Mother’s Day

That was quite a day! The girls slept well on Saturday but the loss of the hour's sleep took a little bit of the shine off, especially as Maria still had to be at dance for 9am. Whilst Alison drove, I fed Evie and Amelia and we were soon out for a dog walk which saw the poor thing subjected to three leads! 

Bridie and Joseph were soon here and Joseph had made a real effort to look grown up and special for his mum and grandma. I collected Maria from dance at 1.00 and by then Sandra and Joy, as well as Glen, had arrived for lunch. Joe and Kate made up our final party and a good deal of time was spent outside in the sunshine. I had still managed to fit in a 5km run which included Juno and wore her out and was happy to have a bit of a feed and a few drinks before a walk into the woods with Rag and Pixie to accompany Juno.

We were shattered once everyone had left around 6 and settled down to a bit of mindless TV.

Family day

We were out early for a two mile dog walk this morning and then a 5km run which took me well under the 10 minute mile mark in the warming day. It wasn't long afterwards that Evie and Amelia arrived, followed by Jospeh and Bridie ahead of lunch which was early to ensure we had Maria ready for dance this afternoon.

In the meantime, Glen and I were down the road helping a recently widowed neighbour with the extensive lawns. We were having to use strimmers after the mowers failed to work.

In the afternoon we got on board the motorhome and took ourselves to the allotment to enjoy the animals and a visit to the tea shop where the children played in the lovely grounds. We had a good time and then spent the rest of the afternoon in the garden. Joy had joined us by this time and she was on good form.

The weekend is here

The photo is of the sun setting over Woodlands just now, as I took Juno out for a final walk before settling down to a Friday evening. It's been another gorgeous day and I was out early again for a walk before going for a run for the first time in a week following the foot pain after the 15 mile trek last weekend. I did the 5km in a pretty good time and felt fine which was a relief.

Alison and I went litter picking and spent a bit of time with a neighbour having a look at his garden which is immaculate, although he is well into his 80s. He does have help from his sons these days but it looks as if the garden has been well tended for decades. 

I was out again shortly after and delivered a number of fliers advertising the village hall easter egg hunt in a few weeks before getting on my bike to try a ride with Juno. Glen mentioned having taken Rag recently so I thought I'dgive it a go. Not very confident at all to begin with, going down the hill with the dog tugging but we got the hang of it and once in the woods at Remedy Oak and Juno being off the lead, it was great. Juno got a long walk without taking a long time and she was nicely worn out for the afternoon.

The next activity was a ride to Verwood for a bottle of wine and a few beers before getting home for a bit of trumpet practice and duolingo. With Joseph off the bus I got on with the lasagne, garlic pizza bread and salad which went down very well. Now it's time to relax.

Beautiful day in the sunshine

A very busy outdoors day in the sunshine once again. The wind has dropped over the past few days and it is now properly warm and very welcome too. The usual morning dog walk and then just after 8, a ride down to Verwood and onto Moors Valley where the lake was very still and skies entirely blue. I did 12 miles in total with a stop at Joy's where I spent some time cutting the front and back lawns, filling the bird feeders and sharpening the edging shears and hedge shears. The gardens are looking in good condition with lots of daffodils, the magnolia in full bloom and grape hyacinths too.

After another dog walk I was off to Wimborne where I parked at the school and walked down to the allotment where I strimmed the pathways, weeded and watered the broad beans, garlic and leeks, tidied the bean sticks, dug out a bed of nettles and had a general tidy up. On the walk back I stopped at The Green Man and grabbed a pint of bitter shandy before the walk up the hill to pick Maria up.

I'd had enough by then but had to take Juno out again which means I have neared 24,000 steps for the day and am pushing 17,500 steps on average every day. Great to be able to spend so much time outdoors though and enjoying lots of music, In Our Time and latest audbile book.

Belfast again

The photo is from the ride I did round Woodlands and towards Haythorne where there are plenty of daffodils and primroses. I'm riding a bit more at the moment as my foot is still sore from the weekend walk and it means I am getting out in lovely sunshine and emerging spring. Beautiful.

At lunchtime, Alison and I took advantage of Meerkat Movies and went to BH2 to enjoy Belfast, Alison for the first time, me for the second. It's a film I was happy to rewatch and I'm glad to say Alison loved it too, very emotional at the end. I think both of us recognised so much of our own childhoods from the film, despite not being from Belfast of course. The cultural references with TV shows like the original series of Star Trek, films at the cinema like Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang and films of TV like High Noon were all reminders of our viewing in those days, as well as being in the street playing, a bit of minor shoplifting and running away.

