ME, MY LIFE, MY GARDEN

Dona Nobis Pacem

2009-11-05T00:01:00.003Z

Two little boys, Archie & Max, entered my life this year. How wonderful it would be if I could be sure that they would grow up in a world filled with peace.

Ermmm...Merry Christmas, Happy New Year & probably a few Happy Birthdays!!

2009-02-15T12:16:00.022Z

Well doesn't time fly when you're enjoying yourself!....and I have been enjoying my time at Uni soooo much....and then when there was a holiday it was Christmas, New Year, essays to write, an exam to revise for.....then reading, and reading and reading! And to be honest if I am on the computer I just want to research, research & research!!! So apologies everyone for the belated Christmas, New Year & Birthday wishes.......and truth be told I may well miss Easter...so Happy Easter to you all too!

I don't know why I suddenly had the urge to do a blog post....I think it was a mixture of having an email from a special blogpal mixed in with the desire to take a few photos. I went for a walk by the river...first time this year!...and found myself composing a blog post in my head as I took a few photos...so here goes.....

CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR: rather scarce photowise....must have been enjoying myself too much.......Mandy, Chris, Nicole & Chris's mum Edith came for Christmas dinner......I really enjoyed cooking it and their company. The only photo I can find is this one of Manda bringing in the Christmas Pudding (alight).....I love the look on her face!

NEW YEAR'S EVE: we all went to Leanne's......had such fun and a great buffet! Melissa has a Wii and I really enjoyed trying to play the bells.....Leanne is hooked on it and I managed to get a sneaky video of her & her friend Kim playing (please excuse the odd profanity)... a bit of trepidation here as this is the first time I've tried loading a video direct via blogger!

UNIVERSITY: all going well...I've surprised myself by getting grades ranging from 2.1+'s to a couple of 1='s. I was convinced that I'd failed my exam and was so suprised that I'd passed! When I reread my essay I thought...'I didn't even know I knew all this!'..lol

We had a couple of lectures called off because Uni was closed due to the snow...so have been playing catch up. It's already reading week/half term although we don't seem to have been back long! I would be finishing an essay about Poe's The Tell-tale Heart if I wasn't writing this post. The financial situation is terrible as a 'single' student without any children at home. My grant doesn't even cover my rent and council tax (yes I do still have to pay council tax)...but SOMEHOW I intend to get through the next few years & get my degree...not sure how yet.

We've had snow both before Christmas.....

and after......though not as much as many parts of the UK.

(that video still hasn't loaded....wonder if it's supposed to take this long!....think I'll go and have a cuppa)

Time for that walk by the river now........................one small step for mankind, one muddy trainer for Ruth.......
The ducks are out to play.....and these 'ugly ducklings' are starting to turn into......
.....swans...............

and some people are 'messing about on the river'....

or enjoying the tranquility.......

Time to 'paws' and enjoy the view....

you can see that the meadows had flooded......
My pet hate....LITTER.......part of a shopping trolley in the river...

and look how close the rubbish bin is to this litter by the bench!!!...it would have only taken seconds to use the bin!
A remnant of Summer frisbee playing....................

a remnant of Winter snow....

I remember when Mick & I used to collect molehill soil to fill our tubs....sweet memories....Back home in the garden now.......the snowdrops are beginning to bloom...
and the Iris.....
the daffodils started blooming three weeks later than last year!...
Well I must leave you and get back to my essay....I mustn't let my studies SLIDE!...
Till next time....whenever that may be....Be Happy, Stay Healthy & Keep Smiling.

A ROUND BLOGGING LETTER

2008-12-23T08:52:00.003Z

It's traditional at this time of year to send a Round Robin Letter to friends and family you've not been in touch with for a while...so here's my Round Blogging letter...to let all my blog pals know that I'm thinking of them and wishing you all a truly Merry Christmas and the Happiest of New Years.

My studies are going really well and I really enjoy University.....I just hope I can continue there!!! I'm struggling financially to stay on..........we are lucky in England to have a Benefits system...but it seems ludicrous that I can stay at home doing nothing and receive money to live on plus get my rent and council tax paid...yet if I go to Uni all my student loan gets me is enough to pay my rent!...and Babergh District Council (unlike other student's councils) still expect me to pay full council tax!!!! But I mustn't complain..... I'm sure many have been hit by the recession that we are all going through.

So let's put that behind me ....'cos it's CHRISTMAS!!!!.....time to worry about that in the New Year.

So first of all a bit of 'own trumpet blowing'.....I was the only one to get a '1' for an assignment...Yahoo!!! Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks????

To be honest I'm quite boring at the moment....all I do is READ!!!!....everything I'm learning is so fascinating....I'm reading everything I can get my hands on!

I did have a brilliant trip to London to see the Capa photography exhibition and a a play about Thomas Hobbes at Wilton's Music Hall...you can FEEL the history in the theatre!!!

Typical!!!! it seems I can't upload any more photos...even though I've PAID my Google account....I sometimes think the 'God of Capitalism' is working against me.....and it's put a bit of a damper on this post as I had SOOOOOOO many photos I wanted to show you.

So no photos...no fancy Christmas Wish Glittery animations......................

All I can do is wish all of my blogpals a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS and the HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS.....

and to a special blogpal who is recovering from an operation....FORTE!!!!!!

Dona Nobis Pacem

2008-11-06T00:09:00.000Z

I know that today most of my fellow Blogblasters will be posting about the end of war and peace between countries across the globe.
I intend to leave that to them; I want to post about peace slightly nearer to home. Over the last few months I've seen so many of my friends arguing with their loved ones; husbands, children and friends.

Monday would have been Mick's and my Wedding Anniversary. We were one of those couples who seldom argued; maybe a small disagreement now and then; but we were both of the same mind....that in the great scheme of life...petty trifles were negligible.

I see my friends arguing over such silly things....I want to bash their heads together and remind them how lucky they are to be together...I want to tell them the sadness they would feel if they lost the person they were arguing with.

All over the world people are fighting and dying for peace for far nobler causes than...coming in half an hour late for dinner...having the one drink too many and falling asleep.....forgetting to buy the milk on the way home from work..etc etc etc!!!

My one small voice may not be able to stop the wars around the world...but if it will make you stop and think and prevent one petty squabble...who knows...maybe like a pebble dropped into a lake...the ripples of peace will spread.

SNOWED UNDER!

2008-10-04T09:07:00.018+01:00

Don't panic!!!.....no we've not had snow yet here in Great Cornard.......though we did have our first FROST last night. I admit at the moment I've relented and put the gas fire on for a while.....

Actually I'm snowed under with reading and writing up notes. I can't believe how much paperwork I've got in my folders and we've only just finished the second week! Admittedly despite the reading lists being VERY LONG we are not expected to read everything; though all class handouts are a must.....but it's all so interesting that I'm trying to lay my hands on anything I can. It's much too expensive to buy all the books suggested (even on ebay or Amazon etc) but quite a few I've managed to get from the Uni library or my local library in Sudbury. I'm make great use of e-resources too. I've discovered Google Books and some of the books I need to read have limited previews on there and my Google Library is slowly growing.

I may well have mentioned on a previous post that the three modules for this semester (up until Christmas) are

'An Introduction to Drama' (Sophocles' Antigone, The Glass Menagerie, Macbeth and The Dolls House)

'From Cradle to Grave'.......England 1560-1720...seeking to understand the "otherness" of the past

'An Introduction to Political Ideas'....Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Wollstonecraft, Utilitarianism, Marx, Lenin, Nietzsche, deBeauvoir and Fascism

ARE YOU STILL AWAKE!....HOPE I'M NOT BORING YOU ALL TOO MUCH!

I've my first essay to write too.....'Death in Antigone'

Nikiphoros Lytras, Antigone in front of dead Polynikes (1865)

Oil on canvas, 100 x 157 cm. National Gallery of Athens

Still not quite sure how I'm going to afford being at Uni for the next 3 years...no lodger or job yet!....but one bit of good news is I've managed to get a lift to and fro with another girl who lives in Sudbury. It does mean a bit of a walk to get to her house but paying my share of the petrol is about £8 cheaper a week than going by bus. Even better still it means I get home about an hour earlier than I would if I went by public transport.

Gosh...all this chat about Uni...I'm going to have to change the title of my blog to Me, My Life, University and My Garden (when I get the time to garden)! Actually the garden is still doing quite well despite a little neglect over the last couple of weeks. When I have set a day to one side to do gardening it's peed down with rain.....maybe the powers that be are giving me a sign that I should get back to those books!

Speaking of money....I found some fabulous bargains at our local Tescos...it seems they had over ordered their fruit and vegetables and were selling bags of carrots, potatoes, oranges...you name it they had it on offer.....all for between 5p and 10p a bag! I do hope that who ever did the ordering didn't get into too much trouble as they have certainly done me a favour...I'll definitely be having my '5 a day' for the next week or so.

Before I do return to my essay and books.....just time for a quick plug for this years Blogblast for peace..........................

Just click on the banner to learn more!

THE PRINCE & THE PAUPER!

2008-09-24T20:20:00.005+01:00

'Benefits should be conferred gradually;

and in that way they will taste better.'

~Niccolo Machiavelli~

How apt that statement seems........the 'powers that be' have ~~cocked up~~ had a technical hitch and not paid out the student loans. I don't intend to go on to much about it as, otherwise, I really enjoyed my first day at Uni. Let's just say there were a lot of long faces in the first seminar....and when we can all afford to go shopping I'm sure the food will 'taste better' as we will have waited so long to buy it!

I'm sure our lecturer never expected that one of Machiavelli's quotes would be used to complain about Student Loans not arriving!

As I hinted in my last post....I really know so little about politics, past or present...but the seminar was fascinating. We looked at some parts of 'The Prince' and had some lively discussion about the rights and wrongs of some of Machiavelli's ideas. As soon as I got home I couldn't wait to get on the computer and start 'googling' around to read more. I found some great sites and so many differing points of view.....exciting stuff! If Hobbes, Locke etc etc stimulate me as much I think I'm going to enjoy this module much more than I expected.

Tomorrow we have our first 'Introduction to the study of drama' and 'From Cradle to Grave' lectures. 'Greek Tragedy' and 'mortality in the 16th century'.....what a cheery couple of topics....LOL

I'm sorry this is only a short post but I want another quick look at 'Antigone' before I go to bed. I can't leave wihout posting a photo though.......so here's a photo of a Cinnabar Moth...for no other reason than it's the first time I've ever photographed one!

UPSIDE DOWN AND ALL OVER THE PLACE

2008-09-21T07:52:00.020+01:00

Well tomorrow's the big day...my first day at Uni! I do wish our first class/lecture/tutorial wasn't 'An Introduction to Political Ideas'. I'm not really au fait with Machiavelli, Locke, Hobbs etc. Still I bet I'll know a lot more by this time tomorrow. I must admit I'm a bit upside and all over the place at the moment...a mixture of excitement and nerves...a bit like the rainbow that was seen during the week.Not my photo.....and if you want to know more just click on the photo and follow the link.

I had a great evening on Friday...I invited a few friends round for a 'bring a bottle and plate of food' evening. It's something I and a few friends have been doing lately...a girlie evening when we have a few drinks, some food and play games. This week we played Articulate...so much fun and laughter.......

and (somehow) although I drank plenty of wine, finished off the evening with coffees liberally laced with brandy and didn't go to bed until 3.30am I managed to be wide awake with no hangover by 6.30am. I do enjoy evenings like this......we've played quite a range of games, Yahtzee, Uno and Jenga to name a few.

Weatherwise....suddenly Summer has appeared...we've had some glorious sunny days. Quite handy as I've been helping a friend (who rents out a house) to clear the garden up...the last tenants left it in such a state and it need a good tidy before she could show the house to potential tenants. It has a lovely open view across the fields.......what joy it would be to have this view from your bedroom window each morning......You may wonder what I'm doing blogging if the weather's so lovely....well as I still have Rob's (son) laptop I'm happily typing this in the garden....there I am on the bench...well I would be if I wasn't taking this photo.......Talking of photos....I snapped these two cars when I was out shopping.......
Oh this weather is lovely.........I could quite fancy a swim in the sea.......during the Summer Lynn took Manda & co and myself to Aldeburgh. I had a lovely time in the sea..... There's a fabulous sculpture on the beach......

and walking along the sea front I saw this sweet little house.........

As Lloyd Grossman would say.."I wonder who lives in a house like this?". I must say Aldeburgh also has the best fish and chips I've tasted for years!

Well that's enough blogging for now.......the fish need feeding..........

Gosh they were hungry....and I think I see a few roses that need dead heading......Till next time...............................

'Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate.

So practice happy thinking every day.

Cultivate the merry heart, develop the happiness habit,
and life will become a continual feast.'

~Norman Vincent Peale~

I'm in the undergrowth

2008-09-17T14:21:00.008+01:00

I'm really busy at the moment helping a friend who is letting out her house. The last tenant left it in a disgusting condition and the garden looks like a jungle......and I don't mean one of those elegant tropical gardens. So with machete, secateurs and loppers in hand I'm going to try and make it resemble a garden again. I shall return if some wild animal doesn't get me first....lol

Meanwhile....though being homeless is no laughing matter but I couldn't help giggling at this;

I was walking down the street when I was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless woman who asked me for a couple of pounds for dinner.

I took out my purse, got out ten pounds and asked, 'If I give you this money, will you buy wine with it instead of dinner?'

'No, I had to stop drinking years ago', the homeless woman told me.

'Will you use it to go shopping instead of buying food?' I asked.

'No, I don't waste time shopping,' the homeless woman said. 'I need to spend all my time trying to stay alive.'

'Will you spend this on a beauty salon instead of food?' I asked.

'Are you NUTS!' replied the homeless woman. I haven't had my hair done in 20 years!'

'Well, I said, 'I'm not going to give you the money. Instead, I'm going to take you out for dinner with my husband and me tonight.'

The homeless Woman was shocked. 'Won't your husband be furious with you for doing that? I know I'm dirty, and I probably smell pretty disgusting.'

