A Cottage by the Sea

 

It's only two weeks into our summer break and already I'm noticing signs of the seasons beginning to shift. The garden flowers are fading, blackberries are ripening in the hedgerows, and the elderberries won't be far behind. I try to avert my gaze, but there's no denying we'll be marching into late summer very soon. It also seems to be passing a lot quicker, this summer, simply because I've planned so much for us to do. Since my working hours increased earlier in the year, I don't have as much available free time in an evening, or on the weekends, which is the reason I've tried to squeeze as much as I can into these six weeks. Whether or not this is a good idea remains to be seen.

Way back in early spring, I'd asked Lily where she might like to go on holiday this summer. She had a little think about it, and decided on Wales. Her reasoning was that she'd been to England, Scotland and Ireland, but had never been to Wales. Immediately (after quickly reminding her of the difference between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland), I began searching online for somewhere that we could stay. And luckily, after establishing whether we wanted to be close to a lake or by the sea, I managed to find somewhere that looked perfect for us. And you can probably guess from the title of this post, that it was right by the shore. It was the most delightful little stone built cottage, with a lovely walled garden.

We had the best time there. The cottage was beautiful, and the owner, who lived right next door, was incredibly kind, and had the sweetest dog - always a bonus :)

On our first morning we visited South Stack Lighthouse. To reach the lighthouse we needed to climb down 400 steps, before crossing a small footbridge, which you can just about see in the above photograph. The view from the cliffs was incredible. It was so beautiful there, and although we were slightly disappointed to have missed the puffins - they leave in July - we did get to see some seals. 

Our next visit was to Newborough Forest and Gwddw Llanddwyn. It was the most gorgeous spot to spend the afternoon. Pine trees, sand dunes, and quiet little bays. I was in heaven.

Then, of course, we had to stop off here. I don't even attempt to pronounce it. 

The following morning we set off early to visit Aber Falls. Beautiful! We ate our picnic lunch right alongside...

...before spending the afternoon in Conwy. We enjoyed a walk on the town walls, as well as some ice cream :)

We spent our final day there at Porthdinllaen. It is owned by the National Trust, and to reach the village we needed to walk along the beach from Morfa Nefyn. The soft sand and pebble beaches are stunning, and of course, the further we walked, the quieter they became. I'd taken my binoculars, so we spent ages watching the seals from the headland. 

That same evening, after walking along the shore, I watched the sunset from the bench behind the cottage. Rather pleased that Lily chose to stay in a cottage by the sea.

Back soon. 

J. X

Summertime Joys

Here it is, at last! My favourite time of the year. The sun is shining, and it's time to relax and enjoy the summer. It is especially welcome this year, as these last few months have been quite challenging, while I've been getting used to my new role at work. It's all positive, though. My line manager is more than happy with my performance, and it also means that my hours will be far more settled when I return in September. Happy days! I just hope that I won't have forgotten what I'm doing by then :)

The past month has been incredibly busy, so this weekend it's been lovely to take my time when getting up each morning. I'm still awake at a ridiculously early hour, but it's so nice not having to rush around getting everything ready for the day ahead. I can ease gently into the morning and not need to worry about getting the washing hung out, making lunches, or wondering what we'll be eating for dinner that evening. All of these can simply wait a while. 

The house is gradually getting a much needed clean and tidy, but this has become a far easier task, having gotten rid of a lot of unnecessary clutter since the beginning of the year. There are still some items left to sort through, but the difference has been huge, and I'm sure that any time I spend cleaning must have halved. This is time which, for me, I am much happier to spend outdoors, especially at this time of year. 

The cats are notable by their absence.  The warm, sunny weather instantly has them seeking out the shade of the long field grass or a nearby tree. I've long since recognised that I'm not to worry (too much) when I don't see either of them for hours at a time. And I'm sure that will change again just as quickly, once the weather begins to turn. 

For the third year in a row, we celebrated the final day of school with a chippy tea down by the lake. It was a balmy summer evening, and unusually quiet there, down by the water's edge. I also took a flask with us so we could enjoy a drink (or two) of tea from our enamel mugs.

This weekend has been quite a contrast to last, which saw me walking up Helvellyn, over Striding Edge, on what was the warmest day of the year so far here. It might have been hot, but the conditions were perfect, and the views were absolutely stunning. Then later that evening I was on a boat, on Windermere celebrating with some friends. It's was the most beautiful evening for it, and watching the sun set behind the Langdale Pikes felt quite magical. 

The following day, we went swimming at the outdoor pool. It was the ideal way to cool off in the heat of the midday sun, and it was so good to see Lily regain some of her confidence in the water. 

