I love the countryside and especially wildlife and my wish has always been to live in a lovely house in the country with a big garden and an abundance of animals. But where I live now also gives me a lot of joy. I live in a big terraced edwardian house on a very busy road in a busy city but I also have the privilege of having a long 150 foot garden and when you go in the garden you would never know that we live on such a busy road as it very quiet. Each morning when I go out in the garden with the dogs I am greeted by the lovely song of a thrush, or the distinct chirp of the robin and if I am lucky I will catch a glimpse of a family of timid long tailed tits. Of course there are also the regular blue and great tits, hedge sparrows and black birds. I have had the pleasure of seeing a rare black cap, a few goldfinches and on a few occassions I've been lucky enough to see an owl flying low over my house, I've even seen a woodpecker. Then there are the other animals. Just a few nights ago I was watching a little mouse hop back and forth from our guinea pig hutch to its hiding place amongst the leaves under my mini -greenhouse, we seem to have a regular fox that I have seen in our ten foot on occassions that has also sadly had a few of my guinea pigs for its supper. We sometimes see the odd hedgehog while on its travels through the gardens, and then there are our green friends that come back to our little pond each year, of which I have five of mating in my pond right now, let's hope for some frog spawn this as of yet we haven't had any frogs actually laying their eggs there.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
I love the countryside and especially wildlife and my wish has always been to live in a lovely house in the country with a big garden and an abundance of animals. But where I live now also gives me a lot of joy. I live in a big terraced edwardian house on a very busy road in a busy city but I also have the privilege of having a long 150 foot garden and when you go in the garden you would never know that we live on such a busy road as it very quiet. Each morning when I go out in the garden with the dogs I am greeted by the lovely song of a thrush, or the distinct chirp of the robin and if I am lucky I will catch a glimpse of a family of timid long tailed tits. Of course there are also the regular blue and great tits, hedge sparrows and black birds. I have had the pleasure of seeing a rare black cap, a few goldfinches and on a few occassions I've been lucky enough to see an owl flying low over my house, I've even seen a woodpecker. Then there are the other animals. Just a few nights ago I was watching a little mouse hop back and forth from our guinea pig hutch to its hiding place amongst the leaves under my mini -greenhouse, we seem to have a regular fox that I have seen in our ten foot on occassions that has also sadly had a few of my guinea pigs for its supper. We sometimes see the odd hedgehog while on its travels through the gardens, and then there are our green friends that come back to our little pond each year, of which I have five of mating in my pond right now, let's hope for some frog spawn this as of yet we haven't had any frogs actually laying their eggs there.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Night out with the girls
Wednesday night was the first of hopefully many checking out the local music talent in and around Hull with two arty friends and fellow singing group members. Our first trip took us to 'Tigers Lair' down Anlaby Road for one of their 'Acoustic Wednesdays' where we saw among others 'The Wrigglers' and a couple of other soloists. I was quite disappointed with the turn out but then again it was mid week, on a cold and damp evening. We found ourselves doodling trees on pieces of paper as Fiona has decided for us all to paint a tree on her living room wall in her new rented house. Here are our first attempts. Unfortunately we left the real masterpieces behind. Next time we shall try and go somewhere with a bit more life and atmosphere. Until then we shall work on the trees. Of course our real aim other than to see if there is any local talent is to check out the places we shall want to book ourselves into at a later date and entertain everyone with our fantastic singing and playing, or is that just one dream too far out of our grasp!?
Monday, January 22, 2007
Grass verges
I have not written anything for a while, either because I have had other things on my mind or because I just can't be bothered and have chosen to read or vegetate in front of the T.V on the night. Also one of my ideas of what to put on this blog, in regard to food and cooking, has been stolen from me by my husband, who has set up, not one, not two but three blogs so other than write the same things you can just read his. My two eldest sons have also got the blogging bug and have set up their own so the chances of me getting on this computer very often are slim.
Anyway what is there to write of interest, not much really but the other day, while unpacking my car of shopping, it brought to mind of the time when I first moved to Hull and then a few years later while studying in London and returning back to Hull in the holidays, of how I used to think how green Hull was. How nice it was to have so many green verges and how I enjoyed travelling down Beverley Road and seeing all the blossom trees and crocus' growing or going to what is now Kingswood and seeing all the fields. I still enjoy the trees but I'm beginning to think of the grass verges as a pain in the backside, at least in this weather when every time you get out of the car you have to walk over a muddy mess and my heels always sinking into it. To cross them once is bad enough but when you have to take three or four trips back and forth to your car is just a plain nuisance. But I suppose I'd rather them be there than just a block of flat, grey pavement. At least you don't seem to get the contents of dogs bowels being left on the verges as often these days, when once we had to watch where we were walking every time we got out of the car.
Anyway what is there to write of interest, not much really but the other day, while unpacking my car of shopping, it brought to mind of the time when I first moved to Hull and then a few years later while studying in London and returning back to Hull in the holidays, of how I used to think how green Hull was. How nice it was to have so many green verges and how I enjoyed travelling down Beverley Road and seeing all the blossom trees and crocus' growing or going to what is now Kingswood and seeing all the fields. I still enjoy the trees but I'm beginning to think of the grass verges as a pain in the backside, at least in this weather when every time you get out of the car you have to walk over a muddy mess and my heels always sinking into it. To cross them once is bad enough but when you have to take three or four trips back and forth to your car is just a plain nuisance. But I suppose I'd rather them be there than just a block of flat, grey pavement. At least you don't seem to get the contents of dogs bowels being left on the verges as often these days, when once we had to watch where we were walking every time we got out of the car.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Peace
Last week I spent two days away in Leeds to see a couple of bands play at Leeds Metropolitan. The first of these was Rodrigo Y Gabriela, two fast fingered Dublin based Mexicans whose album has reached no.1 in the Irish charts and who appeared on Jools Holland in May. It was well worth going to see live with their unique sound on acoustic guitars with what they call metallic influences and I have never seen a guitar played as a percussion instrument in the same way as Gabriela played it. Two superb guitarist who are fast becoming known throughout the world. The other band was Hayseed Dixie. This music is classed as "a Hillbilly Tribute to AC/DC". It was pretty humorous by all accounts with four beer drinking hillbillies in dungaree shorts playing heavy music on mandolin, banjo, bass and guitar or violin. It was enjoyable but not enough for me to go and see them again or buy their music.
