Early May

It's been a rather pleasant start to May. Usually, there would be one really great week of glorious weather, but we've had continuous sunshine since the beginning of the month, with even more forecast for the week ahead. I'm reminded of something my dad used to say, 'The sun is out, the birds are singing, and the bees are humming. It's a beautiful day!' And I'm absolutely delighted to say that there have been plenty of those recently. 

I'm still struggling with finding some balance to my days, and I've been feeling really weary this last week. I'm sleeping a little better, at least, but work has been pretty full on, consisting of long, demanding days. Again, this should change moving forward. I just need to find out what my proposed hours are going to be, then see if any adjustments need to be made. One way or another, after the summer, I can no longer carry on trying to juggle several roles, as I am doing now.

Although life in general is incredibly busy, I've been trying to grasp those little moments of joy whenever I can. Each morning, I've been spending a few minutes in the garden before Lily wakes up. I peg out any wet washing on the line, then I like to check on the vegetables. I also look to see if there's any evidence of our visiting hedgehog. Besides the cockerel crowing, it's a lovely, peaceful start to my day. 

The longer daylight hours are good for my soul and make me feel much lighter and happier. I've been in out in the garden many times already today, pulling up the few weeds that I'm sure must have appeared overnight, and topping up the container pond - it really is so long since we've had any rain! I also like to sit on the step and drink my mug of tea, while watching birds. I feel quite comfortable there, so I very rarely use the garden chairs. And I'm not the only one enjoying the sunshine. 

Our little raised bed is already proving useful. The spinach has been added to various meals, and Lily used some to make a cous cous salad last week, which was absolutely delicious. This morning, I put some in a homemade quiche, which we will eat for dinner this evening, served with some tomatoes and coleslaw, and maybe a baked potato - I'm very much enjoying these quick to prepare meals. The beetroot looks to be growing well, as do the spring onions. Like last year, some of the carrots seem to have simply disappeared, but the ones that remain are looking okay. I've just sown some more beetroot to fill in the gaps :)

Last weekend we visited Coniston, where we enjoyed a lovely hike up The Old Man. We took the lesser walked track along Little Arrow Edge, which took slightly longer, but avoided the busier, more direct route from the centre of the village. 

The birds were singing, and the bees were humming. It was a beautiful day. 

Back soon.

J. X

Back on Track at the End of March

 

And breathe! That's much better. This last month I've been running on empty. Busy working weeks, and daily hospital visits have, understandably, taken their toll. But yesterday, for the first time in what's felt like ages, I managed some time by myself. Well, not completely by myself, as I had my not-so-little-anymore sidekick with me, of course :) Generally, however, life is very much back on an even keel. I'm still a little too busy at work, but that is something which will need to be addressed, moving forward. 

Thankfully, spring has arrived, and so have the lighter evenings. It felt wonderful to step outside into the garden yesterday evening and watch as the sun began to set, and the solar lights started to flicker on. What made it even more satisfying was that I'd spent much of the afternoon weeding, digging and sowing. Over the last couple of years, I've made much more of an effort when tidying the garden for the winter months, and it really has paid off - there wasn't an awful lot that needed doing. Certainly a lot less than I'd initially thought, at any rate. And perhaps I should also mention that it smelled amazing - freshly dug earth, combined with freshly cut grass - Heaven! 

This year we're hoping to grow spring onions, spinach, carrots and beetroot. Unfortunately, the strawberry seeds I sowed were unsuccessful, so I will need to pop to the garden centre and buy some plants instead. While I'm there, I will look at buying a few annuals, to add some much needed early colour, and also a floating plant to add to the container pond, which has now been given a thorough clean (I didn't look after it properly last year). I've also sowed some sunflower and nasturtium seeds in several of the sunnier spots, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will grow. 

The sweet peas are already beginning to climb, and the apple trees are growing new leaves. The lemon trees are still sitting patiently in the back porch, just waiting for warmer weather. 

The time I spent in the garden was so lovely, but what I really enjoyed about yesterday, was getting out for a much needed walk. We were forecast a sunny day, and I had been longing for some sea air, so we took a short drive out to the hamlet of Sandside, which is nestled on the Kent estuary. I parked my car on the side of the road, and we walked the permissive path along the coastline, towards Arnside station. It was a rather windy day, so although the weather was bright and sunny, it was still incredibly cold, so I was glad we'd thought to wrap up well. At the station we used the bridge to cross the tracks, and made our way into Arnside, along the promenade to the small stone pier.

