June ...ing













Well that's May 2020 done and dusted with and June well under way. What can I say? Time for another ... ing post.

Relaxing on my new garden bench, watching the clouds pass overhead.

Loving and appreciating our garden. It is glorious just now, the rambling rose is in full bloom and the scent is divine. I know now why it is a rambler and not a climber... it is completely wild and after two years in the ground, it covers half one side of our garage. The sparrows are loving it.

Eating a chicken and mushroom pie on a Monday evening. Also eating fresh salad from the garden and the occasional fresh strawberry. It is a race to beat the snails to those luscious strawberries.

Binge-listening to the last two instalments of Denzyl Meyrick's Detective Inspector Daley crime novels. The narrator is really good, he has a proper West of Scotland accent, which is very fitting as the series is set in the West of Scotland. He also does a good Highlands accents. I love local accents but I wonder how accessible this is for someone not familiar with the sound. I remember barely understanding a word when I first moved here...

Sewing t-shirts. I made three, all different and only one using tried and tested patterns. Today I cut another one out and hopefully I'll get it sewn up over the next week, one seam at the time. I might write a t-shirt post soon. I also made couple of masks for our infrequent outings to shops etc. I'll have to go to Tesco this week, not looking forward to that.

Blocking my Mailin jumper and tidying away knitwear for summer. It is just too warm for knitwear now and I doubt we'll be camping anytime soon.

Taking more breaks at work to avoid the daily mini burnout (it is not pretty) at the end of the day. I built in some more active learning into the final weeks of teaching to give me time to breathe. This is still labour intensive but does not require recording and editing.

Running ever so slowly. For about four weeks I have been really struggling and today I realised that my heart is pumping harder than it usually does when I am running (that fancy watch of mine tells me so). I noticed that my breathing is quite shallow when I run and I think I need to get back to my old routine of breathing in on two steps and breathing out on three. Or something like that.

Treating another ear infection. Not my lucky year (or should I say ear)...

Observing our 5 pet tadpoles develop into froglets. They are now frog shaped but so far have back legs only. Richard made an island in the tadpole tank for when they want to climb out of the water. Plans are under way for re-introduction into the wild, in the same spot where we caught them. They love to eat broccoli and the larvae that came with the canal water

Looking out for blue tit fledglings. We spotted one in our garden today. It was practicing flying I think. Very cute. I hope it makes it to adulthood. I don't know where there are nesting but it must be nearby because the little bird was on our garden fence.

Enjoying a second dog walk with my friend. Our first one was really enjoyable, we had planned it for late evening, when it is a bit quieter along the river paths. So much to talk about even though nothing much happens in either our lives.

Managing the mood of frustrated children - and failing more often than not. It is difficult and getting more difficult as isolation continues. Meeting a friend is a lifeline but with restrictions in place, it can't happen every day for all of us.

Calling the local police station to report two escaped council Highland cows only to be told I should have called the police when finally getting through to an operator. Eh? I was more successful on my second attempt. I am happy to report the cows are back in their paddock and yes, Glasgow city council has cows.

Looking forward to book group next week. We are reading "A man" by Keiichiro Hirano. I do rather enjoy Japanese fiction. 

Well, that's it for now. I know there is so much more to say and talk about but I don't have the words.

Thanks for visiting today x


Comments

  1. Your garden looks beautiful and I love the look of your bench with its quilt and crocheted blanket. xx

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  2. Your garden looks beautiful and very lush. I'm loving your red sandals by the way. So fun!! I'm sorry to hear that you have another ear infection. That is no fun. I hope you are feeling better very soon. I hope you have a good week. And Yay for taking more breaks during the work day - so important!

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  3. Your summery June sounds idyllic! Well, except for frustrated children.....it's hard when they dont understand why this is all taking so long, isn't it? And of course they will never fully realise why they cant see their friends for what must be foreevvvveeerrr for them. I'm sure you're not failing as often as you think. Hang in there :o)

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  4. I'm relieved the cows were eventually rescued, although it was possibly an easier task than attempting to manage frustrated children. X

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  5. It is getting harder here too, the not seeing/meeting up with friends bit, video calls don't quite make it even though they are a lifeline at the moment.

