A bit of Wind!

The wind today is horrendous, although I shouldn't be complaining when you think about what the poor people of Queensland have had to endure this week!!

I've just been into the garden to find that half of my windchime has been wrenched from it's holder and is lying forlornly on the ground.

The hens are keeping themselves under the hedge to try to escape the breeze, they don't mind snow, sun or rain, but they hate the wind and complain bitterly when they are let out of their run as if I've caused it.

And just to teach me a lesson, they decided to lay their eggs in the duck house, so that I had to stay outside longer searching for them.  With the weekend here, it's also time to clean out the poultry houses, think I might wait until tomorrow or I may end up having a sawdust bath.

The poor garden is not escaping the elements either, my poor hellebores have been flattened during the night.

And if that isn't enough, Henrietta (I know original name!!) decided to sit on them to warm them up.

Even the twisted hazel is losing it's buds, although the Popeye and Archie our two ducks have stripped the lower branches already, grrr!

I just love the knarled shapes of the branches, doesn't nature do a wonderful job?

But I must stop whinging or no-one will want to ready my blog ! :0)

We have a eucalyptus tree that was about 15 feet high, but in the winds last summer snapped, I think despite it's flexibility it had just one bend too many, and we cut it right down to a little stump to see if it would recover.....well in a few short months it definitely has and is now flourishing in a lovely bush shape, it is growing at a tremendous speed and is looking lovely, not that you can see that from my photography.

Have a lovely weekend.

Well, I've committed now!

Or should I say "should be commiteed now!"

After years of procrastinating, I've finally signed up for the race for life. I and it's not until July, a good 5 months away, but I'm already daunted at the prospect.  I am not a natural athlete, or infact any sort of athlete and haven't indulged in any sort of sport or training since I was at school, which is such a long time ago I sat between Robin Hood and Maid Marian!  This could also be some reason why I'm currently carrying around 4 st of extra blubber, although at the moment my reasoning is that I need it to keep me warm.

I have always thought about doing the run, it is such a good cause, I don't think there is anyone who hasn't been touched in some way by the dreaded disease, but I've decided this is the year I'm going to actually take part. 

A friend at work has said that she will join me, "well that's nice" I can hear you say, some company on the run and someone to keep you jollied along on the training.  There is just one problem, said friend is doing a half marathon in May, regularly does triathalon's and last Sept cycled to Paris in aid of the Poppy Appeal.....now can you see why i'm daunted!   We had the option of a 5k or 10k run and she quite sensibly has suggested that due to my current lack of fitness, we sign up for the 5k ....or was it self preservation that she didn't want to be carrying me for 3 miles after i'd flaked out.  So that's what we've done, I, like so many others have had add on's after coming down with the flu, and am just now getting over the cough that came with it, so no start to training yet, but I have signed up so that makes it real, and now I've told you all I'm going to have to complete it, so a real incentive.

I will update you with the occassional progress report. 

All good intentions!

New year and good intentions....well it was meant to be!

I was going to keep up to date on my blog, after a year away I was amazed that anyone was still reading me, (thanks for the welcome back comments x), and I'm also hoping to do the race for life with a friend this year so again new year and new fitness regime - don't worry I'm not going to bore you all with this one!

Instead its bed with a good dosing of paracetamol, I can't decide whether I'm living in the sahara or siberia and as I've had to flu jab, I can't possibly have flu and must just be whimping out with a cold!!

I hope to resume normal service soon.

Happy New Year

I can't believe it's nearly a year since I last posted! I don't know where the time has gone, but I have been keeping up with all the news on your blogs even if I haven't left comments or posted myself.

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, and a 2010 come to that!

Best wishes for a wonderful 2011.

I've also started a new blog to run along side this one, I know what you're thinking she can't even keep regular updates on this one! But having been inspired by Bethan at Learning to live right , I've decided to follow her example, I hope some of you will pop over to Live lightly to say hello.

Take care everyone