The views from the pier are lovely. Which is just as well, as I will never venture onto the sands here. 

The bay is notorious for it's hidden channels and quicksands, as well as the speed of the incoming tide.

If it hadn't been quite so windy, then we would have treated ourselves at the bakery and sat for a while on one of the benches there. But instead, we took shelter in a small cafe, just across the road from the pier, where I enjoyed a cup of coffee and some very delicious cake. 

On our return, looking up the estuary towards the viaduct, with the Lakeland fells beyond. 

With the wind now behind us, our walk became a little easier. The morning was still quiet, and as we walked along arm in arm, losing ourselves in mindless chatter, I felt as though a huge weight had been lifted. 

Back soon.

J. X

Spring-like

 

I'm still here! 

Life has become rather hectic, once again, as much of my time is being taken up driving to and from the not-so-local hospital. It's exhausting but necessary, as we wait upon test results, and consider all possible outcomes, none of which will be straightforward or easy to navigate. As you can imagine, I'm a little behind with my blog reading, but I'm catching up slowly whenever I get an opportunity. It's lovely to hear everyone's news, especially as I have very little of my own. 

My hospital journeys are, at least, comfortable, in that I'm making them in the new-to-me car. After finally deciding it was time to upgrade with a newer, more reliable model, this one is perfect for us. I would have preferred a slightly more spacious boot, but this one ticks all the boxes in every other way. Lily decided a cherry scented air freshener was in order, and so that is what we now have, and hopefully it won't be long until the footwells display evidence of our Lake District adventures. Although, I've promised myself I'll try to keep it much cleaner than I did my previous car.

As the post title says, the weather here is becoming a lot more spring-like, but it is still incredibly cold. This week, I've woken up to frost on several mornings, and my hats and scarves have become essential wear, once again. It's lovely to see how light the evenings are becoming though, especially when I leave work at half past five. The darkest days of winter are definitely behind us now. We just need things to warm up a bit.

At the start of the month, we went to the farm so we could help out in the lambing shed. Unfortunately, no lambs arrived while we were there, but two had been born just a short while earlier. So we made ourselves useful by changing the straw and putting down the fresh silage, before moving on to milk feeding some of the lambs which had been rejected by the ewes. There are worse ways to spend a morning :)  I could have happily brought several of them back home with me - if only I had enough room. And I'm still finding bits of straw stuck to my hat and inside the pockets of my jacket!

Last weekend, we also managed to fit in another gentle walk along the canal. Recently, there have been improvements to the towpath, so the walk is far less muddy and much more enjoyable. I'm thinking we'll take our bikes next time, so that we can explore a bit farther, although I have visions of going straight over my handlebars and landing right in the water. 

As I'd hoped, I've also completed a small amount of work in the garden. And it feels so good to see it looking that little bit tidier. The grass has had it's first cut of the year and most of the soil has been turned over. I've also dug the raised bed and covered it with the nets to keep any cats away. It's still too early yet to sow anything directly into the soil, but it's all ready for when the weather improves. Fingers crossed this will be sooner rather than later. Buds are appearing on the apple trees, and in a few short weeks I'm sure there will be lots of new growth in the flower beds. I hadn't realised just how much I'd missed spending time outside, in the garden, but it just hadn't been dry enough until this month. 

Back soon.

J. X

A Relaxing Week

If ever we needed reminding that spring is still a little while off, then the weather today has done just that. It's been dark and windy, and the rain has been lashing against the windows all day. Thoroughly miserable. We've been hunkered down indoors, which hasn't been a bad thing, as I've had lots to be getting on with. I start back at work again tomorrow, so it's been good to get on top of all things house and admin related. I've made a big batch of soup, finally finished the painting in the kitchen, and I've been planning another couple of short trips for later in the year. There has also been much juggling of finances, as I'm looking at getting a new (to me) car. I'll be taking Lily to see it tomorrow before I make a final decision. Exciting!

And it has been really lovely spending this last week at home. Most of my friends had acted surprised when I'd told them I hadn't got any plans for my week off. But just as I'd thought, it has been exactly what I needed. Having nothing in the diary meant that we could take advantage of any sunnier days, and we've enjoyed some very pleasant walks. We've been down by the lake, enjoyed a quiet early morning ramble along the canal, and last night, we watched the most beautiful sunset over the sea. A perfect prescription for wellbeing. 

