Sunrise to Sunset

It's just the sun rising, it's shining - The Beloved

The one thing about being away - for me - and especially being on holiday was that I found myself waking and immediately rising with well, the sunrise.

This was around 5.30am all bright eyed and bushy tailed without a groan, naughty word muttered or a child in sight that may have accidentally woken me from my slumber!


Oh no, this was me willing and all excited getting up of my own accord bounding down the stairs - quietly as not to wake the rest of the house - kicking open the french windows with chamomile and camera in hand, stepping outside and taking a deep breath of the rising mornings fresh air - now how invigorating is that? And mad!!




Though don't ask me why I had this strange shift in my body clock because normally it's a struggle to even open my eyes before 8am - school days not included mind you.

And there is normally a lot of whinging and grumping and 'don't even talk to me' if it's before this time - that's just me - I do not do mornings at all. Not at home anyway.


But I'm so glad I did - have such a weird shift in my natural waking hour that is - because otherwise I wouldn't of seen the sun rise ever so slowly bouncing golden rays off and around everything, like Midas stretching out and touching all around him.

(I'm actually stood in my nightie and wellies taking these pictures!!!)

Or witness the hot air balloon majestically rising into the first mornings light. Dew drops sparkling and glittering gently resting on every blade of grass or watching the day slowly unfold from a glorious breath taking sunshiny yellow where the sky almost feels like it is on fire, to a more peaceful mellow and blueness of the day.



And as for those hills - wow, wow, wow, wow! Though for me they stood out and shone more in the sunset.

I only witnessed the one most amazing and spectacular 'red sky at night shepherds delight' and I almost didn't take any pictures.



Being complacent I thought 'yeah there will be another one tomorrow evening' because all I wanted to do at that very moment in time is just sit back and enjoy. Take in all the drama so to speak.


But I'm so glad I didn't - sit back - because this was the one and only firey sunset to be had in the whole week - blame the weather and the onset of rain for the rest of the week and 'oh boy' did we have rain, but more of that another day.


Now I know these sunset pictures look all the same - do click on them to enlarge - but each one holds something so dramatic, so atmospheric and so breath taking amazing that they all look - to me - completely different from each other and even though I loved watching the day emerge I think the sun setting must be one of my more awe striking moments.

I kind of mulled over, during the week whether I would prefer to live in the shadow of the hills or on the hills looking out and down on all and everything?


I came to the conclusion that I would far prefer to live in the shadow, even though the views are spectacular when you are there, right at the very top, but it is the same old view every day.

Where as looking out at those hills every day, well it was always different, changing - like the sea.


Whether they are basking in the sun, shrouded with low clouds or even impossible to see, one moment they are not there and the next, it may be only a glimpse, but all of a sudden you can see them looming either in the distance of right in front of you, their beauty and solidness is just well.......jaw dropping - for me.

Yes I would have to say most definitely in the shadow.

And as for the moon - well look for yourself.

(I took these - moon - pictures using my tripod and a lot of patience!!!)

And that is pretty much it - from ground level any how.

Have a lovely day and enjoy.

xXx

Road Trip

Tabiboo's Tabiboo's where have you been?

Why we've been to Malvern to visit the hills.

Well actually we went to Cambridge first for a flying visit as Mr T had to go into the office sooooo that meant us Boo's got to spend a whole day in Cambridge - my old stomping ground in my early twenties - just pottering, pottling and pleasing no one but ourselves!


Off at the bus station and across Jesus Green we headed to the new part of Cambridge town. A bit of a disappointment with many shops closed down - a sign of the times methinks!

So back across the green and into the town centre to pick up some lunch and a must had stop at a certain chocolate shop - of course.


Across the middle of the market and we plonk ourselves down, on a wall right outside the front of Kings College as it so happens to scoff and eat and slurp and chomp - what a fitting venue to eat ones lunch.




Up to Trinity and then to the bottom of Castle Hill we head out to Midsummer Common to wait for the missing Boo.

