Monday 30 June 2014

June Mosaic


June. 
Always associated for me with roses and birthdays.
 I remember as a child constantly asking my mum when my birthday was, and she always said "when the roses flower".

So my mosaic for June contains birthday cakes and roses.  
I was tempted just to include those, but I resisted.

birthday cake (mine), rose, pink juice
embroidered alliums, Alnmouth Arts Festival, birthday cake (hubby's)
sunrise on the moonwalk, evening sun glimmers, moon like solar lanterns in the flower beds.

June you are my favourite month.

Saturday 28 June 2014

#theyearinbooks June. When God was a rabbit.


I read two books this month, firstly "The unlikely pilgrimage of Harold Fry" which is the book I was looking for when I found last months book "Perfect"
It paled into insignificance compared to my second read.
 " When God was a Rabbit" by Sarah Winman.
It is a story of childhood and of love.
I couldn't put it down.



an abundance of roses


none of these roses are mine.


all of them are utterly delightful.


a gardener was dead heading them, and gave me an armful of petals to take home and dry.


my bag has never smelt so amazing, and I felt like a princess as I scattered rose petals whenever I went to get out my purse, or my keys.


This one looked like tissue paper,


and this one scrambled over a huge arbour, creating a curtain over white petals.


As the sun warmed them, the intense perfumed scent drifted through the air,


and as I wandered through them I wondered if the warm sun, the intoxicating scent and the magical colours could be captured and saved up for colder, wetter greyer days.


come November, or maybe mid February I shall come back here, and check, and then I'll let you know.

Tuesday 24 June 2014

recipe for my perfect day

the recipe for my perfect day includes,
a day off work for myself and Mr Driftwood,


blue blue skies with fluffy white clouds


a well built path up a big hill, 



astonishing views in all directions


including down..... eek, I don't like being too close to the edge....


and then a slice of cake. it was quite a steep hill, I think we earned it.

Saturday 14 June 2014

purple sensation in the cherry orchard


I love Alliums.


The confidence of the balls of colour popping out like fireworks from the undergrowth never fails to make me smile.


I'm not very good at growing them though, which is why I am impossibly happy to see them newly underplanted in the cherry orchard of the Alnwick Garden.


50,000 of them!

Tuesday 10 June 2014

Edinburgh Moonwalk 2014

After an afternoon and early evening of very heavy rain it was such a relief when the storm passed to leave a clear dry evening. I have no decent photos from the first half of the night, I was either too busy chatting, battling with the mud, looking at all the Edinburgh buildings lit up pink, but not stopping long enough to work out the camera settings to capture them, and admiring the views from Arthur's Seat.  


At the 13 mile point however there comes a sight that makes getting the camera out a complete necessity, as you turn the corner and you see the sea and the light on the water and are astonished at how light it is. This is 3.30am, an hour before sunrise, and look at that sky. 
Gorgeous. 


Just under 4 miles later, at 4.29am the first glimpse of the sun can be seen.


By mile 20 it is a gloriously sunny early morning.


 Now the city it is waking up, and people are starting their day as we are finishing our night. Volunteers are at every corner, helping us cross the road safely, passing on words of encouragement, sweets and hugs if required. This event is so incredibly friendly and the support from the volunteers is truly what makes it special. A sign about a supporter of the event who lost her battle with cancer since last years event and the sight of her son on his own this year, with his own sign that read "Thank you from Mum"  brings tears to my eyes, and I am grateful for my superhero eye mask so that no-one can tell.  


Finally we cross the line, total time this year 8 hours 12 minutes, but if you take away the time  stopping for taking photos, and queueing for the toilets the total walking time was about 7 hours 20 minutes. 


Dottycookie's little fishy was very well behaved, and I made sure he didn't eat too many jellybabies.


Last but not least we got presented with a wonderful medal,


and I treated myself to a finisher's t-shirt. 
After all who wants to be a superhero for just one night?

Wednesday 4 June 2014

final preparations

final preparation for the moonwalk
costume is finished.
 (black leggings will replace jeans)


bumbag is being stuffed with essential things. 
(tissues, plasters, camera, oat cakes, jelly babies)


a little crochet fish from Dottycookie last year will be coming too, 
he's been tied to my bumbagand has done all the training.


20 mile training walk done.


with very few photos.


but truly beautiful beaches.



ending with a very welcome paddle .

I just need to work on my rain dance though now, to drive away the storms that are forecast for the weekend, I'm thinking perhaps a aquaman costume with a wet suit would have been a better choice of superhero.