Just a Lovely Week

Last week was our half-term, and we were so very lucky in that it coincided with some absolutely glorious weather. The sun shone every single day, and I did my best to make sure we made the most of it - after all, this could be our summer :) When it is like this I often find it tricky to find a balance between trying to get out whilst the weather is so nice, along with taking some time out to relax at home. This is a consequence of living in an area where it usually rains - a lot! You would think I might be able to take it easy and enjoy it for what it is, but I do so love the warmth and sunshine, that I make sure to soak up every bit of it while I can. 

The countryside is looking incredibly  beautiful just now. In fact, I think June might just be my favourite month of the year, when the weather is like this, at least. Cow Parsley is spilling out onto the lanes, we've been watching damselflies in abundance down by the pond, and everywhere is looking so incredibly green.

After a lot of hard work, the garden is now looking so much tidier than it had been. I managed to dispose of the large trees I'd dug out, cut back a lot of the groundcover shrubs beneath the wall, and pulled up an impressive amount of weeds. The borders are now much clearer and I have replaced just a few of the frost damaged plants with new ones, which I have been assured will establish themselves quickly and be able to cope with the cold winter weather. 

 

The apple trees are coming along nicely and have been moved to a new position alongside the shed. And I don't know if any of you remember my experimental lockdown lemon trees, but just look at how well this one is doing! I can't tell you how excited I will be if it ever grows actual lemons. I believe they can take between 4-7 years to produce anything, so watch this space.

 

Lily and I have been out walking with a friend, and it actually felt rather special to introduce her to this beautiful part of the world that we know so well. We shared a tour of Rydal and Grasmere, which included waterfalls, caves, two lakes and a fell summit. We cooled off with a paddle in Grasmere, then of course we just had to treat ourselves to an ice cream when we returned to the village.

Towards the end of the week, and as the temperatures rose even further, we went swimming in the outdoor pool. I'm really hoping this will be the first of many visits this season.

I've enjoyed lighter meals, eaten outdoors.

Then just before returning to school, at the beginning of the week, we walked through the fields and into the woods, along the old tracks that hold a comfortable familiarity for us. It's elderflower season, and we needed to gather just enough of those frothy white flowers to make our cordial. So quick and simple to make, it has the taste of summer that I find so deliciously refreshing.

Also, we managed to squeeze in a few short days away in Stirling. But more on that in another post. 

J. X

Chasing Waterfalls

Recently, I have become rather ambivalent about certain social media, or more specifically my behaviour towards it. Now, I don't 'do' Facebook, I've never looked at Twitter. I'm almost certainly too old for Snapchat and TikTok :) YouTube has it's advantages, but I rarely have the opportunity to sit and watch videos. Which leaves me with Instagram. 

I began using the Instagram app way back in 2017 and I have always enjoyed it. There are so many pretty pictures to scroll through, and just as many images to scroll right past ;) It is so very quick and simple to post. I've found it fun,  informative, and inspiring at times. I mainly follow outdoorsy folk who enjoy fell walking, and the app makes it simple to connect with and share ideas with others, which can be wonderful.

Lately, however, some of the individuals I originally began following for inspiration have morphed into influencers, who always seem to be affiliated with certain brands or promoting a new product. I have already unfollowed many for this reason, and yet I still find myself scrolling mindlessly through posts, or worse still, comparing myself unfavourably  with those who somehow manage to have successful careers, as well as some sort of side hustle, an incredibly busy social life and an even more active social media.   

This photo sharing app, which I began using as a bit of fun, has now become something which holds much less appeal for me. And I realise, I think I need to take a step back from it, for a little while at least.

I hope that from now on I will be spending more of my time on here, as for me it feels like the difference between waving a quick 'hello!' to someone or sitting down with friends, while enjoying a cup of tea and a good chat.

Photographs were taken last weekend, while on the waterfalls walk at Rydal Hall. Ironically, I was with a lovely group of people who I met though Instagram. Maybe there are some advantages to using it after all. 

J. X

Beda Fell

For a while now, I had been meaning to walk up Beda Fell, on the eastern side of Ullswater. We had already climbed it's neighbouring fells, so on this occasion there would be just this summit to tick off our list. The starting point which I had in mind for this walk was a little bit out of my way, and with limited parking available, I knew an early start would be required. That was until I realised we could actually reach that side of the lake by boat - I know, I even surprise myself at times :)

We still set off reasonably early, allowing for seasonal traffic, but the drive was very quiet and we arrived in Glenridding with plenty of time to spare. We left the car here, as our route would eventually bring us right back again. And it was here that we boarded the steamer, making sure to sit at the back to enjoy the best views, as we travelled up the lake towards Howtown. It was a pleasantly warm morning and we were soon able to take off our jackets, before getting off the steamer at the lake shore beneath Hallin Fell. 

Our walk began alongside the steep and winding lane which leads to the church at Martindale. We then dropped down into the valley, before following the straight, clear track leading up to Alan Crag, then a little way farther along to Beda Fell. It was perfect weather for walking. The light cloud cover prevented us from getting too hot, and there was barely a breeze. The views towards Ullswater were beautiful, and we  had to keep stopping to look back and appreciate them.

I always love to see Bog Cotton. A clear indication to stay on the path. I had also hoped we might have caught a glimpse of the red deer, which are found in this area, but disappointingly they were nowhere to be seen.  

Beda Fell summit. Looking towards Ullswater, with Hallin Fell in the centre. We stopped here while we ate our chocolate, then descended towards Bordale Hause, a pass which links the Boredale and Patterdale valleys, where we ate our lunch. From here we headed down towards Rooking, re-joining the Ullswater Way path to Glenridding, back to where we started, and where we treated ourselves to an ice cream. 🍦

J. X

Ten

During this last week, my now not-so-little girl reached double figures. Ten! Surely this can't be right.

It really doesn't seem so long ago that I walked into the maternity hospital in the very early hours of a clear, warm spring morning (I remember it as though it were only yesterday) returning home later on the same day to a slightly fuller house and a very different future to the one I had planned out for myself years earlier. This little bundle of joy arrived and turned my life around for the better.

She is stubborn, feisty, a bit of a whirlwind at times, and she is also the kindest, funniest and most generous human I know. During the last twelve months she has grown so tall, and it wont be long before she catches up with me, and it is a wonderful privilege to watch her growing in confidence and become increasingly independent as the years go by. 

To celebrate, we spent the morning at a waterpark by the beach. What an amazing place. There was a wave pool, so many water slides and a huge lagoon area, although my favourite part of the morning was when Lily activated a large water cannon. The look on her face when she realised she had showered water over all the people in the pool area was priceless. Lily absolutely adores being in the water. In fact, she generally prefers being under the water - I'm almost certain she is half mermaid! It was a beautiful sunny day, so afterwards we went for a wander down on the beach and enjoyed some freshly cooked chips, followed by a chocolate ice cream.  We will definitely be making a return visit. 

Lily can't eat cake, but she does enjoy chocolate cornflake 'cakes', so I made some of these and tried to make them look as celebratory as possible, with the addition of her favourite M&M's and some candles. 

And following on from last year's success, she has now declared this year to have been her, 'Best Birthday ever!' I wonder if next year will be just as fun?

J. X