Olive update

So much for my vision of eating home grown olives at Christmas. As you can see, they are still on the tree and have never ripened enough to be worth picking. It's disappointing but on the up side it has saved me hours of rinsing, washing .. etc. etc.

More instagram pictures of a mini adventure with My Jack Russell. He's been very lively recently and has demanded some longer walks, so I decided to take him up to the windmill - it's only 20 minutes away but for some reason I have never been. We had a lovely walk and I was surprised how much Autumn colour was still around in December. Bill loved it too but disgraced himself infront of several people by barking nastily at a very sweet donkey. But that's a jack russell for you.

Stop and stare 18

It's a long time since I had a 'stop and stare moment'. It happened on Sunday and I don't think words are needed to explain . . .

The old and the new

I walked around Old Portsmouth for the first time the other day and saw lots of interesting things - I liked it, which I didn't expect to do.

Robin redbreast

On a walk the other day we were followed about by this sweet little robin. I love seeing them and one always comes out to keep me company when I'm gardening.

Highlight

We celebrated the new year by going on a night-time walk in the woods - with some friends and 4 dogs! I thought it would be scary but it was one of the highlights of my year. We heard a lot of rustling in the undergrowth and some hooting owls but didn't actually see any wildlife - I think they were all watching us. Can't wait to do it again.
© nicky linzey 2012 
For illustration friday

Windswept

Mystery

I came across this field of beautiful colours on a walk the other day and couldn't decide what the crop was. I thought it may be millet but I'm not sure. Does anyone know?

art

Paintings in a gallery? No just more boat bottoms in Chichester Marina. You have to know I risked life and limb to photograph these. Scurrying around under boats weighing tons, which are propped up on stilts - health & safety would be apalled. Shh... don't tell them!

Summer

Rain, tea and cake, steamy car, the archers, wet dog, smelly ....

We'd planned a walk on the South Downs last night with a picnic. The english summer had other ideas.

Wood blocks

Found these in a boatyard, they are used to prop up the boats while they're being worked on. I wanted to take them home.

Easter Walk

Wow - 4 days away from my computer has been just what I needed.
These pictures are from exactly the same walk as this one but what a difference in atmosphere between spring and summer. I find it strange that I can take the same route many times but notice totally different things.

Also thanks to Shirley for sending me the Sunshine Award. Check out her blog - her illustrations are just wonderful.

Summer walk

Went on a lovely walk yesterday, then when we got home I made a 'Graham Greene ' cocktail - gin, martini and cassis with crushed ice, lovely but extremely intoxicating. I recently came across this quote from him in 'Ways of Escape'.

'Sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose or paint can manage to escape the madness, the melancholia, the panic fear, that is inherent in the human situation'

I can identify with this, mind you the cocktail helps as much as the creativity!

Stop and stare 6

While walking, we came across these gunera plants - their leaves were massive - if you think the fence posts were over 3 feet in height - it was impossible not to stop and stare. Apparently they grow above the cess pit of the house! Say no more . . .

Autumn woods

There was something about the colours, shapes and sunlight in this view that simply took my breath away.

It's here

Although I dread Autumn coming because it means the end of Summer and the dreadful countdown to Christmas, I actually love it when we get beautiful sunny days like the past few have been. There's nothing nicer than walking on a crisp Autumn morning looking at all the beautiful colours and there is definitely a different smell in the air - with the added bonus of finding mushrooms and collecting damsons and blackberries too.

Eau de fox

No need for words here - it's his favourite pastime and I have to let him have a bit of fun sometimes!

Early morning

At last some lovely warm weather - got up early to do this walk I hadn't been on for ages. It was wonderful.

Summer's evening walk

I love the summer, mostly because of the light evenings which give me a chance to go for a walk and see this beauty after sitting infront of my computer all day! The harbour when the tide is out.

Where am I?

I had a strange encounter at the weekend. Walking along the seafront I was stopped by a man in his twenties who asked me a question. He spoke no English and I couldn't understand him. I thought he wanted to know where he was and so I told him but he couldn't understand me either. He was also talking into his mobile phone which he passed to me. A girl spoke - "Where is this man?" she said. Not which street but which town, where in the country? He had not just lost his way, he had no idea where he was. I told her. She told him. He was elated. I walked on. I couldn't get this out of my mind. It was a freezing cold day and the man only had on thin clothes and was carrying a half full rucksack. What drove him to another country with no belongings, no knowledge of English and probably very little money? Why did he not know where he was? How did he get here? Did he enter the country illegally? What was he going to do next...?

Sunset over Dorset

As you can see I've put up a photo of me. It's a bit of a cheat really as you cannot see my face. I hate posing for photos and Gray took this one when I wasn't aware of being photographed - I like it because I was having a lovely time in one of my favourite places by the sea. We went to Dorset at the weekend to a hotel we hadn't been to for a while, to do some coastal walking. It turned out to be too hot for that, so we went inland and found a beautiful walk in the lush green countryside north of Bridport. In the evening we watched the sun go down from Chesil beach - there was a festival type atmosphere as the beach was packed with families fishing and camping overnight. I always find it weird when the moon is in the sky the same time as the sun. To the left was a bluey/pink hue with the moon in a cool sky and to the right there was this blazing orange orb that was too bright to look at - amazing.