Allotment in the sunshine

I enjoyed a 13 mile round trip to the new allotment and back yesterday morning. It had been my intention to go back via Joy's to cut the grass and do the bird feeders but I ended up spending the time at the allotment instead, as there were new piles of manure and woodchip to help yourself to. That meant backwards and forwards with a wheelbarrow full and given we are the furthest plot from the entrance, lots of walking with a full barrow load which took time.

The paths round the individual beds, of which there are seven, seem to have a membrane below the surface to help reduce weeds but there are still quite a few and the woodchip keeps that under control. It looks like a lot when in the barrow and then you tip it out and spread it and it becomes very little! More to do with it yet then and the same is true of the muck which I ended up spreading onto three of the beds.

Having spent that time walking up and down the allotment, I was able to plant out more seeds including:

peas, leek, kale, beetroot, turnip and onions.

It will be interesting to see how it all takes, especially in comparison with Wimborne where I am sowing later. 

My left foot hurts underneath by the heel after the long walk at the weekend and when walking the dog for example, I am limping a little which is then putting a strain on my leg.

Spring in the air cycle

Feeling the effects of the long walk on Saturday, no running on Monday but a 12 mile ride instead and very nice it was too in the spring sunshine and a gentler breeze than previous days. I went through Edmondsham and onto Cranborne before parking up at Wimborne St Giles for a few photos by the river. Of course the birds were full of song and there were plenty of buzzards in evidence during the ride which took me out to the salad fields next, an area I've not explored before, before coming back through to Knowlton Church and home.

The electirc bike is easier on the legs, no question but it does encourage you out and I was able to control myself so that it wasn't about rushing around, just taking it easy to enjoy the hedgerows and fields.

Joseph had a sleepover and enjoyed his garlic pizza and mushroom and red pepper pasta. We won't see him until after his Wednesday trip to London for the Voice In a Million event at Wembley. He and Bridie are looking forward to it very much.

 

Plymouth trip and walk to Tavistock

I had a lovely trip down to Plymouth to catch up with the ever expanding family and with the added bonus of a walk from Leigham to Tavistock on Saturday. The journey down was unhindered all the way and the same went for the return on Sunday which made for a change and meant I didn't have to stop either time, even with Juno on board.

Friday evening with my sisters and brothers in law was fun with a delicious homemade curry and plenty of Harris gin which made for a slightly fuzzy start to the next day when four of us set off for what proved to be 15 miles of walking to Dartmoor. We followed the old railway line from Plymbridge out to Yelverton where it had become the Dartmoor Way and it led us on to Tavistock in just under 4 1/2 hours, not too bad at all. It was sunny but cold at times when the wind blew hard and the route itself was lovely and flat almost all the way, just some downhill walking out of Yelverton. 

We had three dogs with us and they all made it, although with different approaches suiting their size and physique. Like us, they were plenty tired when we got there and after a few drinks, a bit of food and bus journey home, I was in bed by 8.30! Absolutely shattered and feeling incredulity at having done 51 miles last May which was very hard of course but had made me think this would be straightforward, a bit of a stroll. I was definitely feeling it.

Best of all though was seeing virtually the whole extended family on Sunday for a roast out at Plympton. There are so many of us now, keeping track is going to be tricky in a few years, and there is another baby due in a few months time. Just brilliant to see them all though and a real lift before my drive home.

Allotment day

 

As usual I will start by saying Juno and I were out not long after 6am for our 2 mile walk before breakfast and what a day greeted us. Bright sunshine and the promise of more to come through the day and for the next week. After the deluge yesterday, it is most welcome. 

Alison was down in Verwood with her mum for the morning and planned a day in the garden which meant I was off in the motorhome for a visit to the allotments. In fact the first stop was Verwood library to return a few books and take one out. 

Once at West Moors I took two of the plastic patio chairs we've had a for years down to the plot, matching the two in Wimborne. The planting of recent days has yet to push forth from the warming soil but I did get some more weeding down and discovered a tear in the fabric which keeps the tool box dry. This is a large rectangular box provided on site and intended to be somewhere to store materials but it would explain why one corner has been wet and so it is another little job to do at some point in the next few weeks.

I popped into Stewarts Garden Centre on the way to Wimborne to buy some peanuts and sunflower hearts for the feeders and then parked at the allotment. I'd had a run earlier, just 5km, but it meant I was starting to feel hungry so I walked into town to get myself a vegan pasty to go with my flask of coffee and heated it up in the motorhome oven. Very welcome and a nice way to start my couple of hours work on the bigger of our plots.