I said, 'That's okay. It's important for him to see what a woman looks like after she has given up shopping, hair appointments, and wine.'

THE BLACK HOLE DIDN'T GET ME

2008-09-11T08:40:00.008+01:00

Well I haven't fallen into a black hole so I guess it's safe to do another post. I've now had my Uni Induction day and can't wait to get started. Trying to find a part-time job or a lodger. I'm lucky in as much as I get a grant while I'm going to Uni...(an explanation for those who don't know how it works here...I get a means tested grant which is really a loan that's repayable if I get a job when I've qualified and am earning over £15,000 a year). The grant I'm getting though doesn't cover my expenses. As a single mature student with no dependants I'm not entitled to any help with my rent so once I've paid that and my fares to Uni I'm left with £30 a week to pay all my utilities, books, clothes, food and drink. Well £30 will only just cover the water, gas and electric ...hence why I'm looking for a job which will fit around Uni and still allow me time to study, do assignments etc. No so easy at my age!

Is it another sign of being old that Summers used to be so much sunnier? We seem to have had so much rain this year. Admittedly I've not had to do so much watering but with the garden being North facing it needs more sun than it's had this year. The Cannas and Gingers were later than usual flowering....................

And I had quite a surprise when I started to clear out the shed. In the Spring I'd had a pot of indoor Hyacinth bulbs which I'd popped in the shed to die down so I could plant them out in the garden this Autumn. Well look at this!They've started to flower again! One plant that really thrived this year was my neighbours 'bxxxxx' Russian Vine. Yet again no matter how much I keep chopping it back it's still strangling anything it comes into contact with! GRRRRRRR!!!!!!!

Well Sophocles and his Three Theban Plays awaits me.........see you again soon.

Making Use Of My Photos!

2008-09-11T00:47:00.001+01:00

I must admit to save a few pennies I've been making cards for friends and relatives birthdays. Not those beautifully sculptured art & craft cards.....just simple ones using some of my photos. It's been fun to do.....especially if I have a good (or funny) photo of the recipient. A speech bubble here and there can result in a very personalised cards. In Phil's (grandson) case I found a photo of his favourite football player and with the aid of a speech bubble had him saying "Happy Birthday Phil". They seem to have gone down with family and friends well and have saved me a fortune. A decent card with a nice rhyme inside can cost upwards of £5.......

With...dare I mention it....Christmas looming on the horizon I've been wondering if I can use some of my photos in personalised gifts. Perhaps one of my flower photos as a Photo Canvas or maybe personalised Calenders. There must be lots of Photo Gifts that would make good Christmas presents. Even nicely framed Photo Prints of memorable occasions would be a lovely gift to receive.

Sadly I'm not clever enough to make anything like this AND make it look professional. Isn't this age of technology wonderful when companies like Photofun.com will do the work for you. Just load up your photos, put in your order and (for much less cost than a shop bought item) the gift arrives in the mail. The only difficulty is choosing which photos to use!

AND you get 100 free photos when you sign up!

GONE BUT (HOPEFULLY) NOT FORGOTTEN

2008-09-03T19:44:00.003+01:00

ohhh...errrr... haven't done this for a while. I guess it's like riding a bike...once you've learned you never forget. A bit wobbly to start though!!!

OOOPPPS!!!.......

Right then a quick catch up:
I passed all my assignments
I passed all my exams
I've enrolled for University (they have one at Bury St Edmunds ..an offshoot of UCS)
I'm going to do my BA Hons English & History
Still broke!!!....need a part time job or a lodger...any offers????
The (close) family are all doing well...love each and every one of them
I won't be blogging regularly and don't promise to visit you all
I am on Facebook now though; so add me as a friend if you are on there too (already found a few blogpals)
Still taking too many photos!
Still enjoying the garden
Borrowing Rob's (son's) pc while he tries to repair mine
Still smoking.......yes I know I shouldn't and can't really afford it but a girl's got to have ONE vice in her life
Have put on weight...doing netball traing and a few exercises to try and lose it......don't mention dieting.....I SAID 'DON'T MENTION DIETING!!!!'
Most of all.....still missing my soul mate.......................................................

Ermmmmm....can't think of anything else......................

Anyway won't bore you with loads of photos except these at the moment.....

The building where I'd be having my tutorials...

Nice gardens........

Trust me to notice that!!!!!!

Hope you're all well and wishing you health, wealth and happiness and leaving you with this thought...

"Wisdom doesn't automatically come with old age.

Nothing does except wrinkles.

It's true, some wines improve with age.

But only if the grapes were good in the first place."
~Abigail Van Buren~

Really hoping I'm a 'good grape'

2008-04-14T14:16:00.004+01:00

Hi Folks it's me again

As a way of explanation t0 those like Gledwood who suggest I use the computers at college to post my blog. As I depend on a lift from J to get to and fro from college I am unable to stay outside tutorial time to post as it would mean missing my lift home...plus any time I have to spare in a lunch hour I have to spend typing up assignments and doing research.

I will try to get my pc sorted out as soon as I can but at the moment I have no income at all while my (hopefully) benefits are being sorted. I have explained the situation to one of my tutors and she has said that she will do all that she can to enable me to finish the course. All assignments done and handed in now...just have to wait for the last three to be marked....then revision for exams in May!

This afternoon is our last IT tutorial and luckily I have finished all my work so our IT tutor has said I can have a play about on this computer to do whatever I wish.....so my chance to do this post.

Many thanks to all my dear friends who sent emails in memory of the Day Mick passed away...the family and I were deeply moved by all your kind thoughts. We carry on the best we can...always remembering the words of one wise blogger

FORTE!

2008-04-01T08:14:00.000+01:00

Hi Folks! I'm staying with Leanne and Co for a couple of days so taking advantage of her computer. Many thanks to all of you who have been concerned as to why I'm not posting and thanks to Mrs Nesbitt for posting in my comment box to explain that I am 'sans pc' at the moment. So far so good at college. No referrals so far...in fact between you and me I've had some really good comments on my work by my tutors. Three assignments to do over this Easter break so I've been scribbling away on paper, tearing my hair out and pacing the floor. Hopefully I can get the bulk of it typed up while I'm here. Exams in May and also a Project to do so keeping busy.

Unfortunately no photos as I didn't bring my camera to pc lead with me (sure there's a proper name for it but it escapes me at the moment). Suffice it to say that the garden is doing well considering that it was covered with snow at Easter!

There have been some emotional times; March 4th would have been Mick's 65th birthday and the 1st anniversary of his passing away is on April 6th but I won't dwell on that. I did try to sign on to Job Seekers as the bereavement benefit I've been existing on ends today. However, it transpires that although I am willing to work when I'm not at college this is not allowed. If I wish to go on Job Seekers I have to come off the course. To have come so far and then not be able to finish it seems ridiculous especially as the whole point of my going on the course was to put me in a better position to find work. What is even crazier is that if I do give up the course the DHSS could well put me on a course to help me get a job!!! Anyway things are a bit in abeyance at the moment ...fingers crossed I get something sorted out.

The gardens doing quite well considering that it was covered in snow at Easter. Wish I could show you some photos but you'll have to use your imagination. Various types of Daffodils have been in bloom, since January. Irises, tulips, anemone blanda, perennial candytuft etc etc. The Camellia is just starting to bloom and the buds on the Clematis Montana are swelling up nicely.

Once again many thanks for all your messages, unfortunately with no computer I've only just managed to pick them up.

Stay well my friends and keep smiling.

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2008-02-15T09:35:00.001Z

Taken Wednesday 13th 2008Taken the same day 2007

It's nice looking back at old photos sometimes......so many memories....I think in future I'll try and post a sky photo I took at approximately the same time last year as well as a current one if I find one in any of my old folders. Have a good weekend everyone...Leanne & co staying for a few days so having a chance to catch up with the family. Then it's back to College on Monday...how the week's flown!!!!!

If you're taking part in or want to know more about Sky Watch Friday pay a visit to Dot at Strolling Through Georgia

ABC WEDNESDAY - D

2008-02-13T17:39:00.001Z

I've been so good and despite the glorious Spring weather I've stayed in doing my assignments. I'd got to the stage that my mind was so full that I'd even forgotten which day it was. I'm taking a day off today as I'm going out with some of my college pals...which reminded me it is WEDNESDAY. I'd not planned anything for today's ABC post so have raced outside to see what I can photograph. There's not a single dog to be seen on the pavement (sidewalk for my American pals) so it's......

DIS FOR DAPHNE AND DAISY

If you're taking part in ABC Wednesday

don't forget to visit Mrs Nesbitt's Place and sign in

abc wednesday

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2008-02-08T16:21:00.000Z

RED SKY AT NIGHT................. MEANS A GARDENER'S DELIGHT.....EVEN IF IT BRINGS OUT THE MIDGES.......
BECAUSE IT BRINGS OUT THE IRISES TOO!!!!!

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

It's half-term here next week.......so last day at college for a while. The Sociology assignment I handed in at the beginning of January has finally been marked and I'm pleased to say I got a Pass. My History assignment is handed in now......over the half-term we have two assignments to do so I won't be completely leaving behind college work over the break. I'm still hoping to go to London and visit the Victoria and Albert on Wednesday and on Thursday Leanne & co are coming to stay for a few days ...doesn't leave many days to get those assignments done!!

Have a good weekend everyone.....

ABC WEDNESDAY - C

2008-02-06T19:41:00.000Z

C IS FOR CATERPILLAR, CRANES AND CROCUS

ABC Wednesday blogroll

abc wednesday
C IS ALSO FOR CANCER..............

It was Christmas 6 or 7 years ago when Mick and I along with Manda and co went to the Christmas Fayre in Sudbury. I'm a terror as far as Cuddly toys go and always head for the Cuddly toy tombola stall where I usually win a few prizes; for a Change I'd been unlucky and won nothing and Mick said "OK Babe, time for me to have a go. If I win then this one's especially for you". He picked put a ticket; the stall holders face went white " I don't believe it!" he said" just half an hour into the evening and you've won the first prize!". The Teddy Mick won for me is a prized possession.
As those of you who followed my Blog ' There are a million stories' know, Mick passed away exactly 10months ago after a long fight against brain Cancer.
That special Teddy still sits in my bedroom and he has a new friend....Edmund the Explorer....please visit Edmund's blog. He has a special mission to raise money for Darlington & District Hospice Movement St Teresa's Hospice ..... .

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2008-02-01T16:42:00.000Z

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

ABC WEDNESDAY - B

2008-01-30T11:37:00.000Z

A BOUNTIFUL BATCH OF B'S !!!!

ABC Wednesday blogroll

abc wednesday

B IS FOR BRUSSEL SPROUTS, BEGONIA AND BEEI always lift a couple of Begonia Sempiflorens each Autumn to overwinter........they are tucked away in the 'junk room' and left to their own devices....imagine my surprise when I found this one in flower

It makes me feel that Spring is coming............it won't be long before we see bees in the garden like this one I photographed last year.
B is also for BATTER......it's Shrove Tuesday next week...Pancake Day!!!....( for more info on Shrove Tuesday click on the photo below)...

Pancakes with Orange Sauce
Ingredients for the pancake mix

250g (9oz) soft plain flour

pinch of salt400ml (¾pt) milk3 eggs

sunflower oil or clarified butter

For the Orange Sauce

125g (4½oz) unsalted butter200g

(7oz) caster sugar

zest of half an orange

zest and juice of a small lemon150ml (¼pt)

orange liqueur (optional)

To make the pancakes

• Put the flour in a bowl and stir in the salt. Add the milk, whisk until smooth, then mix in the eggs.

• Strain the batter through a fine sieve and leave to rest for half an hour.• Pre-heat a non-stick frypan or pancake pan add a little oil or butter and roll around to coat the pan base. Pour off any excess.

• Using a ladle, pour the batter into the pan so that it just covers the base, being careful not to let the mixture go up the side of the pan.

• Cook until golden brown and flip with a spatula or palette knife - or simply toss it. Repeat until all the batter has been used.

To make the orange sauce

• Melt the butter in a saucepan.

• Stir in the sugar and citrus zest, mix well.

• Turn up the heat, add the citrus juice and cook for 5 minutes. Add the liqueur if desired.

To serve

Roll or fold the pancakes in halves or quarters and plate individually, or present on a serving dish. Pour the orange sauce over the pancakes.

B IS ALSO FOR AN EXCITING NEW BLOG AND ALSO FOR BEAR..........PLEASE PAY A VISIT TO EDMUND THE BEAR'S BLOG .......HE'S AN INTREPID EXPLORER FOR AN EXCELLENT CAUSE...........

SWEET FIFTEEN

2008-01-28T18:22:00.000Z

Since Christmas I've had nine family and friends birthdays....I don't post enough at the moment to catch up with them all.....but I love to publically celebrate the birthday of grandchildren....so...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICOLE...15 TODAY

I had to get the Superglue out at the weekend and glue myself to my chair...................The sky was so blue outside.................................and there was sunshine hitting the back fence..................but the Superglue held as I slaved over my History assignment..............

I've finally got my first draft done....just a case of typing it out, tweaking it endless times!, referencing and doing a Bibliography. THEN I can get started on my next Literature and Sociology assignments......groan.......................

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2008-01-24T10:05:00.001Z

Once again I've been trying to take photos just as it's getting dark...without using a flash or my hand shaking too much! Ermmmmmm.........could do much better...... though a bit Monetish I think...Come on Ruth...deep breath and hold it..................................ermm....interestingI think these are the best I'll manage..........maybe I should stick to day sky photography....

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

Still at least while I was upstairs in the spare bedroom I noticed the Aloe was in bloom.

Oh and you remember the rubbish in the alley that I mentioned last week...it's STILL there!Have a good weekend everyone..........it's head down in my books for me...

Memo to self........DO NOT GO IN THE GARDEN YOU'VE COURSEWORK TO DO!!!!

