Juicy June

In June, I mostly:-

- Ran away (or rather flew away) from the grey, wet, cold weather.

- Watched 'Gardener's World' on Sarah's kindle at 33,000 feet.  Am in love with Monty Don. 

- Was inspired by seeing Mary Portas in the Salisbury Festival - what a woman.....

- Was amazed at Clare Teal.  Sarah got a CD signed for me whilst I hid in the loo.

- Had a good rummage in charity shops.

- Tried to stay warm as I watched Salisbury Big Band play OUTSIDE - are they mad?

- Played with my new 'sit/stand desk' at work. Such fun!  

- Went to 2 beer festivals, hic.

- Played badminton in the back garden. 

Had some 'me time' one morning in Wilton Shopping Village in all the vintage, gift and arty shops.

Very cute wool shop

Followed by a most succulent chocolate brownie and pot of Earl Grey tea in Cobbs Tearoom.

http://www.cobbsatwilton.co.uk/

We squeezed a quick weekend away in Spain at Ken & Beryl's villa.  Mind you it didn't start well as the fire alarm went off at Bournemouth Airport just as we were taking our belts, shoes, watches and wooden legs off and putting them through the scanner so we all had to evacuate to the car park.  Also as the airport is tiny compared to Gatwick and Heathrow I didn't think to make a note of where we'd left the car - when we got back to Bournemouth after our weekend away it took us 15 minutes to find it! 

We got there eventually - ah, heat and sun......Mmmmmm

Two things excite me about travelling - the sound of my case wheels whirring along in the terminal building and baggage reclaim!  We put our cases in the overhead lockers this time so it was hard not to go and stand at the conveyor belt.

Is this an almond tree in the garden?

It made such a difference going in June, rather than September.  Not so many mozzys - only one bite, yahoo!  No deafening cicadas and lots more flowers.  And the smell of pine trees and thyme was sublime.

So many lemons - just wish I could take them all home

Even the cactus were flowering

The view of the mountain, Montgo

The oleander was out!

Beans on the bean tree

Lovely old, gnarled bean tree it is too

The bougainvillea was lovely (and spiky) as always

I hadn't seen the purple jacaranda blooming before

The wood eating grub thing that was in the sofa last year was now in the curtain poles!  Nooooo!  So we did a lot of sign language and acting in the local hardware store and came back with some nasty killing stuff.

I did offer to do it (I think)

View from the neya - 31 degrees, phew.

Nice evening stroll in Javea - there's Montgo (sigh)

So nice to go on the beach at six in the evening and swim in the sea!

We did both fall asleep on the sand one day - poor old duffers

We found a nice spot for a cooling drink

Sangria and tapas - that's me sorted

You know you travel too much when you can't work out which way the traffic is coming when you cross the road back home!  I haven't been abroad now for at least four weeks and I'm starting to get a twitchy eye.... :-(

Still, good to drown our sorrows at the Salisbury Beerex with fellow real ale nerds

We sang in Salisbury Cathedral and had an audition in the vestry.  It was very spooky to be in the dim, echoing Cathedral as they are closing up - so many doors!

More sculptures inside too

The garden has been slow to get going

The roses and strawberries were late in arriving

Emma, our mad friend and house sitter getting a run down on the watering before we went away - again!

We had an amazing show of poppies in the village - shame the weather wasn't sunnier

Esme admiring the poppies and cows from the garden.....

Birthday celebrations with Esme to end the month - we had to have an indoor BBQ!

I am cautiously optimistic, the weather is improving.  I am determined to wear my new and only bikini since the 1970's before the summer is out.....

Well there's a half of home brew on the coffee table with my name on it so must go.

March - emerging from hibernation....

Well, March certainly went out with a howl and a roar.  Storm Katie battered our bungalow all through the night on Easter Sunday.  I didn't sleep a wink, just lay there listening to the tiles rattling and the huge gusts bang against the window.  We must have had a power cut at one point because the answer phone suddenly started talking in the middle of the night!  Amazingly, in the morning I found nothing more than a couple of wheelie bins over, a twisted piece of guttering and a compost bin, minus lid.  Two houses, a few miles away in the next valley, lost their roofs!

Now spring has sprung I am bushy tailed and over excited at the thought of more daylight, longer walks and not having to dress up like Nanook of the North.  Freedom!  I want to frolic in the tulips!

Last month I was mostly:

- Celebrating half centuries with my fellow bungalow girl and parents.

- Celebrating 15 years with 'her indoors'.

- Singing Brahms' Requiem - for real and in my head.

- Star gazing and looking at Jupiter through a wonky telescope, held together with tape.

- Having my first lunch on the patio.  Yahooo!

- Watching lots of plays.

- Enjoying the new home-brew (Raj's IPA - delicious).

- Doing yoga every morning for Lent.  Managed 36 out of 40 days but still going!

- Playing with a hostess trolley. 

We've finally got round to putting my printer's tray on the wall - very happy

50th Birthday girl enjoying her sparklers - she doesn't get out much

50 year wedding anniversary for 'the olds'

I feel like running amok after the winter.  I want to clean (really?), open the windows wide, walk, and run and waft in linen.  

More time to do jobs after work and still enjoy a nice sunset

Or sunrise

We've been talking to the animals

Admiring fungi - Dew's Ear or Auricularia-Judae if you're posh

and frilly stuff

You dirty rat.....

Big Dog on a nature walk

This walk was a bit foggy

Hello?

I do love a good post

and a bit of lichen

and string, of course

Very quiet and eerie.....

Lovely shapes

I'm glad that we have a tiny bit of colour to look at.

Big Dog enjoying the sun on her fur

Frank enjoying the fresh air in his whiskers

Poor Big Dog is really slowing up now.  Although throwing sticks makes her forget her age!

Big Dog on a relaxing post dinner walk

We walked 'the circuit' one weekend with her and she didn't move from her bed for hours afterwards.

Big Dog on the circuit

One of our friends in the village invited us in for a tour of her fantastic garden, complete with two lakes.  

Sigh....

She has two Newfoundland dogs that make Big Dog seem more of a small dog!

Well, I've eaten the Easter egg in the office, just got one left at home - then it's onward and upwards to lighter meals, longer walks and not fighting with a knotted pile of thick, woolly tights every morning.  :-)