Good morning and feeling my age!

You will see that it was a bright morning today with no one about at Remedy Oak golf club meaning Juno could have a little run around the tee on this par 3 hole. We had a long walk before heading home for breakfast but it wasn't long until we were headed out again, this time for an offroad run. I had just done a mile when I turned my ankle as I came to the end of a very sandy stretch which has lots of fist sized bits of gravel and it was one of those which twisted my ankle. 

We walked home with me thinking it wasn't anything much but it became clear it was more sore than I'd thought and I limped the final part. At the same time I have had pain in my jaw, upper and lower and have made an emergency appointment with the dentist to get it checked out. Add in my arthiritic thumb and you have an old man experiencing the joys of ageing. I know you can turn your ankle and have toothache or a gum infection any time but it does feel like I am not quite what I was once!

Knowlton Church

Joy came up for Sunday dinner and then we all took a trip to Knowlton Church to give Juno a run in the sunshine on a blowy afternoon. Such a lovely place to have within a few miles and great for chasing the tennis ball.

 

Saturday late June

The photo shows a scarlet tiger moth which I came across as I was finishing trimming the hedge behind the shed, a very awkward place to find space to get in and use the shears. However, I got it done and it's all looking tidy, for a while at least. 

Earlier in the day I ran a 5 mile route round the crossroads at the far end of the village listening to podcasts. 

Much of the day was given over the watching performances at Glastonbury, although I fell asleep during Paul Macartney's set which was more about me than him. I'll have to atch it again later.

It’s growing well…

First thing this morning I noticed a jackdaw on the feeders but whilst we have plenty of visiting jackdaws, this one was most unusual looking, as you might be able to see in the photo above. It is missing feathers around its head and neck giving it a pretty grotesque appearance, something like a vulture. It may be that it has mites or some other skin condition causing loss of feathers or it could be a diseased bird or it may even have alopecia for birds apparently.I'll keep an eye out for it but can't help but feel it won't be around for too long.

It was a pleasant enough day for a ride to Moors Valley and then to Joy's where I got the lawns cut, the vegetable plot weeded and cut right back a bay tree which had grown to tower into the sky. It's all chopped up now ready for the garden waste bin.

After the ride home and some lunch I was off to Wimborne where I checked on the lettuce I transplanted earlier in the week and I can report the rabbits have enjoyed much of them! I've had to cover the remainder to give them some protection. I picked yet more strawberries and spinach before strimming the grass paths and checking the onions and garlic which are nearing the time to be picked.

Maria was promptly out of school and we got home for some tea before Thursday dance which I took her to so I could double back a little to spend an hour at the West Moors allotment where I did more watering and weeding. The peas are the best crop presently, although the  greens are doing better now. However, the shallots and a courgette are also striving.

It felt like a long day full of driving around and lots of outdoor time too. I needed a rest!

Durley Chine

And again, the sun is shining. I was in the wood with Juno at 6am and on the beach by 8.30 where I had a run toward Sandbanks and back, a little over 4 miles from Durley Chine. Once back I took a seat and listened to 6Music and the first broadcasts from Glastonbury where Lauren Laverne was excitedly welcoming crowds back after the pandemic cancellations. It was a joy to be sat in almost complete solitude under blue skies feeling the heat of the sun and ready for a swim.

The water was fine and I remembered my goggles this time which meant I could swim more easily for longer. The terns were diving into the sea fairly constantly indicating that there were plenty of sandeels around.

After some lunch I got on and cut our neighbour's hedge and got that cleared up before making tagliatelle in a tomato sauce for tea and then spending another couple of miles in the woods with Juno as the sun became less fierce. I am loving the heat and it doesn't seem to stop me getting on, as it used to. I crave that warmth these days.

Beautiful bike ride

It was another lovely day yesterday which made for warm dog walks, a roasting 5km run and then a bike ride round Wimborne St Giles out past the cress farm. I think I did some more hedge cutting after the garden watse bin had been emptied giving me room for the brambles and hawthorn that make up most of the side hedge. They are a lethal combination and I seldom emerge without multiple cuts to my knuckles and arms. It was business as usual from that perspective.

