Two Weeks In

So we have made it through the first two weeks of a new school year with barely a scrape. Samuel is currently writing, editing and having vetted his personal statement for his Uni application. He is attending several open days over the next couple of months. I think he quite fancies Liverpool, although the Oxbridge route is also a real possibility. It's a very exciting/daunting time for him, I think. And I'm excited for him too. And slightly alarmed by his intelligence, and where it may take him. Wherever he ends up, he's going to have a ball.

Alfie has had a good start too. I think not being the newbie has had some positive effects. Apparently the new children that have joined this year are 'so immature." Hmmm. To be honest his first year at secondary school was pretty grim in terms of his behaviour and attitude. Not so much at school, but definitely at home. So hoorah for school hierarchy! Especially if it gives this Mum some respite.

And Olly? Well, his first two weeks of school have been interesting. His school operates a gentle settling in period, so he has only attended for three hours for the past two weeks. Next week he will stay and have lunch, and then come home. And the week after that he starts full time. Given how tired he has been just attending for three hours, I do worry about how he will cope when he has to go full time. I'm hoping that it's just that everything is new and different, and therefore a little stressful for him. He has objected on a number of occasions at having to go every day.

As for me, can I admit to looking forward to when he does go full time? Not that I won't miss him, because I will. But school was always going to happen, wasn't it. I did toy with home schooling, but actually I don't think I'd be very good at it. I read Jennifer's post with great interest and admiration. I like the idea of a 50/50 approach, but that wouldn't be an option here. And I think that Olly wouldn't benefit long-term to being taught at home full time. And to be honest, it wouldn't be good for me either. Can I admit to a craving for my own company? I have a number of plans for those hours, and I feel rather excited about it. Nothing very glamorous or high achieving, to be sure. But then I never was one for reaching for the stars. But to have some time. Yes that sounds very appealing.

So for the past couple of weeks, my days have been a little dis-jointed. I drop Pops off, go for a swim or walk Honey, fly around the house with the vacuum and then pick him up again. He has needed quiet time, and so we have spent hours on the sofa, or quietly playing Lego. I don't mind. I have cherished it actually. Here I am with one just starting school, and one about to fly the nest. There's a lot going on!

We have been out and about. The weather has been glorious in West Cornwall. It always is in September. Our last hurrah, before the Autumn kicks in. We have spent time on the beach, and time up the country lanes. On Wednesday we went looking for hips, and found ourselves at St John's In The Field. The grounds of the church are a nature reserve, and there are always things to do and see. I found the hips (yay), and we also found conkers, feathers, leaves and seed pods. Back home I made rosehip syrup. Ostensibly for health. But actually for cocktails and an accompaniment to Prosecco. Honestly that and the sloe gin steeping in the broom cupboard, anyone would think I'm a foraging lush.

I got very over-excited about the butterflies gorging themselves in the sunshine. I haven't seen a Comma all summer, but there were several and they seemed quite docile and happy for me to get up close and personal. It never fails to bring such pleasure, this pursuit of the butterfly. I have a little app on my phone that I can use to help me identify them. I can also log the ones that I spotted. What more does a nature nerd need!

Two weeks in, and things are good. Thank goodness for that.

Have a great weekend!

Leanne xxx

Happy Lately

I haven't posted anything at all for over a week. And as is always the case, another lovely blogger articulated much better than me about erratic summer blogging (thank you Gillian).

I'll tell you another thing; I have been hiding. For years. Behind the pages of a book, prettier girlfriends, being the funny one, as an under-achiever, a very bad pa, being nice when I should have been a bitch, saying yes when I should have said no. And lots more besides.

And now Pops has started school. I can't hide behind him anymore. Oh no. Swirly whirly brain. Can you tell?

So a happy/lately post. To get me back in the swing of things. You know how it is.

My garden is still putting on a show. The Dahlias are finally in bloom. I thought it was never going to happen. But our gorgeous late summer has persuaded them to come hither. I adore Dahlias. One of my rose bushes is having a second flush of flowers. I never expected that either, but am very glad that they are. And I have hips! And this is my pollinator corner. Olly and I draw up chairs and watch them go about their business. It's absorbing. I love my garden. There are plans afoot for it. I am very excited!

