​A pretty house in Esh Winning on our walk today.

We have 2 new residents in the village. These chickens have been here a couple of weeks and hang out in the park. They seem very happy.

​One of the two wooden owl statues guarding Esh village on our walk this morning. Looking down on Langley Park.

​I found a chunk of specular hematite, incredibly sparkly and heavy. Usually, it would be flaky, but mine has been tumbled smooth by the sea. A nice find!

​When meeting the walking group at Seaham this evening, we spotted these two plebeian non-entities enjoying their meal, from a disposable BBQ placed on a wooden table, with tinder dry grass all around, on a windy evening. Absolutely brain dead…

​Mannequins at Chillingham Castle looking a little sinister…

​Mr Blue Skye enjoying some of my banana lolly.

​The hardest walk for a lot of us in the group today, climbing 4 miles up for this view of High Cup Nick in The Pennines.

​Got these two 80 year old salt glazed chimney pots today for a song. They will be planted up in the spring.

Jul 15, 2026

​I forgot to post this when I got home yesterday, as I was caught up with England’s football game. I did a later than usual walk on Horden beach, and saw this father teaching his son some fishing skills.

​Our walking group this morning, out in the fields with blazing heat and golden wheat.

​I walked with a new group this evening at Seaham. They were a fun crowd, one of the laughs was discovering that we were exiting a footpath that should’ve been closed.

​Mr Blue Skye looking very disgruntled, as he just got woken up with a sneezing fit. 20 seconds later, his head was back down, and back to sleep again.

​Over 9 miles walking today, and my hips hurt! Over 7 of them were on this morning’s walk, battling our way through tall grasses and flowers. A lovely walk though!

Jul 11, 2026

​Waking up our little village as our banner follows the brass band down the High St before marching at Durham’s Miners Gala.’

​At the Farne Islands enjoying the wonderful puffins.

​A blistering hot day for our walk at Ushaw Moor today. Here, we had to wade through this dried grassy meadow, but thankfully, a lot of the walk was in shade.

​Thornton Hall Gardens today. Very hot but beautiful blooms.

​I’ve had this for decades but could never use it in the U.S. as eggs have to be refrigerated there. I love having it back as my egg storage now, with a nest of hay at the bottom. 

​Had the beach to myself for a while as I hunted for sea glass. 

​A glorious field of wildflowers 10 minutes from home.

Jul 4, 2026

​The start of the finale at Kynren tonight, An Epic Tale of England. It was fabulous.

​The sun throwing spectrums into my lounge lit up the carpet in a pretty way. 

​Looking through an old gravestone in an abandoned church cemetery on the Scottish border.

Enjoying the view of ​The Newcastle Castle from the pub, during a brief shower.

​Ice cream, 1 black cherry with 1 banana scoop, at Reeth today after our walk.

​Huge yellow structures, in Leith today, will house Scotland’s largest wind turbines in the North Sea.https://share.google/1VK0g1SQXpP236Xlc

 

​At the Chester-le-Street steam fair, with Richard, visiting me from London, having moved there from DC. 

​Walking back home from the pub, the skies were looking stormy. We had a rainbow and later the heavens opened.

​As a young girl, my favourite book was The Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge, and I love it as an adult too. And geraniums on my kitchen windowsill come from the book. AND, I’ve just discovered a film was made of it. Purchased on EBay for less than 2 quid.

​I love these old bridges in Stanhope quarry, that once had railway tracks running over them, carrying quarried rock and waste.

​At the car wash. It’s tough sitting behind the glass with the sun blazing down, the engine off and no AC in the car. But the poor lads washing the cars have it the worst.

​I managed to sell this chair today, to a neighbour. She’d been walking past it every day and even stroked it, she loved it that much. So happy it found a good home a few doors down!

​Mr. Blue Skye finishing off the chocolate trifle.

​A pretty entrance hall of a home on the Staindrop garden tour today.

​The top of The Royal Mile in Edinburgh, a day out with Carol & Linda.

​My first bike ride in about 3 years. Only did about 10 miles, as wanted to be sure the tyres were OK. Looking forward to the next one.

​Julie and I found a large group of the rare bee orchids today near Seaham. The common spotted orchid is to the left of it.

​A long walk around Staithes, including here, Port Mulgrave, where ammonite fossils can be found.

​My first attempt at felting. It’s not brilliant, but I’ve learned a lot about technique. There will be future efforts!

​I saw this on a wall by a garden centre today. Assumed it wasn’t real, but laughed anyway.

​A yew tree, despite having fallen down, sends out branches that have grown upwards.

​Having a go at taking a cutting from my geranium. Hoping it grows roots.

​While strimming the lawn in between showers, I spotted my neighbour, Lisa’s old cat, enjoying the sunshine in the bay window.

​A cold and rainy day today. Taken from my desk in the attic.

​Down on Horden beach after work, watching storm clouds rolling in. We had another brief hailstorm an hour later.

​The sun was shining, daisies blooming in the garden, yet we had another hailstorm. In June!

​I saw these ‘cookies’ today, ice cream and matcha flavour. Made in China. How awful.

​This ‘cat’ ornament was a gift. Not very keen on it, and actually prefer its reflection on the wall to the real thing.

​Crossing the causeway onto Lindisfarne just as the sea has receded.