We went on our first bike ride of the year on Saturday. It was really cold, but very good for the spirit. We ended up on the bank of the river. I found a coconut and tried to persuade the children that it had bobbed here all the way from Jamaica. One of my very best friends lives in Jamaica now. I miss her. I like to think of her sending me a coconut on the tide.
When we got back the boys made a fire in the garden in the middle boy's birthday fire bowl. It was the day that the first peach blossom broke and the day that we found frogspawn in the pond. Nature waking up.
Today we did the football thing this morning and the birdwatching thing this afternoon. It made me think that life is good. These ordinary things that we do make for happy days. There's a duckling in the picture after the fire picture. The first one we've seen. I tried enlarging him, but I couldn't make it stick. Technology and me. Sigh. There's a buzzard in the picture of the concrete bunker as well. I didn't even try enlarging him.
I climbed up the big tower with the biggest boy and sat gazing out over the river. The other side is so mysterious. I shall go over there one day and see what it looks like on this side. I can't see it from here.
Wishing a happy week to you all. CJ xx
It looks like you all had a lovely early-spring weekend. I love the way you wrote that the first peach blossom broke, that's very evocative and I can just see it happening. I'm glad the boys were able to enjoy a good fire too, they must have loved it. I hope you have a great week, CJ.
ReplyDeleteThat's early for ducklings isn't it? He's cute, whatever!!
ReplyDeleteSo, the fuzzy things . . . do you call them pussywillow or catkins. We called them pussywillow when I lived up north. We don't have them here in Florida.
ReplyDeleteThe little duckling is so cute. I think spring is on its way to England. Summer has already come to Florida.
Yes, we call them pussywillow as well. Catkins are the long dangly polleny things. CJ xx
Deletefinding happiness in the ordinary things is the the answer I think x
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos! I love the sound of your outdoorsy weekend and reading about all the signs of the coming spring.
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for wanting to visit mysterious places too. It's got me into a few sticky situations, especially as a child...
Have a great week.
S x
Life is good, isn't it? Spring is more advanced down South than up here, no frog spawn, no pussywillow or ducklings and peach trees are completely unheard of. Did the coconut have a message in? Have a lovely week. Cxx
ReplyDeleteIt looks and sounds like a lovely weekend, filled with happy, simple things. Yay for Spring and ducklings! xx
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely way to spend the weekend. I've yet to dust my bike off this year - you've inspired me though. How cheering to see so many signs of Spring. Have a good week. x
ReplyDeleteGood to see you had a good weekend - and so lovely to see nature waking up. I used to love watching frogspawn hatch when I was a child. In fact I often would take some from the pond in the garden and hatch it in my bedroom! Newts were another favourite! x
ReplyDeleteBeautiful, beautiful, beautiful - you do the best weekend things ! Kate xx
ReplyDeleteGorgeous CJ!!!! And coconuts in England? You learn something new everyday :-) Have a great week! x
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely weekend, it's so good to get out and about, or even have enough decent weather to spend a few hours in the garden. My little peach tree is covered in buds, it won't be long until it's blossom time.
ReplyDeleteNo sign of any frogs spawn here yet
ReplyDeleteLove the flow of your photos, CJ - particularly the swan following on from the catkins, both the same texture and colour. Eh, that's clever! Every picture tells a story; I always find first signs of nature waking up quite, quite thrilling! I reckon that coconut had floated from Jamaica; I hope you took it home and ate it! C xx
ReplyDeleteYesterday I saw a few buds on a tree while walking, and it made me smile. I like how you described it--that nature is waking up. How fun to see the frogspawn in the pond and know that everything is just about to explode in color and life. How fun for your friend to live in Jamaica! We went there on our honeymoon, and I could see living the island life:) Hope you have a great week, CJ!
ReplyDeleteSome great photos CJ. Love the story about the coconut. It is hard when dear friends move away, I have a friend in Malaysia who comes home for about 5 weeks each summer and we have to cram in as much hiking, youth hostelling etc as we can in that time with the children.
ReplyDeleteYou've got me looking at fire bowls now - mine would love one, even though only one is at home permanently now. Eldest still helps out at scouts when he is home and I think they cook outside every week on open fires!
Caz xx
Sounds like a great weekend. Spring is a lovely time of the year.. everything is waking up after Winter. That ducking is so cute :o) xx
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely weekend. You are right - there is such pleasure to be found in the simple things.