During the summer holidays Olly and I kept a nature list of all the wildlife that we saw. It was quite a long list by the end. It went into his holiday diary that his new teacher gave him (me) to complete over the holidays. After a little research, I believe (but am happy to be corrected) that these are an oak bush cricket, rose chafer beetle and a small copper. One on the beach, one at Godrevy and one in our bathroom!!

 
I have gathered so very many blackberries and sloes. It is a bumper season for them. The sloes are in the freezer, waiting to be bashed into submission and then thrust into gin for Christmas festivities. I have made jam and many a crumble with the blackberries. Some of them are in the freezer too, because September brings the obligatory diet. For Christmas. So that I can eat loads and not burst at the seams. Literally.

We have been out and about in West Cornwall in Betty, soaking up the last of the summer. I love Betty. I'm not bothered that she is the other woman in my life. Not any more. Today we went to Godrevy to put some flowers down for Granny. It's been three years since my beloved mother in law passed away. We all miss her still. She was fabulous. It was a super evening, and we spent it eating hot dogs, playing Frisbee and watching two curious seals watching us watching them. Oh and there were a lot of biscuits....

There now. That wasn't so bad. I can still do this, even with Pops in school.

Onwards!

Big love to you all,

Leanne xxxxx

Godrevy Again

Come on CT, tell me which Blue she is. Silver Studded? Or Common?

If you live here, or if you are visiting anytime soon, I urge you to go to Godrevy. Like a lot of the coastline of West Cornwall, this is an area owned and preserved by the National Trust (I think that the beach and the lighthouse are privately owned). Olly and I walked Honey there yesterday. I thought it would make a change from the dunes. And I had stared at the lighthouse from Sam's window this morning. She looked bright and welcoming in the early morning sun. And she seemed to beckon me over. It's what I told myself as I drove there anyway.

The headland overlooking the lighthouse was swathed in a violet carpet. It shimmered in the morning sunshine and contrasted beautifully with the blue sky above. You know when something is so other worldly that you find yourself catching your breath? When you have to do a double take, just to make sure that what you saw was real? No wonder Granny wanted her ashes to be scattered here. She must have known that she would always be surrounded by great beauty.

Olly bug hunted while I jumped around trying to take photos of the butterflies. I am determined to get better at it, even though I had to concede that maybe jumping was no way to score that money shot. There were hundreds of them flitting to and fro over the coastal heath land. I wondered if there had been a spate of Gatekeepers emerging from their cocoons, there were so many. I watched them chase off bigger butterflies, claiming territories as their own. Olly was fascinated by the orange beetles that were all over the plant life (CT has advised that they are probably soldier beetles. It's what we are calling them now anyway). They were "joined up" he said, as he watched them getting frisky on the flowers.

We watched a young Kestrel for the longest time. She was sat on a rocky outcrop minding her own business and preening her feathers. It was priceless. I thought for a moment that she was a baby, but then she flew up and away. You often see Kestrels here, but the joy never diminishes. There were a great many rabbits too. As I child I remember the delight at seeing the fluffy tail of a rabbit as it bounded away out of sight. I saw the same delight in Olly as he saw not one, but several running into the safety of the gorse bushes. There were Buzzards wheeling overhead and Crows walking shiftily around the top of the headland. We looked for seals, but they must have been out fishing. Olly was convinced that he saw a shark. It was a buoy. At least I hope it was....there are basking sharks spotted from time to time around here.

I was quite reluctant to go to Honey's date with the dog groomer. I could have stayed all day. I think Olly would have been quite happy to as well. I'm thinking that perhaps we will come back this weekend in Betty. The car park doesn't close until ten. We could get up to all sorts. I've always wanted to watch the sun set over Godrevy.

I wish you could join me.

Leanne xx

there are no filters on those photos. It really is that beautiful.

Flight behaviour

I read CJ's post with interest yesterday. She wrote about the come down she was feeling after her holiday. I certainly felt the same this morning, as I came back down to earth with a bump. It was aided and abetted by the daily loggerhead with Alfie. The weekend already seems so far away.

I really didn't want to do the mundane this morning. I knew that I should clean the bathrooms, cut the grass, go to the supermarket and generally get the house into order. But I really couldn't be bothered. So I assigned myself just two jobs; ironing and unblocking the upstairs loo. I figured that I deserved some time out after they were completed, and so I proposed to Olly that we go butterfly spotting. With the dogs. And some chocolate and a juice box. He jumped at the chance. Well wouldn't you?

