegan alternative.

So - one tin of coconut - mix the liquid and solids til it is a lovely creamy consistency, add two flat tablespoons of sugar, then sift in 325gms SRF, mix well. If a little wet, add flour until a gently soft dough, flatten slightly, use a scone cutter and bake at 220 for about 10 - 14 minutes. They rise to a soft 'bread roll' type shape and eaten warm with rapidly melting butter running down your fingers is rather yum indeed!

And a final picture of a happy dog from Saturday - we'd been for a lovely walk before heading home and she had thrown herself down with a happy huff and promptly had a power nap - silly girl.

“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”

By William Shakespeare

(from Romeo and Juliet, spoken by Juliet)

O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
Or if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.
‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy:
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague? It is nor hand nor foot
Nor arm nor face nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O be some other name.
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.

Talk about into the deep end ....

Yes, it does seem like I have been missing in action and I suppose to a certain extent that is true. I've not written anything here since the 1st May - is it really that long ago?

So, instead of trying to fill you in with EVERYTHING that has been happening, I'll just give a few snippets.

Hi - my name is kate although I also go by the alias hawthorn and yes I do choose to write them both with lower case initials. I also prefer to write in pencil and when I have to be all 'grown up' and use a pen and unless legally required - I refuse to write in black. (school related trauma here!)

I love taking photos.

Last week were were up in the lakes on paddleboards - Himself has been cogitating over the last couple of years about them and when I let slip I wanted to get out and get back to wild swimming (something I did for years until I came to the uk) he took that as the nudge HE needed and literally 48 hours later we had SUP boards and all the accoutrements required. Talk about being swept up in the moment.

The first couple of sessions - learning to paddle board in the rain and trying to teach a dog how to be a safe passenger without panicking all whilst trying to negotiate a swell on the sea .... were not the best and probably poorly judged.

But we have persisted. Although I still feel apprehensive as we cross the lakes with very deep dark water below me, the sense freedom it gives my headspace has been worth the angst leading up to each set off.

The turning point from fear and uncertainty to tentative joy was when quietly sitting on board, with the dog whilst surrounded by puffins, guillemots and razor bills at Flamborough Head. It felt I could reach out and touch the sky.

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures from that moment - I was still too on edge to stop concentrating on the board to wrestle my cell phone out of my buoyancy jacket - my hands would not let go of the paddle. 

Apart from my own gentle pride (relief ?) that I am finally getting less apprehensive, my delight is in how Willow has blossomed. When we first had her, she was very water-aversive - not even trotting through a puddle out on a walk. We had been carefully introducing water into all walks but not really having much success. Until now. Despite falling in several times, having to be hauled out of the sea, out of Coniston Water and Ullswater - she now leaps onto the boards, plays in the shallows, will actively choose to walk into a river for a drink or a wallow if she is hot. We are so pleased.

So - I am back. 

If you have read this far, thank you. I had been tinkering with instagram and it didn't  quite hit the mark, it seemed very 'I'll follow you if you follow me' only to be unfollowed almost immediately. Felt very shallow and self serving.

With that - I shall leave you with a sunset - we've seen some cracking ones this year - hope you have too xx

Zombies and swallows

 Waking early and stumbling out of the van dressed like a zombie dog mum is not one of my finest hours however, the fresh blue skies, the crisp air screaming down to the bottom of my lungs and the promise of a hot brew on my return, makes the first morning piddle walk for Willow (NOT me!) worth it....

Clasping said promised brew, now fully dressed and feeling a little more human having fed Willow who inhaled her food with one undignified dog-slurp, I'm savouring the scent of toast being made.

The breakfast view is amazing. It might not be to everyone's taste, but to us - the marshes rolling gently down to the estuarine tidal reaches of the Lune with the historically interesting village of Sunderland Point perched on a small spit of land just across the waters - is enough to fill our hearts. 

The vastness of the skies and the drifting of whispy clouds fills my eyes as I stare at birds flitting across my view. I am watching out for barn swallows - we'd heard a tantalising warbling trill and started to scan the skies. The males arrive first by a few days - they are identifiable by their longer tail feathers - then the females appear. 

Shelducks, ravens, wood pigeons, egrets, black headed gulls, martins, mallards and the much anticipated swallows fill the skies and marshes in front of us and we find it difficult to tear ourselves away for our walk... but pressed by Willow, we do.....

I want more gentle adventures like these.

With thanks to Himself for letting me use some of his photos - in particular the final one - which is an absolute corker and he is rightly proud of ❤️