Jane at Levant

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Trains

Dear diary it is the letter T across at ABC Wednesday - my Time is limited now and blogging has become a luxury and as they say a guilty pleasure. My father is very poorly and life is a Turmoil at the moment, Last weekend we stole a few special moments to Trainspot here are a few of my pics It was a cold and damp day but even so this added to the atmosphere - and you could feel the adrenalin rush on the platform as the trains gathered steam and whistles were blown

Catch sight of the old Abbey in the background a fascinating old building I will take you there soon and show you around

It was dropping dusk as the train moved away - the train was pulling dining carriages - see my header - I quietly nipped inside when the train was stationary and the guard was looking elsewhere - to get a quick shot !!

Catch sight of the flag on the old railway building turrets as the train moved off

The pics were all taken on the Shrewsbury Railway Station on last Saturday afternoon about 4pm just as it was dropping dusk - why not join others across at ABC Wednesday to celebrate the letter T

Tuesday, 13 November 2012

R is for....

R is for Relaxation - Recreation and R is for the Rea Valley camera club. A once monthly event held at Pontesbury in the local church foyer - a chance for like minded souls to get together - take time out to chill and play cameras for one night only and drink coffee - eat biscuits and chat. This month the subject was Birds in Flight - so entries were strategically placed by one and all onto the wooden tressels in the foyer - our pics are across in the side bar - joint third was the score - nothing like a bit of healthy competition!! The evening included a practical session of visual effects using torches - sparklers and the like - inside the church and outside - lights were switched off and torches waved around in figures of eight and different shapes - producing some interesting results. Then those willing and able to do so trooped outside into the cold and murky November air - to the back of the church - whispering and joking - for a moment returning to their second childhood!! Sparklers were lit and here are some of the results

My header pic is taken from the church path looking down to the village - I think it shows well the mood of the night! Why not pop over to ABC Wednesday for other posts for the letter R

Wednesday, 7 November 2012

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday, 30 October 2012

P is for ....

P is for Plan - do you have a Plan- and does your life always run to plan - if you are like me you will say 'absolutely not!'- what is that saying ( the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray ) Robert Burns I think ..

P is for Pussycat - this is CoCo a new family member and she has an addiction to the small screen

P is for Predator - what a pretty boy - but what a bad boy - this sparrowhawk was sitting on my weather vane in the garden last week - eyeing up my visiting goldfinch on the feeders - fortunately he was not successful this time.. P is for Pills and Potions all part of the bigger Picture to keep us all Partying. P is for People especially the People of New York and those in the Path of hurricane Sandy - my best wishes to you and yours for a speedy return to normality Linking today to ABC Wednesday to celebrate the letter P

Wednesday, 24 October 2012

Wordless Wednesday

Wednesday, 17 October 2012

Outdoor Wednesday and Autumn Glory

Outdoor Wednesday and a glimpse of Autumn Glory- red hot rose hips and juicy berries - just a few of the seasons fruits - hopefully to be plentiful for our resident birds and their visitor friends from the continent.

Secretly blooming in the garden delicate cyclamen and in the borders ..

blood red fuschias - blending in with the autumn colours

And then on our walk through the now bare corn fields - more berries - rich red holly berries - these are a favourite of the Redwings -hungry winter visitors

... and fungi clinging onto an old tree trunk

...and forty winks after a strenuous Wednesday walk!!

Why not go over to http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.co.uk/to see others 'take of the week?

