Last Day in March!

Gosh how did the end of March get here so quickly?  

I left for my walk before breakfast this morning.  Normally I like to eat breakfast first, but I thought I would try an earlier time for my walk.

Through the woods I go, an old stone wall, the remains of what would once have been a park wall I believe.

Who you looking at?

A waterfall, albeit a small one...

and another...the track to the beach is getting worn away by the water.

Fossils in the rocks.

Shadow

The bay to myself, it was bliss.

The blue of the sea against the blue sky of the morning, just fabulous.

2.5 miles walked today.  

I've walked approximately 63 miles this month.

I've been on the IOW 8 weeks today!

In the garden this afternoon I attacked a new patch of ground.

Before

After.  I will dig this over again.  I am not sure what I am going to plant here yet.  Might be parsnips, I am not sure.  I wish I had some boards to border the garden, but no wood was left here, just old carpet! lol  Could have done with some boards of wood being left, or even stakes would have been good.  Hard work!  Was pleased when I finished.  

It has been another really lovely sunny day.  Just a patch of cloud in the middle of the day when it looked like it might not be so nice, but then the sun came back out again.  

Blue Monday

I went out extra early this morning.  It was a lovely morning and the best part of the day as it clouded over and has been rather cold most of the day.  It seemed warmer this morning!

Some pretty blossom.

Just look at this amazing blue sky.

Today I saw another red squirrel, a couple of rabbits, a little wren and a hawk.  

I had the walk to myself 

St Catherine's lighthouse.  

Castlehaven Cove.

It was so pretty down there.

I saw a total of five people while out, all but one walking dogs, the other was a cyclist, and all on my way home.  I put my mask to pass them, fortunately the road was wide, so we could do so at a good distance, while saying hello.  I was asked by one lady today where I got my mask from, and she was amazed when I said I made it.  I walked 5 miles today.

The rest of the day has been a little quiet.  I've been a bit cold today.  I watered the plants in the glass house and inspected my 'fence' around my beans and was pleased to see they haven't been interfered with.

I've been trying to track down a good source of guinea pig pellets as my normal supplier won't deliver to the Island unfortunately.  Pre-lockdown this wouldn't have been a problem as I could have ordered them to be delivered to Hertfordshire, and my husband could have brought them down for me.  This is a nuisance!  Not sure what I am going to give the piggies.

Sunday Stroll

It was a chilly morning and I thought I'd gone out extra early this morning, forgetting that the clocks had gone forward!  I passed 5 people on my walk today...sigh...I know it is sad to feel that way...but I'd rather not see anyone at the moment.  I pulled my mask over my face to walk past them, they gave me funny looks, but I said without a spleen you have to be careful!  On the cliff path it is impossible to be two metres apart when passing in places. Gone are the cheery hellos that seemed to be the norm.  I still try and give one, but don't always get one back at the moment. 

But on a whole, the walk was quiet and beautiful, although cold and windy!

After not walking yesterday and my feet giving me a lot of pain I decided I really do need to walk daily.  I am now down to 2.5 mg of Prednisilone, and have been for a week and it seems the pain levels are increasing again.  I am hoping it was just a 'blip' last night... I've been doing so well.  I'd forgotten how bad the pain in my feet can be at night. 

A lovely 5 mile walk, a great way to start the day.

In my garden today:

A flower on one of the strawberry plants!

The Curse of Badgers!

If they are going to dig up my lawn and destroy various parts of my garden, they could at least jolly well let me see them!

Today this greeted me when I went up to the compost bins...  

Now I have heavy brick slabs leaning up against the front, hopefully that will stop them.

They also dug up the raised vegetable bed where I planted my beans so I have had to plant some more.

The only bits of wood I could find are now hopefully going to deter them.  I think I need to put an electric fence round my vegetable garden!

I didn't go for a walk today...I was a bit slow this morning, having not slept very well last night due to a noise outside of wood rubbing.  I got up in the morning to find that branches were rubbing on the top of the empty bicycle shed.  We still don't have our bikes back NOR the quote, which is a little frustrating.  I know it is difficult times, but I wish I hadn't sent my Pashley off now, as at the very least I could have taken that for the odd bike ride.  Sigh...  

