Well, it rained quite heavily through the night.  This morning brought bright sunshine then rain showers.  It's about normal for this time of year.

The trees are loosing their autumn adornments quite rapidly now.  They added a warmth to the scene each day.  Now their starkness will add an atmosphere of winter to come.

The seasons fascinate me when I look at my garden.  There are still some stalwart plants out there, even though we have had frosts and snow recently.

Our skies are leaden grey, with chinks in the clouds letting through the sun, which looks like a searchlight in the dark.

It's welcome, as it highlights the garden and buildings in a light fit for a theatrical show.

As for the rain... it's great to splash in the puddles.  No matter your age.   lol

Have a good day where you are...

It isn't often that my sister and I, along with my ex-sister-in-law and her sister, are able to get together.  My sister Betty lives in Kent, away down in the South of England, near Dover.   I live in the English Lake District. (In the North of England).  My ex-sister-in-law Jeannette, and her sister Mary, live in Glasgow, Scotland.

The telephone comes in handy but it isn't the same as meeting up and spending some time together, as we did in this picture.

We always have a brilliant laugh as Jeannette is a great raconteur.  Our jaws are aching by the time we say our goodbyes.

Jeannette is on the right of the photograph, at the front, alongside her sister Mary.  Me and my 'big sister' Betty are behind them.

It has been too long since we did this that I think we must do it again soon.

I have come back onto Blogger today because at the moment Facebook is so full of vitriol regarding the election of Donald Trump.  There is so much bitterness and animosity threading through some posts, that it is becoming too difficult to enjoy visiting some friends.

I am just not enjoying going on there at the moment.

The above black and white photos are of the streets where I grew up in the Gorbals, Glasgow.  Many a dark evening, after we had used the lamppost as a swing support for our ropes, we would sit under this lamppost telling each other ghost stories.  The inevitable would happen and we scared ourselves that much that we were too afraid to mount the three flights of stairs to our room and kitchen flat. The gas lights in the close sometimes wore out and left the stair well in darkness.  A cry out from the bottom of the stairs "Open PN"  would bring  my mother to the top of the bannisters where she watched us run up the stairs fast. 
This time ' The Beast With Five Fingers' would never catch us.  (Except in our imaginations in our double recessed bed later that night.  hahaha

I must come back and add to this again soon...meanwhile I am trying out a Clootie Dumpling recipe in my slow cook pot and it is just about ready now.  (This is an old Scottish recipe).  Google it on-line if you are interested.

Meanwhile, I am off to see how it has worked out.

This photo was shared from Scotland by the Roadside.  It is not one I have taken.

In Memory of 911

In Memory of 911 and all those families who were affected.

 

May happy memories of your loved ones, when they were with you, still visit you often.

The thoughts and prayers of millions around the world are with you all today.

May human kindness and love for each other, and for all nations, prevail.

God Bless you all with lighter hearts in the coming years.
In God We Trust.

 

In Memory of 911

So that there will never be another day like it.

 

My thanks to Sal for this touching article.

http://britsalslist.yolasite.com/

 

 

 

'MEET ME IN THE STAIRWELL' 

 You say you will never forget where you were when
        you heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I. 

          I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
        with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
        held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
        peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
        is OK..I am ready to go.' 

        I was with his wife when he called as she fed
        breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
        tried to understand his words and as she realized
        he wasn't coming home that night. 

        I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
        woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been
        knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
        'Of course I will show you the way home - only
        believe in Me now.' 

        I was at the base of the building with the Priest
        ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
        I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He
        heard my voice and answered.
        I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
        with every prayer. I was with the crew as they
        were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
        believers there, comforting and assuring them that their
        faith has saved them. 

        I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan ,   Afghanistan .
        I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
        Did you sense Me? 

        I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
        every name - though not all knew Me. Some met Me
        for the first time on the 86th floor.
        Some sought Me with their last breath.
        Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the
        smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take
        my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there. 

  I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
        may not know why, but I do. However, if you were
        there in that explosive moment in time, would you have
        reached for Me?
         
       Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey
        for you. But someday your journey will end. And I
        will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
        be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are
        'ready to go.' 