I've made plans for the garden. I had initially hoped that I'd be able to dig over the raised bed and have a general tidy around this week, but I think that will need to wait for some drier weather. I've already sowed some sweet peas, peppers and strawberries indoors, and I've  bought several packets of seeds, which will be sowed directly outdoors sometime in early spring.

Another activity Lily and I have enjoyed this week, has been watching the first series of All Creatures Great and Small, on iPlayer. It's been so good. We've tucked ourselves up, nice and cosy under a blanket each evening, and been transported back in time to the beautiful Yorkshire Dales. It's encouraged us both in wanting to explore the area a little more, and is the main reason I've been making plans for another trip. 

Back soon.

J. X

Castleton

 

At the weekend, we packed our bags and set off for Derbyshire. I'm not certain why I decided it would be a good idea to go away so soon after finishing for the summer, but I keep thinking back to when we were fortunate enough to have visited Sycamore Gap, just a few short weeks before the tree was felled. It has given me a more 'seize the day' attitude. Not that I suspect Mam Tor will be disappearing anytime soon, but you never know.

Having looked at various options, I had booked into the Youth Hostel in Castleton, which is conveniently situated right at the beginning of our walk, and had ample free parking. Better still, there are sheep! Almost as soon as we arrived (it was too early for us to check in), we set off along the track and up the steep slope of Lose Hill. It was perfect weather for walking, mild and with a gentle breeze, and plenty of others clearly felt the same, as it was quite busy up there. After a brief sandwich stop, we then walked right along the ridge to the summit of Mam Tor. There were many more people at this point, because from here Mam Tor can be more easily accessed along a short track, directly up from the road, which is ideal if you want to be able to enjoy the views for a lot less effort.

From here we dropped back down towards the road, passing the Blue John Cavern and on towards Winnats  Pass, which we had driven over on our journey to Castleton. There appears to be  a lot of caverns in this area, Lily's favourite being Peak Cavern, because it is also known as the Devil's Arse!

From here, our route took us through the village, and back to the Youth Hostel, where by this time we were able to check in and go to our room. Tired from our walk, we decided to eat at the hostel that evening, then I had a wander around the grounds and made friends with a goat :)

After a good night's sleep, we enjoyed a delicious cooked breakfast, which set us up for the morning. Our next stop was Chee Dale, and a circular route, which took us a short way along the Monsal Trail, down into a limestone gorge, where we walked across large stepping stones, then back again through some old railway tunnels.

Everywhere was looking especially lush and verdant. The paths were a bit slippery in places, and I got my hands quite muddy, trying to steady myself, while navigating some of the rocks. But thankfully, the stepping stones were quite solid, so at least I didn't need to worry about getting my feet wet.

It was lovely to see all the wildflowers attracting plenty of pollinators, and we even spotted a large heron wading through the water.

J. X

The Langdale Pikes

As is always the way, it was a relief to reach half-term week in one piece. I am very aware that I'm just about managing to keep going at moment, but that is all set to change, moving forwards. There are seven more weeks until the school's summer break, after which my hours will be reduced, and my working days will become shorter. As much as I am looking forward to feeling more in control of my time, it will also feel bitter sweet, as I will no longer be taking Lily to school each day. Another milestone reached, but how fortunate I am to have experienced these early years with her. 

Anyway, we're not there quite yet, but this week off school couldn't have been more welcome. I had, however, warned Lily that she wouldn't be enjoying a lie-in, that first morning. The weather looked good for Saturday, but rain had been forecast for the following  two days, and I didn't want to miss an opportunity to complete a walk, which had been suggested to me. 

Starting from one of the more popular areas of The Lakes, an early start meant we could avoid the crowds, as it can get incredibly busy here, especially on Bank Holiday weekends. 

It was a lovely sunny start to the morning, and on our first ascent we enjoyed regular stops to admire the views. It was a steep climb but it wasn't long before we could see our first summit of the day, Loft Crag. It took me a little while to figure out my bearings, but I was soon able to recognise the outlines of the more familiar fells around us. 