I'd planted leeks last year and they had been dwarfed by other plants but there they were in three different places. It may be they come to nothing but I took the opportunity to transplant them to a new bed where maybe they will start to thrive and give us a good crop later in the year. I also dug a trench in which to plant runner beans in May, the idea being to get lots of organic matter into the trench to feed the hungry roots and to help retain the moisture they need in July and August when periods of dry weather can mean the beans don't get going as well as they might.

There is a patch next to the compost heap where nettles do well and so, before they get going this year, I have started digging it over and am going to cultivate it instead. The larger bed next to it has been planted with the first of the potatoes, the earlies, with plenty more to come over the next couple of months, up to the end of April really I guess. 

There was more weeding to be done of course but it is generally looking pretty good. 

I picked Maria up from school and she is now off at dance again but we have Joseph staying over. We have been looking at the moon through my binoculars, the moon being almost full and the skies being clear, perfect for another long dog walk to tire Juno out for the night.

Done dog

It is almost impossible to believe but I have exhausted the dog!We did our 1.8 mile walk early this morning and were back for breakfast following which I thought I'd try Juno on a run with me. We are going to be walking a lot at the weekend which made me think this would be a good exercise in seeing what she was like after a bit more of a workout.

Juno was keen to run, she pulls anyway at the best of times, and it was easier to take her off the lead once in the golf course where we did most of the run. We did 5km to Slough Lane and back and she is now flat out after a second breakfast and plenty of water. I know it will be different with a walk but it is the first time I have seen her so done in after being out. 

Looks like a wet day ahead from here on in so an indoor day with some cooking, reading, trumpet playing and a bit of cleaning too.

 

Hale House party

We had a lovely evening at Glen and Harry's where they did us an evening meal. The house is after the Breamore turning to Woodgreen and on to Hale House which is just beautiful in the sunshine with wonderful gardens to walk in and allow the dogs to run around. All of us, including Joy on her first trip here, enjoyed our food and then being sat in front of the roaring fire.

This morning Juno and I managed to get out nice and early again and did our 1.75 miles into Remedy Oak golf course before breakfast. I took to the bike for a 12 mile ride with a stop in Verwood to fix the side gate, fill up the bird feeders and to plant some potatoes, onion sets and shallots which will keep Joy happy with the vegetable garden being used.

I won't be adding a lot more as she isn't that worried about much veg these days, just the ones she remembers doing with Robin in particular and being easy to look after and harvest. I would imagine we'll just add some runner beans in May and that will be it.

Back home, Juno and I set out for another good walk, 2 and a bit miles, listening to a book about the effect of geography on the world and conflict. Very interesting.

Alison and I sat in the conservatory for lunch and I got on with baking bread, a cheaper option than buying a loaf these days be far, cooking up some tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and celery for the pasta later today and also some red cabbage which I did with star anise and cloves to give it a bit of flavour. We'll see how that goes down!

The odd picture above, one not from Glen's, is of a red kite above Joy's house. I heard a gull calling loudly overhead and it was mobbing the kite very noisily. Nice to see a kite in Verwood!

A gorgeous spring morning

Juno and I were out of the house by 6.15 and walked down to Remedy Oak golf course for a 1.75 mile walk in chilly first light. It was lovely, with the promise of a fair day ahead and so peaceful with just the bird sound for company. As well as the singing of the dunnocks, blue and great tits, song thrush and blackbird, we had the honking of geese over the woods, the drumming of woodpecker and the 'yaffle' call of the green woodpecker. 

To follow I was cooking, looking to batch cook or to at least replenish the freezer following the loss of our home cooked frozen food when the storm cut the power to the freezer a few weeks ago. 

*lentil burgers

*lentil soup

*hummus

*chilli

*bolognese sauce with aubergine

*granola for the week

Plenty of washing up but I was done by 10 which gave me the chance to walk Juno again and then ride about Woodlands for a bit so I could drop off the litter picking equipment I'd been given for the weekend. There are a dozen or so bags waiting for collection from the village hall which is less than usual apparently, so a good sign hopefully.

Time for a run later and then a trip to Glen and Harry's for tea with Maria, Joseph and and Joy. 

Sunday morning blast

With Alison away in Brighton I had to delay taking Juno out for a proper walk until Maria had been collected for dance at 8.30. Once she was off, the dog and I took ourselves round Martins Farm and back round by the dairy farm in brighter weather after what looked to have been some heavy overnight rain. As soon as I was back and had fed Juno, I was out again to take part in the Woodlands' litter pick 2022, my patch being the area immediately around us. It is good to know the area as a whole is getting a good going over and I hope it keeps tidy for a while.

