Creta

Hello  - I have not posted for a while - but I wanted to share a few moments with you if you have time - Autumn in Crete - we have not visited Crete for a few years now - time to rekindle that love story we thought - we stayed approximately 18 km from Chania

- not far from Kolymbari and the Rodopos  peninsula - if you close your eyes to the new roads and building work the old Crete is still there - hidden away in the ancient olive groves

and small tavernas in the hillside villages -

raki is still the favoured tipple!!

- but the tractor is the new donkey.

The autumn bulbs were beautiful-

fragile and resilient in their struggle against progress

and also the native goats

everyday we walked using the local bus now and again but mainly walking - I had downloaded some walks of the internet to take with us and they proved to be really good - in fact we must have been quite conspicuous because towards the end of the week - locals were tooting the horns on their trucks and giving us a wave  as they sped by -  we only went on one organised trip which took us up to Imbros village - for a breakfast of cheese pancakes and honey and then a 11 km walk down the  -Imbros Gorge -

fantastic - a bit tricky at times but definitely not to be missed -  lunch at the bottom of the Gorge in Komitades and then a coach trip back.

We spent quite a bit of time in Kolymbari -

from there we walked to Afrata on the R Peninsula -we passed the monastery

 a fair climb - and it was hot - what is that saying 'only mad dogs and english men (and in this case an english woman go out in the midday sun ' - but it was well worth it - watching the goats showing off jumping to and fro on the rocky ground and the goats watching us
.
The  real stars to me were the Swallow Tail butterfly -

they were every where in the olive groves - on the bougainville and up on the mountain roads  -

stunning

Thankyou for calling by and God bless Paris - Jane

My World in a Few Pictures

I haven't visited the world of bloggers  for a while - but today I felt that sudden compulsion to post a few pics - my life has been busy with much of the usual excepting I have added a new interest - painting and decorating and restoring garden furniture to its former glory - I have even been allocated a drawer to keep my paintbrushes -paint etc by OH in his garage !! I must post some pics for the record - meanwhile here are a few of my shots taken on walks over the past weekend

The pics are taken along the footpath next to a working stone quarry - this land has been reclaimed and reseeded with wildflowers by the stone quarry and nature has gradually come back to this area - as you can see

I  love bees but I am not really clued up on the different species - I mean I know a bumblebee from a honey bee and that is about it 

I love the word bumble and I think it suits the bee very well - you know they bumble about from flower to flower

I am not sure whether this is a bee - but it was very beautiful 

Wild scabious and wild parsley below 

I am linking to Our World Tuesday today - have a good week - Jane

Hartland

Hartland in Devon - a breath of fresh air - amidst a flurry of flowers

Snowdrops  have naturalised in the woods over the years -

spreading down through the woods to the torrents of water below

So many walks - my favourite was the walk from Stoke - with its its high church tower - used it is said by mariners passing through on the turbulent seas -  as a marker -we certainly used it when we took a wrong turn - because our garden looked out towards the church

-Yes we started in Stoke  onto Hartland Quay - followed the coastline from Hartland Quay to Hartland Point 

Interesting walking countryside and a snapshot from every which way - and I took a few!!

Favourite walk for me was through the woods towards Blackpool and the Mill Cottage

- it was muddy along the pathways

but well worth it -

and to catch a glimpse through the trees of 'Barton Cottage' as it was called in 2008 - the cottage was used in scenes in the BBC adaptation of Sense and Sensibilty

The video  below - gives a quick glimpse of Blackpool Mill and the woods beyond

Blackpool Mill Cottage  belongs to the National Trust and can be hired out for weekly lets or short breaks - it is a blast from the past with no TV etc - but an idyllic spot

 Linking to Our World Tuesday - enjoy your week - Jane

Weekend Walkabouts

Clunton , Clungunford  and Clun

the quietest places under the sun

A E Housman

 Clun - last weekend was a sleepy village - cold winda at bay - mists and fog left in the valleys behind us - only crisp sunshine and blue skies .

The intention of the day was to visit the castle which is an English Heritage site - protected now - but showing the ravages of time The castle ruins stand proudly on a mound

and the walkways take a circular route - offering fantastic views

The river Clun  runs through the small town and on towards Clungunford where it toins the River Teme

And this weekend it was a drive out to Dudmaston Hall - a National Trust property - and a Snowdrop walk - well worth a visit -  a 17th century country house set in impressive grounds and nestling in the Severn Valley 

A paradise for walkers young and old - walks planned out accordingly - we chose the snowdrop walk and we were not disappointed

We dodged the showers and wandered round the woods

more snowdrops 

We walked through the trees around the lake see header pic called at the coffee shop - - and then made our way home - enjoy your week - linking to Our World Tuesday today  - Jane 

Everyday blog

Just an everyday blog about nothing in particular - in fact just a general ramble about this and that - a walk down the frozen fields with the dogs - a trip around the garden - iris riticulata just come into bud

Snowdrops are beginning to drift and a primula vulgaris is just showing to the left of the drift in the pic

filling up the feeders - camera club tonight - subject is "Pink" OH  has got a nice little number- flamingoes at Slimbridge-

and mine is of course a subject close to my heart - a wild flower pic

-ragged robin quite scarce round here this was taken in Wales on the cliffs up above  Newquay last summer - made a start in the greenhouse - onions started  off to be set in the allotment.- a fantastic sunrise this morning - heavy frost but no snow or high winds as yet

- but I thought you may like the attached video - I did

Enjoy your day - Jane

A Weekend Surprise

Well Saturday we visited Stokesay Castle -below is the North Tower and my header pic was taken from the ramparts of the South Tower-zoomed in of the River Onny - I loved this view it was cold up there - the wind blowing strongly.
Stokesay is not so many miles from us - but somewhere we have driven past but never stopped - Stokesay is an English Heritage site and we have just become members so we thought why not and what an hidden gem-it does not have a history of wars and battles but was more a wealthy family home and manor house- built in the 12th century by Laurence of Ludlow a wealthy wool merchant and land owner.
I am posting a few pics taken on the day - click on the pictures for a larger view

This is the North Tower and below from a different angle

I was fascinated by the shapes and angles of it - below- this room is a haunt for the Pipistrelle bat - I hope that is the correct spelling - anyway I could not see any evidence of the bats but there was a few old swallow nests up in the eaves I like bats - apparently they return in the evening

The buildings are impressive and so is the church of St John the Baptist this shot below was taken from the South Tower over the roof of the Great Hall and towards the church

I was fascinated by the steep stone stairways all around the castle and thought sadly of those poor sevants long ago trundling up and down those stairs and up and down again

We were given audio tapes at the entrance gate to listen to as we moved around the castle and they were very good - describing what would have gone on in the hall (see pic above) - the colourful clothes - jesters - singing and dancing - best silverware on the tables laden with food as guests were entertained.

 I have added a link which gives you a little more history of Stokesay and a fantastic pic - taken from the bottom end of the churchyard - anyway itis much better than mine - so we shall have to return to get that shot without a doubt!!-it really is a must.

The above shot looks out from the Great Hall to the Gatehouse and below is a complete look at the Gatehouse

The garden was beginning to wake up ready for Spring 

Aconites

Snowdrops

and Hellebores

We talked to a warden - she said she had worked at Stokesay for a number of years and had fallen in love with it over the years - she told us the gardens had so many changing faces throughout the year - herbaceous plants - the apple trees - roses - providing colour throughout the year. I am sure we will return - thankyou for calling linking to Our World Tuesday- Jane