Rapeseed walk and a car-less May

11 days have passed since the rant and I have walked a lot on this path as I had no car and this is walking distance after passing the allotments and the chickens by the Rugby club.

It is soothing and re-vitalising when at home there's been much stress and sadness whle trying to cope/ live with the changing moods of a teenager. Much sleepless nights due to upsets and hurtful things that are hurled at one, apparently you have to listen to all of it and not answer back..... OOps , but I'm learning. Doesn't stop it hurting though. Nothing is good enough anymore, even when one tries very very hard, and then when you stop trying well..... that's even worse apparently. That's when you have to duck or plug your ears.

The texture and skeletons of this rapeseed have a strange etherial quality that have a kind of beauty. So ''spikey'' and yet full of seed and therefore full of promise for the future? Just like a teenager, perhaps?

3 out of 6 TMAs now submitted, PHEW. Two annual appraisals that have gone exceedingly well.

Visiting old friends in Northern Ireland next week, but still feeling very tired, kinda exhausted.

'Twas awful being car-less for over 2 weeks but hiring one- though scary- proved to be an excellent adventure: especially the nice Vauxhall saloon I drove to MK.
Actually the job has been grrreat and the trips out given much pleasure including visiting Loop in Islington, Anthropologie in Regent St, both Liberty and JL in Oxford/Regent st( but dissappointing for yarn) , Masons in Abingdon( on the way back from Newbury) - a true yarn paradise- and last but not least the South Bank in glorious hot sunshine( yesterday) with a beach hut exhibition and inspiring books at Foyles. Also was impressed by the 100's of police from the Met sitting in their vans on the embankment/ Westminster quay . I guess President Obama was visiting Parliament at the time. Huge crowds waiting to see him....

Not me, rather watch this wild poppy.

Only a few yellow flowers left now but my eyes and nose are still streaming every morning.

On this walk the flat earth gives you BIG SKIES like in Holland. Impressive cloud-scapes.

Even on cool late afternoons the dogs seem to think this is a ''hot'' walk? Takes about an hour?

Tongues are always out at knee level on the way back.

At the end of the path- where it turns right and warns of aggresive maternal cows-with calf, there is a little stream. I imagine ratty and moley living there. Waiting for Toad of toad hall.

Sometimes it's quite breezy.

Both dogs just love the smells there but can't reach the water to wade or paddle.

And then we turn back and wander home again. On the way I dream of a white home, high ceilings, white walls, large clear spaces, no clutter whatever and either silence or music. Cupboards from floor to ceiling hiding all ''things'' , views over hilly countryside and a flower-filled garden. Patio with comfy sofas and swing seat and a huge basket of yarn for crocheting.

Floor to ceiling bookshelves with books, shelves and sofas are all white, floral chintzy or wide royal blue striped curtains. Everything shiny and clean and clear waiting for life to be lived within it's large airy spaciousness. Quiet. Neat. JJ and I retired and enjoying ourselves, kids away at Uni. Tidy everywhere. Dogs that lie happily in large white whicker dog-baskets.

The only colour is us, some fresh flowers and the cushions on the sofas. It's like someone has tippex-ed out all the rubbish, WHITE, ALL WHITE........

Blackbird chicks

Here we are: your first glimpse of one of our dear blackbird chicks!

The nest is in that hedge over there, by the garden table and we can see the parent blackbirds coming and going all day from the kitchen window.

Here's looking at you, kid. Mama blackbird with a white tail feather.

Standing on the table and angling down with the camera: we look inside the well-hidden nest...

Oh, the first time I saw this mass of vibrating feathers I just about cried a little. Unbelievably, it moved up and down at a great rate, like there's kangaroos jumping about inside those chick-tummies...

Ooooh so cute, a mass of damp feathers and fluff, we think there may be three chicks.

Sometimes you see 3 pale yellow stretched open-wide beaks and hear some quiet squeeking, when mum comes back with a juicy fat worm.

There is one, mum or dad must be nearby or they'd be huddled down.

Like this.

Lilac flowers in a nearby garden: the SCENT was AMAZING , shame this isn't smelly-vision.

And finally I wanted to capture the rapeseed fields on the by-pass as they look quite stunningly fluorescent yellow: like they are glowing even on overcast days and even though they are creating havoc with eyes and nose- hayfever is here- I wished to capture and record the glory as at 15-17th April 2011.

Miss Y practiced some lovely beading on Friday and Saturday.

I have been playing with some motifs from issue 17 Inside Crochet......

See you again soon I hope, I will post more of the chicks if I have a chance. Meanwhile: enjoy and happy hooking!