July

'Housework, done properly, can kill you' Susan Branch
I found this quote in her most recent book and thought I should pay attention
I can get a bit obsessed with housework...

....so I haven't done much - dust is collecting and ironing is piling up!  but we have fabulous sunshine here so I have been walking in the woods and up near the airport and a trip to Brighton beach on my days off, cooking on the bbq outdoors and doing as little boring old housework as possible!

The woods and meadowland around here are bursting with flowers,

 
 in particular I was stopped in my tracks up by the river when I saw  swathes of betany and mallow. They went on for about 400 yards....  blackberries and elderberries are forming and the river is full of bullrushes.

I counted 18 different wildflowers on this walk, although I could only name a few! two green woodpecker, mistle thrush, magpie and two deer - all too fast for my camera.

I have been to Brighton a couple of times this month with College Boy ... this is the West Pier which burned down many years ago and is beyond economic repair; but if you don't mind the view, it has the best spot for swimming and there is a good bit of sand when the tide is out. Most tourists are crowded up the other end by the main pier.

 There was a coach load of school children here from inner London - some having their first paddle in the sea, only one had brought a bucket!  They were jumping waves and screaming with delight, (their teachers enjoying it as much as them).  Lovely to watch.

In the lanes the second-hand bookshop had a pretty leaf mobile on display, the leaves are cut from the pages of old books.

We had a family holiday in Cyprus for a week at the beach, I read books, sunbathed and slept.

(Boden 70% off sale 2015!)

  We stayed in Paphos and took a bus to Nicosia to explore, then crossed the border into Turkey, we didn't stay long as it was 37 degrees that day and we were keen to get back to our air conditioned rooms!

Turkey, mosque wall

Nicosia, balconies above the shops

East/Anohki hand blocked sarong (Ebay £4)

Much time was spent reading this wonderful book  'Shoes for Anthony' by Emma Kennedy about a child growing up in a Welsh mining village during the war.  It would also make a brilliant film but I don't think that has happened yet.....

Amazon books

I hope to get some painting done in the next few weeks but while we have this fabulous sunshine in the UK am out and about on my days off as much as possible.   With the urge to explore, jump on a bus or train or drive to an unknown destination, I may be off having a few adventures ... don't want to be like these poor birds (wished I could let them out as, although they were singing happily, they have never felt the wind in their wings).

A friend asked how to make August more August-y so I am thinking about how to really get the most out of August... berry picking definitely top of the list.  I will have to sign off as the squirrel has come to my door and is asking for sunflower seeds .... how lucky to have such pretty visitors!


Thank you for stopping by, friendly comments are always welcome so I know you passed this way......