        I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

 

 

 

 

 

Things are starting to liven up a bit out here! #NY2SY

Things are starting to liven up a bit out here! #NY2SY: Things are starting to liven up a bit out here! #NY2SY



Wishing Nial Iain Macdonald fair winds from New York to Stornoway.  He left NY on June 5  2014.

Good luck to him and God speed!

Receding snowline.. at last!

Views seen from our bedroom window over the rooftops.

The above photos were taken from our bedroom window/through all the rain and snow lashed fug layers on the window panes. Hence the lack of real clarity.

Thank goodness to see blue skies again, even though there are some clouds.

We had everything thrown at us yesterday.  Hail, rain, sleet and large snowflakes. High winds too. Yet, here we are today, and most of the snow has retreated back up to the lakeland fells. 

I was meant to travel to play my indoor flat green bowls yesterday, but the weather put a stop to that!  It was blizzard conditions by the time I was ready to set off, so I decided, out of fear; since I was travelling alone, not to go.    I think I mentioned in my previous entry that it was 30 miles to Penrith from here and meant travelling up through the fells along the motorway.   I wish it had been today instead...but c'est la vie!

This picture hangs on the wall opposite my chair.  It is the interior of Hill Top Cottage which was once Beatrix Potter's home..

It's not too clever, as I can see my own reflection in it, but it gives an idea as to what it is like inside.

There is a cat by the door in the sunshine and another one lying on the ragrug in front of a roaring fire.  The table is set for tea.

The National Trust now look after the cottage which is just across the lake from our village.

Bye for now....

This was last weeks snow.  It stayed a day and come the next...it rained.  It is almost gone off the fells now, but nary a sign of it on the roads and gardens.
Today.. powerful gusts of wind are propelling those on foot up our steep hill.  This weather can come in handy!  lol
The little yellow wagtail is a regular daily visitor to the feeding station under our stone bench. Porridge oats and suet fatballs have been seeing him and other wild birds through these hard months.
A pair of robins visit the station.  A rare sight.  They must be a couple, as males don't allow other males into their territory.
Blackbirds, sparrows and wrens also visit, as well as a deformed pigeon and its partner. 
I am not overly fond of pigeons, but at this time of year I can't bear to see any living creature suffer without food.
There is a cute little mouse which lives in the stone wall... it hopped down and up onto the wall again before the sun rose.  It was so tiny!
I'm off to play  indoor flat green bowling tomorrow up at Penrith. ( About 30 miles from here).
A large group of us take over the facilities for the day, once a fortnight.  Lunch is prepared and served buffet style for us, before we resume again in the afternoon.  I so enjoy the day!
Bryan doesn't join me now as he plays for an indoor short bowls team.  He found that playing the longer flat green bowls didn't help his accuracy when playing short green bowls.

We both play crown green bowls from spring through to the beginning of winter. That's a different game altogether compared to flat green bowling.   Crown Green Bowling is more difficult because each green has a crown and various dips and hollows which you have to work out for yourself as you play.  We play in the Rural and Senior team which gets our old tickers going when taking part in competitions.   lol 

I hope to make this the first of regular entries from me....hopefully!

Since Facebook came along there has been fewer entries.  I never thought that would happen but...there you are!  Such is life.

Transportation

Taken at Beamish Museum of Life.

County Durham

England.

No1

This first photo is my entry for the Blogger's Community Photo Challenge.

IF YOU WANT TO 'HAVE A GO'

Check out the Blogger's Community Photo Challenge here..

No2

The rest of these photos were taken at the same venue.

                                                                Photo 3

No 4

An old steam engine.

Feeling a wee bit poorly today….