Tuesday, 9 October 2012

M is for Myth Magic and More

It is ABC Wednesday and my contribution goes like this.... M is for Myth Magic and More - and it seems to me that an episode the other morning fits into this category.. It was a working day and to get motivated ready for the buzz of continuous telephone calls and the glare of the computer screen - off I went on my daily 'power' walk around the village with Blue in tow. The early morning light was just pushing through - and there was a feel of frost in the air,we reached the top of the road and began to cross and then suddenly scurrying towards us was this small grey hedgehog- of course - yes you have guessed it - what did it do on confronting an unannounced human and dog - immediately rolled up into a tight prickly ball. Now the road is pretty busy - as it is the main exit from the village to join the A5 and it was 6.30 am and people were beginning to stir- so what to do? - I gave the hedgehog a bit of a nudge with my mobile phone which I always carry with me on these early morning jaunts - but no re-action - no gloves in my pocket and hedgehogs are prickly!- so off with my my coat - headlights now in the distance - quickly grabbing the prickly customer and away to the pavement Blue looking on in amazement - she is well used to the odd antics of her owner and so put up no resistance. I quickly popped the hedgehog over the wall into the garden of our local Avon representative come odd jobber and gardener - a friendly soul. Now on with the walk !! and coat back on - round the corner and coming to an immediate halt- something was screeching in my head - Hedgehogs have flees!! now whether this is a myth or is true I am not sure - but I whipped off my coat and continued my walk in my short sleeved T shirt- very brave I can tell you - and the coat went straight into the washer on my return. I could Google the question but I thought I would ask you - do hedgehogs have flees? thanks for joining me PS does anyone have any ideas on this one? - on our walk today very close to the hedgehog incident spot, I spotted a neighbour underneath the trees - I shouted Hello! what are you doing ? - collecting conkers for a good friend he shouted - apparently conkers stop spiders in their tracks - guess what I am trying this out and have several strategically placed in the conservatory and utility - because this year seems to be a very good year for these scary beesties!! bye Why not pop over to ABC Wednesday for more takes on the letter M

FAIRY -LED

The fairy people flouted me,
Mocked me ,shouted me
They chased me down the dreamy hill and beat me with a wand
Within the wood they found me ,put spells on me and bound me
And left me at the edge of day in John the miller's pond
Beneath the eerie starlight;
Their hair shone curd -white
Their bodies were all twisted like a lichened apple tree
Feather -light and swift they moved,
And never one they loved,
For all were full of dreams and dark designs on me.

With noise of leafy singing
And white wands swinging
They marched away amid the grass that swayed to let them through.
Between the the yellow tansies
Their eyes,like purple pansies,
Peered back on me before they passed all trackless in the dew.

Mary Webb - from the Spring of Joy

Three softly curved white sepals veined with light,

Three green-lined petals,guarding frugal gold,

And all so strong to fold or to unfold!

Snow thunders from the bending pines.How slight

This frail,sheathed stem! Yet all unbent it springs,

So swift in stoopings and recoverings.

In the pale sunshine,with frail wings unfurled,

Comes to the bending snowdrop the first bee.

She gives her winter honey prudently;

And faint with travel in a bitter world,

The bee makes music, tentative and low,

And spring awakes and laughs across the snow.

Mary Webb

Found on the Web Part One

Short Jokes of the day

Dress Code.

It is advised that you come to work dressed according to your salary. If we see you wearing Prada shoes and carrying a Gucci bag, we assume you are doing well financially and therefore do not need a raise. If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better, so that you buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a raise. If you dress just right, you are right where you need to be and therefore you do not need a raise.

Sick Days

We will no longer accept a doctor's statement as proof of sickness. If you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.

Personal Days

Each employee will receive 104 personal days a year. They are called Saturday & Sunday.

Found on the web !! Part 2

Toilet Use
Entirely too much time is being spent in the toilet. There is now a strict three-minute time limit in the stalls. At the end of three minutes, an alarm will sound, the toilet paper roll will retract, the stall door will open, and a picture will be taken. After your second offence, your picture will be posted on the company bulletin board under the "Chronic Offenders category". Anyone caught smiling in the picture will be sanctioned under the company's mental health policy.
Lunch Break
Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch, as they need to eat more, so that they can look healthy. Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch to get a balanced meal to maintain their average figure. Chubby people get 5 minutes for lunch, because that's all the time needed to drink a Slim-Fast.
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