February 2016

Retirement..... with loads of time to do as I please I find myself lacking enthusiasm to do anything...

In the past when time was short I felt inspired to do loads of things.

This being the case I am reducing my 'free time' by filling it with commitments, e.g. encouraging as many people as possible to come and stay with us, doing voluntary work at the local old people's home, persevering with developing my bridge playing skills and working on various hobbies.

This week has been pretty full. Sam visited us at the beginning of the week. He helped Paul in the garden and we enjoyed walking, drinking, eating and watching 'Deadwood'.

Then Joanne visited us at the end of the week and we had a very busy time. We visited Fremington Quay, Rosemoor RHS garden and Westward Ho! all on the same day.



I walked to Fremington Quay with Joanne.
We could see the rain coming across the estuary towards us.

One important hobby, gardening, has been mainly 'on hold' due to the constant rain. However, we have bought a pile of old railway sleepers to build raised beds once the ground is dry enough to walk on and Paul has removed a few more trees from the hedgerow.

30 sleepers being delivered by lorry and crane.
Next job will be to carry them into the garden. 75 kg per sleeper!!!

Neatly felled and cut up for storing.
The overgrown hedgerow trees are to the south so would shade the garden if left in.
The sunbeam shining on Paul is sometimes called a 'finger of God'.....

One thing I have been enjoying in the garden is feeding the birds. We have quite a range of regular visitors. We got 10 species in the Big Garden Birdwatch and now also have goldfinches coming to eat niger seeds from the finch feeder.

 

Goldfinches on the squirrel proof finch feeder. Photo by Sam.

Long tailed tit enjoying the fatballs. Photo by Sam.

Another way I enjoyed the gardening hobby despite the bad weather was by visiting the South Wales Alpine Garden Society Show. It was quite a long drive but we saw lots of plants, Paul bought quite a few things and we had a nice pub lunch.

A colourful display of Alpine flowers

The weather has reduced the opportunities for walking but we have been out a few times. One walk took us through water meadows and we ended up sinking deep into the mud and struggling to find a safe place to walk.

Early frogspawn found on our very wet walk through the water meadows near North Molton

This was a rare sunny day when we walked to Instow with Sam.

 
I have been doing a bit more macramé and sorting out more old relics to put on display in my room.

I am quite pleased with this macramé heart pattern.
  I used it to make a Valentine's day card.



These dolls of mine have been stored in a box for a long time.
They are all more than 50 years old.
The big one was the last doll my parents bought me.

 Well a month of dull weather, but a few highlights and I'm looking forward to new developments as the year goes on.



Roxy's frankincense candle burning in my firepit.