More Lake District....

theres snow on them there hills.....

We had rain - snow - hail - wind - and glorious sunshine all in one day on our lake district trip last week.... just another little day trip out to find some hills and quiet solace among lambs and sprouting bracken. Was a mixed forecast but we went anyway and while Dr Fred headed up the crag up a hill near Langdale - the rain came in and I sat eating chocolate under a totally inadequate umbrella and consequently we got got moderately wet but managed to avoid the worst by having lunch and wee kip in the back of the van - well not exactly a kip but a snuggle under the duvet as the hail ravaged the van - it made us feel very nostalgic for sleeping in the van but still very little camping open quote where we want it!

how to spread out wherever..

Later when the weather settles a bit a went for a wander up Loughridge fell - Dr Fred went looking for esoteric rocks (and didn't find them) I wandered about and did a little bit of painting - it was quite a busy little path and the sun came out and it was all very pleasant so nice we didn't really want to come home. We decided to drive back the scenic route and we stopped of at the Badger Inn for a bite to eat - they have a garden area where Badgers come and eat and you can watch if you are quiet - sadly we were too early to see them but I've looked on the web cam since and sure enough lots of Badgers.... Food was good though and we were able to sit out in the late evening sun and enjoy a slice of ordinary

sketching with watercolour pencils and fine liner

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Autumnal Garden Days

I love these (rare) warm sunny late summer days and there is all sorts of lovely things going on in my garden... I counted 12 red admiral butterflies whizzing around the over grown ivy which I had been about to hack down but then left until the flutterbies have finished with it... The late blooms add a dash of colour and the daisy strewn lawn is littered with autumnal leaves, debris from my brief half an hour of slash and burn and the stone wall is covered in glorious soft moss all shiny and tactile with a few late nasturtiums loitering. I've hacked out the brambles for this year, sadly I missed the fruit as we were away, ditto the strawberries, we never seem to get the fruit before the birds so I've made space and moved the plants that were getting swamped and so not performing to their potential - hopefully next year they will literally blossom now they have light and room to flourish.

Total Eclipse Spain 2026

Eclipse day!!!! Most of the photos on here were taken by friends...my phone died... I dont use names on here but you know who you are thank you.... This will be Dr Freds 8th eclipse and my 6th... I have 100% clear viewing and its continued that way. Our friends have this amazing house tucked away on the side of a hill - fortuitously right on the centre line of the 2026 eclipse. And... to make it even better they have a roof terrace which gave us an almost perfect elevation to see the total eclipse in all its glory. Dr Fred wasnt sure at first - he worried that as totality was so close to sunset we might not be high enough before the sun disappeared under the ridge. So, the evenings leading up to the night of the actual event, required a lot of balancing on the roof with spirit levels at various degrees and exact timings for exact positioning of the sun and considerable maths.... yes it was complicated but it p...

Alesund

Our final destination stop was Alesund. This is a very pretty town in southern Norway built on a peninsula. All the houses are painted pretty colours and a lot of the architecture is all very Art Nouveau based. This is because the town itself was completely burnt to the ground In 1904 by a fire for which they never found the original cause. The whole town had to be rebuilt and this became a huge National Effort and a lot of prominent and up and coming architects flocked to the town to stick there 20 pence in. Consequently the town is very heavily Art Nouveau which was very fashionable at the time. There is this wonderful Museum just off the harbour which is a very beautiful Art Nouveau house. It has amazing panelling, doors, wallpaper, and it's all furnished with beautiful art Nouveau Furniture. It also house a collection of of enameled Art Nouveau Trinkets,boxes, spoons, jewellery, very very beautiful. There is an interesting collection of old books and paintings a...

Planet Ruby Starrs

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