Early Summer

Hurray! Summer has arrived. Bright, sunny mornings see me waking far earlier than I would like, but a steady, unhurried start to my day is much more enjoyable than the need to rush around. Washing is pegged out on the line, birds are fed (I've discovered mealworms are a huge hit), and oh, how satisfying it feels to help myself to fresh strawberries from the garden to enjoy with some yoghurt for my breakfast. And all this is before 7.30a.m. at which time I set off on my bike to ride into work. 

Even that feels like a joy at this time of  year. The lanes are quiet, the calves in the fields are just beginning to stir, and the warm, early morning air is filled with the sweetest of smells. As I ride along I breathe in the delicious scents of the Elderflower, Honeysuckle and Meadowsweet which line the roadsides. 

Lately, weekdays have been quite busy, so I have eased off at the weekends a little more than usual. That said, I still need to get out, and much like a dog, I need to be walked regularly :) So, last weekend we took a gentle stroll up Gummers How. A much loved little fell on the southern shores of Windermere. We like to walk here every now and again, as it's an easy, short walk up direct from the car park and  the views across the lake are stunning. 

The wildflowers in the garden had been flattened by the heavy rain showers, but they soon straightened up again when the sun re-appeared. There are several new varieties which are yet to open up, and I never knew you could get white Cornflowers, so it came as a shock to see one all on it's own, in amongst the blue and purple ones. 

During the week, we finally had the opportunity to go swimming in a pool once again and it felt amazing. The sun was shining, the water was lovely and warm and Lily had a grin on her face the entire time we were in the pool. I've promised that I will book for us to go again very soon. 

The next day, I had planned a visit to Ullswater for some paddle boarding and swimming, after which there would be sausages cooked on the camping stove followed by some hot chocolate. It was warm, sunny evening and a lovely time was being enjoyed, then I realised I had forgotten the sausages! I am seriously not very good when it comes to utilising this particular camping stove, as I have previously been known to forget the gas cannisters! Never mind. A hot chocolate would be good until we arrived back home. But guess who forgot the mugs! I was so cross with myself, until, eventually, I came up with a plan. We could drive on towards Keswick, call at the supermarket for some sausages and cook them by Derwentwater instead. 

Fortunately, I was in need of some more camping mugs, so it wasn't money wasted, and by this time a pack of chocolate Brownies may have also made their way into my shopping basket. I now had everything I needed but the car park machine by the lake had other ideas. I needed to wait twenty minutes, until 7p.m. to pay to park for the evening! By this time I was getting more than a little cross at myself until another visitor, who was also waiting, told me that Max the Miracle Dog and his owner, Kerry were over the road, in Hope Park. They were having a short meet and greet before the unveiling of a bronze statue of Max, which was taking place the following afternoon. Needless to say, I was very excited at this and, once I had paid to park, I can't tell you how great it was to chat with Kerry and stroke the dogs I have read so much about. They are just so gorgeous, and very friendly, happy dogs. I would have happily stayed there all evening but I had sausages to cook.

A little way along the shore we found a quiet spot to set up the stove and, I have to say, the sausages tasted delicious and were well worth the wait. The hot chocolate and brownies were pretty good as well.

As it happened, my forgetfulness worked out rather well for me in the end.

 

I thought you might like to see the new mugs.

J. X

 

June

Lately, I feel as though I've lost my blogging voice. Misplaced, rather than lost, perhaps. Then again, day to day life has become hectic once more and, I suppose, I lose track of time, then I can't seem to find the words to pick up where I left off. Therefore, I'm going to use the advice of another blogger and let my photographs (hopefully) lead the way.

Much the same as last year, we've been spending a lot of time in the garden and I'm chuffed to bits at how it has changed in such a short space of time. Earlier in the month, the pea shoots which  Lily brought home from school were already growing quickly, as were the runner beans and the wildflowers. She even won another packet of seeds in a school competition, so we have since sown those as well. We are receiving a lot more feathered visitors this summer, including a friendly little robin who pops in regularly to sit on the swing and then onto the rotary drier. I put food out each morning while Mog is upstairs fast asleep.