ABC WEDNESDAY - A

2008-01-23T15:45:00.000Z

A IS FOR APRICOTS AND ALMONDS

100g ready-to-eat apricots, chopped
175ml orange juice
100g soft butter
100g caster sugar
50g self-raising flour
2 eggs
1/2 (half) teaspoon vanilla extract
175g ground almonds
2 tbs slivered almonds

Preheat oven to fan 160C,180C conventional, gas 4 and line the base of a 20cm cake tin.
Put the apricots and orange juice in a pan and cook gently for 5 minutes then allow to cool.
Whisk the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla together until fluffy then fold in the ground almonds followed by the apricots and juice.
Tip into the tin, smooth and scatter with the slivered almonds.
Bake for 40 minutes or until firm, cool for 5 minutes then turn onto a wire rack to cool.
Dust with icing sugar

Lovely with fresh fruit and creme fraiche or creme.

This cake will freeze.

ABC Wednesday blogroll

abc wednesday

THE BEST OF INTENTIONS!

2008-01-20T12:12:00.000Z

SUNDAY...9A.M.

Right then...let's see... my History assignment is the first one due in. 'To what extent did the domestic ideology impact on the lives of Victorian men and women?' Ok I'll get all my books, handouts etc out and spend a few hours making a start on it. Then I must look through last week's Sociology handouts before our next tutorial tomorrow.

Think I'll make myself a coffee first......

The house seems quite warm today despite those grey skies outside...I'll have a walk down the garden while the kettle's boiling.......
Gosh that's mild for this time of year! It's really pleasant out here.......the pansies are looking cheery....
Oh and look......there are some patches of snowdrops dotted around the garden....

I love looking inside their nodding heads....look this one has wildlife in it...two bugs and a caterpillar.....can you see them?

I'm sure I heard a frog croaking...can't see one but can definitely hear it!

Ohhhhh it is nice out here.....maybe I'll sit on the bench and drink my coffee...THEN I'll get that assignment started......
Hmmmm..........I may just spend 5 minutes doing a bit of weeding........oh look this Grape Hyacinth (Muscari) is in flower....buds on the Daphne odorata too! I know it's a weed but the Celandine is so pretty.....and the perennial Candytuft is flowering too!

Well I never!......there are leaf buds starting to show on the hardy Fuchsia's..... and that cutting of Lady Boothby against the wall is in leaf!
Now is this a late Autumn Cyclamen or an early Spring one......
Would you believe it....a left over bedding Begonia in leaf and flower..........Like last year...Osteospernums and Narcissi in flower at the same time.... Still flowers on the Winter Jasmine..............Gosh there is quite a bit of weeding to do..... I may as well get my secateurs out and prune back some of the die-back on the roses.......I'll snip the old leaves off the Hellabores too as I see they are coming into bud.....I may cut back some of the ivy too.....it's kept growing all Winter..

Well I've completed filled the Brown Bin (garden waste)...good job they collect it this week! These garden bags are almost full too.....

3p.m.

I think I'd better call it a day now.......I'm feeling quite tired after all this fresh air.....feel a bit achy too.....think I'll have a nice long soak in the bath.... and I've not had lunch so may have an early dinner..........Plus I'm sure there was something I was meant to be doing today????

(take off outdoor shoes, wash hands, go into living room).........................

AGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!......I've not even started my assignment....everything's just as I left it!!!

and I've yet to read my Sociology handouts.........................oh dear......... well I must have that bath and cook some dinner....I'll get down to my studies after that.........

5.30p.m.

Ahhh...that feels better.......I've had a nice Radox bath, a nice dinner and even a glass of wine..........

I think I'd better read the Sociology handouts and make some notes on them before I start the History....................

6.30p.m.

Just glanced at the TV magazine....Antiques Roadshow starts at 7p.m., then the second episode of Lark Rise to Candleford and that's followed by the crime drama Messiah.....................I could really enjoy chilling out and watching some T.V........and it is a bit late in the day to start doing that assignment......my brain's never as alert in the evening......................I'll just do a quick blogpost about today and see how I feel then.................

7p.m.

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2008-01-17T13:08:00.000Z

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

A couple of photos of Thursday mornings fabulous sky...the 'shepherd's warning' was right as the rest of the day was dismal, wet and thoroughly miserable.

Good news...I got a pass for my last Literature assignment 'Compare and contrast the presentation of childhood in Elliot's Silas Marner and Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience'...YIPPEE!!!! (Still waiting for the return of my Sociology assignment but so far so good.) At least my Tutor didn't think it was a load of rubbish..................unlike this!!!!!

Yes the Phantom Rubbish Dumper has once more reared it's ugly head.........this lot has been in the alley for nearly 2 weeks now...what a mess!!! As some of you will know, the last year or so this kind of dumping had been a perpetual problem. I'd really hoped I'd seen the last of it!

It was the first of this terms Maths Club yesterday....it went really well. We've called ourselves the ADDERS.....I made up some special Adders club I.D. cards with a word square on them for each of the children.......and our logo is.....................The children have written numbers into each of the circles on their own snake......We also have our own song to sing on the way in and out of the classroom.......

WE’RE THE ADDERS
WE CAN ADD
1 + 1 IS 2…. WE SAID
2 + 2 IS 4…. WE’RE SURE
3 + 3 IS 6…. NOT MORE
4 + 4 IS 8…. WE SAY
5 + 5 IS 10…. OK

The numbers in the song will be changed every few weeks.......the only problem was is that we were singing with such gusto that the secretary wondered what all the noise was!!!! We had fun though and the 'horror' from last term wasn't quite as disruptive.

Well it's starting to get light here....time for me to get out of my night clothes and get ready for college.

ABC WEDNESDAY - Z

2008-01-16T18:50:00.000Z

Z IS FOR ZENITH

"the high point or climax of something"

so here is one photo from each of my ABC posts.................

Only 24 photos as this collage is the photo for Z and VW were only one picture.

Many thanks to Denise who inspired ABC Wednesday. Back to A next week.

abc wednesday

CATCH UP TIME

2008-01-12T12:05:00.000Z

Well I really should be doing some housework but I've had quite a few emails and comments asking if I'm back at college yet and, if so, how it is going...so here's an update.

I managed to get all my latest assignments handed in on time. The History has been marked and, thankfully, I passed it. Some of my fellow students had referrals which means they have to work on it further and then resubmit it. We've been warned that we have to "up our game" and that referrals will be more common now...fingers crossed that my Literature and Sociolgy are ok as we'll be starting our NEXT assingnments soon.

We are now into the GENDER module. This means in Sociology we are exploring Feminism and Masculinity. I never knew there were so many different kinds of Feminism and trying to distinguish one from another with all their different concepts is quite difficult. I don't think I'll be doing any of this though...

when I'm doing assignments I'm more likely to be doing this!

In History and Literature we are exploring the IDEALS of the gender during the 18th & 19th century. The Yellow Wallpaper and The Color Purple are the two books we will be covering in Literature.....I think there will be another Compare and Contrast essay for our next assignment! I did enjoy our History lesson this week...we were looking at the way gender was displayed in various 19th century paintings. Really interesting...so much so that during half term myself and my two fellow Sudbury students are hoping to spend a day at some Art Galleries in London.

The after school club I take starts again next Thursday. The aim is to get some of the less able children to Key Stage 2 Level without letting them realise that they are acturally learning Maths! I'll have more children in my group this year (including the VERY disruptive one from last year) so I'll be busy thinking up fun maths games for them to play. I've been over to the school this week to see what resources they have and I think for next week we will play Skittles.

Plenty of counting and adding and lots of fun!

I must admit I've been a bit of a 'fair weather' photographer lately. We've had so much rain and it's been far to dreary to go out walking....I've not walked by the river once this year yet! The only photos I've taken this last week are of indoor Hyacinths and indoor African Violets.

Over eating at Christmas, sitting down at college, sitting down studying and lack of exercise are doing terrible things to my waistline!

Oh well....back to the housework...that should burn up a few calories!

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2008-01-11T19:06:00.000Z

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

The problem with not posting daily and having been away from a computer for a while is that I can't remember what photos I've posted. These 3 are from December into January so I don't think I've already posted them.

A THURSDAY THOUGHT

2008-01-10T19:39:00.000Z

My dear blogpal Elsie (CLICK ON HER NAME TO VISIT HER BLOG)sent me this picture in a recent email and after the computer problems I've had/am having perfectly sums up how I've been feeling WITHOUT all the swear words...LOL

ABC WEDNESDAY - V TO Y

2008-01-09T17:36:00.000Z

abc wednesday

Oh dear I've no chance of catching up with ABC Wednesday.....can I cheat a bit...

V & W ARE FOR VOLKSWAGEN

X IS FOR an x-shaped mark used for indicating a vote, showing that something is incorrect, representing a kiss, or representing a signature by somebody who cannot write.......(AT LEAST THAT'S WHAT ENCARTA SAYS!)...so I'm going for a kiss.................OK that brings me up to date........the letter Y......hang on while I rush round the house with my camera...I must have something beginning with Y.......................

A CALENDAR OF THIS YEAR SHOWING

THE FOUR SEASONS OF THE YEAR!

btw...one of the children at the school I help out at made me this........

Now it's time to put my thinking cap on ready for next week's Z!!!

BELATED NEW YEAR GREETINGS

2008-01-05T11:44:00.000Z

First many thanks to all of you who have been leaving comments, sending emails and cards expressing good wishes and your concerns during my enforced non-computer weeks. I make no promises to catch up with all your blogs but will do my best to drop by now and again and do the odd post when I can. Many of the emotional, computer and financial issues from last year are overflowing into this year but things will improve given time I know....there are many in a worse position than I.

Christmas went well.....far better than I had expected. Steve, Lynn and Max (the dog) came for a weekend before Christmas.....we had a great time....they laden me with goodies!......sadly I didn't take many photos except this one of a contented Max...

Leanne and Co also spent a weekend here prior to Christmas. I also stayed a night with them when we went to see Mel singing in the choir at Colchester Castle......it was fabulous!!!

I went to Manda and Co's on Christmas Day and all was jolly and festive........plenty of food and wine! Chris's Mum was there too...... and Nicole enjoyed having her two Grandma's with her. We had so much fun playing with Nicole's new Wii.............great exercise too! We've also spent many fun hours playing Jenga....................it's addictiveThe lady in the pink stripes is my dear neighbour and friend Sue........she, Manda, Chris, Nicole and I have managed 34 moves without toppling the tower....our own personal record!!!

New Year's Eve I spent with my Father and Step-mother in Kent. My sister drove down from Scotland and picked me up......it's been a few years since my Father saw both his daughter's at the same time!...that's my younger sister in the top photos with our father.One thing I miss about living in Cornard is not being beside the sea.....................

I guess it's my alter-ego coming out in me.....

We've had no snow here....a few cold days but reasonably mild..........I've taken a few sky photos at home but nothing spectacular.......I was hoping I'd get a good sunrise in Kent but it was too cloudy. I've put away all the Christmas Decorations now...........the shelves look quite bear without all this....(the first photo in the collage is Mel dressed up in some of my spare tinsel)So with sweet memories of a Christmas past......................

it's time to move forward into 2008.................................the first daffodil is out in the garden...almost to the day that it was last year!Wishing health, weath and happiness to you all and peace to the World

"Opportunities, many times, are so small that we glimpse them not and yet they are often the seeds of great enterprises. Opportunities are also everywhere and so you must always let your hook be hanging. When you least expect it, a great fish will swim by."
~Og Mandino~

2007-12-17T13:42:00.000Z

HI EVERYBODY...IT'S SANTA HERE.........Ruth won't be near a computer until the New Year so she's asked me to drop by to wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS.

ABC WEDNESDAY - U

2007-12-12T17:00:00.000Z

abc wednesday

I'm really stuck on the letter 'U'. I don't have a UKELELE (ukulele), an ULTRAVOX album or a copy of ULYSSES . I've been wandering around the house hoping a 'U' will jump out on me....hang on......what do I see on these shelves.............................

U IS FOR UNICORN

If you'd like to learn more about Unicorns just click on my photo above.

Just a brief update on what's happening here in Suffolk for those of you who so kindly drop by to see if I've posted. I'm staying at Leanne's (Crowsfeet Anonymous) tonight as one of our Grandaughters is singing in the choir at Colchester castle....really looking forward to it but must make sure I have tissues at hand...hearing youngsters singing always brings a tear to my eye. It also means I've managed to post this as I'm using her computer! I've been working hard on my History and Literature Assignments in the Childhood Module....all handed in now. My Sociology survey I have to write up over the Christmas Holidays. We will be moving on to the Gender module next......I guess they'll be a few feminist issues raised over the next few weeks as we've only one man on the course!

I'm totally unprepared for Christmas which is unusual for me......I do have a few of my Cristmassy knick knacks scattered about though. It's going to be a difficult Christmas this year but I'm going to Manda & Co for Christmas dinner...it will be so strange not cooking it myself!!!!!

It will be some time before I'm back on the computer properly......but I'll try to get the rest of my ABC's posted each week. It'll take me a year I reckon to catch up with you all!!!!....till then

STAY WELL AND KEEP SMILING!!

ABC WEDNESDAY - T

2007-12-04T20:12:00.000Z

Posting from a friend's computer so hope this works.....

T IS FOR TINY

and here are some of the TINY plants in Wisley's Alpine House

TIS ALSO FOR TOADSTOOL

these were for sale at Wisley...aren't they fabulous!!!!

abc wednesday

T IS ALSO FOR THURSDAY

so while I'm on a computer here's my Thursday Thought for Tomorrow (tomorrow starts with T too!)

Four times a year we get a small free magazine called the CORNARD NEWS. The Winter edition arrived last week and when I saw one of the articles I thought what a perfect Thursday Thought it would be...............

A.A.A.D.D. - AGE ACTIVATED ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

This is how it manifests itself;

I decide to water my garden. As I turn on the hose I look over at my car and decide it needs washing.

As I start towards the garage I notice mail on the table that I'd collected from the letter box earlier. I decided to go through the mail before I wash the car.

I lay my car keys on the table, open the bills and put the junk mail in the recycling bin and notice that it is full. So I put all the bills back on the table and take out the rubbish first.