    I am sorry to hear that you have another ear infection, there must be something underlying that perhaps it is the lack of rest? Rest is so important for us at all times but most especially now when we have so much to consider that is all new and different for us.

    I am coveting your red leggings, where did you get them? I have a lovely collection of patterned tights but when it comes to leggings all I can find is blue and grey, so dull.

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  6. Your bench is a thing of beauty and your garden is looking glorious. It really is a fantastic year for roses isn't it. My neighbour has one a bit like yours, it's gorgeous. And my nextdoor neighbour has a rambler which is coming over the fence a bit and twining in amongst the apple trees. The scent is divine.

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  7. Your inging is quite impressive.

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  8. You post looks so full of colour and summer. Your jumper is beautiful and the sweater will be something to look forward to in Autumn. Do post your T-shirt adventures, I am curious. We have put our house on the market which brings it own stresses of trying to keep the house tidy for the photographer He came this morning so I guess normal chaos will resume in about an hour. My Year 8 is getting sick of home learning and we have had a heart to heart on trying her best today. It was strained but we got through it. Work tomorrow so I hope she can continue on her own. Have a good week. Jo xxx

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  9. Yes, Christina, I would enjoy sitting in your yard with my feet up and surrounded by such lovely and sweet-smelling blooms. I recognized a lot of those flowers from ones we had at our VA home. Understandably, being shut-in and not seeing friends is getting to so many folks, especially the younger ones now that school has ended or will be soon. The photo of your son in the field of yellow blooms was colorful, the blooms looked to be buttercups. Sorry to read about the recurring ear infections. I suppose the escaped cows were feeling too isolated as well.

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  10. Loving all the flower pictures. If there ever was a season for a pandemic to take place I'm glad it is in the summer.. if make quarantine a little easier when it is so beautiful outside.
    Hope your ear infection is better soon..

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  11. You have a beautiful garden.

    I am going to do synchronous classes next semester. No more recordings! (at least for a while)

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  12. Loving all the pics,Love that lil cheeky dog of yours.Glad you are enjoying June.x

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  13. Your garden looks lovely Christina. I've worked hardon mine this year and it looks ok though the weather has taken its toll - too dry so crispy grass, followed by high winds which destroyed the foxgloves and poppies. And now too wet so my pots are all waterlogged! What a lovely jumper - great colour. Could have done with a cosy jumper like that last night as it was distinctly chilly here.

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  14. Your garden is amazing and I love your red shoes . . . it hard to put on a pair of red shoes and not start dancing :)

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  15. I think those of us with gardens will have all appreciated them even more than usual this year, not only because we've had some beautiful weather but because they've acted as an extension to the house during lockdown. I do feel for those without any outside space at this time.

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  16. I love your photos. Your flowers look incredible. Your dog seems so relaxed. That jumper is fabulous!

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  17. Love your bench and beautiful cushion on it.. hope that ear infection is on the mend.. and love the photo with the meadow flowers, something we're trying to grow in our garden.

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  18. Unrealistically colorful, I can’t even say which photo I like more. Everything is super!

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  19. The garden is looking great it is nice to sit back and appreciate it on a warm day. I love the jumper, we have had some really cool days last week so I would have worn it then. Take care. x

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  20. Glad your work life has improved slightly! Some lovely sunny photos here. I'm starting to appreciate my garden at last now that lockdown has given us the time we needed to start improving it!

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  21. Lovely to pay you a visit. I’m totally out of the habit of reading blogs or writing mine. It’s strange because I thought I would have more time for it rather than less. Have a good weekend x

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Thank you for visiting and leaving a comment, I love to hear from you, I really do. I sometimes reply by email but I am not all that reliable... Christina xx

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