During the week, I've been keeping busy with my new crochet project. My plan is to make a colourful, cosy blanket, large enough to go over my double bed. I've chosen the colours based on my new pillow cases. I just loved this design. And if you look closely you can see butterflies and bees among the flowers!

In the garden, this week, the sunflower has opened up. If ever there was a summer flower, this is it for me. My all time favourite. 

And there are more strawberries ripening,  much to Lily's delight. I'm ever hopeful that she might even try sharing them with me :)

At dusk, I'm often to be found sat on the back step, watching for bats against a pale pink sky. They put on quite the display. 

And on this occasion I had some company. 

Back soon. 

J. X

A Peek into the Garden

This time of year is when the garden is looking at its best. I don't have plants with year-round colour, so during the colder months, it usually looks drab and unkempt. My lack of any sort of garden planning doesn't help with that, and I'm really not green fingered, no matter how much I wish that were the case. Then, of course, the long, dark, and extremely wet winters see me preferring to keep cosy and dry indoors instead of tending to the soil. And on those days when the sun is actually shining, I'd much rather be out walking in the fells. So, it's during high summer that I enjoy being out in the garden the most. 

My garden isn't anything special. In fact, any real gardeners might question more than just a few of my choices, but it's mine, and I realise just how fortunate I am to have this little outdoor space.

I remember during the pandemic, we spent so much time in the garden. I'd even been gifted several plants from a local garden centre when they'd initially had to close their doors. One of which was a fabulous hydrangea, which really brightens the corner space in front of the kitchen window. During the earlier lockdowns the weather had been glorious, and as I'd been unable to work for the first few months, we spent the majority of our mornings home learning, then our afternoons we would be spent outside, enjoying the sunshine. The paddling pool got a lot of use during that time, and I have some very fond memories. Although I am in no doubt, it was a very different story for many. 

Most of the plants have been added over time. Some have been gifts, like my lovely acer. One of my pots was won in a raffle, and this year's sweet peas were grown from the seeds of the plants it contained. Then, of course, there are the lemon and apple trees, which grew from the pips I planted. I'm still waiting for them to produce some fruit, but I might need to wait a while longer :) Thankfully, the blackcurrant bush has already earned its place in front of the dry stone wall.

Some of the flowers only last for a summer, although thanks to the slugs, the marigolds didn't even survive that long. The lone sunflower is growing taller by the day, and the bees and butterflies are enjoying the continually flowering nasturtiums. The carnations were a random purchase, as they're far from being one of my favourite flowers, but they are conveniently hardy and very low maintenance.

Then there's the little raised bed. This year, I've grown spinach, spring onions, carrots, and beetroot. I do enjoy being able to grow just a few of our vegetables. Much as I would love a larger area in which to grow our own food, I simply don't have the time just now. 

We have strawberries and blueberries growing in pots, an abundance of mint, and just today, the recent addition of some chives, which I brought home from work :)

And yet, I never did get round to buying myself some new garden furniture. Maybe next year.

J. X

At the End of June

The year is marching on. It's only a few weeks until summer break and the end of Lily's first year in secondary school. It feels like no time at all since we were preparing for the big transition, yet here we are already twelve months on, and wondering what all the big fuss was about. Some things don't change, however, as I've been busy ordering new shirts and trousers in readiness for the autumn term. 

This week, I've been finding comfort in the ordinariness of my days. Weekend plans were cancelled at short notice and, although disappointed, I found myself relishing the lack of time constraints, and of the need to be organised. Monday to Friday it often feels like every single minute is accounted for, so when these opportunities arise, I embrace them, as I realise they are few and far between.

The weather has been fairly mixed here, and the warm summer rain has kept the garden well watered, so I don't have to. I think the flowers are looking at their best just now. In just a few more weeks, they will begin to lose their colour, and look a little worse for wear. In the raised bed, I'm  keeping a close eye on the beetroot and carrots, but the spring onions are being used regularly, most recently in this evening's stir fry. Unfortunately, the lemon trees still haven't produced any flowers, so I'll just have to remain hopeful for another year. They are, at least looking strong and healthy. 

Another garden I've also enjoyed recently, was at Sizergh Castle, and it's looking incredibly beautiful just now. To our delight, the Lily Pads appear to have taken over the pond, and we enjoyed watching the damselflies and dragonflies hovering just above them.

And of course, for my very own Lily, no visit to Sizergh would be complete without seeing Charlie. 

Also, this week, I'm excited to have begun work on a new crochet project. It's something I've had in mind for a while now, and just another small part of trying to reintroduce some colour into my life. I'll share more soon.

J. X