But then I think, since I'm going to be near the post box when I take the rubbish out I may as well write out the cheques for the bills and get them posted.

I take my cheque book off the table and notice there's only one cheque left. My new cheque book is in the desk drawer so I go over to my desl and find the can of Coke I'd been drinking earlier. I'm going to write out my cheques but first I need to move the can so I don't accidently knock it over. The Coke is getting warm so I decide to put it in the fridge.

As I head towards the kitchen with the Coke, a vase of flowers on the worktop catches my eye --they need water. I put the coke on the worktop and find my reading glasses that I'd been searching for the day before. I set the glasses back down and fill a container with water. I suddenly spot the TV remote control has been left on the kitchen table.

I realise that when we watch TV tonight I'll be looking for the remote control but won't be able to remember that it's on the kitchen table. So I decide to put it back by the TV where it belongs; but first I'll water the flowers. I pour some water in the vase but some spills on the floor...so I put the remote control back on the table while I wipe up the spill.

Then I head back down the hall trying to remember what I was planning to do.

At the end of the day:

the garden's not watered

the car isn't washed

the bill's aren't paid

here's a warm can of coke sitting on the worktop

the flowers don't have enough water

the bill's haven't been paid

the recycling bin is still full

I can't find my glasse

I can't find the remote contro

and I can't remember what I did with the car keys.

Then when I try to figure out why nothing got done today I'm really baffled because I know I was busy all day, and I'm really tired.

Don't laugh...if this isn't you yet, your day is coming.

GROWING OLD IS MANDATORY

GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL

LAUGHING AT YOURSELF IS THERAPEUTIC

Sorry I'm so out of touch with you all at the moment...normal service will be resumed A.S.A.P.

so one last 'T'......Tatty Bye for now!

ABC WEDNESDAY - S

2007-11-28T17:31:00.000Z

S IS FOR SUTTON HOO

Sutton Hoo is an estate in Suffolk that is the site of an early burial site. One of the most important archaeological finds was the remains of the ship burial of the Anglo-Saxon King Rædwald, who died in AD 624/5 along with one of the greatest treasure-hoards ever discovered which included the gold and regalia of a warrior-king and silver feasting equipment. A couple of months ago I was lucky enough to join some of the local school children when they visited the site as part of their Anglo-Saxon History lessons; I promised to post some photos on my 'S' post.

Sadly on the day of the trip the weather was pretty bleak.......................and there were many heavy downpours as we made our way to the burial ground. We passed Sutton Hoo House where Mrs Edith May Pretty J.P. who owned the estate used to live.She and her family had often wondered what the strange mounds were in the grounds.On the way we passed the grave of a warrior's horse.................it was quite common in those days for a dead warrior and his horse to be buried side by side.In 1937 Mrs Pretty sought advice from Ipswich Museum's curator, who in 1938 released Basil Brown to work for her. He opened three mounds in the first season. He found plundered cremation burials with goods in two of them. In the larger mound he found iron ship-rivets and a disturbed chamber burial with fragments of metal and glass artifacts. In 1965–1971 re-excavation took place to resolve certain problems posed by the first discovery. The ship impression was again exposed (this is a photo of a photo in the museum) A plaster cast taken, from which a fibre-glass shape was produced. The mound was afterwards restored to its pre-1939 appearance.

After a long wet walk .................we finally reached the mound in which the remains of the buried ship was found.........
Archaeologists have reconstructed how the burial at Sutton Hoo must have taken place. A long trench was dug atop a 100 ft. high cliff above the River Deben. The ship was dragged up from the river and set in the trench. In this photo you can see the river and part of the hill that the ship was dragged up.A hut was built in the centre of the ship, and there was placed a large coffin and the grave goods. The trench was then filled in and a large mound erected over the top.

On the way back and absolutely soaked...(the rain was torrential when we stood on top of the mound...no chance of taking photographs!)...we were shown the remains in one of the smaller burial areas. The actual bones had long gone but the impression they had left had been filled with plaster.

After a hasty lunch we went into the museum and saw a recreation of an Anglo-Saxon hut.

I loved the cooking utensils....just think how much jam I could make in a pan as big as this!We also saw this replica of the Sutton Hoo helm or 'battle mask'. The original (which had to be reconstructed from fragments) can be seen in the British Museum. Unfortunately with 29 children jostling to see my photos of the gold coins and the sword belt buckle came out rather blurred....My photo of the Anglo-Saxon alphabet is clearer........I guess the children weren't quite as interested in seeing this!!!!It was a really long day; the journey itself was over an hour each way and when you consider how wet and tired the children were...they were really well behaved. I think they and we adults were glad to go home rather than back to the classroom.

abc wednesday

S is also for

"Sayonara"

...not sure if that's the way to spell it but I think it means Farewell. Unfortunately I'll no longer be on the Computer for an indefinite period...apologies for all the posts I've not read yet, all the emails that will go unanswered and the Blogspals Birthdays etc I'm going to miss.....including ICARUS whose birthday is on Friday (there is a card in the post Icarus...hope it gets to you at some point). I do have some ABC posts still in draft which I'll try and post through a friends pc........admittedly they could turn up any day of the week...but I'd like to get to 'Z'.

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2007-11-23T11:34:00.000Z

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

We've had no snow yet here in Suffolk though I know some parts of Britain have. I'd love to take a photo of a snow laden sky on Christmas Day................

speaking of Christmas...AKELAMALU has a Christmas Carol Quiz on her blog.........if you fancy giving it a go click on her name.......if you get any right she is giving away this cool scroll for your blog.

For my blogpals who wondered what I meant by 'soldiers' yesterday..

Have a great weekend!

THURSDAY THOUGHTS

2007-11-22T11:32:00.000Z

"Teachers open the door, but you must enter by yourself."
~Chinese Proverb~

I'm doing a lot of thinking at the moment.........

In 'student mode' I'm thinking about the next Literature Assignment I have to do.."Compare and contrast the presentation of childhood in works by William Blake (Songs of Innocence and Experience) and George Eliot (Silas Marner)".

In 'teacher mode' I'm thinking..." I wonder how the Maths Afterschool Club will go this afternoon?"

In 'gardener mode' I'm thinking I really need to get into the garden and finish clearing away the frost-bitten plants.....
I'm also thinking...."how on earth have these roses still managed to bloom?

despite the cold temperatures...........................

at the same time as the Winter Jasmine's started flowering"...............In 'hungry mode' I'm thinking ...."I need to cut some soldiers to dip in my boiled egg!"

But most of all I'm thinking......................

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY AMERICAN BLOGPALS

ABC WEDNESDAY - R

2007-11-21T16:11:00.000Z

R is for REMEMBRANCE

Many of my regular visitors will remember my posts about the building of a garden in remembrance of one of the teacher's at our local primary school. Last week the garden was officially opened. I was so pleased to see blue skies as the crowds gathered.....and it was fitting that many ex pupils like one of my grandaughters, who owe much of their primary education to Mrs. Wimms, attended.....The local Mayor and members of Mrs. Wimm's family also came......Father Jamie dedicated the garden and the whole ceremony was very moving.....The garden is a Friendship Garden.......
Chidren who are feeling lonely can sit on this bench and other children will realise that they need someone to play with.........
I wish you could hear the children singing this........it was beautiful....
Inside the school were many photos of us all in the process of building and planting the garden...And then we all had a cuppa and cake!!!

ABC WEDNESDAY BLOGROLL

abc wednesday
If any fellow ABCers are not on my blogroll please let me know in my comment box

FOR AKELAMALU

2007-11-18T11:43:00.000Z

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our blogpal

AKELAMALU

It's a good job I've been baking today......blow out the candles and make a wish!

FROSTY FRIDAY SKY WATCH

2007-11-16T12:13:00.000Z

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

Looking at things from the sky (well from the upstairs windows)
What a change from the slide show I did during July ....

We've now had our hardest frost so far this season..... I guess Winter is on it's way after all!

A THURSDAY THOUGHT

2007-11-15T12:07:00.000Z

WHEN YOU PUT "THE" AND "IRS" TOGETHER, IT FORMS "THEIRS".

COINCIDENCE?

I BET MY AMERICAN BLOGPALS DON'T THINK SO!

*The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the United States federal government agency that collects taxes and enforces the internal revenue laws.

P.S. Quite excited as my Christmas Cactus has opened it's flower......the petals are like silk. Isn't Nature wonderful.........

BTW....if anyone wants the answers to yesterdays Quiz just click on the question mark below.

ABC WEDNESDAY - Q

2007-11-14T18:49:00.000Z

Q IS FOR QUIZ
Anagrams can be fun; sometimes they can even vaguely relate to the actual words. Here are a few for you to try (with a clue);
Example: WOMAN HITLER.............MOTHER-IN-LAW

ADRENAL GROAN (American President)

THAT GREAT CHARMER (English Prime minister)

I AM A WEAKISH SPELLER (English playwright)

ANGEL OF THE RECLINING (a famous nurse)

HERE COME DOTS (transmitting information)

OH SWEET DVD WINS NEW FANS HEARTS (children's fairytale)

OLD WEST ACTION (Hollywood actor)

ON ANY SCREEN (James Bond)

SEEN ALIVE? SORRY PAL (famous American singer)

A THIN MAN RAN, MAKES A LARGE STRIDE, LEFT PLANET, PINS FLAG ON MOON, ON TO MARS (famous quotation)

Apologies to anyone who did this quiz on my old Quiz Blog.

ABC WEDNESDAY BLOGROLL

abc wednesday
If any fellow ABCers are not on my blogroll please let me know in my comment box.

P.S. If you can please drop by the Wiggly Podcast and hear Mark The Green Fingered Photographer...a great listen!!!!!!

LEST WE FORGET

2007-11-11T11:04:00.000Z

They shall not grow old,

As those that are left grow old.

Age shall not weary them,

Nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun,

And in the morning,

We will remember them.

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2007-11-09T15:37:00.000Z

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

No I've not posted my photos upside down.......these were reflections of the sky in our local river.

The Environment Agency has warned of a "major" tidal surge - rising from a combination of gale force winds and a high tide - to hit the east coast of England. Severe flood warnings are in place along much of the Norfolk, Suffolk and Kent coasts and across the Anglian region. I understand many families in Norfolk have had to evacuate their homes as a precautionary measure. My thoughts are with them all.

I'm happy to say the Maths Afterschool Club passed with no bloodshed. I must say though that in all my years of being a child at school and having children and grandchildren I've never met such a misbehaved child as one of them in the group. Such a shame as it distracts the others who would be more willing to learn. I shall persevere though!

A THURSDAY THOUGHT?????

2007-11-08T14:11:00.000Z

My Thursday Thought this week is more of a question....

WHAT SEASON ARE WE IN?

The view from the bedroom window is Autumn....

But I took these photos in the garden at the weekend........Spring? Summer?

Another thought is that my Blogposts may have to be confined to ABC WEDNESDAY, A THURSDAY THOUGHT and SKY WATCH FRIDAY....all posts I can do in draft over the weekend and just added to if/when I have anything else interesting to say. The pace/workload has upped now we are out of the Key Concepts stage. Who would have thought that a few weeks ago the nearest I got to literature were my blogposts...now I'm doing various critical anlayses (is that the plural of analysis?)...or should it be analysi...like octopus and octopi? Also "Exploration of attitudes and arguements" essays, "Compare and contrast" essays, I need to re-read Silas Marner (this time not for pleasure but looking at the theme of childhood), look at a couple of fairytales to see how they underpin gender identity (and do the same for advertisements) plus conduct an interview with a parent (must be someone I don't know?) to make observations in a non-judgemental way on how they parent....plus whatever else comes our way in the future lessons leading up to Christmas. If you don't see my name in your comment box or I've not answered your email you know why!!!

BTW....loving every minute of it!!!!!!!!

Speaking of Christmas.....you may be interested in an lovely idea I saw at Mary's Writing Nook; She would like you to come up with an idea that will enable you to reach out to someone in need during this Christmas season. If you are already involved in some type of Christmas giving tradition, she would like to hear about that too. Just click on her name (in yellow) or the logo below and pay her a visit.

DONA NOBIS PACEM

2007-11-07T12:16:00.000Z

How wonderful that the letter for ABC Wednesday should be P as today is Blogblast for PEACE Day. .....

There's a name for war and killing there's a name for giving in when you know another answer, for me, the name is sin but there's still time to turn around and make all hatred cease and give another name to living and we could call it peace. And peace would be the road we walk each step along the way and peace would be the way we work and peace the way we play. And in all we see that's different and in all the things we know peace would be the way we look and peace the way we grow. There's a name for separation there's a name for first and last when it's all for us or nothing for me the name is past but there's still time to turn around and make all hatred cease and give a name to all the future and we could call it peace. And if peace is what we pray for and peace is what we give then peace will be the way we are and peace the way we live. Yes there still is the time to turn around and make all hatred cease and give another name to living and we can call it peace.

~Words by John Denver~

THE ONLY ANSWER TO WAR IS PEACE

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the World"
~Anne Frank~

BLOGBLAST FOR PEACE CLICK FOR MORE INFO

Dona Nobis Pacem

ABC WEDNESDAY BLOGROLL

abc wednesday
If any fellow ABCers are not on my blogroll please let me know in my comment box.

THANKS AND UPDATE

2007-11-05T20:44:00.000Z

Thanks for all the wonderful comments on my Special Memories post.....the weekend went better than I could have hoped for. Some tears but plenty of laughter. I have made an effort to visit some of you but I've a lot of reading to do and some homework so apologies to those I haven't visited yet. I've also got to make the decision whether to apply to do a BA (Hons) English and History which starts next year. Difficult when I haven't got through this course yet!! but I need to apply and sort out funding/grants etc well in advance which means lots of form filling...UGH! I need to get a place at Bury St Edmunds if I want to start next September as at least I can get a bus there without too much hassle.

