Monday 9 June 2014

Weekend snapshots

A few photos from a good weekend.  This is the path we take on the way to the Scout Hut.  Every so often someone falls in.  Sometimes its a mum.


Honeysuckle, trailing over a wall.  I haven't spotted much of it lately, maybe it's falling out of favour.  But when it's in flower it's beautiful.




Gratuitous pig shot.  Fresh bedding, hay, nuggets, dandelion leaves and a carrot.  Doesn't get much better if you're a piggie.  Still no chum, but maybe this pig is happier not to be bothered by interlopers.  It does mean she doesn't have to share those dandelion leaves.


A passing peacock.  The neck and back feathers are absolutely exquisite and so very intense in colour.  They are such noisy birds, and quite aggressive when it comes to food.  They certainly give the hens at the country park a run for their money.  They half jump, half fly up on to the high stone wall that surrounds the walled vegetable garden, and then drop down into the chicken area.  The hens don't like them at all, and give them as wide a berth as they can.


How lovely is this shepherd's hut?  And how nice would it look in my garden..?  When I was growing up I quite fancied being a shepherdess.  Amongst other things.  Many, many other things in fact.  I seem to remember I wanted to be a stunt woman as well.  There was nothing boring on the list.  What I actually ended up being - insurance administration clerk, barmaid, nightclub receptionist (occasionally), croupier, traveller, receptionist to accountants, secretary at a law firm, property lawyer.  Is it too late to be a stunt woman?


Masses of space.  There was lots of running and kicking.


And a smattering of tree climbing.


I sat on a bench for a bit and when I looked straight up this is what I could see.  It was quite lovely.


The littlest boy has been spending ages on the monkey bars at school, and he can whizz up and down them now like a, well, like a monkey.  He even has the calloused hands to prove it.


I got my summer clothes out yesterday.  So if there's a dip in the weather you know who to blame.  But I think summer is here now.  When I wake up in the morning it's warm and delicious and I don't want to wear jeans and socks and boots any more.  I'm starting to think about what we'll do in the holidays.  I'm looking forward to lots of happy adventures and no doubt a lot more swinging from trees.

27 comments:

  1. It's never too late to be anything you want to be but are there that many opportunities for a stuntwoman who needs time off to go to football and to play with her boys as well as dealing with the allotment. Perhaps you could do it as a hobby rather than a day job?! Lovely photos - your life seems so very normal but never boring I am sure those lads will look back and be glad that Mum wasn't a stunwoman but always there for them as you seem to be.

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  2. I took the box that contains my summer clothes down from the top of the wardrobe over two weeks ago. I was about to set to work on it when it started to rain. It's still there. Taking up floor space. Maybe tomorrow, in which case we can share the blame.

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  3. That DOES look like a pretty happy piggie. All of our piggies were very happy to have their own cages and I don't know that they missed the ones that passed before them. Our last piggie was deaf and blind. I KNOW he preferred living by himself. He was a pretty anti-social dude.

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  4. Never too late to be a shepherdess surely!! Actually thinking about it, you already are - just to boys, not sheep! The walk to the scout hut looks great, if a little tricky from time to time! I hope that you don't fall in too often. xx

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  5. I totally am in love with those shepherds trailers.. especially the ones all decorated with flowers and things. All you need to be a shepherdess is a flock of sheep.. :-) ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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  6. You're a lawyer too? You're a pretty remarkable woman, CJ. I love honeysuckle too. I have a whole hedge of it growing along one side of my property, over a chain-link fence separating my lot from the neighbor over there. Which is nice, since he never cuts the grass on that side of his house and he also piles old boxes and junk back there so it looks abandoned. I'm very happy to have my honeysuckle to look at instead. :)

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  7. I'm pretty sad you didn't become a stunt woman because I would really like to read a blog about a stunt woman. Haha no, I'm happy you are exactly who you are. That walk on the pond looks soooo fun and it's so beautiful!

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  8. I love honeysuckle and acquired two plants when I bought my house. They flower a bit later in the year and are beautiful when they are fully out :)

    A stunt woman would be an interesting vocation, I would say it is never too late to start...............perhaps you are secretly performing stunts all the time as a mother?

    The wee hut is gorgeous :)

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  9. Such a lovely post CJ, love the shepherds hut, how lovely would it be to have one of those in the garden ? And what a brilliant pathway to the Scout Hut, its almost saying ' the adventure starts here !'
    Have a lovely sunny day,
    Kate x

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  10. Sounds like you are a stunt woman. I love the honeysuckle. The first time I heard a peacock I was so disappointed that such a beautiful bird had a voice like a screeching cat!

