When you book your cruise on line.
When your shopping trip goes horribly wrong.
Why your bus never turned up.
When you create your own Harry Potter World
When Teddy has more fun that you
When your phone says 0% chance of rain.
When you post on Facebook because you forgot to tell everyone it was your funeral today.
HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND
You don’t have to be a chicken to go free range. Like chickens, outdoor reared pigs and hill sheep, free range humans are well adapted to life outside and wandering free. They don’t need to be shut in or put in a vehicle if it rains or snows.
Like us with the Covid pandemic, free range chickens recently had their life style cramped with outbreaks of bird ‘flu, but unlike other animals, free range humans don’t usually get eaten.
I have been wandering around by myself since I was seven and set off for the first day at junior school. Freedom was at my disposal, well as long as I didn’t take the short cut through the large park, which was like a rhododendron plantation with lots of hiding places. I was allowed to play there with my friends and had no idea why solo walks were forbidden.
Plenty of drivers enjoy walking and leaving their car at home, but for the dedicated non driver there is the added excitement of knowing you have to walk to get to places and buy your shopping.
Perhaps the three big ‘C’s, Covid, Cancer and Chemotherapy have enhanced the delights of being allowed or able to get out whenever I like. I am also only too aware that plenty of people my age or younger are not so lucky, whether struck down with strokes or waiting for new knees and hips. I don’t take being able to walk far and fast for granted.
During covid we were allowed out for a walk and many people discovered walking for the first time, but we weren’t allowed to go anywhere, just back home. The joy of our regained freedom is destinations, meeting your friends for coffee and cake, going to your favourite groups or just going anywhere with people interest.
Whatever the destination the free range human just goes there, no worrying about finding a parking place or nervously looking at the time in case their parking runs out. We just nip down footpaths or cross the river on a ferry. The free ranger is not always on foot, we can jump on a bus if it’s raining or we have shopping to carry. We could jump on any bus and see where we end up. The free range human sees life. The writer certainly sees real life on the bus, but that’s for another blog. The photographer can pause and snap whenever they spot something interesting, which is why I have so many photos in my WordPress gallery.
For our health we don’t need a running machine and step counter, though now I have a smart phone I can’t resist seeing how many kilometres and flights I have done. You can enjoy fresh air, nature and the four seasons or human life and the camaraderie of others ‘on the road.’
Do you like walking or jogging. If so, do you wander locally and walk your dog or are you very adventurous going up mountains and doing marathons?
Will you walk or catch a bus?
Never mind the weather.
It might brighten up later.
How will you travel today?
Land or Sea?
When your bus escapes to the countryside…
When your moorings break loose…
…and you drift upstream it’s time to head for dry land.
…where you never know who you might meet.
Perhaps a day at the beach would be best…
…but keep an eye on the weather.
Or you may never be seen again…
Featuring Dexter, Josie and Alfie with Antipodean Stripy Stranger.
Feeling too hot?
Take a trip to the seaside.
Don’t forget to turn the sea off before you leave.
Time to retreat to the shade.
Sun or shade, which do you prefer?
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What better accolade could a blogger ask for?
This was our book club book this month and it was really interesting and an enjoyable read. Apart from learning a lot about Antarctic and Arctic exploring the many human snippets were fascinating. One of the leading officers would stay up writing till 2am , though he had to rise at 5am. As well as keeping his official journal he had promised a good friend he would keep a personal journal. Writers and insomniacs will empathise. I have enough trouble packing for a week’s holiday, imagine packing supplies for four years including live bullocks… I bet they did not worry about catering for the crew’s dietary requirements and allergies. It’s also of note that many serving in the navy had gone to sea at thirteen or fourteen, no snow flakes on board…
When at last you get that Tonka truck you always longed for.
Missing No Mow May? Let it Bloom June is here.
Or perhaps you would prefer Jurassic June.
How about Meandering Monday.
You know Spring is in full flight when graveyards brighten up…
When green avenues appear,
Buses go topless,
Flowers and festivals appear,
Flowers open,
Coffee bars pop up,
Life bubbles away,
The Ferry is afloat and…
Fun is in the air.
What do you like best about spring?
Excitement is building as gardeners everywhere measure their grass to see the results of No Mow May.
How tall is a blade of grass?
Will leaving nature alone see the arrival of new species of insects?
Will your regular flowers make a bid for freedom?
No garden is too small to turn into a jungle.
…or a wildflower meadow
There is no reason why you can’t still play with your pot plants and plant pots and dream of entering Chelsea Flower Show. Bespoke bin store with rainwater saving feature created by Strobe Interiors .
( Christmas Trees are not just for Christmas… )
And of course you can never have too many flowers for the bees.
Most of us have never witnessed a coronation before and anticipation varies from excited crowds camping out for days to catch a glimpse, to those who are ignoring the whole thing. Whatever your views it is guaranteed to be a colourful spectacular, with lots of lovely horses, beautiful music and human interest. Not guaranteed is the weather. It rained for the Queen’s coronation, you wait 70 years for another coronation and it will probably rain again! We have never gone to events involving crowds and camping on pavements; I admire people who do, but like many will take the easy way and watch on television.
On my walk home this morning I endeavoured to catch some coronation atmosphere…
A reminder that we have had three royal events in less than a year.
If you want to be sociable and take in some ambience without going to London many councils are putting up big screens and you can bring a picnic. I think I may favour my sofa to damp grass…
Some shops and houses are flying the flag, boasting some bunting…
One of these may or may not be my house…
Whatever your views on royalty, King Charles III has a lifetime of knowledge and more intelligence than most / all of our political leaders! Whatever your religious views, he acknowledges a higher power; unlike politicians who often think they are God. He was telling us to look after the planet long before other leaders recognised there was a serious problem and his interests cover everything from farming to music and of course people…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Prince%27s_Trust
Mr. Tickle will be honoured to take the salute tomorrow and will be greeting important international guests such as Ernie and Bert.
Will you be watching the coronation tomorrow?
Happy May Day… have fun.
Enjoy some peaceful nature because for some of us May is going to be mad, or hopefully madly fun.
What country might you be in if May was going to include three bank holidays, hosting the Eurovision song contest and having a coronation?
Will you dress up for May Madness or make the most of three long weekends to spend time in the garden?
Or perhaps enjoy a day in the country…
…or a day at the seaside.
Spring Bank Holidays bring on an urge to do some DIY, but don’t get too carried away.
How do you hope to spend the merry month of May?
Times and Tides of a Beachwriter 