​I had a spectacular late lunch today with a dear friend. Peter set me up in a flat while I was house hunting, came and viewed houses with me, gave so much helpful advice, and let me use his contractors on my new home so I wouldn’t get ripped off. We stay in touch, and today we lunched at Frallo Copt Hill, which used to be owned by Peter’s friend, Bobby Kerr, who was the Sunderland football team manager when they won the Cup Final in 1973. This photo was afterwards at Peter’s home. That seagull had just woofed half a jam doughnut down in one go.

​The banks of Castle Eden were covered in wild garlic today.

​First tasting of the Hawthorn Berry wine. Not superb, but not bad either, especially since it’s the first wine I’ve made in 30 years. It is potent! 

​King Charles III and Queen Camilla enjoying the 250 years independence celebrations at Front Royal Gazebo. Would’ve loved to have been there, but I watched it live online.

​My sea glass caught my eye this evening. Usually just pale greens and whites, the sun threw a spectrum, which turned the glass into beautiful hues. 10 minutes later, the sun beam had moved on.

​I saw this man working up the tower on my way to work this afternoon. I sure hope he was improving the satellite signal as my internet is rubbish.

​The road at the top of our village. Almost every grassy verge around here is blanketed with dandelions. The flowers are huge, it’s a lovely sight.

​So much beautiful gorse on our walk this morning at Leadgate.

Apr 25, 2026

​The Flames played so well tonight that I forgot all about taking a photo, but I did get one of this chap at the rubbish tip this morning, when I went to drop off a load of garden waste.

​Not my photo, but I saw this today, and it struck a chord.

​A very proud mum and her new calf on our Ushaw walk this morning.

​An amazing feat of engineering, The Falkirk Wheel, in Scotland.

​The sun is blazing through my front window, and it’s lovely to see all the trees with leaves again.

​A relaxing reading day today, and Mr Blue Skye would often look round at me, while on my lap, as if to say, “You alright, Mum?”.

​Walking along the banks of the River Tyne with a group today. Spot the blue heron.

​Crossing rocks that resembled volcanic lava today, to reach a rarely visited beach.

​My first 8 mile walk in decades, with Andy and a new group, around the Beamish area. Quite proud of this!

​Tricksie Treat devouring her tea with gusto. Chopped beef with shredded chicken in gravy.

​This is the dried mushroom, jelly ears. Eaten widely by Chinese cultures, but not in Europe. I had a chew and it was awful.

​A 5 miler today with Andy & Dave, starting only 10 minutes from home. Very pretty scenery.

​Looking out to the wind farm from Wrenslark Beach near Hartlepool.

​Some cows we met on our walk today, looking like they’ve just recorded their first heavy rock album.

​I like this brick train bridge and foot tunnel at the top end of Cornforth.

​The Deepdale Aqueduct in Barnard Castle, built in 1898, to carry water pipes, and is now also a footbridge.

​Some nosey little people checking out my scone and jam.

​Just water in a pint glass.

​Saw this on the back of a neighbour’s car, and it made me chuckle. Only fans of The Fast Show will get it.

​My first proper walk today after 5.5 weeks of school followed by a heavy cold. With Judith, for 5 miles, around the Watergate Forest Park area.

​I spent a couple of hours glass hunting on the beach today, along with Mark and his pug, Meatball, who I’d met a few weeks ago. It was lovely to get some fresh air and chat with a new friend. My haul was quite impressive too.

​Some of the eggs on my Easter tree in the dining room.

​At Tesco’s, while grabbing an Easter egg and some hot cross buns for the weekend, I spotted this little chap on the toiletries shelf. I wondered what prompted him to be abandoned there.

​My glass Easter egg; I haven’t treated myself to a chocolate one yet.

​Daffodils and forsythia at Trimdon church.

​I have to be careful parking my car at home as the ‘wild’ area at the back of the houses is blanketed with daffodils and primroses. So pretty!

​Teaching Mr Blue Skye how to take selfies. As you can see, his patience is wearing a little thin.

​A day of heavy winds and rain. Looking out to the garden through a rain-streaked window.

​The sun shining through the hallway annd casting a spectrum on to a photo I took, and had printed on canvas, of a ginkgo tree in Virginia Arboretum.

​A few puffs of cotton wool in the clear blue sky, yet only a couple of hours later, the rain was pouring down again.

​Spider plant in the lounge, which unfortunately, Tricksie Treat likes to chomp on.

​Strange weather on the way home. Heavy skies over a dark sea, hailstones and bright sunshine all created an amazing sky.

​Out for the count.

​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.