Saturday 11 June 2016

Going Away and Coming Home ...

Just a quick post today.  We have been away to a cottage by the sea for a short break.  A break that was badly needed.  We returned refreshed and rejuvenated - just what the doctor ordered.  Thank you for the comments on my last post - much appreciated - I didn't have time to answer them as we left pretty much as soon as I had published it.    I took a few photos while we were away (well it was more like 150, but who's counting :).  I promise not to show you all 150 but have picked a few choice ones to share with you.

 
Gulls, with the evening sun catching their wings, making such a commotion as they scrabbled for quayside scraps.


A wildflower meadow full of oxeye daisies.


Spotted a muntjac deer through the binoculars - can you see him (bottom right)


Father goose guarding his goslings while they pecked around - never straying far.


A captive red squirrel at a nature reserve - adorable.


A great shot of a robin on the wires taken by the husband.


We had some lovely weather, the early mornings were calm and still, the sun shone on the water at high tide, no wind - perfect in its tranquillity.  One day a sea fret rolled in - locally they call it a haar it was amazing to see tumbling across the lagoon like steam rising from the water.  A natural phenomena as the warm air hits the cold sea.



Friday came round too fast and we had to return home.  Not with trepidation like the last time (after the flood), but with anticipation, as we had left the workmen to complete the decorating in our absence.  They have done a great job; the furniture is still piled up and we have to be careful which surfaces we touch - and the smell of the paint is eye-wateringly strong - but we are almost there - the end is in sight :)

The garden has burgeoned in our absence.  Flowers that were only in bud have now blossomed - jungle is the word that comes to mind - so, since our return I have been very busy trying to tame it into acquiescence, ruthlessly pulling weeds and trying to get some semblance of order - a great big thank you to my friend J for all the watering she had to do during the mini heatwave that occurred while we were gone - not sure what I would do without her help.








 
'Til next time - enjoy this little spell of fine weather.
 


Elaine






47 comments:

  1. I am so pleased that you enjoyed a lovely break and have returned home refreshed, and to a nice newly painted home - now it will be fun putting the furniture back and making your home yours again.
    It looks as if you were in Blakeney - I love those misty sea frets, and the magic moments as it lifts.

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    1. Yes we did visit Blakeney I do love the place. We are just waiting for the insurance money to come through so we can replace carpets and furniture then we can unpack all the boxes and get everything back to normal.

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  2. Wherever you've been Elaine (I'm guessing east coast) it looks the perfect place to restore your batteries. Glad to hear that you looked forward to coming home this time :)

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    1. Your guess is correct Anna we didn't do anything too strenuous - very relaxing.

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  3. So pleased to read that you've had a relaxing break with no emergencies this time. I went away for a week during the Bank Holiday and thanks to the nheatwave, my garden turned into a veritable jungle! My patio is unrecognisable, having ox-eye daisies growing between all the slabs. I hadn't the heart to pull them out when I realised they had self-seeded, so now it's a mass of daisy blooms. I wonder where they will appear next year!
    I can't believe you are STILL waiting for your insurance company to pay out so that you can replace your furnishings. Grrr!

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    1. It was nice to get away from all the noise and the workmen that's for sure. Just a few things to get done now, the electricians coming next week to put up the new ceiling lights which they broke when they took the ceilings down.

      I love oxeye daisies and have one or two growing in my garden from a packet of wildflower seeds - I do hope they seed about, but not too much :)

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  4. So pleased you were able to enjoy a short break away, and that you have returned feeling refreshed.

    Your photo's are lovely, and so nice to see all the blooms.

    All the best Jan

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    1. Thanks Jan. The garden had completely changed in just a few days, what was blooming had gone over and a whole new load of flowers had appeared - that's the nice thing about gardens isn't it - always changing.

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  5. Elaine, I can't believe your garden is so beautiful. You must have enjoyed that trip. Sounds like good times ahead.

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    1. Why thank you Donna. Not looking so good after heavy rain today - everything flattened, hopefully everything will perk up again when the sun shines. It is good to be back, although we enjoyed the break.

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  6. Elaine, your vacation by the sea looks marvelous, but that garden of yours is just STUNNING! What a gorgeous clematis!

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    1. Thanks Barb. The clematis only had one flower open when we left so it was a surprise to see it in full bloom when we got back - I just had to take a photo - this is it's first year in flower, I am hoping for many more.

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  7. So pleased to hear you had such an enjoyable break and that things are progressing well with your house. I find it amazing that the insurance company has not settled yet.
    Wonderful photos of your holiday and your lovely garden - thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thank you Susan. No, the insurance company are taking their sweet time - hopefully we will be receiving cheques this week and we can get on with ordering the stuff that has to be replaced.

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  8. As usual, your photos are wonderful.

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  9. Dear Elaine, thank you for those beautiful photos! (And yes, I saw the deer).
    Sometimes it is good to get a bit of distance from what is happening - fresh eyes, fresh mind, and, in your case: fresh courage and vigour.
    The "haar" - when I went from London to Scotland by train, suddenly there was smoke everywhere - and I, utterly astonished that nobody seemed to care. It was "the mist rolling in from the sea".

