Saturday, May 23, 2009

Brean

I know two posts in as many weeks, nothing short of a miracle at the rate I have been posting recently!!

We had a beautiful day today with lots of sunshine, the perfect excuse to seek out some sea air. So I took myself to the downs and the sand at Brean today. I started nice and early and had a lovely walk over the downs with barely another soul in sight.
The steps which take you to the downs are certainly a good way to get the heart going at the start of the walk, but once at the top it's reasonably level with just a couple of small summits which are easily conquered. Bluebells and buttercups cover the down at this time of year. There are plenty of other wildflowers, butterflies and birds to be seen too. You might remember the picture of my snow covered boots from a few posts ago. Well I couldn't resist snapping another when I saw these buttercups glowing at my feet. Look at my poor worn out walking boots, I think it will be time for a new pair soon. There is a view out to the little isle of Steep Holm from the top of one of those summits I was telling you about. This is the highest point of the downs, only 97m which is pretty tiny in the scheme of things.
At the very tip of the downs are the remains of a fort which was first built in the 1870s, the defences were re-armed during the two world wars. I love how nature is reasserting itself here now.
The Officers Mess now appears to have found some new residents.

After my tramp over the downs I ambled along the beach for a few hours enjoying the blue skies and sunshine.... ...no boots required.

Whatever you are up to this weekend, I hope you have a good one!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Talking Trash

Well another few weeks have passed by and I still haven't managed to get back to anything creative. I'm sure it will come, I'm starting to get a few ideas but just not the confidence or motivation to get started on anything yet.

Instead, for the sake of having something to post, I thought I'd share a couple of things that I did at the very beginning of the year but in all the upheaval never got round to posting.

2008 was a difficult year in my personal life for a reason that I won't share here, but suffice to say I was left very shook up by one event, for most of the year I wandered round in a daze but didn't realise it until I finally 'woke up' in the weeks before Christmas. I had begun to feel like the old me again, full of dreams and plans for adventure, I was so convinced that 2009 was going to be one of the best that I planned to commemorate it in the best way I know how, stitch.
This was going to be the centre-piece.

I also made this from a mini kit which I thought would be perfect to symbolise the dawn of the new year and the start of my journey to really find myself and happiness again.

I planned to make more patches like the cockerel to add to this to commemorate all of the good things that happened this year. It seemed like a good idea at the time, already I had a trip to Cornwall to celebrate, a surprise trip to Rome that I'd booked, plans for Marrakesh and of course summer camping trips to look forward to. As well as the prospect of every day joys to record, maybe a beautiful sunset or the blooming of beautiful spring flowers.......
In just a few short days that all came crashing down around me, part of me feels like an idiot even sharing this with you now, I feel foolish for having dreamed so high and now to have been bought so low.
I'm sure the cockerel will be recycled in to a different project sometime in the future, as for 2009, well it's certainly not a year to be celebrated so that piece will be shredded and added to the trash.