I've volunteered to take an after school Maths club at our local primary school on Thursdays....the club was going to close down as they had no one to run it; I thought it a shame so offered to give it a try. I mean how difficult can it be to keep 6 children entertained Mathswise for 50 minutes?????.....I hope that's not a case of famous last words...only time will tell!!!!!

I hate posting my blog without a photo so quickly snapped the view out of my kitchen window before it got dark.......................

SPECIAL MEMORIES

2007-11-03T12:38:00.000Z

“The risk of love is loss,

and the price of loss is grief -

But the pain of grief

Is only a shadow

When compared with the pain

Of never risking love.”
~Hilary Stanton Zunin~

Today would have been our Wedding Anniversary.........I do try and keep fairly upbeat on this blog so I'll just say that this week has been a "blue" week.....nothing to do with the course (that's going fine)...it's just been one of those weeks when problems and memories have crowded in and it's taking me a while to "pick myself up and brush myself off". I won't be posting for a few days while I sort myself (and the garden) out, write up my course notes plus spend some time doing some much overdue blogvisiting. Tonight Leanne is coming over and we'll have a takeaway and a couple of drinks...hope you all have a good weekend yourselves.

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2007-11-02T14:06:00.000Z

Photos taken yesterday evening

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

If you're taking part in Sky Watch and you're not on my blogroll please let me know.

It seems strange to think that we are now into November.....I expect the Acer and Sorbus to start turning their beautiful Autumn colours.....

but I didn't expect still to picking fowers from the garden to put in a vase!

A THURSDAY THOUGHT

2007-11-01T14:00:00.000Z

WHAT IS A FREE GIFT?

AREN'T ALL GIFTS FREE?

I do have a few more Wisley photos but I'm saving some of them for the letter "T" for ABC Wednesday! Just to keep your appetitie wetted though here are a few reminders of what a fabulous place Wisley is..... .

Just to clear up any confusion it was not "I" who defended my thesis etc in yesterday's post but one of my blogpals "Moi" My course doesn't finish until the end of June next year.

ABC WEDNESDAY - O

2007-10-31T12:02:00.000Z

I've had terrible problems connecting t the Internet and my phone has gone haywire too....I think I'll be phoning BT this afternoon. Thank goodness this post was in draft or my O post would have been 0 (zero).

O IS FOR ONION

The common garden onion or Allium Cepa is, like garlic (another member of the Allium family), thought to lower high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. Of course peeling onions can make you cry. As onions are sliced, cells are broken, allowing the realease of sulphenic acids; these decompose into a gas which diffuses through the air and eventually reaches the eye, where it reacts with the water to form a diluted solution of sulfuric acid. This acid irritates the nerve endings in the eye, making them sting. Then the tear glands produce tears to dilute and flush it out.

I love pickled onions and usually make my own. There are many recipes and everyone has their favourites but this one seems to work for me.......

4lb Pickling onions (or shallots if you prefer them)

8oz salt

2 pints Pickling Malt Vinegar

Peel the onions and place in a large bowl (to make peeling easier soak them in warm water to soften the skin). Dissolve the salt in about 4 pints water and pour over the onions to completely cover them (a plate over the op helps to keep the onions under the surface) and leave for 24 hours. Drain and rinse under cold water and then pat dry. Pack into sterilised jars and cover with cold vinegar. Seal, label and store for 2-3 months (if you can wait that long!)

You can tailor the recipe by adding mustard seeds, black pepper corns or a couple of chillis. A clove of garlic or herbs like rosemary, bay and thyme will all give their unique flavour.

And of course if you remembered to collect the seed heads of your decorative garden Alliums

now's the time to spray them gold or silver to use for Christmas displays.

ABC WEDNESDAY BLOGROLL

abc wednesday
If any fellow ABCers are not on my blogroll please let me know in my comment box.

JUST ONE MORE THING

Whether you agree with it or not there could well be a knock on your door from trick-or-treaters. If you do have children or grandchildren who are going treat-or-treating please follow these guidelines.
Trick-Or-Treat Safety Tips

Make sure young children are accompanied by some responsible teenagers or adults when they go trick-or-treating from door to door.

Ask your kids to go trick-or-treating in known neighbourhoods.

Tell them to use pavements, cross only at the corners and strictly instruct them never to run between parked cars.

They should not go inside anyone’s home unless it’s someone known.

If they go out in the dark, give them a flashlight and ask them to stick to well-lit streets.

NEWSFLASH

Moi - Not by a long shot has successfully defended her thesis and next month will be graduating. Well Done Moi!!!!!

BACK TO SCHOOL AGAIN!

2007-10-29T08:52:00.000Z

I've on numerous occassions mentioned the crossover of seasons in the garden. I still have quite a few Summer flowers in my garden and only the other day posted a photo of an Azalea in bloom at Wisley. Well, even more astounding than that, as we walked through Wisley's rockery and pond area..........

what did we spy but this......YES a SNOWDROP in bloom in October!!!!
Incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trinity of Rooms Of My Heart has passed this lovely Friendship Badge on to all of her Blogfriends......
In turn I'd like to pass it on to all my regular blog pals......Yes that's YOU!

I've also had this Halloween Treat passed to me from Anne M of Under The Sea.

The award originated at Hootin' Annie's, and the idea of these awards is to pass them on to new, random visitors to your blog. As I don't do specific tagging on this blog...but if your a newbie blogpal then this one's for you. Of course if regulars would like to pass it on to their random visitors please do.

I'm back to college today....how quickly the half term went. I managed to get the rest of my assignments finished yesterday thank goodness! We will now be moving from the Key Concepts stage to Childhood.....looking at the subject from a sociological and historical viewpoint plus how childhood has been portrayed through the eyes of various authors in literature.

If you don't hear from me for a few days I may well be under a pile of books!!

I hope at some point to post the rest of my Wisley photos...not many left now!

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY - GO SLOW, QUICK PICK, SLOE

2007-10-28T15:07:00.000Z

green thumb sunday

Join

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday,

visit As the Garden Grows for more information

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY BLOGROLL

As a respite from all from Wisley photos, for Green Thumb Sunday some photos of our Sloe picking adventure on Friday........we've had a few frosts now as you can see from this poor Coleus (it's always best to pick Sloes AFTER they've been frosted)...

though the garden is holding up quite well...still a fair amount of colourand the Chrysanthemum is in full blooom now...Although the weather was prettty gloomy.....we couldn't laze around all day.................so we went out Sloe hunting....we found rose hips and Campion.....plenty of Fungi...... fallen trees to walk along.........Ahhh here are the Sloes...We picked 320 Sloes...we know that's exact as Melissa counted them all!!!!!...... Then it was all hands to deck when we got home to make the Sloe Gin....I'll give it a good shake everyday and just before Christmas Melissa will take some home to leave out for Santa on Christmas Eve..........

It's been such a funpacked half-term week that I'm glad the clocks went back for Daylight Saving last night....it gives me an extra hour to finish my assignments!!!!!

PHOTOHUNTERS - PINK

2007-10-27T12:19:00.000+01:00

How lucky I am that this weeks theme is PINK as it means I can carry on showing more photos from Wisley! First some of the beautiful pink Cyclamen from the Cyclamen Society.

Even this white one has the slightest blush of pink...I'd never realised before the range of patterns on the leaves

Back to the pinks though........I couldn't believe it when I saw this Spring flowering Azalea in bloom. It won't be a surprise to John G though....on Monday he posted a similar photo of his white Azalea in flower.

There were some beautiful Colchicums (Autumn Crocus) in bloom...these doubles took my breath away! They are not actually part of the Crocus family at all....I think they are related to Irises......they are often familiarly called Naked Ladies due to the fact that the leaves don't appear until Spring.

I'm not sure what the name of this Rose was but it smelled heavenly...I'll end with last Saturday's fabulous PINK sunset.....
photohunt click to see who else has joined the hunt

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2007-10-26T19:48:00.000+01:00

I hope you're not getting bored with my Wisley photos!

the beautiful blue sky over Wisley

and in keeping with today's Sky Watch theme a few more views which include some sky..

As Leanne & co are here I'm not getting much Blogvisiting done but I know you'll all understand. We were hoping the weather would be fine enough to go Sloe hunting...time to make some Sloe Gin in time for Christmas!........but at the moment is quite rainy and gloomy. Fingers crossed that some of the blue skies in these photo will rub off the cloudy skies outside.

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

If you're taking part in Sky Watch and you're not on my blogroll please let me know.

A THURSDAY THOUGHT

2007-10-25T18:43:00.000+01:00

"You don't stop laughing because you grow old.

You grow old because you stop laughing."

~Michael Pritchard~

and we certainly laughed at the name of this Dahlia on the trial grounds at Wisley...

(bet you wondered how I'd find an excuse to put more Wisley photos on my Thursday Thought post!)

This time of year it was mainly the Dahlias in flower...

these were a few of our favourites......we had a few more laughs watching the antics of the bees as they buzzed from flower to flower..There was a fine display of Pampas Grass being trialed.....
and lots of Chrysanthemums.....
Sadly my camera wouldn't zoom enough to get a very clear photo of this butterfly....
such a shame as it was a beautiful Peacock......

Believe it or not I've still a few photos of Wisley left for another day but I must get into the kitchen soon as Leanne & co will be arriving this morning...I'm sure they'll be hungry!!

p.s. I've had a few comments lately saying my blog is difficult to get into sometimes just a white page or only photos but no text shows. Anyone got any ideas why this should be???

Halloween Award

2007-10-25T00:14:00.000+01:00

The Ramblings of My Life,Friends,Activity,Tips,Money,Work and hobbies! .......(an interesting blog which lives up to its title) has passed this award on to me.

As you know I don't tag any more but this is such a cute award and with Halloween creeping closer please feel free to decorate your own blogs with it.

ABC WEDNESDAY - N

2007-10-24T15:30:00.000+01:00

I admit I'm stretching things a bit here as I wanted to continue with my Wisley tour.....if only it had been named Nisley! Undaunted though may I present......

N IS FOR NEW GLASSHOUSE

This was built in celebration of the RHS bicentenary. It is comprised of 4 zones; Dry Temperature Zone, Moist Temperature Zone, Tropical Zone and Root Zone. Everything is so lush in the Moist Temperate Zone; ferns and ground cover plants, shrubs, and a canopy of trees and tree ferns.
This beautiful Passion Flower draped down from the roof....
It was quite difficult to take photographs because of the misting units....

Many plants I'd grow as House Plants are so much bigger in here......I wonder if the first two in this collage are Alocasia.......I'm sure I've seen them on Libbys Blog as part of her tropical plant collection........

The Tropical Zone was so humid...over 70%......the Orchids were beautiful....and this area of Epiphytes was superb.....some of them flowering................
If my memory serves me well...this was a Papaya...not a fruit I'd be able to grow here in Suffolk..Here's an overhead of an indoor tropical pond area.......I loved the markings on this Waterlily....There was a wide range of Nerines..............and a wonderful array of Coleus................This Ginger Lily is the same as one of mine but in the glasshouse the scent was magnified a hundred times....and wouldn't this waterfall look fabulous in my garden!!!!
The Dry Temperate Zone astounded me...................probably No Rain would be familiar with many of these plants......I'm sure I recognise a few from her Water When Dry blog.....
I love this dark leaved Aoenium....I did have one like this but forgot to bring it in for the winter!!!!...Even with no flowers in sight the texture and colours make this a fabulous garden.... The Root Zone was really interesting.....but difficult to take photos....it was very educational though.

It would be great fun for children as there are lots of "push button" quizzes and films of roots growing explaining how they work. It all explained how roots can be damaged by building works,drought, water logging and pests.

As we left the Glasshouse we saw this spectacular Banana...at least that's what we thought it was until we saw the information label........

That's it from the Glasshouse......but plenty more to come from Wisley on further posts. Time for me to get the spare beds made up though as Leanne & co are coming tomorrow for a few days...and I've still got my Literature homework to do!!!!!

ABC WEDNESDAY BLOGROLL

abc wednesday
If any fellow ABCers are not on my blogroll please let me know in my comment box.

WONDERFUL WISLEY

2007-10-23T20:39:00.000+01:00

Before I begin my Wisley tour I must show you some of Steve & Lynn's garden.....Steve and his Dad built the deck from which you get a scenic view of part of the garden....down the steps you get to a paved area and then onto the curved path, lawn and borders...all landscaped and built by themselves....... This is only the first part of the garden...they have twice this beyond still to be done. It will be a long time consuming job and will be even more fabulous when it's finished.

Now on to Wisley..........

Isn't this wonderful....all made with apples!.....
We were so lucky as there was an Autumn Apple Festival on...........tasters not only of apples but of other goodies too.......we didn't need any lunch as we ~~gorged~~ politely nibbled at some of food on offer.............. I'd never tasted Sheep Milk Cheese before ...the High Weald Dairy Stall was filled with a marvellous array of wonderful tasting cheese. We were very good and didn't wash it down with any of the fine beers on offer from here......though we did imbibe in a drop of non-alcoholic Ginger Wine!

Wisley covers 240 acres and has the most wonderful expanses of water...from lakes to ponds and rock gardens with flowing waterfalls.....

The weather was wonderful...blue sunny skies and so warm! Who would have thought there had been a frost the previous night. I particularly loved this water feature..............

and this graceful lady dipping her toes in the pond.......Isn't this statue of a Bear catching a fish delightful....too big for my garden though!

The whole place is just full of pathways to explore and the vast array of benches to sit on was welcome. This one really caught my eye......as did the Butterfly Lover's Pavilion..... with it's beautiful Butterfly carvings.............. This brings me on nicely to the Bonsai Garden........

I'm sure some of these are deservedly worth a fortune.That's all from Wisley for today.........Yes I know we went that way next Lynn...I'll show my blogpals that tomorrow!!!!

For now I must show you how my carpet laying went yeterday........this was the tatty old oil stained carpet......Manda and co had cleared all the furniture etc out for me.....And I'm pleased to report that Manda and I managed to do a fair amatuer job of laying the carpet......I still need to get some thresholdsbut I reckon it looks pretty good! It smells good too as my Brugmansia which I brought indoors has finally flowered!!!!!