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  11. My daughter fell of the monkey bars at about superman's age and broke her wrist. She had no calluses from practice, which probably explains why she fell. You could practice for your career change to stunt women by climbing up the trees with your boys. Actually, I bet you do that already. It looks like you had a lovely weekend CJ. xx

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  12. Wow, one misstep on that stone path and it looks like you'd be in up to your knees! Stunt woman - too wild for me - I don't like heights. Your son would probably like to see you wear a Super Woman costume.

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  13. Ahhh, that's what the thunderstorm was about yesterday then, you getting out your summer clothes. I know who to blame now. I've just added a book to my wishlist, The Yorkshire Shepherdess, about a woman who's moved from the city to a huge remote farm in the Dales. She's now a shepherdess with seven children. I've seen her on The Dales programme on tv, she's got a shepherd's hut on the farm, they're fabulous, aren't they? The walk to the scout hut looks rather precarious, I'd give that a wide berth knowing how clumsy I am. Glad to see your piggy looking happy now that she's got her own space again.

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  14. Swinging in the trees has got to be the best part! You day sounds peaceful and fun, minus the dip in the pond of course. Hope you have a blessed week.

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  15. A lovely, if slightly wistful, post and terrific pictures. Your last sentence made me smile! Flighty xx

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  16. It's not too late to be a stunt woman or anything else you can dream up:) I used to want to herd sheep, too. I envisioned living in Ireland in a little cottage and walking behind the sheep all day. I also wanted to be a lighthouse caretaker. My mom, sister, and I toured lighthouses when I was 21, and I was dismayed to learn that just about all of them are automated now. So now need for someone to live in the little house anymore:( I just thought it sounded nice to be up in the lighthouse, reading my books all day. That little piggy shot is adorable! We're thinking about getting a bunny after playing with my nephew's last week. We'll see:) Hope you're having a great day, CJ!

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  17. I'm thinking of investing in some matching cardigans for my summer clothes or perhaps burrowing into my wool stash. I wanted to be a fighter pilot when I was younger which was a rather wistful wish! My honeysuckle always seems to struggle. I always imagine peacocks to be slightly viscous, there is one at a local garden centre & I like to give it a wide birth!

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  18. I wish I had a path to cross like that! It is a beautiful stepping bridge! And how cute is your piggie there! But most of all it is all of that space and climbing goodness for your boys that just rocks! Looks like a perfect weekend by you! Here is to a great week friend! Nicole xoxo

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  19. I can see where your son gets his yearnings to be superman! Lovely pictures from your weekend what a huge plant of honeysuckle it must have smelt heavenly! Sarah x

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  20. What a super path you can take to the scout hut. And I do love to see children outside playing. Your guinea is beautiful - I don;t think I've seen colour markings quite like that on a guinea pig - she is so cute.
    Caz

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  21. You forgot the most important job, super, wonderful Mom. Which you are. Thank you for the beautiful post.
    Meredith

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  22. Hi CJ - what a lovely walk...it would probably be me falling in most of the time - I never could concentrate at any one task in hand.

    Nina x

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  23. You always walk to the most beautiful places. I think this is because you live in such beautiful place.

    There is a (sort of silly at times) show here in America called American Ninja Warrior. I'm wondering if you have something like it where you live. It shows men and women competing for the title of "American Ninja Warrior" on an insanely difficult (and creative) course that includes moving monkey bars, seining ropes, rolling logs and such. I'm wondering if your littlest would get a kick out of it.

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  24. Hey CJ,
    Were you actually a spy in a former life? Croupier, nightclub receptionist, international woman of mystery......
    I have honeysuckle in my garden. I bought three plants in Poundland two years ago. The smell is heavenly. I love it. Long live honeysuckle. I love the shot of the littlest boy swinging from those monkey bars. I, too, was a wizz on the school monkey bars. I also used to hang upside down from them and show my knickers to the world. I am much more demure now ;)
    Leanne xx

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  25. Whaaaat? Hang on there, you were a CROUPIER?? Tell us more! I am, like Leanne, imagining James Bond levels of excitement and mystery - men in tuxes, ladies dripping in diamonds, cocktails, money...

    I would love a shepherd's hut. Not for actual shepherding, of course, more to make it look pretty. xx

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  26. I love honeysuckle as well. I have a variety that seems to be redder/pinker than usual. I'm not sure I bought it that way(?!) it doesn't last very long as something eats a lot of the buds every year!
    I love Leanne and Gillian's comments...were you a spy too? :)

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  27. What a delightful post, what a gorgeous place

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