Back to Jesus Lane and Pizza Express, our evening destination and a magnificent dinner enjoyed by all the Boo's.



That was our day in Cambridge Town Centre, but there was so much more I had wanted to do.


The Backs, Botanical Gardens, Thai Shop and Fitzwilliam Museum, but even that little wander took most of our day - little ones legs are just not up to the job of relentless sight seeing and gadding around.


Up early the next day to head to our new destination - across country to Worcester and a farmhouse in a quintessential tiny English village looking out across to the Malverns.


A last minute booking - how typically Tabiboo - a perfect location enclosed in five acres with rolling fields as far as the eye could see, with horses grazing in the field just outside the back door and where we would sit and watch the wildlife larking about - squirrels, martins, horses and cows and even the odd hot air balloon floating past in the early morning sun.

Do you want to see where we stayed??

Now this is most definitely the stuff of my dreams.

With a huge farmhouse table where we spent most of our time gathered, eating, chatting and having a generally jolly good time to the open plan kitchen/diner that looked out across the fields, open fireplaces, Range Cooker, wood burning stove, snugs, cosy rooms and the softest of beds.






I fell in love immediately and I wish we could of stayed, but such is life and maybe one day, but for now I have my memories of a wonderful holidaying.

I'll share some more tomorrow - but for now have a lovely day and until tomorrow..........tootle pip.

xXx

Info :: we stayed here at Tickeridge Farm in Hanley Swan which is a tiny little village, but is ever so quaint with it's own pub (The Swan) which has a fabulous menu plus a village green, butchers and pond.

The Wanderers Return

Morning all -

We're back, we're home and 'oh my' - how much washing?? Please be a lovely blustery, sunny weekend.

I'll fill you in with all the gossip next week, but for now.....have a super weekend. xXx

- back soon.

ps.it's the startings of a granny stripe blanket, but it's going to get frogged - I hate the colours!

Summer Memories

Good morning my friends -

I hope this glorious morning finds you all well and content? - Not pulling your hair out and madly rushing around trying to find the last bits and bobs for school.

I'm currently sat here at a huge beautifully scrubbed pine farmhouse table looking out across misted dew covered fields where horses are grazing and the martins are getting ready to emigrate for the Winter.

And even though there is a chill in the air the french windows are kicked open and the smell of wood smoke fills the air - we are waiting for the days rain to set in - where has our Summer gone and did it ever arrive?

The littlest Boo is sat beside me designing a multi coloured spectacular feast of a picture and we are all listening to Ella and Louis singing softly in the back ground - ironically it's 'Summertime' - one of my most treasured and favourite duets of theirs - whilst Mr T cooks bacon sandwiches.

Very far flung from how it should be at the moment - August 'pah' - don't even get me started on that subject!!

Sun filled, lazy Pimms fueled, kick back and relax.........hazy days of Summer.

Forget campfires and sitting out under the stars.

Last night we all sat huddled under an assortment of blankets and lit our first open fire and (so far) we have found three big'ish' house spiders in various sinks this morning.

Oh yes my friends - Autumn is most definitely a knocking at the door!

Now I know all of these pictures are not very autumnal - at all.

A little bit murky 'yes' (the skies that is) but most definitely not autumnal.

The reason being??

Well apart from needing a reminder of what Summer actually looks like I was looking back at some of the pictures I've taken this Summer and stumbled across these ones - a day at the beach - in fact not that very long ago at all and even though we were all wrapped up it was still a day we spent as a family, at the beach.....for the whole day.

So what do you think our chances are for an Indian Summer?? Will we have any more days like these?

I'm still living in hope, but at the moment I'm trying to adjust my body clock and face up to the fact that Summer is probably over and that I'm also probably already looking at my beloved season - Autumn.

And if that is the case then farewell Summer months - it was a brief affair, but here's to next year - you will be sorely missed.

Memories.......this Summer - on the beach.

Something to mull over - what are yours?

- Enjoy the rest of the week.