I have documented the walk we took before, but it's always different. The foxgloves are all but over, the flowers climb further up the stem and are replaced with soft green seed pods. The blackberry bushes are unfurling their pink and white flowers, which are enjoyed by many different pollinators. In fact the sound of buzzing and the amount of flying insects was quite amazing.. The pink campion are still in flower, but their seed pods are mature. We rattled them and Olly enjoyed scattering the seed. Different types of grasses are abundant now, and it enveloped us as we walked down the path towards the cliffs.

There were a great many orange beetles crawling all over the hogweed. At least I think that's what it was. It is similar to cow parsley, although it's chunkier and less wafty. I think there may have been angelica too, but my plant identification is still scant. I did see scabious and kidney vetch growing out of the ancient Cornish hedges that border the fields. Along with thistles and yellow flowers which are all lumped together as dandelions, even though they obviously aren't. I thought afterwards that I should take close ups of all of these, and identify them later. I have a book.

There were butterflies. They were everywhere in fact, and very busy they were too. An abundance of Red Admirals flitting here and there, barely pausing for breath. We spotted Speckled Woods and Gatekeepers, Meadow Browns and what may have been either a painted lady or a larger fritillary. They were too quick for me to photograph, and Olly and the dogs were impatient to keep moving. We also disturbed quite a few day flying moths. White with black speckles. At least I think they may be moths. I need to ask my moth and butterfly guru, CT.

The weather turned as we walked, and spots of rain turned into a rather heavy downpour. Olly insisted that I carry him back to the start of the footpath. He really is too big to carry for any long distance, but I obliged. Time is short with this one. I shall miss our ambling walks together when he starts school in September. Who will I be able to point things out to. Who else will enjoy shaking the campion seed pods or playing the "tree in the summer" game with the grasses? Who will laugh at the daft orange bugs with me, and watch the farmer and his dog herd the cattle from one field into another?

As usual I am writing this post after I have put Pops to bed. It's been mayhem here this afternoon. Lots of teenage hideousness that I won't bore you with. Suffice to say I am frazzled. If it's another fine day tomorrow, I am returning to the hedgerows. I shall record the plants and try capture the butterflies. I think that may help to strengthen my resolve and my nerves for life here.

Leanne xx

Take A (rather self indulgent) Tour

Well hello to you. All well? 

I haven't posted since my what to wear dilemma last Saturday.

My evening out was great fun. In the end I thought 'sod it' and wore jeans, a smile and absolutely no make up. To be fair I never wear make up. I look like a man in drag when I do. It's my colouring. Or so I like to tell myself. Anyway as Linda sagely advised; we weren't there to check each other out. We met up to eat, drink and be merry. And perhaps be a tad shrewish....don't judge me. I blame the gin.

I rather feel as if I have neglected my blog this past couple of weeks. It's on my mind a lot, and I have sat at the computer in order to post. But I've been rather stumped. What to write. Not sure. I mean stuff has been going on round here. The usual. The mundane and humdrum. But also some gorgeous snippets too.

The main reason for lack of posting, is the weather. Glorious in West Cornwall. Wall to wall sunshine. And most of my time has been spent out of doors in one way or another. I've even been wearing shorts!! By the time i finally come in from outside, it's getting late and I'm just putting the house to bed, before wending up the apples and pears myself.

Anyway this is a post of pure self indulgence on my part. A little tour around the garden. I wanted to record what it looks like at the moment. It's looking lovely, and there is so much more lovely about to burst forth. The dahlias haven't even made an appearance, and the snapdragons are just gathering steam. So feel free to scroll through at a fast pace. I don't mind. Although I have tried to include an au natrel picture of the garden. Washing on the line is a constant here with three boys.

 

 

   

I actually love any garden tour post. I am always struck by how every garden it totally different. It's always inspirational for me to see how other people have designed and planted out their gardens. Mine is rather ad hoc and round the edges. It's not large. It's very suburban. I'd love acres and vistas and a wild flower meadow and a kitchen garden and a massive pond......

We are off camping this weekend. So have a lovely weekend everyone.

Leanne xx