Anyway, so by the time that job was done I just didn't feel like going out.  Plus it has been blowing a gale all day.  One thing I forgot to mention yesterday was that I saw my first red squirrel since moving down here.  It ran across the road in front of me, but I didn't get a chance to take a photo unfortunately, but it was fun to see.

I decided to make a lemon drizzle cake.  I used the 'baking' oven this time in the Aga.  Hmmm...the cake overcooked on the top, but not properly inside so when I checked on it and moved it to the bottom of the oven, it collapsed in on itself.   

When it was finally cooked it looked a bit sorry for itself, but after 'quality control' taste testing it, the result was, it might not look good, but it tastes delicious!

The rest of the day I did some sewing...first I set up 'Muriel' my vintage Singer Sewing machine.

I worked on a little kit set doll I had been given by a friend of a friend of mine who died a few years ago.  I have been slowly working on this doll for the last couple of weeks.  The head, arms and legs needed to be painted and then a body made. Next I need to make her clothes.

I also sewed the little cloth kit Sasha baby outfit that I got given for my birthday.  Really pleased with how that made up.  Fits my bargain Sasha baby that I got last year before Christmas from a charity shop really well.

New Growth

The glasshouse is starting to produce some fine seedlings.

Isn't the growth of plants from mere seeds just incredible?

Well I think it is anyway.

So excited to see these sprout from the earth

Some good success so far...

I mowed the top lawns this afternoon.  The batteries ran out though (of course!) before I could finish the lawn, which is really frustrating, but it is what it is.

I went for an early morning walk, 4 miles today.

I found a little peaceful grove or grotto.  It was so pretty.

Looking up at the cliff

I couldn't believe how dry the ground has become after being soggy only last week.

Almost home...

I got home just in time to see my garden waste bin delivered.  Now whilst I now have four compost bins, not all of the garden waste can go in there, and I don't want to just dump it all in a corner of the garden, so ordered a garden waste bin.  Just weeding the front this morning, picking up the stinging nettles I weeded the other day, and cutting up a couple of buddleia branches, has almost filled it!

This blog post is a little out of order, but hey, who cares?

I woke to the smell of freshly baked bread.  My breadmaker is certainly coming into good use now I feel like I am burning off the energy that enables me to eat a couple of slices of bread a day. 

I made a couple of face masks for my lovely daughter in law who works in Sainsbury's and managed to get them posted as well. I wore my mask to the post office, not sure what they thought, but hey who cares, safety first.  Not having a spleen I have to be extra careful.  I did discover that the elastic wasn't tight enough, so will have to attend to that.

I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Thursday

I went for an early morning walk today and fortunately didn't see anyone while I was out.  

Of course that sounds anti-social under normal circumstances, but these aren't normal times, despite trying my best to treat day to day as 'normal'.

I spent quite a bit of time on the beach and walked round to the other cove as well.  

I found this unusual looking stone.

It looks like it was part of something once upon a time, but was heavy just like a stone/rock

There was even some sand on this beach.

It was just so peaceful and beautiful

I walked back home through the woods.

A lovely morning walk - I did about 2 1/2 miles.

Some more flowers in the garden are starting to show their beautiful faces.

Lovely tulips.

I realised I had caught a fly on the petal.  Definitely not beautiful, but interesting nonetheless 

Can anyone identify this plant for me please? 

I put up my butterfly yesterday.  We have had this a number of years now, but I've only just had somewhere to put it up.

A table arrived today for my sewing machines.  At last I am able to unpack them.

I am quite pleased with it.  Only basic I know, but it does the job and is quite sturdy.  In fact I have ordered another one to use as my cutting table.  It can then be folded up and stored when not in use.

The first thing I did was to make a mask - I know it doesn't have the protective properties as a proper mask, but I wanted something to be able to put on if required when I am out walking.  I have made it so I can insert a surgical mask between the two layers.  It has a nice tight fit.  So my latest glamour fashion accessory is.....

at the very least it might make anyone I see keep their distance...