ReplyDeleteLooking for frog spawn was something I was meant to look out for yesterday in my pond, so thank you for reminding me! It's so lovely to see spring waking up with a little yawn and stretch xx
ReplyDeleteGreat pics! I saw a buzzard and oystercatchers this weekend too, lovely birdies. No ducklings though.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Spring is arriving and doesn't that just change your mood? Happy Week,
ReplyDeleteMeredith
Hey CJ,
ReplyDeleteI agree that the simple things of life are the best remembered. Funnily enough I stood at Godrevy and looked across the bay towards St Ives yesterday, and actually took stock that I was looking at home from afar. I spend a lot of my time looking out towards the lighthouse from our bedroom window. It hadn't occurred to me that I could also do it the other way around. Go to the other side CJ.
Have a great week.
Leanne xx
i always find it very awkward leaving a comment on a new-to-me blog.....it almost feels like i'm intruding! anyway -- i've been reading along and enjoying your bloggy space for a short while and thought i ought to de-lurk......;)
ReplyDeletei'm positively envious of all of your green and sprouty things...*sigh*...we're just getting into spring's Ugly Phase here and i'm trying to look past the dirty heaps of snow and the mud and other assorted detritus of winter's exit.
so to see blossom and bloom gives me hope. :)
So many nice signs of Spring CJ! When my husband and I were on our honeymoon in Hawaii, we each mailed a coconut telegram to a friend. A whole coconut going through the mail!
ReplyDeleteWhatttt is in that 5th picture?! It's really freaking out my trypophobia! I"ve been outside a lot lately as well but if it's below 60 I can't be outside for too long before I start freezing to death basically haha I admire your ability to take your boys outside so often!
ReplyDeleteThat looks like the best kind of weekend.(I see the buzzard and the duckling quite well enough.)
ReplyDeleteI think I need your boys to help me with my fire pit ... the only place to put it is about twenty foot from the back of the house and next door always have a window open at the back of their house which they close with a sigh every time I light it. I don't mean to send smoke their way, it just happens!
What lovely photos! We have spent too many weekends going shopping lately, and doing less of this sort of thing which is definitely good for the soul. I think my 18-year-old-son would like a fire pit too. He's at uni at the moment, so I shall have to investigate in time for his summer birthday. Glad you had a relaxing weekend :)
ReplyDeleteCathy x
I love ducks :) What a lovely weekend - the emerging blossom makes me feel all spring-like :)
ReplyDeleteYour photos are wonderful, they really are. You caught the blossom beautifully. Your weekend sounds very outdoorsy and very nice. x
ReplyDeleteHappy week to you too CJ! There is so much beautiful nature waking up all around you...loved seeing those duckies! And that fire looks like heaven on a cold day! Stunning views all around that make life wonderful! Nicole xoxo oh and I really liked the part about your friend sending you a coconut from Jamaica! Good friends are the best!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing what's on the other side of the river.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful place for a hike or a ride, CJ. I was going to pick the photo with the hot pink buds as my favorite, but then I saw the ducks :-)
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
How nice to take the bikes out for the first time. I always feel, when I visit you here, that you all are so good at appreciating the big and little things of life. It was fun to read about the ways spring is coming to you and I'm happy to hear the boys enjoyed the fire bowl. It sounds like you really know what kind of gifts will be a hit with them!
ReplyDeleteA Great collection of 'spring photos', isn't it great to see everything growing, some warmth in the sun and longer days :)
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful pictures (as always). I love travelling to the UK via your posts.
ReplyDeleteA most enjoyable post and lovely pictures. That sounds like my kind of weekend, apart from the football.
ReplyDeleteThanks, and you too even though it is a bit late in the week. Flighty xx
Does this mean you're back online? I do hope so. CJ xx
DeleteLove those english countryside scenes. Reminds me of how cold it gets, but how nice to get out and burn some energy and curl up somewhere warm afterwards. Hope the little chick manages to keep warm.
ReplyDeleteFab photos capturing the reawakening of humans and nature. It's hard when friends or family move away. I lived abroad for a while and was dreadfully homesick and missed everyone. It's a lovely thought that the coconut was sent by your friend. xx
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lovely weekend, I love the primroses. Spring is further on where you are, no pussy willow here yet! xx
ReplyDeleteI often think if more people in this world found time for 'ordinary things that we do make for happy days' the world could well be a happier and better place to live.
ReplyDeleteTake time out to enjoy it with those you love.
All the best Jan