Well..here I am in bed with another ear infection in both ears.  I have no hearing in my right ear so I rely on my left, which is very acute, to make up for any loss.  This last week I have been putting up with a ‘bug’ which took my voice away, to the relief of Bryan I might add.    ‘Peace and quiet rules’ he muttered. My voice came back again a couple of days ago; Well it is croaky, but at least it doesn’t sound as though I am being strangled to death! 
This morning I woke up to both ears discharging.  Blood from one and ‘stuff’ from the other.  My hearing is again sounding as though everything is away in the distance.
This has been coming and going since last December and I have had antibiotics for it, which knock it on the head until times like these. I guess I am going to have to see the doctor on Monday and ask for him to send me to my ENT specialist.  I usually have an annual MOT done at the hospital every year but this is getting a wee bit out of hand for my own practitioner I think. We are not getting anywhere fast!
A good old siphon with his magic machine, which gives me the spins, usually does the trick.  Then some drops to dry it all up.  This time I have a sort of feeling the blood could be coming from a mastoidectomy cavity. If that is possible.  We will see soon enough.
I hope I feel better by this Tuesday as I have paid for tickets to go and see John Williams, the classical guitarist playing at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal.
I hope this link works below.  If not I’m sure if you are interested you can Google it on UTube.
It’s lovely weather today.  Tomorrow is said to be more of the same then some rain on Monday. We can’t really complain with this recent spell of spring weather here in the Lakes




Don't forget to turn off the music in my sidebar first.

Ben playing the piano recently.

Another video of Ben playing the piano.

Listening to Ben playing........xx

Our Maestro Ben.

I took this at our house at the beginning of the year, when our Martin, Rachel and their little brood came to visit.  I really look forward to seeing my grandchildren!  Ben had only had  8 lessons and I think he is doing wonderfully well!  He is playing with two hands as well as reading the music.  Don’t  children pick up new challenges quickly?
I have another one or two in which you can see he has progressed.  I will have to wait before I can upload though.
Amy Grace is sitting quietly on her stool and Matthew who is 7 is dancing about.
Time flies doesn’t it?  It hardly seems like any time at all since I posted a photo of Amy Grace on here when she was new born.  She will be four on the 17 of April.  She will graduate to the infants from nursery, not this September but the following one.
She loves her ballet dancing classes and Matthew would love to learn to play the Bongos.  That sounds like it will be fun.  lol
You will have to turn off the music in my sidebar to listen to him play.



Bye for now!  xx

Spring visits the garden…at last!

 

 

 

My miniature cherry blossom tree.

The waterfall is running again and the cover has been rolled back.  Fish are eating once a day at the moment.

Everything is shooting out of the ground since our recent rains.

Love Lies Bleeding are the pale green leaves and red stems to be seen under the Japanese Maple tree.

Heather, primroses, and the green leaves of the poppy plant.

 

Hope the sight of these promises of more to come…cheer you up.

   Jeanie xx

Community Photo Challenge - Spring

Community Photo Challenge - Spring
This is a beautiful time of year and we want to see what spring looks like in your area.  This challenge starts today and will end April 14. Come back and leave your blog link by clicking the link above.
I thought I would take part in this challenge.  I hope more of you do .

Click on the photographs to see a larger version.

                  Spring in the Lake District

Lambing time.




A corner of my garden today in the spring.  Primroses, hellebores', heathers and the fresh green leaves of the poppies, to name but a few.

Good luck and have fun to those who enter.


            HUGS  JEANIE

Sunshine On My Shoulders….today in the Lakes

A wonderful sunny day full of birdsong and contentment as we sat out on the patio.

Sharing some photos of my grandchildren.  Martin, my son, is learning to play the saxophone and Ben is learning to play the piano.

 

 

Amy ..believe it or not could get a sound out of Martin’s saxophone; unlike Grandma who nearly burst a blood vessel trying!

 

Ben showing off his piano playing.  He’s very good!

 

Amy, Matthew and Martin.    Matthew wants to play the Bongo drums.  He has yet to have them.   Maybe if he says he will practice in the wooden Wendy House at the bottom of the garden he might be able to?Time will tell….. lol

We had a great weekend recently with my son’s little family.  We managed to fit in a church visit as well as ten pin bowling over the weekend.  The church was choc-a-bloc as there was a christening for a family with their three children.  A lovely celebration was had by all.

The weekend was sunny too..at long last!  The children got a chance to play in the garden.  I wish it had been longer but I hope to go back down there soon.  Amy has to perform in a dance at a theatre hired by her ballet school.  I can’t wait to see her and her little friends perform.  She has three costume changes.  Tap, ballet and modern.  Bless!

Hope you enjoy the photos.  xx