Magic photos and boxes of sunshine.

 

This morning I popped into Marwood Hill Gardens as I had read that it was apparently possible to view the eclipse safely on water.  Not sure that I would agree with that as it felt way too bright to do so, I stuck to the pin hole camera instead but did have a lovely walk around in the peace and quiet, taking photos.  The ducks and geese on the lake were pottering about, not sure whether they should be up and about or going back to bed!

 

George as usual was watching the fish.  Not at all sure what he makes of them but he can spend hours simply staring into the water and knows exactly which way to go to get to the lake.

 

One of the photos I took was of the statue of Dr Smart, the founder of the gardens and afterwards I noticed that there was an image of the sun in front of the statue.  A clever trick with the sunlight, camera and the water running infront most likely although I have no idea how it worked but this was the only place I could get this to happen (I tried in various other places once I discovered it!).

 

I was very impressed with my pin hole camera, made it very simply following some online instructions and it worked a treat!

 

This is the image shining onto the screen of the pinhole camera box

 

 

And this is the viewing aperture of the box camera, I am easily amused with simple things!

Right now, in the usual fashion, I have to go and find some food!  Been up at the workshop most of the rest of the day, am pretty sure I have caught the sun, face is feeling a little pink!

Take care all, til next time xx

Here it is!

The fireplace has been rediscovered and set to work!

Not going to show you the view from behind the camera just yet, this is the only one I am looking at for tonight.  Quite a few more boxes have been unpacked and it would seem that my furniture was custom made for this room, I am beginning to love it and I think it just may work perfectly. 

The room is huge and I am intending to set up an area for me to do my sewing, something which I haven't done for a few years now and I am very much looking forward to breaking out the fabrics again!

For now though, I have to eat!  Late supper infront of the fire with something easy to watch on telly me thinks.

Take care all, til next time

Sal x

100 and counting

I've reached the first milestone of 100 items which I have redistributed out of my home!  Feeling quite accomplished at my ability to do this as I usually cannot get rid of anything, which is frustrating seems as I don't like clutter!  At the rate which I can fill my home with stuff it will become very costly to just keep moving to bigger and bigger homes, and of course totally un-doable (is that even a word?)  So I guess that now will not be the time to list the number of things that I have managed to acquire or purchase since the beginning of the year!  I have had some very lovely friends gift me items which I have really needed and can't possibly fashion from what I already have and also I did manage to find some exceptional bargains in the past week or so, again all items which could not be sourced from what I already have.

 

Today's goal is to get to my fireplace!

Its behind this lot.

Honest!

Will let you know if I get there, so back I must go to the boxes, no idea what is in them as I didn't write on all of them when I was packing up, thought it would keep me entertained, now I am not so sure!!

Take care all, til next time

Sal x

 

Gone wild

 

Like most people in the UK we've been having some wild weather down here in Devon.  I took these photos last week as I was driving home, couldn't resist stopping to watch the sun rays over the bay.

 

I'm still engrossed in packing and sorting my possessions ready for the big move next week.  I've managed to jettison quite a few bits and pieces, although in the process it looks like I have created more mess!  Hopefully by putting it all in the removal boxes it will start to look tidier again, well for a few days until I have to take it all out again.

 

For now I am going to note down the latest items to leave my possession and crack on with more of the same!

Take care all, til next time

Sal x

More moved

I am busy sorting my life, universe and everything out as I am on the move.  First in line is my workshop which is going to be here:

 

A fantastic setting in the Devon countryside, a proper barn with an upstairs too.  I am gradually moving items in although it really does seem a shame to clutter it up with all my stuff, there is so much room!

 

However, I don't think I shall tire of the view!  This was taken at the weekend and just shows the snow on the horizon where is landed over Exmoor.  I was starting to disbelieve all the people who said it has snowed in Devon as this is the closest I got to it all! 

And these ladies are my new distraction!  Not my hens but they live at the workshop, there are 3 of them that I saw, not sure if more were hiding elsewhere.

They were very friendly and keen to help unload the car!

These are another couple of residents although I didn't really meet them, decided to leave them to what they were doing!

 

With all the sorting out ready to move I have managed to add another few items to the De-clutter 365 list, although I have got rid of more items but I didn't write them down and have forgotten them already!

All this busy-ness has quite made me forget lunch (its 5pm) so I am going, as usual to find food now, well in a minute, got to go and shut the gate first, will probably find a number of other things to do on route..............

Take care, til next time

Sal x

5 down, 360 to go.

 

And the de-cluttering has begun!

 

Have taken stuff to the charity shop and also dropped off other items at the fabric charity recycle bins.  More bits have been posted online and hopefully there will be a few collections of items this week.

 

I am listing (mainly for my own benefit but if you want to check in and keep reminding me this is what I am doing that would be great) on a new page which I have added on this blog so I can attempt to move on at least 365 items which I no longer need.

 

Anyone else having a go at something like this?  Maybe we could form a de-cluttering group - just trying to fill the void already!!

 

Well it may be almost bed time but I have managed to forget dinner so I am off (as per usual) to find food!

Take care all, til next time

Sal x

A river runs through it

This morning was beautiful out on the beach, windy but fab.  I was wearing one hat and 2 hoods to keep the wind out of my ears but still needed the sunglasses too.