Many thanks to all of you who sent, via my comment box and emails, good wishes for my trip. More of Wisley tomorrow........................

I'M HOME!!!!

2007-10-22T18:53:00.000+01:00

Home safe and sound from a fabulous weekend visiting Steve and Lynn.....

and Max......

I took so many photos and need to sort them in some kind of order and will do a few posts over the next few days to catch up with all that we did. Here's a taster though....

Oops...wrong sort of taster...that was one of the fabulous meals I had (Thanks Lynn!)....I forgot to take a photo of Steve's magnificent chilli...all made from scratch...11 different spices AND chocolate in it...I had TWO helpings! Here's a photo of the man at work......The tasters I really meant to show you were these from Wisley.......

Must dash for now though as I've a carpet to lay in the hall; I happened to mention the other day at college that I really needed to do something about the hall carpet as it got ruined wheeling Mick's wheelchair and hoist to and fro. Well how lucky am I???...one of the girls had a leftover piece....BRAND NEW...and popped it round for me before I left on Friday. Manda, Chris and Nicole (bless them) moved everything out of hall while I was away and now Manda and I are going to lay it.

To be continued............................

SKY WATCH FRIDAY

2007-10-19T18:44:00.000+01:00

Dot of Strolling through Georgia has come up with a lovely idea..........

I love taking photos of the sky (some I print out and use decorate my walls) and so am happy to add one of my photos to this theme day...................

SKY WATCH BLOGROLL

I'm off for a few days now.....the house sitters are on watch and fully alert....I've just time for a "CHANGES" photo...(view of the garden from the same place once a month)Have a great weekend everyone........see you next week!

A THURSDAY THOUGHT

2007-10-18T11:48:00.000+01:00

IF SOMETHING "GOES WITHOUT SAYING"

WHY DO PEOPLE SAY IT?

I'm on quite a high today as my first Literature and History Assignments were returned yesterday and I saw the glorious PASS rather than "referral"; I'm really pleased with the comments the tutors made with smatterings of "excellent", "flair", "intelligence" and "clear articulation"...YIPPEE! I know that what we've done so far is only the Key Concept stage and things will become far more difficult but I feel like I've jumped the first hurdle safely. Maybe those nightmares that I get thrown off the course will stop now! We do have Literature and Sociology homework over the half term but I'm giving myself a few days off before I tackle it. This weekend I will be away from home for the first time in two and a half years.....I shall be visiting Lynn and Steve (not forgetting Max the dog). It will be an emotional time for all of us...the first visit ever without Mick.. but Lynn (bless her) is making sure it's something special and has arranged for a visit to Wisley. This is one of the dreams that Mick and I had and I'll be doing it for both of us now.

ABC WEDNESDAY - M

2007-10-17T11:07:00.000+01:00

I was absolutely shattered and drenched to the bone when I got home from the school trip yesterday; a hot bath, hot meal, rested my eyes for (supposedly) 5 minutes and fell fast asleep so it wasn't until this morning I realised I hadn't written an ABC post ...oops......(or visited the 160 posts that I've still not read that you've all written)...oops oops and more oops!........ so a few photos from yesterday's trip to Sutton Hoo is the best I can do...wish I could have done a Montage instead of a collage

M IS FOR MURKY WEATHER, MASKS, MOUNDS, MUSHROOMS AND *MRS.PRETTY'S HOUSE

and some Anglo-Saxon letters......there's an M here too!
*Mrs Pretty was the lady who arranged for the excavation work to be done. I will try and do a more detailed post at a later date...maybe for the letter S for Sutton Hoo!

ABC WEDNESDAY BLOGROLL

abc wednesday
If any fellow ABCers are not on my blogroll please let me know in my comment box.

Must dash now....History and Literature today then we break up for half term!!!! I've an exciting weekend lined up......!!!!!!!

I WANDERED LONELY... SPOUTING POETRY

2007-10-16T10:37:00.000+01:00

Last week in our Key Concepts part of our Literature lessons we moved on to poetry. I've always enjoyed reading poetry but we've been told we must read it out loud to really get the benefit of the rhythm......I must admit I have got quite carried away with this but must remember to keep my windows closed (or speak quieter) as yesterday evening I realised I could hear giggling outside....a crowd (two) of school children were listening....I wonder if they realised the sexual significance of this......

"she being Brand" -new by E E Cummings~

As for RHYMES...I thought a rhyme was a rhyme....it seems it's not as simple as this. There are male and female single rhymes, triple rhymes, incomplete rhymes, half rhymes and internal rhymes.....

I'll make sure the windows are closed tonight while I continue my wandering.......this lonely cloud looks a bit like a headless buxom beauty to me...what does it look like to you?

I'll be doing some wandering of a different kind today as I'm going to Sutton Hoo with the local primary school as a helper. The weather forecast isn't too good....no blue skies like in the photo above....I'm taking my camera and hope that I can take some photos without getting my camera wet. We are also forecast very cold nights on the way and heading towards 0C. I think I'll be hunting out my winter woolies soon!

P.S. In yesterday's post I referred to the bee as a "HE".......Melanie kindly commented Your bee is a "her" not a "him". "Him" bees have much larger eyes that meet on the top of their heads. "Her" bee eyes are smaller, one on each side of the head.

I never realised that before and shall enjoy in future being able to tell the HEs from the SHEs.

Many thanks to Old Wom Tigley too....in his comment he gave me a website and I'm pleased to report the ladybird is not an Harlequin but a Kidney-spot ladybird. It's the first time I've seen one and thanks to Tom my mind is now at rest.

Oh and if you've not already seen it....please drop by Mark's for a very REVEALING POST...LOL

And finally Akelamula has given me this award..... Many thanks Akela {{HUGS}}

Yes Folks Christmas is looming just beyond the horizon; it will be a difficult one for me this year but Mick and I adored Christmas and so my decorations will be going up as usual and the festive spirit will flow! This award originated at Santa's Community Blog and can be passed on to as many other bloggers as I'd like. According to Santa, the Spirit of Christmas Award:

"Quite simply it is those that have a generous and giving nature. Those who care about others. Those who have a kind word to say or a broad shoulder to lean on in the times that others need that. Those who display the "Spirit of Christmas".

You need to go HERE to collect the code....and in true Christmas Spirit I pass it on to you all....except the BAH HUMBUGGERS that is!

2007-10-15T10:19:00.000+01:00

Off to college soon...Sociology again today. Yesterday was beautiful weather..sadly the garden hardly has any sun this time of year but I did take a few photos while I worked in the shade. The Winter pansies are blooming beautifully now...I love their cheery faces...they don't seem to mind if they have sun or not!These darker pink cyclamen are in flower now...I love the colour though not sure where they came from...I don't remember having them last year...maybe seedlings that have now grown enough to their flowering stageI'm pleased to see that the bees are still buzzing around ..............and seem to be giving the "~~thumbs~~ bums up" to the toad lilies............The spiders are finding plenty to eat and I had to "capture" this "capture".... Despite the rainy Summer lately we've not had much of the wet stuff lately at all......I think this wasp dropped by for a drink......
and this bee wasn't content with water on leaves and ended up in my glass!...I rescued him AFTER I'd taken the photo..........I saw this ladybird on one of the Dahlias...it's marking are quite unusual...I'm hoping it's not one of the Harlequin Ladybirds which are are causing problems for our indigineous ladybirds.......any help on this matter gratefully received.............
Well must dash now or I'll miss my lift....................

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY GOES TO SCHOOL

2007-10-14T10:59:00.000+01:00

green thumb sunday

Join

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday,

visit As the Garden Grows for more information

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY BLOGROLL

Earlier this year I went to the local school to help dig over the Memorial Garden...you may remember these photos............................

well yesterday the "much more fun" job of planting and spreading the chip bark had to be done. there were far more willing ~~victims~~ volunteers this time and it only took a couple of hoursto transform it to this...........................

Won't the children be surprised when they go to school on Monday!!!!!

PHOTOHUNTERS - SMELLY

2007-10-13T16:03:00.000+01:00

When the family are here the hall can get quite smelly.................luckily a solution is at hand!!photohunt click to see who else has joined the hunt

WHEN IS A WEED NOT A WEED?

2007-10-12T08:44:00.000+01:00

If, like me, you follow the "MORE IS LESS"* philosophy you probably don't have too many weeds in your borders.... (*the MORE plants the LESS room for weeds to grow)...and if, like me, you have gravel paths and/or paving slabs that's the place the weeds put their roots down. As we in the Northern Hemisphere head towards Winter the time for the Grand Autumn Clear-up is here. Time to tackle those neglected weeds before they take a foothold! A really bad winter can be assured to kill off your favourite hardy shrub but those dandelions will sail through unscathed! But before you rush out with kneeling mat, blow torch or weedkiller.....BE WARNED...you may be killing off FREE PLANTS!!! Earlier this year I wrote a post about Spring Freebies, well there are plenty to be found in Autumn too.

Hmmmm....this area of gravel needs weeding...

but look closer....

Foxglove.....

Quaking grass....

and Fescue.....
and as this college shows that's not all I found...from left to right...stipa, cerinthe, campanula, heuchara, trailing nepeta, carex, welsh poppy, nigella and feverfew......It doesn't take long to lift them and pop them into a space that's been cleared of annuals. Of course you can make a mistake and end up nurturing a Dandelion instead of a Gallardia (yes I've done that!) but if in doubt pop it in a pot and see what you get!

If anyone would like to read the latest update on Helen of Helen's Haven.....please visit Patra's blog........Gina hopes to be visiting Helen soon and if you would like to leave a get well wish in her comment box she will pass it on to Helen and her family. Gina has her own health problems and I'm sure we all wish her well too.

While you are bloghopping...it's Claire's (A Little Piece Of Me) Birthday today

I wasn't sure what to get her for her birthday..........she has lots of homework to do so I'd better not send alcohol or she'll never get anything done.......maybe something nice to look at while she's studying.....................NAKED MAN IN BATH ALERT!!!!!!!

A THURSDAY THOUGHT

2007-10-11T14:13:00.000+01:00

WHY DO THE NUMBERS ON PHONES GO DOWN

WHILE THE NUMBERS ON CALCULATORS GO UP?

That'll give me something to think about and take my mind off where I'm going today....here's a clue.................

Something else that gave me food for thought was Max-e's ABC Wednesday post L is for Landmines.......a reminder of the monstrous legacy that still lies in our earth.

ABC WEDNESDAY - L

2007-10-10T12:54:00.000+01:00

L IS FOR LYCHEE

On the 18th February (Chinese New Year) as part of the Great Pip Challenge (Libby and I decided to have a go at growing some fruit stones) I decided to try and germinate a Lychee stone.

I was so surprised when it started to germinate

and that when I potted it up it continued to shoot

The Lychee (Litchi chinensis), Litchi or Laichi, is part of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) and is indigenous to China.

The fruits are often, incorrectly, referred to as 'lychee nuts' as they are protected by an inedible bumpy, leathery rind. This rind easily comes away from the juicy flesh of the fruit, which is a translucent pearly white in color.

Lychees are a rich source of Vitamin C, as well as minerals like calcium, potassium and phosphorus. They are often used in cooking to flavor meat dishes, pressed for juice, or pulped to make a sherbet dish which is very popular in China. They are also used to flavor tea.
Cultivation of the lychee has expanded outside of China, and lychees are now a popular export from Australia and are also grown in California and Florida. In 1998 scientists at the Agricultural Research Service Subtropical Horticulture Research Station in Miami, Florida, ensured the status of these fruits as viable commercial crops by proving that the lychee does not host the dreaded Caribbean fruit fly.

An unusual use of the lychee tree is to hive bees in the groves. The honey made by lychee grove bees is said to have some of the flavor of the fruit itself. In China, lychees are prized not only for their flavor, but are also purported to have medicinal properties. Eating lychee fruit is suggested as a cure for a cough, digestive complaints and ulcers.
Lychees will not ripen any further after they have been taken from the tree, so only ripe lychees should be picked as unripened lychees have a bitter taste. Fresh lychees also have a short shelf life so should be used as soon as possible. The seed is slightly poisonous and should not be eaten.

A lychee has even taken a trip to space space aboard the spacecraft Genesis II on June 28, 2007 as part a private aerospace firm's "Fly Your Stuff" program.

And my Lychee now...well it's not grown a lot

but it's still alive and even seems to have a second shoot starting....... and the rest of the Pip Challenge?........the Avocado are doing well and I have 5 small orange trees like these (no they're not weeds in with them but self seeded Lobelia!!...I guess I ought to pull them out)

ABC WEDNESDAY BLOGROLL

abc wednesday

IN A JAM?

2007-10-09T18:10:00.000+01:00

At this time of year I don't worry about deadheading the Fuchsias; I leave the berries on for the birds and love the different shapes and shades of deep claret they have. Do you eat or have you used Fuchsia berries in cooking? I think it depends on the variety you grow as to how sweet they are. I found this recipe for jam on the British Fuchsia Society's site.

600 g ripe fuchsia berries

200 g sugar

juice of half a lemon

2 tbs pectin.

Heat sugar and water until the sugar dissolves, let it cool and add the cleaned berries and lemon juice. Heat to boiling point with the pectin and boil until a jelly forms. Pour into heated jars and seal.

I've also read of the petals being candied and used in ice-cream. Fuchsia boliviana berries were once popular with the Incas and I understand can still be found sold in markets South America. Is this true?Please share your experiences....this could be a free food source I've missed!!! Better still...can you make wine with them????

It's a miserable day here; cold and wet...just perfect for doing homework and research as I won't be tempted by the great outdoors. We had an interesting lecture yesterday. Richard Reddie the author of the book Abolition

came to speak to us as part of the Bicentenary of the Abolition Of The Slave Trade Act. It was really informative and I had never realised how many of our cities and financial institutions owed their existence to the Slave Trade. Certainly something that was glossed over in the History lessons I had at school.

COLOUR ME AUTUMN?