It was the first time I stayed in a proper hotel and it was nice to have breakfast without having to go and bring it all back up again like I've always had to in the past due to pregnancy. Yes it's been a long time since I've been in a bed and breakfast, too long! It was an enjoyable couple of days being back in the city where I spent many weekends in my late teenage years and it was nice to just enjoy the peace and quiet of being away from my noisy children. I hope to spend more peaceful times away in the future.
It was the first time I stayed in a proper hotel and it was nice to have breakfast without having to go and bring it all back up again like I've always had to in the past due to pregnancy. Yes it's been a long time since I've been in a bed and breakfast, too long! It was an enjoyable couple of days being back in the city where I spent many weekends in my late teenage years and it was nice to just enjoy the peace and quiet of being away from my noisy children. I hope to spend more peaceful times away in the future.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Apple Crumble
In our garden we have an old apple tree that I think is over a hundred years old. It is the last from an orchard that used to be on the site before these houses were built over 86 years ago. It is the biggest apple tree I have ever seen and although is partly falling down, as the roots have been pulled out of the ground over the years and it is leaning slightly, each year it still has an impressive amount of fruit and some very big ones too. It is obviously some kind of cooking apple due to the sheer size of the apples but they are actually quite a lot sweeter than Bramleys. Maybe they are from an apple that is no longer used. If anyone has any history of old types of apples please let me know. Anyway the last of them are now falling to the ground and the other day I made a crumble for my family and mainly for Marcus, my middle son. Since he helped his grandma make one a few weeks ago he has took a great liking to them and asks for one a lot. This one didn't fail to deliver and was thoroughly enjoyed by all. The remainder of the apples shall be left on the ground for the thrushes and the insects to happily devour and hopefully the tree shall live out plenty more years of crumbles.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
East Park fright night
So about last night, well disappointing really. It was more like a mini hull fair but with dressing up. There was a fire stunt man there but there were that many people that we couldn't see, so all in all, well I won't bother to go next year. We will stay in with just our pumpkin face and a warm bowl of pumpkin soup in our belly, which we had when we came in from the cold last night and everyone enjoyed. Even Marcus had two bowls and said it was delicious, WOW.
On a better night out, three of us went to see the Billy Cobhan and Asere gig at the Hull Truck on Sunday night, it was great, well worth going. There is another cuban, brazillian band playing at the Lamp this Sunday called Quinteto Mambojambo(http://mambojambo.org) as part of their Sounds of the City gigs, (http://myspace.com/soundsofthecityhull) It should be good but with it being bonfire night I'm not sure whether I can go. I've already been to one where there was quite a well known folk singer, in some circles. She was sweet and had a good voice but country doesn't really have enough life and passion in it for my liking.
On a better night out, three of us went to see the Billy Cobhan and Asere gig at the Hull Truck on Sunday night, it was great, well worth going. There is another cuban, brazillian band playing at the Lamp this Sunday called Quinteto Mambojambo(http://mambojambo.org) as part of their Sounds of the City gigs, (http://myspace.com/soundsofthecityhull) It should be good but with it being bonfire night I'm not sure whether I can go. I've already been to one where there was quite a well known folk singer, in some circles. She was sweet and had a good voice but country doesn't really have enough life and passion in it for my liking.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
New beginnings
Why 'The-rules-of-chaos' you may ask yourself. Well maybe I was under pressure to think of a name as someone was showing me how to set up this blog in my works time and I had to think fast, or maybe it's what sums up my life over the last year or so, complete chaos. I will not really be giving out rules, who needs rules. Some people may call my life and home organised chaos because at least I usually knew where things were and dates I needed to remember, but lately I think it is turning into disorganised chaos and even I am struggling. So it's time for some order. I'll never be the type of person where everything will be in its exact place and where I keep a diary of dates and things to do but as I am gradually getting older and taking on more and more things I think it is time to start organising my life and home a bit better. My husband even seems to think that our children will maybe start to behave more if I was a little bit more organised, I'm not so sure.
And this blog. Well I thought I would join all you other sad bloggers out there talking about everything and nothing and the in-betweens. I thought too it would be nice for relatives and friends that I never get to see to have a little peak into mine and my children's lives. Yes I know, instead of spending valuable time writing dribble I should be organising my home! Well maybe tomorrow. Tonight it's time for scary going ons in the park opposite. It's cold and wet but I promised the kids so we'll just have to wrap up warm.
And this blog. Well I thought I would join all you other sad bloggers out there talking about everything and nothing and the in-betweens. I thought too it would be nice for relatives and friends that I never get to see to have a little peak into mine and my children's lives. Yes I know, instead of spending valuable time writing dribble I should be organising my home! Well maybe tomorrow. Tonight it's time for scary going ons in the park opposite. It's cold and wet but I promised the kids so we'll just have to wrap up warm.
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