Trees

Trees from the cyclepath that connects York to Selby, along the trackbed of the old east coast mainline. Taken from a short ride I managed to fit into the holidays.

Walk

I finally got Rowan to Thorne Moors, for the first time, over Xmas. She was suitably impressed. A very still quiet day. We saw marsh harriers cruising the reeds.

Party

From the party. Danielle with a couple of work colleagues. 

Busy

It has been a busy time. Rowan is back for Christmas which is a real delight. Last week we saw Sue and Eddy for a drink, then had our last music book group of the year, then our other book group party. Then saw Emilie for a drink, then Sunday had our annual Xmas drop in party. Rowan and Danielle went to see the Wicked movie. Christmas Eve we went to the Quaker evening meeting (candles, children, carols) which was good as always. Christmas day we had our usual disaggregated Christmas meal. Smoked salmon and fizz for breakfast (starter) then vegetable Wellington for lunch (main course) then cake, pumpkin pie, cheese and biscuits, coffee pavlova for pudding in the evening. For the latter friends Emilie, Shin Sook and Peter came round, and we all watched Life of Brian (that great Christmas movie). Then the three of us watched and loved the finale of Gavin & Stacey. Boxing day we went for a great walk with Dan and Gail. Good times.

From the Boxing Day Walk

Happy Christmas

 

Solar

Solar powered lights on the deck upstairs

Egret news

The little egret on the moor has stopped being nervous of dogs and people, and now is happy to watch things from high up in a tree. When in flight the white is incredibly bright.

House Guests

Whilst we were in London, friend Emilie and her dog Alfie came round to look after Layla. Everyone happy.

 

Celebrations

Friday evening we went to Faye and Edwards for a meal. Nel, their young daughter, joined us early on and was a charming host. Nice to relax at the end of the week.

Saturday we went down to Muswell Hill for friend Paul's 60th birthday meal. We had a really great time. I have known Paul since he was 18, so it was good to be there.

Birthday

Layla the dog is 5 today. 

 

News

 

Danielle has helped set up a group to try and get a Defibrilator set up near Hob Moor. She and neighbour Sylvia met here with the local councillor Callum to see what they can do. 

Today the band had a jam, went well. We are taking a break until after Easter, I want to get some more recording done. Plenty of songs waiting to be sorted out.

I explored a load of paths through the moors this week. Exciting stuff.

Benched

There are very few benches on the vast wilderness of Thorne and Hatfield Moors, but they all mean one thing to Layla. Benches are where I stop for lunch, and so where she might get some food too. So she spends the day (when not chasing deer) scouting for benches and then sitting next to them expectantly.

It works. She wears me down and lunch can turn out to be at 11.30 sometimes.

Last one from the Canal

I promise this is the last one from the canal walk at Silsden. A still cold morning. 

 

Canal 3

 Still a couple of shots from the canal walk to share. It was such a day of special light.

This one has mist rising from the water of the canal. I am sure there is a very clear scientific reason for this: I don't want to know it.

Birthday

For my 67th birthday weekend Danielle had booked us into a cottage in Staithes, a North Yorkshire coastal village of amazing geography and history. It was also host to a ferocious version of Storm Darragh that meant we could barely leave the cottage. No matter, it was a great place to be, and to explore best we could. Then there was a power cut, and we opted for discretion over valour, and came home through floods in the dark. 

In the midst of this adventure we had a fantastic lunch at the Cod & Lobster pub at the harbour; best pub food I'd had for years. The storm was so bad that I failed to get a single photo of the village, but here we both are at our lunch date. Layla is under the table waiting to charm the staff.

The New Forest

It takes a lot of plastic to grow a forest. 

The new forest being planted to the west of York is a marvellous thing. Shame about the plastic but it is presumably necessary to protect the saplings from deer.

 

Considerate Plants

 I have shared a house with this Xmas Cactus for over 25 years. It has adapted over those years to become a birthday cactus for me, as you can see it is all ready for my birthday on Saturday. It could be a little tired by Christmas itself.

Canal plus

Another shot from the canal at Silsden. Getting my position so that the sun provides backlight but does not shine straight down the lens is crucial.

Canal

 Took the car in for its service at Silsden. Got a lovely walk by the Leeds Liverpool canal. Perfect light, kingfishers as well. Then back via Ilkley where I had lunch at Drummer Robert's.

Bird News

The egret is back on the moor at the bottom of the garden, and a number of redwings were in the garden last week.

Arizona

31 years ago I went to the US for the first time, to see Derwood and Elizabeth in Arizona. Now Rowan is flying out to Arizona for work. Life circles on.

The photo is from our road trip to Monument Valley