Jane at Levant: October 2011

Monday 24 October 2011

O is for.... Odyssey

O is for Odyssey - Odyssey to the Lake District in Cumbria

Outstanding scenery stretched wall to wall - we put on our Outer wear so as not to be defeated by the weather which at times was Outragious

It was really very beautiful with mist and...

rainbows at every turn cascading down from the mountains.

The pic above is of Lake Coniston - the mountain is called the Old Man of Coniston

Lake Coniston what an Obituary to Donald Campbell - who died here in his boat Bluebird in 1967 - trying to break his own speed record.

The Objective of the week was to complete a walk each day - approx 5-7 miles - click on the pic above for more detail

Not a great feat to you accomplished walkers - but to us a proud achievement! - The route above was around Grasmere -

The pic above is High Sweden Bridge on the Ambleside walk - it poured down - with intermittent hail storms - we were drenched - but the views were spectacular - this shot luckily was taken in between the storms

We visited Hill Top - now owned by the National Trust - where Beatrix Potter wrote many of her books.

We walked through the garden woods and meadows and could understand Beatrixs' love of this beautiful countryside - so much so that when she died in 1943 she left 15 farms to the National Trust -

including her flocks of pedigree Herdwick sheep - by the way - apparently this breed of sheep along with the Swaledale sheep are territorial and so are good for mountain sheep - because they stay on their own patch on the mountain

Beatrix bought the farms and sheep flocks with her proceeds from her many books - I love the rabbit in the pic above - do you know they were running around in the orchard - not knowing that their ancestors were the inspiration of such a talented lady.

One last pic for you foodies - lunch at the Giggling Goose - large bowls of mushroon soup - and chunks of crusty butter - have you had lunch?

Tuesday 11 October 2011

M is for ,,,

M is for magic something we Muggles must search for in our mundane lives.

M is for morning mists - midday sun and moonlight nights.

M is for mysteries - will they ever be solved?

M is for the Market Hall in our local town

Home to a multitude of stalls and stands

M is for Milo the neighbours cat

Mis for monument - at the top of the Wrekin - didn't we do well ! we climbed to the top 1.335ft or 407 metres above the Shropshire Plain - I must say it was a bit blustery!

M is for make do and mend - and also for mistakes - I make a lot ! how about you?

M is for moment - a moment in time - becoming a memory of momentous times

M is for marvellous - and so I wish you all a marvellous week

Monday 3 October 2011

L is for....

L is for Legend - many of which are to be found in this Land of Song.

Carningli the mountain above or Angel Mountain as it is referred to by local people is host to many a legend and tale of times gone by - St Brynach was said to visit the mountain from his monastery in Nevern to commune with the Angels - and some say that the mountain takes the form of a maiden lying down - and others that it is a sleeping giant.

I must say that the mountain is a peaceful place to walk and reflect - we did this climb a few weeks back.

Local author Brian John has written many books about this area - including the Angel Mountain Saga books - which I think are a brilliant read.

Look - I couldn't resist this view - somewhat hazy that day - but so much to see

The climb became harder as we neared the summit - and it was hot - close to the top Bluey found a spring and took a dip in the icy cold water

Couldn't resist this one - look at this moth caterpillar lumbering by on the mountain path- does anyone know which one it is ? what a beauty - we saw several more later on

Look I can't resist showing more pics of that special mountain - the one above is taken from the mountain path - looking up at the rocks - can you see the maiden sleeping?

Lichens and ferns grew out of the ledges and stone walls as we climbed up - and heather and gorse covered the mountain side

Look at this beetle do you know that he or she had the most amazing bright blue legs

Bluey as always - ahead of the game!

On our return we paid a visit to the local pub - and I must say what a local - the Dyffryn Arms - still serving beer out of the barrel -

A truly old Welsh pub

By the way the beer was excellent!

Leaping forward to another L is for lion - king of the beasts and a birth sign of mine

I must include this last pic in my L post - look at those lamps -lanterns and lights - seen at the Malvern Show a couple of weeks back - what a selection - click on the pic for a closer look

Finally I would like to wish you all Lasting Laughter and Luck

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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