juliachalkley

Tree pruning… part 1 of 100

I got persuaded to take part in a tree pruning course in the community wood last Sunday. It was chilly and threatening to rain, so I could have happily stayed home, but out I went. I’m glad I did. The course tutor, Dr Anna Baldwin, had a great teaching manner; enthusiastic, knowledgeable, took questions asContinue reading “Tree pruning… part 1 of 100”

Of apples and pears

Haven’t posted for nearly two weeks. It would have been dull. For most of that time, we have been watching paint dry. Still painting the living room – and of course, filling in the cracks and the gaps between skirting board and wall, sanding down the filler, covering the elegant green blobs on the niceContinue reading “Of apples and pears”

Happy Start to a New Year

Between wishing a Happy New Year to our lovely neighbours, enjoying the fireworks and staying up to finish our glasses of fizz, we got to bed – very early this morning. And woke late. But we did get outside, on a sunny and warm day that has outclassed every day since October 2021 began. MaxContinue reading “Happy Start to a New Year”

Best Wishes for 2022

I found a card last month that said; “2021. A great year. Unless you wanted to go anywhere, do anything, or meet anyone.” I sent it to a friend who needed a laugh. But looking back on 2021 earlier today, we were pleased at what we’ve achieved in the year. Rosebeds, repaired compost heap structure,Continue reading “Best Wishes for 2022”

You know it’s all over when…

We play a word game along the lines of “You know it’s all over when…” While I was working, Christmas was all over when I went back to work, which would have been the day after Boxing Day (having packed up early on the afternoon of Christmas Eve). Having given up work (or on thoseContinue reading “You know it’s all over when…”

Happy Christmas, yer R’s

Even before waking this morning, I admit to a mood a bit more Scrooge than Santa. The local FaceBook page got me cross as early as the 15th, when a resident at the far end of our village posted a shot of the anonymous letter shoved through her door telling her how vile her outsideContinue reading “Happy Christmas, yer R’s”

Christmas Decoration

We spent yesterday painting one of the walls in the living room. The colour we finally chose looked completely different on each sample patch we painted, so in the end we chose the closest to what we wanted and slapped it on one of the walls. It looks good. On that wall, and that’s theContinue reading “Christmas Decoration”

The Winter Solstice, at last

We have just thawed out after an evening singing Christmas songs and carols around a bonfire in the community wood. It was a good evening. It started with us walking down to the wood with lanterns and lighters and stakes to help light the way from the gate to the bonfire site, and finding aContinue reading “The Winter Solstice, at last”

It’s the Little Things that Matter

I admit, the picture above is an image from the excellent site Pixabay. Nothing quite so festive exists in our house at the moment. We’ve stalled on progress on getting our living room into order; the carpenters who installed the new living room floor advised us to leave it a week to let the oilContinue reading “It’s the Little Things that Matter”

A few days in Lynmouth

We’ve just had a few days’ holiday in Lynmouth, north Devon, to celebrate His Lordship’s 70th birthday. We’ve never been to Lynmouth before, though we did spend a week at Croyde Bay in the late 70’s. Camping. We aren’t that tough these days, especially in December. Don’t be fooled by the photo above, we’ve hadContinue reading “A few days in Lynmouth”