Jane at Levant

Tuesday, 26 February 2013

Abc Wednesday and NGS

This week it is the letter G along at ABC Wednesday and my contribution is a fabulous G for Garden - and in this case the NGS - the National Garden Scheme - where gardens are opened for charity - I have attached a link - last weekend we visited one of these gardens sharing its privacy and precious secrets with the world - Millichope Hall in the depths of rural Shropshire, of course cameras were an essential to record the beauty of the day - if you click on my pics you will be able to see them much better A first glimpse of the hall in the grounds was stunning - we made our way - following the signs for the snowdrop walk

Through the ancient woodland - trees reaching for the sky - old knarled tree trunks adding shape and design - snowdrops and aconites mixed together - with a promise of bluebells to follow later in the year - I found Helleborous in a woodland border - see header pic - such a deep purple - loved it - we walked deeper into the woods and there were the dog graves - at peace -

It was a beautiful day - biting cold - but clear and the reflections in the lake were stunning

So many shades of green

Of course as always there was a plant stall!! - what a little beauty - I just could not resist

Bye - I shall now pop over to ABC Wednesday to view others contributions - thanks for calling

Wednesday, 30 January 2013

Family Dogs and a Walk in the Park

Today the sun is shining and you can feel the warmth and the spirits soar - of course the county is and in fact the whole country is still flooded out. A walk in the Park today with Bluey and Quin and a chance meeting with another family dog Riley - a rescue dog from Ireland - hence the name - Riley loves to play stick in the river - see pics

The snowdrops and daffodils were beginning to show and buds on the camellias and rhododendrons held a promise of Spring Routines have changed recently with an extra family pet - Quin is deaf so he has to stay on an extended lead otherwise he would surely get lost in the bushes - and he is a typical terrier - with an attitude problem toward other dogs - and it seems to be the larger the better !!- of couse he is an old dog in dog years and would not last 5 minutes in a scrap. Bluey is always ready yo join in in a scrap - changing momentarily from a cuddly blue eyed collie into a she werewolf with fangs!! Walks now have to be carefully planned - taken early to avoid to much doggy traffic - and of course eyes are needed in the backs... at all times. Just finishing off with a few random shots taken this morning - thanks for calling by

Linking today to A southern Daydreamer - why not pop along with me

Tuesday, 22 January 2013

Dear Diary

Dear Diary I am desperately trying to get myself back on track - to resume normality again away from the depths of despair - my camera has been still and my life has been on hold - slowly I must pull myself back into the daily routines of life. I took time today to look around - and appreciate the glory of life - bulbs are pushing through the snow - my jasmine is bursting into flower in the conservatory - birds are are fighting the cold extremes and consuming as many raisins - sultanas - and sunflower hearts as I can provide. Dog walking has continued throughout the dark months of grief - I now have one extra - Quin my dads' dog. The camera club meeting is looming up and I now have a Kindle - and it is time to set seeds in the greenhouse - so much is out there to grasp I hope blogging will resume shortly and take me full swing into 2013 We lost dad December 6th - thanks for listening - best wishes

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

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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