Days 269 to 272

Four more 365 photos and we are nearly at the end of September.
Day 269 of 365

As it is nearly October I thought it was about time I took some cuttings from my geraniums (pelargoniums).  I do this each autumn and overwinter them indoors.  I am in the process of slowly sorting out the patio pots and baskets ready for winter.

Day 270 of 365

Friday was booster day for the kitties.  I have to fold them into their travel baskets when it is time to go and when we get to the vet's I have to drag them out! :) Poor Ella has got to go back again to have her teeth cleaned and it's going to cost an arm and a leg!!  That's me on bread and cheese for a month!  Good job cheese is my favourite food! :)

Day 271 of 365

My Husband and I popped into Winchester for a spot of shopping and for our lunch we had Cornish pasties - traditional for my OH and vegetable for me.  We also visited the City Mill and walked around the outside of the old walls.

Day 272 of 365

Such a lovely autumn day, the sun was shining and my Husband said that we should make the most of it.  So off we went to Basildon House and Park, a National Trust property.  First we had a picnic in the gardens and then walked three miles through the parkland, before visiting the house.

We seem to have been out a lot this month so I must catch up with a few posts, as we have visited some lovely NT properties and seen an exhibition of some gorgeous 1920's dresses.

Days 266 to 268

Three more 365 photos.  I'm managing to keep up with the posting of them now! ;)

Day 266 of 365

Creepy House Wall of Fame - My newest display at school; photographed before the children add their photos.

Day 267 of 365

Casting on my Batty Beret.  Finally I have the time to craft again!

Day 268 of 365

Shopping trip to Tesco's and this just happened to fall into my trolley! :) Actually, I noticed it was on offer and I bought it ready for Christmas to use in desserts.  It's not the first thing I have bought for Christmas, I already have three presents and a rustic star that I plan to use as a decoration ... and some half price Prosecco!  

What can I say - I like to be organised! :)

Days 261 to 265

September is whizzing by, it seems almost impossible that this coming week is the last full week of the month!  Here are a few more of my 365 photos:-

Day 261 of 365

I have refreshed the dried lavender arrangement in my Nana's watering-can, which sits in our kitchen.  In addition to changing the lavender, this time I have added some poppy seed heads from the garden.  I think it just needs a little heart or two, maybe in fabric or yarn, to hang at the front.

Day 262 of 365

Picking a few dahlia blooms from the back garden to sit on the dining-table.  I grew these from seed for the first time this year and I've been rather pleased with them.  I'll definitely grow more next year and try to save these by lifting them for the winter.

Day 263 of 365

Dare I mention the C word? :). This is my first Christmassy magazine of the year!  I plan to make a lot of my Christmas cards this year, so those clear stamps will be handy.

Day 264 of 365

Saturday my Husband and I popped into town, intending to be quick, but then we realised that there was an exhibition of 1920's dresses at the local museum and of course that meant that we had to stop for coffee first in Starbucks! ;)

Day 265 of 365

This afternoon I have been gardening - trying to tidy up our jungle.  Everything seems to have self-seeded like crazy!  I discovered this beautiful Rosemary Leaf Beetle on a lavender, but unfortunately he is not a native.

Now there are only 100 photos left to take!  It doesn't seem that long ago that I started this photo challenge!

Days 257 to 260

These next four photos for my 365 challenge definitely have an autumnal feel about them:-

Day 257 of 365

Saturday afternoon my Husband and I visited our first allotment and harvested some potatoes, pumpkins and squashes.  It has been a good year for butternut squashes, but not for the larger pumpkins.

Day 258 of 365

Stormy weather was predicted, so we went out early to some local National Trust woodland for a walk.  We spotted this fantastic fungi growing on a tree.

Day 259 of 365

Winter must be coming as Ella only sleeps in her basket when it gets colder!  Maurice has usurped my Husband by taking up his end of the sofa! :)

Day 260 of 365

It had been a showery day, but we still went out for our evening walk, as part of our get fit and lose weight plan.  We got rather wet as it started to rain very hard!  In fact it was so wet that even the garden snails decided to head for higher ground! :) This one was scaling the patio door when we returned from our walk.

Days 253 to 256

Four more 365 photos - I am amazed at how quickly this week has gone!  It has been our first week with an empty nest, but luckily Jay is happy and we had spoken and/or texted each day.  I know Fay is happy, because she hasn't phoned me!  She doesn't answer her phone either!!  It has taken me an entire year to accept that this means she is okay and happy with her friends.  Still, I can't help but worry; it is a Mother's job after all!
Day 253 of 365

I think Maurice is missing Jay, he is sleeping more on my Husband's lap in the evenings.  Or maybe it is just the colder weather?  Ella has slept outside Jay's bedroom door a few times, but she seems to know that he isn't in, as she hasn't asked to be let in.

Day 254 of 365

Wrapping up a birthday gift to take to a friend.  It was a friend's birthday the next day and she is a dog lover, so I knew she would like this scarf.

Day 255 of 365

It has been a good year for fruit and veg at our allotment.  I harvested these tomatoes late evening - it was almost too dark to see as the evenings are drawing in now.  We came home with large bags of courgettes, beans and spinach too.

Day 256 of 365

A new ball of wool.  We have booked a couple of nights in a yurt next month, so I feel the need to knit a beret to keep me warm.  Last autumn I knitted a batty beret and matching wrist warmers for Fay and I fancy some for myself.  It will be my first time sleeping under canvas - I'm rather excited! I just hope that we don't have October gales!!