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    1. A change of scenery is always a good thing just to get away from the chaos for a bit did us the world of good. Mist rolling in from the sea - didn't Paul McCartney include that in his song Mull of Kintyre :)

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  10. Amazing, happy, beautiful, serene and extraordinary pics from your travels.

    Thank you!

    Jane

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    1. Thank Jane - glad you liked the photos - it is always hard to pick a few out when you take so many without boring your blog readers with your holiday snaps :)

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  11. The red squirrel is gorgeous. I love ox-eye daisies and grow them on the plot.
    Glad that you are getting sorted at home.

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    1. The squirrel was a devil to get a photo of - he was running about like a mad thing - probably camera shy :) I love the daisies too they look stunning en masse. Yes, finally things are coming to fruition and it won't be long before we can start re-hanging the pictures and unpacking our bits and bobs from the packing cases - it seems like a long time since we had a normal home.

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  12. Lovely post and pictures. Good to see that you had a nice, and I'm sure welcome, break. Flighty xx

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    1. Thanks Flighty. It was a welcome break just to get out of the house and all the banging and drilling and making cups of tea for the workmen every five minutes :)

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  13. Beautiful! I saw those red squirrels at the nature reserve last year, they are gorgeaous to watch. Your garden flowers look wonderful. Glad you had a good week away and that you are getting close to all the work at home being finished:)

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    1. Thanks Rosie. We saw the red squirrels at Pensthorpe last year but this one was taken at the Wildflower Reserve at Glandford - you will have to visit next time you are in Norfolk.

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    1. It couldn't have been better Rachel - we were so lucky to have missed all the rain - but since we have been back it hasn't stopped raining but humid with it as well. Just another English summer.

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  15. Lovely photos.Glad you had a good break.

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    1. Thanks for visiting - glad you enjoyed the photos.

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  16. GLad you had a good time away and enjoyed your break!

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  17. So glad you had a wonderful holiday and your work on your home is reaching the end too. It looks as if your garden was welcoming you home with all those wonderful flowers. Your holiday photos are great they almost have a relaxed feel about them! Sarah x

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    1. Thank you Sarah. I always feel more relaxed when we go to the coast and the photos probably reflect this. The garden certainly welcomed us back with a big show of new arrivals in flower.

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  18. Ah Elaine I can hear it in your written voice- life is better. I am so glad too. Your vacation just was what you needed. Things are finally looking up. Speaking of looking-your poppies and clematis are beautiful as well as the rest of your garden. Take care and have a great week. Hugs!

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    1. I hear what you say Debbie - let's face it, life couldn't get any worse so it must be getting better :) Thank you for your kind comment and thoughts. The garden was looking a treat but heavy rains have lashed and flattened everything down, so now it is looking slightly bedraggled - hey ho, what can you do!

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  19. It sounds like that was just the break you needed. A lovely upbeat post. Your garden is looking wonderful now.

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    1. It is always good to get away even if only for a few days. I am feeling much more positive now everything is coming together. The garden is a positive jungle we are practically having to hack our way through :)

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  20. A change of scenery was perfect for you boh after the flood that you had Elaine ....... beautiful photographs .... I love the misty grey one .... you should blow that one up, frame it and put it in you newly decorated room !!
    Your garden looks so pretty and such an abundance of colour.
    Hope that everything is dried out now and decorating has started !! XXXX

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    1. Thanks Jackie. Believe it or not the decorating is finished they cracked on really well while we were away. Just waiting for the electrician to put the ceiling lights back up and check everything and we can then get it all back in order - it's been quite a journey, but I'm still smiling :)

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  21. So glad you are a fan of North Norfolk too Elaine and had a wonderful time there. We love it too and go whenever we can. Gardens always become absolutely rampant whenever left, however briefly. Yours looks so colourful. Thank you for coming over to see me!

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    1. You are right about the garden I couldn't believe all the growth and since we have arrived back it hasn't stopped raining so it is even more rampant - hey ho!

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  22. How lovely that you got away and had such a lovely time. Glad to hear the weather was good. I did enjoy the red squirrel and the gull pics, but gosh....that haar pic is SO atmospheric. Lovely that you spotted that little muntjac, how adorable! Pleased to hear the end is in sight, I do hope the insurance company pays out...soon! How wonderful to come home to your garden in full bloom....it is looking lovely!xxx

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    1. I'm glad you liked the photos - I didn't take as many as I normally do I get a bit click-happy when I'm away. And guess what the insurance cheques arrived this morning after a bit of nudging so now we can get all the replacements ordered and get life back to normal - as I said to Jackie above it has been a long haul but we have weathered the storm and have come out the other side relatively sane :)

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  23. Such an uplifting post Elaine.. Blue sky, the sea, the garden and the house almost done. Have a lovely weekend.

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  24. Lovely pictures . I liked the last pic a lot :)
    http://inthebothv.blogspot.ae/?m=0

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