Once again I was no sooner back home than I was out for a run, this time down to Verwood to deposit a cheque received from EE refunding a returned phone from back in the autumn. It wasn't the refund so much as putting a stop to the debt collection letters I've been receiving regarding this returned phone, especially as I had already been in touch about it and they had acknowledged receipt of returned phone. That reminded me about the refund and they have clearly completed it correctly after several months.

I was pleased to run pretty quickly for a change and I was soon running back across the golf course and home to meet Alison who had just returned from Brighton. She was soon off to bed after a late night, so I made some dinner, jacket potatoes, salad, sausage rolls, friend mushrooms and green peppers in with cannellini beans ready for when I got back from collecting Maria from dance.

It was a very busy morning but I did get to listen to the final part of Cranford on audible and then watch a bit of the football.

Power of the Dog - Alison and I watched it on Friday evening and enjoyed it. Does it deserve to win all the awards it is said to be heading for? Not so sure about that, given it isn't a massive hit with the public and I can understand why. However, we definitely enjoyed it, more so than The Duke. 

Allotment with the children

A day of running, cycling and walking, as well as a trip to the allotment where we planted potatoes and  onions, both in the main plot and in the children's bed which is divided in two so both Joseph and Maria get some space each. Maria chose to avoid the onions as she doesn't like to eat them but had extra potatoes instead.

We walked round the site too so we got to see both the chickens and goats plus the long horned sheep before getting to the little trail with fairy houses and doors for the young children to enjoy.

Maria and Joseph did some reading and drawing on the motorhome before we set off back to Woodlands., some warmth being present in the air at last.
 

Wet Friday

I was out the door early as usual but particularly so in light of the forecast. Juno enjoyed her walk but was soon out again as Alison and I set off for a few miles in the rain once the children had got their respective buses. The rain fell steadily all morning and I ended up watching a film, Judy, a film Alison and I saw at the cinema and found ok. It is a little bit irritating with Judy Garland played as something close to Derek Zoolander but I think I am being unfair. I did enjoy it really.

The AA turned up a little early in order to fit a new battery to the motorhome which has needed more charging than should be the case of late. I really don't want any worries when we are in France and it seems to have done the trick.

Alison was off in the afternoon collecting Maria to take her to dance whilst I collected Joseph and Charlie off the bus, Charlie being a friend over for a play and some tea. Given the likelihood he wouldn't be a big fan of vegan food it ended up being a junk tea - potato wedges, pizza, pasties, chicken nuggets with a bit of cabbage and carrots.

Allotment update

I thought I'd take some photos of mud. I did pop into the garden centre on the way to Wimborne and picked up some potatoes which are on top of those already purchased so we can plant them at the new plot in West Moors with the children.As is often the case, I got seduced into buying some additional seeds, this time onion sets and some more shallots. Again, the idea is to plant them at the new plot given the extra space we have.

I walked down from QE and strimmed the grass first before digging over one final small bed which has a few leeks in still. The garlic, broad beans and onions are doing well and the starwberry bed looks neater for its tidy up. The next steps will be planting the first of the spring seeds, digging a trench for the runner beans to be planted in May, digging out the nettles around the compost heap in order to boost the growing area. I'm looking forward to it all and some better weather.

With all the activity I am averaging well over 17000 steps a day and am roaring through the lsitening, Cranford on Audible and an episode about earthquakes on In Our Time. 

Spring is all around

I was up late this morning but it wasn't my fault! Just before 3am I heard Juno whining and assumed she must need to go out which proved to be the case as she exploded as soon as we were out of the drive. Much better out there than inside but it still needed clearing up and that took some time and was followed by a short walk with me in my dressing gown and a pair of shorts and Juno still needing relief.

Once home I was far too awake for sleep and had a coffee before making my way back up at around 4.30. Not ideal and it meant I wasn't up until 7am when Juno and I got 1.5 miles in before a late breakfast. 

Being a Thursday it was jobs in Verwood day for me so I was off on the bike and around Moors Valley before taking myself to Joy's home. I saw the great white egret again and there was a cormorant just yards away today, drying itself after feeding in the lake. 

My list of jobs at Joy's included filling the bird feeders, planting some shallots and cutting the lawns, all of which I got done before the ride up to Woodlands where I got back in time to receive the equipment for the village litter pick over the weekend. 

Just having a coffee now before I head off to Wimborne allotment to get some work done there before collecting Maria after school but I have another dog walk ahead and a trip to the garden centre for some more early potatoes first.

The photos are from the golf course this morning and of the front and back lawns in Verwood, as well as a shot of a tidier shed.