Last week we enjoyed a walk from the village of Patterdale up over Arnison Crag, Birks and then on to Saint Sunday Crag. It was a beautiful day and not too warm - perfect for being up on the fells, especially as it was lovely and quiet there. There may have been some protestation from Lily, as the walk, although straightforward, was a little steep in parts, but she was perfectly happy once we'd  reached the summit. It must have slipped my mind as to quite how high we would be climbing :)   

The next day, a far more gentle walk along the lane and through the fields meant we could collect some elderflowers for making cordial. It's a favourite of mine and so simple to make, although it continues to frustrate me as to how the best flower heads are always just out of reach. Never the less, we collected enough to make the cordial, which was ready to drink the following afternoon. It tastes delicious, and this year, as well as bottling some of the cordial, I have also frozen some in ice cubes trays, so it will be more convenient to store and make it easier to use just the right amount for each drink. The link to the recipe is here.

Back into the garden. As you can see, many of the wildflowers have grown rapidly since the first photograph, which was taken two weeks ago, and just as we had hoped, there is a constant buzz from the bees as they go about their business. We've also got some peapods now, the cornflowers are just about ready to open  and, more importantly...

I can pick fresh strawberries to eat with my yoghurt 🍓🍓🍓

J. X

And Then the Sun Came Out

A little later than usual, courtesy of a mainly overcast May, but the lanes and pathways are overflowing with Cow Parsley, Clover and Buttercups and, for the time being at least, it looks like the sunny weather is here to stay. And, better still, it coincided with my week off work. I had a lovely week and it was just what I needed, especially after feeling under the weather beforehand. Time spent relaxing at home, as well as days out, making the most of the warm weather. I really feel as though I've been away on holiday.

Our first day out included a walk up Blea Rigg from Grasmere. A few weeks back you might remember Lily and I walked up to Easedale Tarn then on up to Tarn Crag. This walk followed the same path to begin with but ascended the opposite side of the tarn to the fell beyond. It was a beautiful, hot day and Lily had fun cooling off in the tarn on our way back to the village, where, of course, we treated ourselves to another ice cream. I also treated myself to some new biscuit cutters from the Herdy shop. Because who wouldn't want a biscuit in the shape of a sheep. 🐑 

The following day we enjoyed a slightly later start and went for a walk through the woods. The light is beautiful in there now, when the sunlight filters thorough the leaves, and there is still a strong smell of Wild Garlic in the air even though the flowers are just beginning to fade. In the evening we went to the the beach and enjoyed a chippy tea. 

Mid-week, we set off early again to find ourselves a deserted spot by the lake for some paddle boarding. Even as the morning went on, it remained fairly quiet, which was a pleasant surprise after everything I had read about the Lakes being inundated with visitors. Perhaps it was, but just not where we were. And now that the water has had the chance to 'warm up' a little, we enjoyed a quick swim, something we have missed doing regularly during the last year. I think we will be swimming at the lake for much of the summer now, though I'm not yet brave enough try it at any other time of year.

Once again, we are participating in 30 Days Wild. Every June we are encouraged to participate in random acts of wildness throughout the month. This year we have planted wildflower seeds in the garden instead of vegetables, and it's wonderful to see how quickly they have grown. I can't wait to see them all in flower. One of the suggestions in the challenge is to visit a local nature reserve, which was where we spent a lovely morning watching the dragonflies and damselflies by the pond. Disappointingly, we didn't find any lizards on this occasion but I was more than happy not to encounter any adders, which have apparently been spotted there recently. 

Our last day out of the week was a walk up to Glenridding Dodd, then on up to Sheffield Pike. Two small fells on the western shores of Ullswater. These can be climbed from Glenridding itself but we took a lesser known route up through the trees which opened up to reveal some beautiful views of the lake below. 

This week has seen us return to work and school and I'm beginning to get my voice back - at last. Much to my relief but not necessarily everyone else's :) In the garden the strawberries are beginning to ripen and in the lanes the elderflower are almost ready for gathering. Summer is on it's way and I can't wait. 

J. X