The little stream that runs down the centre of the beach was a little bit more than a stream today.  Usually you can walk through it without it going too far over your boots and it tends to spread out across a larger area down the beach.

No so today, it was a proper mini river and was far too deep to cross with walking boots rather than wellies on.  Even George decided that he would walk up to the bridge and around!

The gulls were quite happy sitting in their usual spot watching the waves and bathing in the pools on the sand.

At least some of the sand that was washed away last year is now being blown back onto the dunes.  The way the wind has built up the sand around pebbles, shells and other items of flotsam and jetsam washed up made it look more like a lunar landscape than a beach.

We've not had any snow out this way but there has been a good helping of it across Exmoor, I hope you are all tucked up warm and safe wherever you are.

Til next time

Sal x

Wild weather

 

Just been for an exceptionally wet and windy walk with George Doggins and his friend and neighbour Gemma.

This is a bit of a cheat as these photos are from yesterday when it was still blowing a hoolie but at least the sea wasn't coming at us horizontally like today!

The only way I could get both these two in the same photo was with the lure of biscuits, hence the pleading faces!

Much easier to photograph are the Baggy's sheep (Hebridean breed) with the best view in Croyde!  Usually in a few weeks or so the ewes are brought down off Baggy Point so that they can lamb in the paddock here which is a little more sheltered but certainly easier to find the animals rather than the rocky headland. 

Today I changed our walk at least 3 times whilst we were out.  At first I thought it would be fab to be on the beach, I love it when there is no-one else about and the weather is wild.  However, the weather was a little too wild and the sand and rain mixture that was blowing right in our faces was actually too painful to continue walking into!

So then I thought we'd head out along this path again but same story, the rain was coming in with such ferocity that whilst I was lovely and warm all wrapped up, the only bit of skin exposed was feeling like thousands of tiny pins were attacking it, so we headed inland instead!

Thankfully I didn't even take my camera out today as the rain was blowing that much even the inside of my pockets were wet!  This is another picture from yesterday with the oystercatchers searching for food in the Baggy sheep paddock, spot the interloper!

Now we are all safely back in the warm I am going to revitalise and warm up with a large coffee and a spot of sign painting!

Take care all, til next time

Sal x

Losing pounds on a walk

Went for a different walk to day with George

Believe me, he was there!

We walked along the brook which is pretty full and flowing fast and powerfully rather than being a babbling stream.

Unfortunately the pounds I lost whilst out walking were not of the bodily fat variety but the bank balance ones.  Had to pop the car in for its MOT, which it required a few alterations and adjustments in order to pass, all of which cost rather a lot of pennies, but it really could have been a lot worse and now at least I know the car is all good to go for another year.

And then eventually George decided to look round at the same time as I took the picture!  Looks like we had the footpath to ourselves but we saw more folk out on that short stretch of tarmac than we normally do across the fields or beach!  However, neither George or I were prepared for the cyclists whizzing past us without a bell or a call to let us know they are there, both of us nearly ending up in the hedgerow! (Apologies to the lady that was rather surprised when George woofed loudly, just the once, in his surprise as she peddled past, but she should've rung her bell!!)

Well I'm off to do some work, take care all, til next time

Sal x

My dingaling!

Click here if link not working

I had one of those 'is this really happening?' moments today whilst in a shop, had to come home and check with Google as to what it was I had been listening to! It wasn't this version but it was this song, wow, well I never knew this existed before now!

Just wanted to share with you all, happy Saturday!  Oh is anyone else finding it rather difficult to get today to feel like a Saturday?

Guess what, its dinner time, take care all, til next time

Sarah x

No visuals today

Normally I would like to have a picture to capture something of the day but I failed to take the camera out on my dog walk, which was a shame because it was a beautiful day on the beach and I can't even put up an old photo as I have a new computer and have not yet sorted out the photos from old computer and hard drive etc.

Wow, just in that one (albeit rather long) sentence I've worn myself out just thinking about all the things I still have to do in my organisation mode.  Whilst I am very lucky that I was able to get a new computer when the last one decided it had had enough, there is a mountain of stuff to transfer and ensure it is backed up to preserve it for all eventualities.

Here I am trying to de-clutter my physical space and yet I really need to attend to the seemingly never ending storage space of the computer, there really is so much that I click 'save' and then never go back to, think it will be a rainy day job!

On another note, those boots - took them back, both pairs.  Feeling rather proud of myself, I decided once I put all my shoes and boots together that they really weren't necessary and so they have been sent back so I can refund my bank balance and conscience and hopefully someone else will bag themselves a bargain and enjoy their new shoes!

Right, it must be tea time.  Take care all, til next time

Sarah x

I only went in for a book

A very happy new year to you all, I wish you all the very best for 2015.

 

 

One of my intentions for this brand spanking new year is to spend less, save more, de-clutter and become an organised goddess!

So in typical Land Cuckoo style I popped into town in order to pick up a book in which I can keep a track of my budgeting.  I was going there anyway so not an excessive visit, that's a good start.  And that is where the good bit stayed - at the start!  I found that I just had to get some new boots.  They were in the sale and book and boot are quite similar words really aren't they?

I consoled myself with the fact that I did buy them in 2014 so the new year resolution doesn't really count.

So now I am off to do a spot of de-cluttering and hope to make some space for the new boots, after lunch of course...........

Take care all, til next time xx