Rat-a-tat-cat!

I’m convinced our outdoor cat thinks the cat flap is a door knocker! When he wants to come in he rattles it (it’s locked to keep our indoor cats in and other cats, that roam the garden, out).

Tonight I was washing up and rattle – bang-rattle-tap, tap, tap! I didn’t open the door straight away so the cat flap did another bang and crash…

Then, outdoor cat scoots in, eats two pouches of food, some cat milk, some cat treats, then the emploring look ‘can I go out again?’ no doubt he will be back later….

Here be dragons…

Posted on March 1, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged 1st March, Design, Dragon, Fountain, Hanley Park, Life, Photo, St David's day, Stoke-on trent, victorian, WalesLeave a comment

Not Welsh Dragons, but at least they are dragons. Today is Saint David’s day, the patron Saint of 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Wales. But the symbol for the day is the daffodil. This is a bit of a confused blog post!

Anyway this dragon fountain is in Hanley Park, Stoke-on-Trent’s. I think the dragons are more like water monsters as they have fishy tails (and this is a fishy tale!)

anemone blanda

Posted on March 1, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged bad photo, Flower, Garden, Gardening, hopeful, Life, Poem, Poetry, SpringLeave a comment

Anemone Blanda,

or Windflower

spring flower

delicate,

gentle and true

purple white and blue

Old photo

old memories

garden surprise

brings smiles to my eyes.

Local landmark

Posted on February 28, 2021 Posted in Sketching, UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, Art, Black calligraphy pen, Coloured pencil, Drawing, Felt pen, Life, Memory, Sketch, SpringLeave a comment

Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was local landmark. We had a walk round the main Hanley Park and also the small park which had this fountain in. The last time I saw it, it was frozen! But tomorrow is the first day of spring, and it was a pleasant and sunny afternoon. Here is my pencil and felt pen depiction of the fountain.

Photo troubles

Posted on February 28, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged full phone, full storage, lack of memory, Life, Memory, Photos, SD card, Shared files, thousands of pictures5 Comments

I have too many photos on my phone, some on its drive and some on its SD card. I have thousands… I tried putting some on my pc from the phone. I have a USB cable with a connection to the phone. I found the bit on the pc that allows you to upload photos, but the pc can’t seem to find them on my phone? I tried Bluetooth. The phone found some woman’s phone nearby, it not my pc. I looked for Bluetooth on my pc but couldn’t find it?

I tried uploading to the cloud, but Samsung no longer supports it, or at least won’t from 30.3.21..? I have one drive, but my phone seems to have another type. My friend suggested I download Google photos. So I looked and I already have it on my phone. I’m not sure it’s on the pc though? Life was simple with film and physical photos. I will have another go but it’s frustrating.

Happy outdoor cat, indoors

Posted on February 28, 2021February 28, 2021 Posted in Cat, UncategorizedTagged Cat, Communication, Friendly, Indoor cats, large cat, Life, Outdoor cat, Paws, Pet, Sleeping1 Comment

Since the middle of winter our outdoor cat has come in every day, and most nights he sleeps at least a couple of hours on the bed. He’s a big cat, and waking up with him lying on your chest is a bit startling. Then he reaches out one or both front paws in a gesture of trust. He’s not very keen on being touched. His nose has been scratched by other cats several times (no real animosity between him and my other two cats though). But he’s well fed now and you can see he’s greatful… And he’s like skippy the Bush kangaroo (a reference to a 1960’s kids TV programme…) he points at things. He looks at his bowl when he wants food, the door if he wants to be let out, but more than that, his body language communicates, and if I tap somewhere on the bed with my hand he will go there… And being touched by his paw on my hand is so sweet.

6.73 mile walk

Posted on February 27, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, 6.73 miles, Aching, Life, lyme Park, lyme valley park, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, Tired, WalkingLeave a comment

Walk along the Lyme Valley Park in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

It would have been muddy if it hadn’t been so dry over the last few days.

The sun was setting as we walked. We called in a couple of shops for essentials so I was out for three and a half hours. Note to self, get shopping from somewhere closer to home or take two bags instead of one so you can spread the load.

That was going to be a short walk, but I ended up doing over two miles more. Me and my friend seem to egg each other on. (if we go that way we can do a few more steps?).

I Will have a short walk tomorrow. I need a rest!

Trees in winter

Posted on February 26, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged Life, muddy, Photo, Photo director, river Bank, River Trent, Staffordshire, Stoke-on trent, Trees, Trent, WetLeave a comment

Reflections again, this time of trees along the river Trent a few weeks ago. Walking in the rain, trying to avoid the fifty yard long puddles on the paths. Stepping through muddy grass with shoes sinking into the earth. It was wet! Subtle hints of green in the bushes that was knocked back when the temperatures dropped and the snow fell. A whole section of the newly restored river bank washed away and the new housing estate on the flood plain is threatened. Why build on the flood plain anyway? Money!

Statue/monument

Posted on February 25, 2021February 25, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #bandofsketchers, Art, Arteza paints, Day out, Drawing, Life, metallic watercolours, Mow Cop, painting g, Place to visit, Sketching, WatercolourLeave a comment

Today’s #bandofsketchers prompt was statue or monument. I’m not sure if Mow Cop, which stands on a ridge above Cheshire is a monument, but its still interesting. It was built as a folly in 1754? and apparently used as a summerhouse. Its owned now by the National Trust. Its open to the public but is accessible by uneven rocky paths. If you are interested it’s worth a visit. The road to it up Mow Cop hill is quite windy and narrow and ascends through the village of Mow Cop, Staffordshire.

Walking…..

Posted on February 25, 2021 Posted in UncategorizedTagged #100daywalkingchallenge, 25% done!, Age, belief, Confidence, Exercise, Fun, Life, Tired, Walking2 Comments

I never thought I would be doing this challenge. I used to be scared of walking. If I walked a couple of hundred yards I would congratulate myself! I’m so glad I joined in and I’ve already got through 25% of it!

I used to be fit. I could cycle for miles, but after an accident where I was injured I eventually got a car. That was my downfall. Its taken over thirty years to realise I can do something about it. Don’t be scared, have a go!

Mallaband-Brown

Tag: Life