Days 248 to 252

Only five days behind this time with my 365 posts - I must be improving! :)

Day 248 of 365

Baking day - I made these chocolate muffins, some strawberry shortbread and a boiled fruitcake for my Son to take with him to university.  Got to keep him well fed! :)

Day 249 of 365

Packing day.  My Husband drove Fay back to her accommodation and Jay and I packed up his worldly goods for the trip to his accommodation the next day.  This is only a small part of the packing!

Day 250 of 365

Jay happily settled in with all his tech!  Bless him, he even took his scatter cushions and toy cat! He is so my son! :)

Day 251 of 365

We stayed in a hotel near Jay's uni Saturday night and Sunday we did a grocery shop with him and ended up at Ikea to purchase an ironing board and some storage boxes.  We had a meal before we left and I couldn't resist this princess cake as I love marzipan!

Day 252 of 365

Monday morning and I was back at work.  Yesterday was a wet and chilly day - autumn has definitely arrived and the leaves are falling from the trees.  My Husband and I must be crazy, as we are planning an October stay in a yurt! With this weather?

So now my crazy summer has finished and I now have an empty nest, all be it temporarily!  I don't think it has quite sunk in yet that Jay isn't here on a daily basis - I keep thinking that he has just popped out!  At least with today's technology it is easy to keep in touch with our children and both seem to be happy, which makes it a lot easier for us.  My heart goes out to parents' whose children get homesick; it must make it very difficult.

Good luck with your studies to all those new students and hugs to those that need them (children and parents).  Best wishes, Pj x

Days 239 to 247

Still playing catch-up with posting my 365 photos!  I was going to say "normal service will be resumed next week", but what is normal?! :)  This summer has been crazy busy, but after this coming weekend there will only be me and my Husband at home as Fay and Jay will be at uni.  It is going to be awfully quiet here without them!  On the plus side, I may be more organised on the blog front! :)

Day 239 of 365

Starting to sort out the items Jay will need at university.

Day 240 of 365

Feeding my friend GG's hounds as she was away that day.  Freddie and Alfie were pleased to see us and knocked Jay over with their enthusiastic greeting! :)

Day 241 of 365

In town shopping for more uni supplies.  All this shopping is hard work - I needed a break! ;)

Day 242 of 365

Jay practised his cupcake skills.  He plans to wow the girls at uni. :)  They were delicious!

Day 243 of 365

My onion rolls proving in readiness for an evening BBQ.

Day 244 of 365

The sky seemed to be "on fire" when my Husband and I went out for an evening walk.  Beautiful colours - my iPhone didn't do it justice.

Day 245 of 365

Back to work after the summer holidays.  Someone, I suspect the caretaker, had drawn this on the staffroom whiteboard. :)

Day 246 of 365

My first display of 2013/14.  Can't believe that I just typed 2014! It will be Christmas before we know it!!

Day 247 of 365

Zinnia Envy on our patio.  The flowers in the pots and baskets are starting to look a little straggly, but I guess they have been out since May.  Soon it will be time to take cuttings ready for next year.

The nights have started to feel chilly now and there is definitely a sense of the year turning - summer is gradually giving way to autumn; although we may have an Indian Summer - I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Four Went To Kent

Recently we went away for a few days to the south coast of Kent.

Day 1

En route we stopped off at Inghtham Mote, a beautiful medieval house, surrounded by a moat.

The drawing room saw quite stunning with its 18thC hand painted Chinese wallpaper and highly decorated fireplaces.

We rounded off the first day with a moonlit walk along the beach at Greatstone.

Day 2

On the second day we headed to Dungeness old lighthouse

and climbed the 169 steps to the top.

We walked along the shingle beach and stopped to admire the former home of the late Derek Jarman.

Throughout the week we visited some of the medieval churches dotted around Romney Marsh - St Augustine's, at Brookland, had an unusual wooden bell tower detached from the church.

Late afternoon we headed into Rye for a meal and walk around,

before finishing off the day with a stroll along Dymchurch beach.

Or in Fay's case, a paddle.  This girl can't resist water!

Day 3

Day 3 started with another church visit - St Mary in the Marsh.  The simple wooden rail in the photo marks the grave of E. Nesbit.

The weather was glorious, ideal for a walk along the top of the famous white cliffs at Dover.

We headed for the South Foreland Lighthouse, where we had a very interesting guided tour.

Unsurprisingly we ended up on the beach at Greatstone.  The Three Crazies had decided to go for a swim!  The tide was out so they had a long walk!

Day 4
My Husband is very interested in all things radar and world war-related, so a peek at the Sound Mirrors at former RAF Denge was in order.

It had rained heavily overnight and the skies still looked stormy when we arrived at the iconic marsh church of St Thomas Becket at Fairfield.  Just as we got out of the car the sun broke through and lit up the church.

The interior was beautiful - possibly the prettiest church we have ever visited.

Next up was a history lesson at Battle Abbey, founded by William the Conqueror in gratitude for his victory on the battlefield in 1066 and as a memorial to those that had died there.

The Battlefield

As was our habit, we finished the day beside the sea!  This time we were at Hastings Old Town for fish and chips and an ice cream.

Day 5
Our last day of the holiday began with my Husband praying to the God of Geocaching! :) Actually, there is a cache under that lump of concrete.

Finally we visited some more marsh churches:-
St Peter and St Paul, at Newchurch, with its bent tower.

St Clement at Old Romney.

The interior had been painted pink by Walt Disney Productions for the 1963 film Dr Syn!

St. Mary, at East Guldeford, the only marsh church to be in Sussex.

We finished our holiday with a visit to the village of Winchelsea.

The inside of the church took our breathe away - we were not expecting the amazing stained glass and intricate stonework.  This church was more like a cathedral!

It was great to have a few days away as a family of four before Fay goes back to uni for her second year and Jay leaves for his first year.