Full Moon with Mars

Time for a Change 2016 #3

Here's my latest update on progress (forgot to write one in April!):

Much to my surprise I have managed to follow the Duolingo German course almost every day for a month  - apparently I am now 16% fluent in German! I'm really enjoying it, though I do sometimes find it a little difficult when new words are introduced without warning or explanation and I'm expected to translate them. A vocabulary list would be helpful.

We've been to several enjoyable presentations at our local planetarium and have been able to use our new binoculars to view the night sky quite often (too many cloudy/rainy nights make astronomy difficult in the UK). Most exciting of all, my husband and I saw a shooting star together at 2am a couple of weeks ago. Beautiful. I have also been able to take some very atmospheric photos of the last full Moon with my new phone camera.

Coming Soon - 30 Days Wild in June - 2016

Today Mr Postman brought our goodie pack from The Wildlife Trusts for this year's 30 Days Wild challenge.

We're really looking forward to this and our plans include bat spotting and giant bug hotel building. 

Like last year, I will post updates every day (well, I think I posted nearly every day?!) and if you'd like to find out more and join in as well go to www.wildlifetrusts.org/30DaysWild 

A Change of Perspective

I can almost remember the date that the scales fell from my eyes.

I was doing my weekly food shop at a local supermarket, checking the ingredients on a label to ensure that there were no chemicals in the item when I looked up and suddenly realised that most of the food aisles were surplus to requirements. We don't need acres of processed food, oceans of fizzy drinks or mountain of snacks.

All we require are fruit, pulses, vegetables, meat/poultry, fish, baking ingredients and dairy.

 Most of the cleaning products and cosmetic items are clearly over supplied, too. I mean, how many different types of washing up liquid or foundation do we really need?

Once I'd started this line of thought, it galloped away leading me to the (almost) inevitable realisation that the reason our supermarkets are full of unnecessary supplies is down to profit, not need.

There was nothing wrong with the old fashioned grocery stores, where flour came in sacks, tea in chests, cheese in massive wheels and customers brought their own baskets and (often) containers to refill.

What sparked the change? Need? I can (just about!) remember when shops were shut on Sundays and Bank Holidays; when ready made lasagne was a frozen novelty (even if it did taste of cardboard) and when having a roast on Sunday meant that you'd be having several meals from it over the course of the following week.

Is it that we are financially richer than in the 1960's/1970's? I don't think so.

Is it that we are poorer in time than 50 years ago? With less time to prepare fresh food and to clean our houses? Little occasion to consider the true impact of our shopping choices on ourselves, food producers and the wider environment?

It's hard, isn't it? Acknowledging what's going wrong, especially when you realise that you are part of it - whether unwittingly or not.

Thoughts from the Shower #9

I've got a pheasant at the bottom of my garden (reminds me of a song that I used to sing to my kids when they were younger -  'There's a worm at the bottom of my garden . . . '!) it likes roosting in the Elder tree and there are two robins that are trying to claim the trampoline as their territory - all makes for interesting viewing out of my lounge window!

100th Blog Post! Music Flows Through my Life

Whilst enjoying a rare peaceful breakfast with my husband, we got to discussing songs, albums and artists that have been introduced to us and/or been important during childhood/teens/events/challenging times in our lives.

Here's my list:


Classical Music - early childhood onwards

Abba 

Wham/Bananarama/Ultravox/Aha/Spandau Ballet/Duran Duran/Roxy Music/David Bowie/Queen - what I remember listening to at boarding school, which I attended from age 12-16

Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms album - received Christmas 1985

Kylie Minogue - in all her incarnations!

Crowded House - introduced by my brother

The Corrs - Forgiven, Not Forgotten - introduced by my friend Andrew V

Garth Brooks - introduced by my friend Louise H

Enya

Primal Scream

Witchcraft - As I Hide; 
Stairway - Medicine Dance; 
Northsound - Celtic Nights and
Ocean Dreams - all introduced by my darling husband

Damh the Bard - first heard live at a local Moot in the early 00's

Solstice - introduced (separately) by my friends Fiona P and Richard L

Music that I found myself belting out when feeling maudlin when I was younger:

Without You - Harry Nilsson (originally performed by Badfinger)
All By Myself - Eric Carmen
Mr Blue Sky - ELO

Spring Crafts

June and December have been very busy over the last week, crafting decorations and making cards to welcome in Spring and celebrate Easter.

I have, at long last, purchased a hot glue gun which has been on my 'must buy for crafting' list for years. Whilst it is a very small one and only cost £5 it has made a huge difference already and made these Spring Wreaths possible (we tried PVA glue and it just kept soaking into the eggbox card and not sticking!):

December's Spring Wreath

June's Spring Wreath

On Tuesday we had our first really warm day and the girls spent the day outside creating Spring gardens, making clay creatures to live in their gardens and painting eggs to decorate the house for Easter.

As you can see, there will soon be a zombie threat in their gardens which, hopefully, the giant white rabbit will be able to see off!

They have also made some cute felt baskets

and some gluten free cookies

Happy Spring everyone!