2007-10-08T19:35:00.000+01:00

What a fabulous start to Autumn..........the garden is a mix of Summer flowers still in bloom and fabulous Autumnal colours................. the best of both seasons.................
even the sunsets are full of colour.............................

John G put a fabulous photo of his garden on his blog yesterday..the Robinia Freesia in its Autumn colour is amazing! His garden looks a really peaceful place to sit...............

talking of peace

Last year I took part in the BlogBlast for Peace; once again this year on November 7th thousands of Bloggers from around the world will unite and Blog For Peace.

If you would like to join us click on my Peace Globe above for more information.
BlogBlast For Peace

I must dash now...Sociology and Study Skills today...and boy do I need those Study Skills!!!!

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY - AGHHHHHH!

2007-10-07T09:21:00.000+01:00

green thumb sunday

Join

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday,

visit As the Garden Grows for more information

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY BLOGROLL

Once again the Rose Sawfly has invaded the Open Arms Rose; why it only attacks this rose I don't know...exactly the same thing happened last year.....maybe the name "OPEN ARMS" entices it!!

the grubs strip the branches in no time...

such a shame as the rose is still flowering beautifully.....

I'm not going to use any chemicals....this late in the year I'm just pruning the affected branches back.

HAVE A GOOD SUNDAY !

PHOTOHUNTERS - CURVY

2007-10-06T11:47:00.000+01:00

Unfortunately for all the Photo Hunting Gents I don't have curves like this!

so you'll have to make do with this......

A COLLAGE OF CURVES

photohunt click to see who else has joined the hunt

A THURSDAY THOUGHT

2007-10-04T10:45:00.000+01:00

IF MONEY DOESN'T GROW ON TREES,

WHY DO BANKS HAVE BRANCHES?

Mrs Nesbitt has passed along this award

she has kindly passed it on as an open award....no tagging involved....please feel free to copy it yourself and add it to your own blogs......after all you are all FABULOUS aren't you!...I think so.

Thanks also to MrsN for reminding me that it's

Just click on the logo above to learn more. One poem I remember well from my schooldays was this one by Siegfried Sassoon........

THE DRAGON AND THE UNDYING

ALL night the flares go up; the Dragon sings
And beats upon the dark with furious wings;
And, stung to rage by his own darting fires,
Reaches with grappling coils from town to town;
He lusts to break the loveliness of spires,
And hurls their martyred music toppling down.
Yet, though the slain are homeless as the breeze,
Vocal are they, like storm-bewilder'd seas.
Their faces are the fair, unshrouded night,
And planets are their eyes, their ageless dreams.
Tenderly stooping earthward from their height,
They wander in the dusk with chanting streams,
And they are dawn-lit trees, with arms up-flung,
To hail the burning heavens they left unsung.

ABC WEDNESDAY - K

2007-10-03T09:42:00.000+01:00

I missed last week's "J"...I had intended to do Joker............following that theme this week it's K for KING.......

as you will notice our cards are well worn and somewhat dirty....Mick and I would play endless games of Cribbage (or Whist if we found another couple to play with us).....we were pretty successful in our time........................

The usual rank of a king is numbered 13. In some games, the king ranks as the highest card in others,it ranks below the ace (in Pinochle it ranks below the 10).
Because manufacture of playing cards was illegal in the UK during the time when Oliver Cromwell "reigned", when the English Restoration came and the court began playing card games again, the suits in an English deck were (often poor) copies of the French deck.
In the French deck, the kings have traditionally been assigned personalities, though this tradition arose after their design. There are theories about who the modern day court cards represent.The United States Playing Card Company suggests:
King of Spades: David (biblical king)
King of Hearts: Charlemagne (Holy Roman Emperor)
King of Diamonds: Julius Caesar
King of Clubs: Alexander the Great

The King of Hearts did originally have a moustache but it was lost by poor copying of the original design. The King of Hearts is shown with a sword behind his head, making him appear to be stabbing himself, and the axe held by the King of Diamonds is behind his head with the blade facing toward him. This leads to the nickname "suicide kings". The King of Diamond is drawn drawn in profile (as are the Jack of Spades and Jack of Hearts) while the rest of the court cards are shown in full face, these cards are commonly called "one-eyed".

A quick K for KISSES too for Auntie Noo; instead of the usually UGHHHH mail I get I've received some seeds from her fabulous poppy! Thanks Auntie Noo.

ABC WEDNESDAY BLOGROLL

It's History today and I'll see how my analysis of the two pieces of prose abut "Life in Germany in the 1930s" stands up.....after college the two other Students from Sudbury and I are going to have a *brainstorming session at one of our houses so I won't be able to catch up with all the other ABC post until tonight.

*I've been informed by one of my grandaughters that the term "brainstorm" is not politically correct as it may cause offence to epileptics. It's a word that I've used most of my life, however, if I have offended anyone please accept my apologies...no offence was intended.

NEW FLOWERS AND FINALLY A BUD!

2007-10-02T18:32:00.000+01:00

Just a quick post before I get stuck into my Sociology homework. We are learning about Symbolic Interactionism now........I'm used to getting my tongue around the Latin names of plants but some of the wording used in Sociology is quite new to me...and if I spell ~~Borgousie~~ ~~Bourgousie~~ ~~Bourgeosie~~ Bourgeoisie wrong one more time I'll give up! Mind you it doesn't help much that my neighbour Sue turned up with a bottle of wine last night....I've not had a chance to catch up with her since I started the course and as I don't imbibe in liquor much now...well let's just say I'm a little woolly headed this morning!!!!

I sat in the garden for a while to clear my head and AT LAST!!!! A flower bud on one of the Brugmansia..will it flower before the cold weather hits it????? I hope so......I can see me bringing it indoors if we get too many cold nights. The Nerine are now flowering...not particularly suited to my shady garden I'm always happy to see them manage to flower. Nerines although native to South Africa has naturalised itelf in Guernsey and is known as the Guernsey Lily...though I'm not exactly sure what my variety is.
The aconitum are now in flower; some of it's many common names are aconite, monkshood (note the shape of the flower), or wolfsbane (read on!) BE WARNED.... Aconitum is dangerous and though it is regarded to have many therapeutic uses (until the mid 20th century it was used in many medicines) it should not be eaten.....it's roots have occasionally been mistaken for horseradish; please don't try it with your Roast Beef and Yorkshire Puddings!! In folklore, Aconitum was said to make a person into a werewolf if worn, smelled, or eaten; opposing this though is the theory that it KILLS werewolves if they wear, smell, or eat it!!! Some of you may know of the Canadian actor Andre Noble who unfortunately died of aconite poisoning.

Right back to Becker, Cicourel and Goffman for me............now what did ANOMIE mean...that's right "instability in society caused by the erosion or abandonment of social and moral codes".....groan....where are those Aconite tablets!!!!!!

PART-TIME BLOGGER

2007-09-30T08:14:00.000+01:00

Yes I'm back; I wasn't in a position to have ALL the problems solved but at least I'm decluttered and while the computer does work it's a little faster! So much has happened since I've been "computerless". Rob (my baby boy...LOL) had a birthday;

Lynn and Steve have been holidaying in Cuba and should be back some time today; I've had to turn the central heating on once or twice; Manda and co have had stinking colds; Leanne has had an ear infection but luckily managed to have a much earned child free girly weekend and I've had 3 teeth out at the dentist (just call me Gummy...LOL);

I've handed in 2 assignments....don't know yet what the tutors thought of them; I've cleared out the shed and lined it with bubblewrap and fleece ready for the tender plant winter pack-away; I've been to the CAB re bankruptcy...once again my bereavement benefit precludes me from cheaper court charges....(that's a month or so down the line though so won't go into it); had time to watch TV and probably best of all I've been SLEEPING! I have missed you all; both your comments and reading your posts but it has certainly been of a boon not staying up till all hours or getting up at 4am to make posts and do my blogvisiting. I really feel like I've caught up on the sleep that for various reasons I've missed out on over the past few years.

I said to Manda the other day "How on earth did I care for Mick; keep the house tidy; keep the garden going; endlessly cook and prepare bedrooms for visitors etc etc and still mange to keep (what was then) 6 blogs going.

Now I've only me to care for; no visitors; just 2 blogs and a college course and I feel under so much pressure! Is it this blue funk I'm in making me go soooo slow?"

Her answer "Well we always wondered how you did it Mum! Maybe you've just come back to the real world that only has 24 hours in a day!"

Now I'm back on the computer I have a lot of study research to catch up on so I'm making no idle promises that I'll manage to read ALL the posts I've missed and comment on them though I will do my best. I'm also temporarily suspending my Photo A Day blog and can't guarantee daily posts here for the time being or maybe I'll just do shorter posts....I'll see how the computer holds up......I still do feel really "blue" despite the antidepressants .....no doubt this will ease in time. Doing the course is helping a lot and I'm enjoying "losing myself" in the studying plus the social face to face interaction with other people. We're studying the Theory of Marxism in Sociology at the moment so time for me to do some Googling now.......

Before I go though...some of you may visit Helen at Helen's Haven.......just before my computer went away I received an email from her friend Gina...sadly Helen has suffered another stroke. I have managed to email her at the hospital in Perth (what a fabulous system that is!). Any one wishing to keep up to date with Helen's progress...please visit Patra's place. I'm sure we will all be thinking of Helen and her family and wishing her a speedy recovery.

GOING TO THE DOCTORS!

2007-09-25T23:28:00.000+01:00

I'll be off the Internet for a few days while my PC visits the doctor.

It's not on top form at the moment and I'm going to need it a lot in the future both for research and for typing up my assignments. All being well I'll be back by the weekend.

BREAKING OUT!

2007-09-25T23:22:00.000+01:00

Akelamula has kindly awarded me with this!

This award orginated at Bobborama Dot Com who says:

This award casts a spotlight on bloggers who are just beginning to draw lots of attention — the equivalent of a song with a bullet on Billboard’s Top 100 chart. Lotsa good posts. Lotsa good buzz. These bloggers are going places in a hurry.

The instructions for passing on the Break Out Blogger Award are:

1)Display the Breakout Blogger button in a post about the award —- using the special code. Please do not alter the code, because the button links up to Bobborama's Awards Page listing both the history.

2) Give the award to three to five of your Breakout Bloggers … and then send them to my Awards Page here for the instructions and code.

As you all know I'm now a "nontagging blog" and in order to pass an award on you have to in effect tag someone.....I know I'm breaking the "rules" of the award by only tagging one...but then I'm breaking my own rules by tagging any so let's call it a compromise......

David..........Authorblog.....better than any daily newspaper for keeping us informed of all the quirkier stories from around the world and an invaluable help to any would be authors.

NEW FLOWERS AND RE-FLOWERS

2007-09-25T16:25:00.000+01:00

Having finally finished my homework I had a chance on Sunday to catch up with the garden. It's been a strange year...the weather alternating between long periods of drought and torrential rain. It's no wonder the garden's not sure which season it's in. I mentioned a few weeks ago about the Clematis Montana re-flowering....well the same has happened to the Philadelpus

and I've never had my AUTUMN flowering Cyclamen in flower at the same time as my SPRING flowering Aubretia.

There are also a few new flowers in the garden.....my Clematis Sieboldii started flowering quite a while ago but yesterday I noticed that the "Alba" variety had started to come into bloom.

Two plants that were mere cuttings and seedlings at the start of the Summer I hadn't expected to flower until next year......................

This is Alison Patricia...one of the upward facing flower Fuchsiasand this is one of the Phlox seedlings...................

and "joy of joys"a third variety of Ginger Lily has come into flower and the scent is heavenly...

For those who are interested in the course; yesterday was Literature again and we learnt about plots, themes and symbols. We read an extracts from "Jane Eyre", "Oranges are not the only fruit" and "Bluebeards Egg" analyzing the evidence given in the text to work out characters and relationships.......... the homework is a similar task using an extract from "The remains of the day".

My computer certainly seems to have a bad "limp"...it's taking AGES to get anywhere on it.

Is there a doctor in the house?????

A BIT OF A VIEW

2007-09-24T10:14:00.000+01:00

At this time of the year although some plants are starting to fade and some parts of the garden look fairly drab there are the odd parts that seem to be thriving. While I was taking some photos on Sunday I snapped a few of my favourite views/areas.

Do you have certain areas that are your favourites at the moment?

I've had some PC problems this week end...I'm hoping it's not going to start playing me up again.....I know I'm going to need it more than ever now for research. I hope it hasn't caught anything nasty.

CHANGES

2007-09-23T09:16:00.000+01:00

After my "Changes" failure photo last Sunday I had another go.........

September -now

August

July

June

February

A collage of overhead views....the top two are the front garden...the bottom two the back garden. The third photo was taken at almost noon....you can see how little morning sun the back garden gets at this time of the year. In fact the lower 2/3rds of the garden towards the house now gets no sun at all.

One of the benefits of a warm, dry day yesterday was that I could my homework/studying in the garden!
So much nicer than been cooped up indoors. I've finished it all now so today I'll have time for some pottering......YIPPEE!!! .........as long as the weather holds........................

PHOTOHUNTERS - PAPER

2007-09-22T14:47:00.000+01:00

It's Saturday....Photohunter day...I'd almost forgotten!!!!! Right PAPER....think Ruth ...PAPER....well there's the NEWSPAPER.....................

TOILET PAPER....................
BOOKS ARE FULL OF PAPER......................
AND OF COURSE THERE'S PAPER MACHE.................
OR THAT RUBBISH BIN FULL OF PAPER I POSTED YESTERDAY....................
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.....of course Origami would be perfect but I'm not very good at that...except of course the Origami Fortune Teller I've been making since I was knee high to a grasshopper..................

PICK A COLOUR....GREEN.........OKNOW A NUMBER....DID I HEAR 7?AND YOUR FORTUNE!!!!!

If you'd like to make your own FORTUNE TELLER just click on the link.

photohunt click to see who else has joined the hunt

HAVING A BAD BRAIN DAY!

2007-09-21T23:59:00.000+01:00

I'm falling so behind with my blogvisiting.....hopefully after a while my poor brain will get used to all this THINKING and I'll get myself into some sort of regime. At the moment I've been trying to get up really early and visiting as many of you as I can.....apologies to those that I'm missing.