The bike ride was just under 13 miles in total and a real pleasure. There's something great about the way the speed of the bike creates enough wind to cool you down enough to make it less stressful in the heat and then there is the countryside, full of skylarks singing and swallows and house martins overhead. 

There was still time for a quick visit to the allotment on my way to collect Maria where I planted some more lettuce, picked some greens and gave everything a good soaking. The peas are looking great and one of the squashes has started making huge growth. Very exciting.

Strawberries

Another couple of pounds of strawberries collected from the allotment today and made into a strawberry tarte tartin which has gone down very well. Just such a bonus crop for us with the plants having spread from neighbouring plot which means we've had to do very little apart from weeding and picking.

I had a four mile run this morning and then walked with Juno, walked from QE school to the allotment and back, as well as an evening walk with the dog, all of which meant I am still averaging over 20000 steps a day in June, 19000 for the year.

We are looking after Sandra's dog, Pixie. for the night and it has added a whole new level of stress as the doors have to be kept shut to stop her running off. She bolts if given the chance and we are trying to avoid losing her.

Father’s Day

It was a lovely day for me with plenty of time with the family after having the girls and Joseph sleepover on Saturday evening. Having already run round the woods, Juno got to visit the village green a couple of times, the second occasion including Rag as well, which meant lots of running around and chasing whilst the children played. It's such fun being able to take the children out and see them playing games and just running around the open space.

Everyone came over for Sunday dinner and we continued to celebrate Juno's first birthday too.

The motorhome is getting plenty of attention as we gear up for our French adventure in a little over a month. It can be emptied of some of the gear we have on board e.g. tents and extra chairs but in general we've got things sorted such as the continental power cable adapter, headlight beam stickers, GB plates, and so on. It will need a good clean before we go but in general, all looks pretty sorted after a fair bit of attention during the winter and spring. We'll know more after the weekend away at Glen's festival when being in the home for few nights will reveal a bit more about any jobs that need doing.

It's been exciting seeing some of the videos of where we are headed for 7 nights at La Rochelle, a camp site called Camping Le Bel Air, and the other 7 nights we can just rock up where we fancy. I'm looking forward to the adventure.

Bournemouth beach

Yesterday was the warmest day of the year so far and it was very busy in the car park by the time we arrived at Durley Chine just after 9am. It was just the three of us, Bride, Alison and myself, given it was a school day and it made for a relaxing few hours of sunbathing and reading. I managed to get in for a swim and found the water not to be too cold which was very welcome.

Once home I took Juno into the shaded woods to avoid the worst of the heat and I decided to to give a run a miss for the day. However, I did some more hedge trimming before collecting Maria from dance with a stop at the West Moors allotment to water the beans and tomatoes and picked the first of the raspberries and redcurrants. 

We had a lovely evening in the garden listening to music and enjoying a few beers. The warmth was just so nice. I would happily have it like this every day now. I seem to crave it in a way which I didn't in the past.

Wimborne allotment

It was a very warm day but I managed to fit in a run all the same, taking me alongside the banks of the river Stour which runs past Wimborne. Just under 4 miles in beautiful countryside and a very sweaty start to a few hours at the allotment. I'd had to drive Maria to school as she'd had to pop in to see the Doctor and was going in late. That meant I was able to take along some sunflowers and lettuce in pots for planting out, something I'd have struggled with on the bike.

It didn't take much strimming, as the lack of rain this week seems to have stopped the rampant growth of recent weeks, and looks nice and tidy, especially after hand weeding and hoeing. The onions and garlic are almost ready for harvesting and then early potatoes won't be far behind. The photo shows some of the onions and they are a good size. The beans and greens and so on are doing well and I picked more broad beans and spinach, as well as getting the seedlings in and watered. 

I had several trips to the water pump and gave everything a bit of a soaking and also filled the upturned dustbin lid with water for the birds to use. Having made sure there was plenty to drink for everyone else, I took myself down the road to the Green Man for a pint and then back for the strawberries. There is a bumper crop and I got nearly a kilo with many, many more to come. Once home we had some fresh strawberries on their own and didn't they taste wonderful. It's a cliche but they taste so different from the chilled ones from the supermarket. 