From here, we could see across to our next fell, Pike o'Stickle. And yes, we did need to use our hands as well as our feet on the final scramble to the top. I do enjoy a bit of variety on our walks :)

The next summit of the morning was Harrison Stickle. And this was where we encountered a rather large walking group. Not being used to busy summits, we quickly 'bagged' this one, before moving on towards the next, Pavey Ark. It was at this point that I realised, most people we came across were walking all the same fells, just in a different order. 

After a brief stop for lunch, there was a short walk over to Thunacar Knott, and then along a grassy stretch, to take in the views from High Raise. Here, we could see right across to the Western Fells, and Skiddaw and Bassenthwaite to the North. Again, we didn't hang around, the hiking group was approaching from the opposite direction!

From here, it was all downhill, with the exception of a brief detour to bag our final summit of the day, Sergeant Man. The path then dropped down towards Stickle Tarn, which boasts the impressive backdrop of Pavey Ark and Harrison Stickle, which we had climbed earlier, before descending Stickle Ghyll, and back to the car park. 

It was an invigorating walk, although the problems with my foot did cause me a lot of discomfort towards the end. Still, that's another seven Wainwrights ticked off, but more importantly, a very enjoyable day out on the fells. 

J. X

Restorative

I didn't sleep well on Friday night. I'd had another busy week at work, and for one reason or another, my mind simply refused to switch off. I do have a lot going on in the background just now I suppose, and there's also Lily's SATs coming up this week, which even though I am not too concerned about, I am worried that she might be. On top of all of that, I am thinking about all the activities going on at school, between now and the end of term. July will be here before we know it, and a lot of changes lay ahead for us both. Then there's also the small matter of Lily's birthday, this month, but I think that's all in hand now.

Even after a restless night, I still managed to wake early. The promise of  glorious sunny day usually has that affect on me. And I quite like to walk out into the garden first thing in a morning, and check on the plants. I don't really know why, as it isn't as if they've grown suddenly overnight, but it's something I've always enjoyed doing. When I got home from work on Friday, I'd weeded the raised bed, thinned out the beetroot seedlings and cut the grass, so it felt rather satisfying to see the results of my hard work. 

The potatoes look to be growing quickly, so I'll need to remove their protective netting very soon. The beetroot seedlings are coming along nicely, but I'm unsure as to what happened to the carrots. After showing signs of life, they simply disappeared. Not to worry, I've used the empty space to plant some pumpkins instead. The apple trees continue to thrive, so they might need repotting later in the year. And the lemon trees have finally been moved outdoors, where they will stay until the weather turns cooler once again. I've pruned them, just a little, as the branches had become a little overcrowded. They still haven't flowered, but I'm hopeful that they might next year.

Another r reason I wanted an early start to my day, was so that we could go for a walk. I have been so focused on running recently, that my walking boots have been, sadly, neglected. Seeing as we've been out of practice, and with Lily's tennis lesson starting at one o'clock, I knew we couldn't be out for very long, so I chose an old favourite, Silver How. This was one of Lily's very first ever fell walks, and it isn't very high, but has some lovely views.

I hadn't  realised just how much I'd missed being up on the fells. While I'm running, my mind works overtime, going over things I need to do, shopping lists, work, the mental load of running a home. But when I'm out walking, I'm more concerned about what I can see, which fells I am looking at, and more often than not, which is the best route around the bog :)

The weather was gorgeous, yesterday. Not too warm, no chance of rain and barely a breath of wind. We took the lane out of Grasmere, then turned up a small, steep track which led away from the lake, and very soon onto the fell side. It was incredibly quiet, then all at once we heard a cuckoo. It's always a delightful sound, but especially as it's the first I've heard this year. 

We went the long way round towards the summit, avoiding the steep climb and enjoying a more gentle approach. For a long time it was as though we had the fell to ourselves, but we soon got chatting to a lovely lady, who arrived at the summit shortly after we did. We only passed a group of three fell runners on our way up, but as we headed back down towards the village, it was quite obvious that it would be getting much busier as the day went on.

We  took the slightly indirect route back into the village, just so that we could cross the stepping stones over Easedale Beck. Then, of course, no visit to Grasmere would be complete without a visit to the Gingerbread Shop. I bought a pack of six slices, and a bag of coffee. 

Today isn't going to be quite as enjoyable. Ì have a list of chores to work through, I need to do the weekly shop, then it's back to work again tomorrow.

At least the forecast is looking good again for next weekend. 

J. X