My childhood was very strict and my parents of the "Children should be seen and not heard" and "Do as I tell you not as I do" ilk; in school we accepted verbatim what the teacher's taught us and in my relationships before I met Mick I always "knew my place"; so it's quite a shock to suddenly be asked to form my own opinions about Sociology, History and Literature. To be asked by a teacher/tutor "What do you think" and to be able to answer honestly without thinking "Well what do you WANT me to say" seems so alien. I guess I'll get used to it after a while.

It's making the homework very difficult; as much as I know I should write my own view of things I'm constantly screwing my work up and aiming it towards the nearest rubbish bin convinced that my thoughts may be WRONG!

At least the Literature Homework is just to do some creative writing concentrating on creating atmosphere or character....that can't be too difficult....!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I HOPE!

INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY

2007-09-21T18:27:00.000+01:00

INTERNATIONAL PEACE DAY

“The journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step. So we must never neglect any work of peace within our reach, however small.”
Adlai E. Stevenson

A THURSDAY THOUGHT

2007-09-20T08:49:00.000+01:00

IF YOUR FEET SMELL AND YOUR NOSE RUNS;

ARE YOU BUILT UPSIDE DOWN????

HISTORY AIN'T WHAT IT USED TO BE!

2007-09-19T23:59:00.000+01:00

Had my first history tutorial today. OMG I thought I knew what History was, I learnt it at school didn't I? I remember SOME of it well.... all those Kings and Queens of England from Anglo-Saxon to Windsor. The battles and wars; important events all those dates 1066 Battle of Hastings, 1666 Great Fire of London. The Romans in Britain till 410AD, the Egyptians, the Greeks etc etc. I sent hours listening to the teachers, scribbling away in my notebook...spending endless hours of homework learning hundreds of dates and the names of Henry VIII's wives.

Well History now isn't like that......History is MADE by Historians in an attempt to understand about the past by studying and analysing historical sources...like artifacts and documents....and examining these sources for validity and bias and organizing in order to shed light on human experience. Of course the result is dependant on the interpretation of the Historian so half the time they probably won't agree anyway if the interpretation is based on differing resources. AGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!

This is probably old news to many of you but it was certainly a new approach to History for me. Re my Sociology homework..."What is Sociology"...I rewritten this at least 3 times now! and I've yet to THINK about the difference between Crime and Deviance.

And my History homework?

Wistful look out the window..................oh the pansies are flowering...

and I see a Dragonfly....

maybe I'll ~~skive off for a while~~ take a well earned break and take some photos.

BTW it's now thought that the Battle of Hastings may have taken place in 1067 and wasn't in Hastings at all!

ABC WEDNESDAY

2007-09-19T08:10:00.000+01:00

I IS FOR ITCH

An itch is an uncomfortable sensation caused by irritation of particular nerve endings in the skin and is the body's defence system that makes us aware of any annoying things that touch the body like a fly or an insect. Nerve fibres have special endings that are tiny organs able to receive messages; some receive pressure sensations, some receive temperature, and some receive pain. Stimulation of pain nerves in the skin tells our brain that something is crawling on us and our brain instructs our hand to brush the offender off.

The average body is covered in about 20 square feet of skin so there's plenty exposed to irritation! Sometimes we come into contact with something that is dangerous to us, such as insect bites or poisionous plants resulting in the production of Histamine and we need to itch it to relieve the sensation.

Isn't it strange we affectively SCRATCH to effectively stop an ITCH!!!!!!

And why do I feel ITCHY just writing about ITCHING???

ABC WEDNESDAY BLOGROLL

P.S. Again many thanks for the support and offers of books. I'll let you know if I get stuck...so far I think I'm ok. I had a lovely surprise in the mail...a parcel from Talj containing a book about Geoff Hamilton (my gardening hero) and a DVD of The Colour Purple (one of the books we are studying)
......THANKS TALJ {{HUGS}}...hope you'll be back in Blogworld soon.

Claire asked if I'd be posting my homework...ermmmmm...not unless I get a gold star!!!!

Last night's sunset

ONE LITTLE OLD MAID AT SCHOOL AM I !

2007-09-18T18:05:00.000+01:00

Well so far so good...at least I haven't been frightened off yet! I won't bore you all every time I have a college day with all the details but as it was my first full day I'll give you a brief run down.
S. turned up bang on time to give me a lift and after picking up J off we went. Luckily the traffic wasn't too horrendous and we managed to find a place in the carpark without much ado. Only £1.40 for the day which wasn't too terrible. We quickly hoofed it to the college; keeping an eye on our watches all the time and made it in through the front door with minutes to spare. We asked at reception which room we needed to go to and were told 103. Up the stairs we went....keeping a lookout for loos on the way...but 103 was empty! OH DEAR!!! Further along the corridor was a notice board.....Humanities 109...so off we go to Room 109...the class was full and rather embarrassed in we walked. "We're the students from Sudbury" I say to the tutor......"You're in the wrong room" he says "go upstairs to the office" OH DEAR!!! So off we stride again...we're late by now! We find the office and after lots of ermming and ahhing were told to ask at Reception...but that's where we started. OH DEAR!!! So off we trudge again trying to find our way back down stairs when who should we bump into but the two tutors we met last week. "Follow us" they said "it's in room 033". On the way we pick up a few other students who had got equally lost and finally got to Room 033. Door LOCKED! OH DEAR!!! "I guess it must be in Room 044" says one of the tutors "Where's that?" OH DEAR!!! We trudge through a further maze of corridors...looking at room numbers......036...037...038...LOOS! (mental note)....039.....040...041....042....043.....EXIT. OH DEAR!!!! After retracing our steps one of the students spotted Room 044......PHEW!!!! We went in and found ourselves seat...a quick look around at the students who were already there (how they found it I don't know).........apart from about 5 of us they all looked as if they'd just stepped out of school. OH DEAR!!!! And besides myself I'm sure there's no one else over 40 (including the tutors). OH DEAR!!!
After handing out timetables and making sure we knew we had to get our student ID's at some point the tutors left and in came ~~Ms.W.~~ R. (I must get used used to using first names) our Sociology tutor (younger than me too!).
Over the course of the morning (which included a short tea break) we discussed what Sociology is, it's history, influences on behaviour etc etc and learnt about Durkheim's Research into Suicide! Quite interesting actually. The word MACRO came up......Yippee I know that!!!!...I've dabbled at MACRO photography! NO...........WRONG.....MACRO in this case is one of the approaches to the relationship between society and the individual....the notion that society shapes the individual as opposed to MICRO (the notion that the individual shapes society).
I think the most difficult thing to get used to was the fact we had to speak up, share our views, discuss. Not like my schooldays of sitting and just listening to the teacher and accepting everything verbatim.
After lunch...didn't actually eat but downed a coffee.....we had a different tutor ~~Mr. C~~ J. who until Christmas will be teaching us Study Skills....effective reading, note taking, essay writing,making a bibliography and ORAL PRESENTATIONS!! (Don't like the sound of that!!!!) plus how to use study time effectively etc etc. Anyway that's the first of many Sociology and Study Skills tutorials out the way...still got the first Literature and History during the week.

I DID ENJOY IT THOUGH!!!!!

I have plenty of reading to do, I must sort out the notes I took and then write a few paragraphs in my own words about what I feel Sociology is.
My brain was in a whirl last night so I didn't do any blogvisiting at all....I'll try and catch up with you all today or at least soon!

It would be strange for me to do a blogpost without a photo so here's one of MY MACROS!

Once again many thanks for all the supportive comments and emails.

LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUCHSIA!

2007-09-17T09:04:00.000+01:00

And do you remember me mentioning Lady Boothby..the climbing Fuchsia....well this is a photo of one of the branches ABOVE the 6 foot high fence.....it was cut completely to ground level at the end of last Autumn. Lady Boothby was bred from an original Brazilian species in 1939 and named after the founder of the British Fuchsia Society.

My first FULL day at college today........and first day in Bury St Edmunds...lots more new faces and new lecturers to meet. A shame I won't be there on Saturday evenings as one of our fellow Bloggers Ruby (Living in Bury St Edmunds) is actually lecturing there in a course about BLOGGING!!

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY - FAILURES

2007-09-16T09:05:00.000+01:00

Join

Gardeners, Plant and Nature lovers can join in every Sunday,

visit As the Garden Grows for more information

GREEN THUMB SUNDAY BLOGROLL

I was reading Katya's Life In The Bristolwood blog the other day and she mentioned she'd lost her Asters this year. As we enter Autumn I thought it only fair to tell you about some of the failures in my garden this year.

First the Brugmansia...I have 3 of them and not one single flower bud!!!.....I'd like to blame it on the weather but Libby seems to have had no problems with hers........she has some fabulous photos in her header and throughout her blog.

My Daylily which had flowers like this on last year.....

this year.......nothing!

Even the double Busy Lizzies seem jaded compared to the ones last year....

though looking at this photo from last year I see the slugs had their fill of the Hosta!My indoor plant Curcuma never came back this year.....these are photos from last year
My Bourgainvillea last year...............

This year...................
Although most of the Clematis have done really well.........the Dr Ruppel and Texansis have both succumbed to mildew and never had a second flush....
and Bill McKenzie started to shoot beautifully in the early Spring and then keeled over and died. How I miss the nodding yellow bells of last year.

And of course there are the Photo failures....this was supposed to be my CHANGES (view from same place each month) photo for September! Don't think I kept the camera very steady.........

I try not to get to despondant at the failures though it is upsetting when you lose something special......and there's always NEXT YEAR to look forward to.

DOING THINGS THE "WRITE" WAY

2007-09-15T11:54:00.000+01:00

I'm just taking a short lunchbreak from the sun lounger (glorious weather today) and Silas Marner.....(have just ploughed through the Introduction!) and decided I start SOME of my blog visiting. So much to catch up on!

With "authors" and "books" in my mind it made me realise that we Bloggers are all writers/authors in our own way. Some like David McMahon have even had books published. He has recently started a daily post on tips for writers, called `Telling Write From Wrong'. He is hoping for this to become a central point for writers of any description, any nationality, any age and any interest, to get honest advice from an experienced writer. They can leave their questions as comments - and he will answer them.

Isn't the Blogging Community wonderful.....always ready to share their experiences and knowledge!

“Knowledge is of two kinds: we know a subject ourselves,

or we know where we can find information upon it.”
~Samuel Johnson~

PHOTOHUNTERS - PLASTIC

2007-09-15T07:28:00.000+01:00

Even I have PLASTIC plants for those places where other plants won't grow!

photohunt click to see who else has joined the hunt

ALL'S WELL

2007-09-14T23:17:00.000+01:00

I decided to walk down to the course and made sure I left in plenty of time. I'm glad I did as I'd forgotten how difficult it is to cross the roads before 9am due to the traffic. It took me a full 5 minutes to get across one road! Even so I arrived far too early but it gave me a chance to visit the Ladieswhich I was in desperate need of despite have "been" at least 20 times before leaving home! I then had a solitary sit in the park to compose my thoughts... all the time wondering whether to hop on this bus and do a runner....LOLI entered Room 1 at 9.20....nobody there!!!!! Oh dear!!! Gradually some other students wandered in all looking as nervous as I............... The numbers rose to 7....not boding well for a Sudbury based Course......sure enough when the Tutors turned up we were told that course would have to take place in Bury St Edmunds......the numbers DROPPED even more at this news. I'd already decided that come hell or high water I'd do the course even if it meant a dent in my finances and long bus journeys but 2 of the other students S. and J. said they were going to car share and were more than willing to take me to and fro! A deep sigh of relief on my part as it means I don't have to leave home till 8.45.......by bus I'd have to leave just after 7am.....and I'll get home so much earlier too; giving me far more time for ~~blog visiting~~ studying.

Today was mainly an Induction Day; telling us the what and whatnots; whys and wherefores and letting us know all about joining the Students Union, what books we'd need etc etc.

The first book we're advised to read is Silas Marner.......GOT THAT!

We will be covering William Blake's Songs of Innocence and Experience.........we don't actually need a copy of this but as I've already got one (thanks Miri and Fran...a gift from them years ago when I mentioned I liked Blake)....I'm sure it will come in handy especially as there's a cassette with it................
The college itself will be providing selected extracts from many of the sources we need to cover and the rest of the books I would need buy Manda already has from previous courses she's taken.......WONDERFUL!!!!!!!
I've managed to get pens, paper, folders and all my other stationery needs from our "CHEAPO" shop in Sudbury.......under £6 for this lot.
So now I'm raring to go.....................over the course of the weekend I'll read all this "bumf"it really is a different language; modules, key concepts, criterias,theoretical perspectives, analysis, aspects of socialisation...and on and on and on..........

And not one word about where the Student Bar is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But before I even start on that; Leanne is coming over and staying the night...she's buying me a Chinese and I'm sure I can dust off a bottle of red wine.......................so in true student fashion.....I'll be CHILLING!

YOU CAN TEACH AN OLD DOG NEW TRICKS!......I HOPE!!!

2007-09-14T20:49:00.000+01:00

I saw this on Jeanette's Blog and thought it a perfect post for me today

THE OLD ROCKING CHAIR IS EMPTY TODAY
For Grandma no longer sits in it;
She's off in her car to visit or shop
and buzzes around every minute.
No one can shove Grandma back on the shelf;
She is versatile, forceful, dynamic,
thats not a pie in the oven I see!
her baking today is ceramic.
You wont see her trundle off early to bed
from her place in the warm chimney nook;
Her typewriter clickety clacks through the night ,
For Grandma is writing a book.
Grandma never takes a hesitant step
to slow her steady advancing.
She wont tend the babies for you anymore
For Grandma is taking up dancing .
She is not content with the crumbs of old thought ,
with meagre and second-hand knowledge,
don't bring your mending for Grandma to do
For Grandma has gone off to college .

Thank you all for your encouraging comments and messages wishing me good luck.