Having a sheet of puff pastry, I did a strawberry tart and that was delicious too, though I say so myself. That gave me a boost before spending two hours at the latest village hall committee meeting. I hadn't been expecting it to have been quite so long.

Catch up

It's been quite a week and here are some photos to show some of it. Last Saturday, there was a gathering of the female Salmons to go and watch a play about famous women in history at the Lighthouse Theatre in Poole which gave me the chance to get on my bike and over to West Moors to check the allotment. I had a run there too and found the place alive with visitors for a big tournament and for a wedding. The pavements were awash with people and a nice atmosphere. 

On the way back to Woodlands I stopped to watch a bit of cricket at Potterne where Verwood were playing. It looked to be a higher standard than I used to play for the club!

On Sunday I rode over to Wimborne, the home of Wimborne Town FC, where a memorial tournament was being held for Craig Tuley who used to play for the Beermen and who died quite suddenly afetr a cancer diagnosis last year. There was very little time for either Craig or his family to take in the news before he passed away. The shcok is obviously very strong still but it was a wonderful thing to create in his memory and 14 teams entered the competition, including The Beermen who had an enjoyable afternoon, winning once, drawing two and losing three.

It became quite a long visit and by the time I was back on my bike back home, it was 7.00 and I'd a bit to drink which meant a very careful ride home. It wasn't too bad at all but I was shattered when I got in.

Yesterday saw me at West Moors again, this time I took some photos and you can see the veg getting on ok. I wouldn't say much more than that. It's fine but it is nothing like as productive as Wimborne. Some work to do over the winter. In the afternoon I was back on my bike for the second time that day, this time for a short jaunt to the Horton Inn where I had a couple of pints on a difficult day, it being the eve of the first anniversary of mum passing away last June.

Dog leg to the left at Remedy Oak

Juno and I were on the golf course at Remedy Oak before 6.30 this morning and were rewarded with sinshine. Once Maria had got the bus I was off for a run which essentially followed the same path as the earlier dog walk but a bit further, all whilst listening to The Promise on Audible, a book which won last year's Booker Prize. In fact I finished listening to it today and found it more than worthwhile getting hold of.

Alison is suffering, like so many others, with hay fever, and so was taking things a little more easy today but I was soon off again, this time on the bike, to get a few things from the shops and then onto Joy's. I was using the new panniers on the bike and what a great thing they are allowing me to get all the veg I needed for tea plus a bottle of wine and some tonic water, the essentials of life. 

Joy was up and about, already knitting, and after a brief chat I got down to cutting the lawns and doing a bit of weeding in the veg patch where the potatoes, onions and runner beans are making good progress.

Once home and after lunch, I had a meeting with members of the village hall committee which was looking at ways we can improve the look of the hall and the site itself. There is a lot of work to get the premises being used as they should be. It has a lot going for it as a venue but it does not look the most inspiring of places, so work on making it more attractive.

I did pasta and a tomato sauce for tea alongside brocolli, steamed and then gently fried with garlic, roasted peppers with balsamic vinegar and olive oil and garlic, and roast tomatoes which were drizzled with oil and basil. It was very nice and it was a change to have to cook for just myself and Alison, as Maria was at dance.

 

Sharp showers and cycling

 

I took a ride to Wimborne this morning and had the pleasure of using the panniers for the first time which took a load off my back. It was nice and sunny when I left but it rained several times whilst I was at the allotment and made me realise what a hopeless summer we are having so far. There has been some warmth but almost every day is wet at some point. It is such a let down and makes me very happy we are off to France in July.

I did 18 and a bit miles on the bike in total and enjoyed a couple of hours of weeding, strimming and harvesting. The broad beans are good and I picked some greens too. The strawberries are almost ready too.

The best bit was clearing the section along the back which had become overgrown with grass and is now clear again, along with edging the borders of the various beds.

I also popped into Wimborne and refilled 5 spice and herb jars at a cost of £1.05 which is almost a fifth of what that would have cost in the shops.