​A pair of jackdaws silhouetted against the sunset, taken from my office window.

​Walking around Jesmond Dene, Newcastle, we saw a huge tree covered with pairs of shoes. Apparently, an ‘art installation’ by students.

​A summer haze over the River Derwent at The Land of Oak and Iron.

​Golden daffodils at the feet of slumbering trees, not yet woken by the harbingers of Spring.

​A beautiful spring afternoon sky on my way home from work today.

​Gravestones used as a wall at Trimdon village church.

​My walking shoes, dried after a good soaking on the beach on Saturday, have a huge crust of salt on them. This will be hard work to remove.

​Kielbasa is not an easy find here, compared to the U.S., but I was directed to a Polish shop near work, and now have some Polish treats for the week. 

​Spending a lazy Sunday afternoon hanging out with the moggies.

​Some of the sea glass I found at Hawthorn Hive today.

​Shot hurriedly through the car windscreen, the view of the sea at Hartlepool, as I drove to work.

​A family heirloom, that I brought over for a dear friend in my container, is finally back in the family’s hands. Mission accomplished!

​Soapsuds at the carwash today with Spencer the Sportage.

Mar 10, 2026

​There’s a lot of solar farms being installed around Teeside. I’m guessing because the fields get flooded so often, thus is a way for farmers to earn some money. The mud is horrendous.

​This topiary is outside the Sedgefield Racecourse. It’s a steeple racehorse and rider, and it’s pretty cool.

​An interesting mural that I passed in Chilton. 

​A unique bar and restaurant on the beach in South Shields. You take a lift down from the carpark at the top of the cliffs. 

​I’m really hoping the farmer is going to continue pruning this hedge, otherwise it’s going to really bother me every time I pass by.

​This chunk-a-lunk is a happy chappy because he’s got a full tummy and the central heating is on.

​Take me home, country roads…my drive home after work.

​Found a lovely reverse painted lamp on Marketplace for a steal. It looks lovely in my lounge.

​A beautiful sunrise on the way to work this morning.

​Watched Epic, an Elvis film by my favourite director, Baz Luhrmann. It was incredible, and will be a DVD purchase when it’s released.

​Walking with a group from the moors down into Blanchland.

​The Groverake Mine, north of Stanhope, on the Pennines. The last mine headgear in County Durham.

​St Peter’s Church in Byers Green.

​A lovely walk at Croxdale today, led by Andy. The snowdrops were in full bloom.

​A fabulous walk with Andy and his two friends, called Dave, across the moors above Blanchland.

​An alleyway in Peterlee with the scoria bricks that I love. 

​A walk around the Washington area. This is the Victoria Viaduct, once the main train line from Newcastle to London. Plans are in progress for it to be used again for the Metro.

​At Saltburn, fossil hunting, while walking along the beach to Redcar.

​Both Mr Blue Skye and Tricksie Treat like yoghurt. Here is TT enjoying her teaspoonful of oat and walnut Activia. 

​I stopped to grab this view on my way home from work. Still very damp and misty. The sun shone just briefly.

​Driving to work, it’s lovely to see the sun and blue skies again.

​A neighbour left a huge parsnip on my doorstep, so I promptly made a parsnip and potato soup. Sprinkled with grated mature cheddar, it was delicious. A sentiment Mr Blue Skye obviously wanted to share. 

​After this morning’s 6.5 mile walk, I decided to drive to Weardale and check out the moors in snow. I got to Tow Law and gave up. With the snow and a thick fog, I couldn’t see anything beyond this fence…

​I saw these today and had a chuckle. The pet dressing business has gone a bit far, but there’s plenty that have money to waste on such trivialities. Poor pets!

​Driving to work this morning. It was all gone by lunchtime, when we had hailstones for a while. Of course, all of this has just added to the copious amounts of mud and flooding we now have.

​Looking west across a rainy valley towards Ferryhill.

​Driving behind this bin lorry made me chuckle. In America, you see stuffed toys and dolls tied to their carts, but I’d forgotten how the English always find the ladies underwear. I circled the hanging bra on the right.

​An angry sea today at Horden, where I spent a couple of hours picking up rocks and sea glass in the rain. 

​He’s been up to something, with that look on his face, but I haven’t found out yet…

​These Highland cows are a permanent fixture at Rowlands Gill, where we began our walk today. They had plenty of hay, but that mud!

​A morning on Horden Beach, chatting with a few locals and collecting sea glass.

​Had a wander around the 12th Century ruins of Finchdale Priory in the rain today.

​I often pass this gorgeous little gatehouse with its ornate cemetery gates. I’d love to take this photo with snow.

​Just started this jigsaw puzzle, and wondering if I’ll finish it. I haven’t done one of these for decades!

​I left the Christmas branches up, swapped out the lights and decorated for Easter. 

​The descent to Sycamore Gap. The newly sprouting trunk is within the fenced area, left of photo, next to Hadrian’s Wall.

​The pond at Egglestone Hall Gardens.