By Slanted Light

Going through all my old posts via backing up etc. reminds me how much I miss posting to lj when I don't do it, so here's a proper wanderings post, because I did manage a bit of wandering last weekend - I visited f_m_parkinson, and we went for a fab walk on Saturday. *g*

We walked through the watermeadows that controlled flooding around the river, a system probably introduced in the 17th century from Europe (says this website)...


...along wooded paths (through squelchy mud!), and over old bridges...


( Ponderous carriages and gingerbread smiles... )

...went to the seaside. What I really did was a dash to Ikea when I realised they'd nearly sold out of the table I wanted for my office shed desk with only three days until lockdown, and then on the way back I caught a glimpse of blue on the satnav and realised how close I was, and then... this happened. *g*

I had thought I might find something for lunch, but then I saw the ice cream stand still open, and then malteser and coffee ice cream happened instead. *g* That's not two ice creams, it's the same one (I'm not that bad!) - but I loved the sunny skies on one side and the rather threatening glower on the other!

Which led to a rainbow. *g*

I was particularly impressed with the two women who went swimming!



The glowering got increasingly gloomy though, until we were being rained on. But it soon passed, leaving things even prettier... And look at the colour of the sea! Washed down from the cliffs, I suppose, and somehow rather stunning to see.



Loved the colour of the cliffs! Loved these chaps, too. *g*

Sadly I couldn't stay long, because it was my night for foodsaving, and so I headed in a generally homeward direction... and then took a detour when I saw the signpost for Blackberry Camp, because I've been there when it was carpetted with bluebells, and I wondered what it would look like in the autumn. I accidentally went past it, but it was down this road, so not a sorrow...

And I somehow managed to loop back around to it anyway, so that worked out even better. And it was just as magical as I remembered, although the colours were different... *g*

It's very atmospheric too - it was once a hillfort, and you can feel it somehow. The Hooded Man (Robin, Robin...) could have stepped out from behind any tree...


And then I really did have to head home and unload my various purchases, and go foodsaving - but tired though I was, it was so refreshing! I'd been planning to venture out come November-ish when I figured the diseased hordes might be staying home a bit more in the cold - only to find I'd left it too late and been gazzumped by Bojo, so I'm glad I snatched these few hours. I'm hoping to manage a bit more wandering on Wednesday, but then that will be it for quite some while...

It's been a rough few days (weeks...), what with Job 1 and Job 2 and on top of that continued bombardments from Madam about my foodsaving project, but with no concessions whatsoever (gaaargh!), but I snatched a couple of hours today to wander up to the nearest Cathedral city for a bit of shopping, and happened to get there just at dusk...



Tonight was supposed to be my last Job 2 night, and I actually booked a day off tomorrow - and then I stupidly said yes when I was asked to pick up some Job 2 slack, so... waaaah! All I want is a bit of time to just dust! This weekend - surely this weekend I will have time for catching up on things like dusting and taxes (yeurch) and then lovely Pros-y things? Surely...!

How're you doing? *g*

... heading to London, home of the lads! Its looking quite autumny in the countryside now - all faded russet and dimmed golds. It was about this time last year that I headed back from Australia and was in London again - same as this time, for a working weekend in Cambridge, ready for Job 2. I remember London looking very pretty, so we'll see! I think there was less rain than is forecast now, mind...

But still - there will be at least a little Pros locationing, because I'm meeting a Pros-y friend at one, and then... We'll see! I've got two days off, so maybe I can find cool things, rain or not... *g*

How're you doing? *g*

... through wind-y lanes and gorgeous Dorset countryside...


... to the beach...

Want to come for a wee adventure? *g*

First stop - a quick hello to the Cerne Abbas Giant, all shiny and clean again this year.


A wander by the stream to the village...

... and then off to the next wee adventure... *g*

Ack, it's been just on a month since I posted last - how did that happen? I didn't mean it to, but its that time of year, and after the debacle that was nannying I'm two-job girl again. In fact I was briefly three-job girl... I've taken loads of photos for you... Just not actually posted them...

Here's some...!



Hope that works. I'm on the train now, just about to arrive in London for the night before flying out tomorrow. Adventure begins! I will try to get back to posting again, because I do miss you all. I wish there was more "all" of us around, and it's been sad getting glances of more and more people saying they're leaving lj. I shall see if I can see it out with bangs rather than tumbleweed though. Anyone out there with me?

It was another grey day, and rain was forecast, so I decided to head for indoorsy things. The first was not too far away, at a place called Symmonds Yat (love the name) - a butterfly house! I love a butterfly house. *g*



( Then it was off to... )

...and I am leaving Boxegeddon behind, to go on an adventure!There will be castles, forests, green men, and a medieval banquet - at least that's the plan. I'm determined not to even think about packing and so on while I'm away, because there's sod-all I can do about it over Easter, and I booked this mini-holiday ages ago. So I'm going to enjoy it!

Anyone care to join me...? It's about time I started to take some proper photos again, I reckon. Maybe there'll even be writing... *g*

Catching up! Pretend it's Tuesday for a minute...? *g*

Today was a driving day - after a relaxed start and Pros-y type chatting and so on, we hit the road headed north. Three hours goes surprisingly fast when you can carry on chatting about Pros and the state of lj, and and Pros on lj, and where else Pros is, and... well,
you get the idea! *g* But eventually it was time to drop my guest off elsewhere, and I carried on alone again. My satnav warned me that I'd have to pay a toll to carry on the direction I was going, but I didn't want to waste time on a work-around, so I resigned myself to it - and coughed up the 12p required for crossing a wee bridge back to the main road!
*g* Then it was all big roads and fast driving for a while, headed off to Wales.

Just after dark I arrived at this place, surrounded by woods and shone down on by a nearly full moon... Betws-y-coed YHA, by Swallow Falls. *g* The pretty building is actually the hotel rather than the very unprepossessing YHA, but it all worked and there I was.

And this was my view when I had dinner at the hotel (Mediterranean stuffed peppers, cos sometimes you just feel the need for veggies!)I was in a wee booth by the window, and it was all very peaceful and quiet, and it turned out I had the YHA room all to myself too, so generally, the day was a happy, I'd say!

Probably the fact that there were in fact no spooky encounters was also a happy, really... *g* I wouldn't mind one at all - provided I was with other people at the time, which I'm not usually! Did anyone manage to have a halloween-y Halloween? *g*