212/365+1 : Dive

Couldn't think of a photo to take for today's prompt so here is one from our holidays. Not quite a dive but Callum did enjoy splashing around in the sea at Croyde. 

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

I am back from my holidays (but not for long as I am away again next week!) but didn't read as much while I was away as I thought I would - we were just far too busy. I took my Kindle with me but our little holiday cottage had a pile of paperbacks possibly left by other visitors - so i read a couple of those instead. Even Andy read a whole book while we were away (The Hypnotist by Lars Kepler) and then he moved onto my Kindle.

I have a pile of library books to get though so am reading The House On Willow Street by Cathy kelly. I usually love her books as I love a good story set in Ireland but I have to admit this one is a little slow and a bit wishy washy - I hope it picks up a bit.
The warm, engrossing new paperback from the natural heir to Maeve Binchy. Tess used to be happy with her lot: she lives in the idyllic Irish coastal village, Avalon, with her teenage son, Zach and nine-year-old Kitty, and works in the local antiques shop. Her only regret in life is that everything went so horribly wrong with her first love. Then her marriage falls apart and her first love returns to Avalon. Suki, Tess's sister, fled Ireland years ago to marry politician Kyle Richardon, but when Suki discovers that a biographer is planning to tell all, there is only one place she can go to ensure that her secrets stay hidden. Danae is the village post mistress in Avalon and she's worked very hard to make sure nobody knows where she came from or who she is...Her past is her business and that's the way she would like to keep it. In Galway, Mara sits with a smile glued to her face at a wedding; she only wants to ask the groom one thing: why did he tell her he loved her? Needing to put her past behind her, Mara packs up her life and gets ready for a fresh start. Can these four women lay their pasts to rest? Or do they need to look back before they can begin to live for the future?

The next question is do I try the 50 Shades books as I seem to be the only person not reading them at the moment??

Pop over to The Book Journey and see what everyone else is reading today.

211/365+1 : Heavy

I am supposed to be on a diet (but with my track record it probably won't last long!!) but I still did some baking this afternoon - so tea might be a bit heavy on the calorie front.

I did want to go for a walk down the beach (having withdrawal symptoms after our holiday) but everytime I seemed to look out of the window it had either gone very grey or was actually raining.

We have rhubarb in the garden that had gone wild whilst we were away so we picked some and I made a crumble and some rhubarb, cinnamon and brown sugar muffins - I hope they tasse as good as they smell.

Whilst I was out in the garden I spotted some small green tomatoes on our one and only tomato plant.

210/365+1 : Rings

It seems as though we are getting Olympic themed prompts at the moment. I have to admit to not being very excited about the Olympics but I did watch some of the opening ceremony (although was rapidly losing the will to live about half way through!) But saying that we have watched some of the  action today - shame Cav didn't win the cycling (but the owner of the dog that ran out in front of the cyclists needs a damn good slap - what a complete idiot - luckily none of the rider hit the dog and were injured.

Here are my ring - a life saving device at the West beach in Lossiemouth. about 5 minutes after this photo was taken the heavens opened.

197/365+1 : Literature

I took my Kindle on holiday with me all fully loaded with some new releases. But when we got to the cottage there were a pile of paperbacks in the living room. I picked up a couple of older books by authors I like and read those and I think my Kindle was left untouched!!

196/365+1 : Motion Blur

A yellow Seaking helicopter which was over our house recently.

209/365+1 : Fire

A fine night tonight for a BBQ.

Skywatch Friday

Taken on a grey afternoon from Capstone Point in Ilfracombe.

195/365+1 : Flower

Not sure what this exotic flower is but it was in the rainforest biome at The Eden Project in Cornwall. It was very striking.

208/365+1 : Infinity

How long is Saunton Sands beach - it looks as though it goes on forever. From Crow Point at one end to the Saunton Sands Hotel at the other  - it is 3 and a half miles of golden sands.

194/365+1 : Motorised

A passengers eye view of the M6 on our journey down South to Devon.

207/365+1 : Multiples

I went for a walk this evening with Callum and took some photos in the field behind out house. Not sure exactly what crop it is that the farmer is growing - but here are mutiple ears of corn (if that it what it is.)

We are now back from our jaunt down south to Devon and I think I took photos for most of the prompts so when time allows I will start uploading them.

193/365+1 : Cold

The drinks machine at work - the only thing worth having is the chilled water!!

192/365+1 : Shiny

Some shiny pennies.

10 Things : July

Last month myself and my fellow 365ers from Suzies blog had a bit of fun. For a whole week we had to pick some sort of inanimate object and take photos of it in various day to day situations.

I chose a childhood pal - Kermit - who I have had for over 30 years. I thoroughly enjoyed myself with the daily photos although I have a feeling that the kids were slightly mortified that Kermit came everywhere with us for a week!

Here are his best bits.

Kermit makes a new friend at school.

 Sampling KFC for the first time in Aberdeen.

 At Aberdeen train station - a very excited Kermit.

 Enjoying watching the scenery flash past.

 Enjoying a cuddle with Callum.

Making new friends.

 Having a go on the climbing wall.

 Watching Callum play football at a local tournament.

Doing his chores.

It's Monday. What Are You Reading?

Welcome to It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!


I have read a couple of fantastic books recently - but have to admit to giving up on both of the books I posted about last week - neither of which grabbed my imagination. The chick lit one didn't seem to ahve any likeable characters in it and the other one I went off when i read about there now being doubt over the authenticity of the story.

But last night I finished One Perfect Summer by Paige Toon which was brilliant and a perfect holiday read.

'Do you still love him?' Every second of every minute of every hour of every day...Alice is18 and about to start university while Joe's life is seemingly going nowhere. A Dorset summer, a chance meeting, and the two of them fall into step as if they have known each other forever. But their idyll is shattered, suddenly, unexpectedly. Alice heads off to Cambridge and slowly picks up the pieces of her broken heart. Joe is gone; she cannot find him. When she catches the attention of Lukas - gorgeous, gifted, rich boy Lukas - she is carried along by his charm, swept up in his ambitious plans for a future together. Then Joe is there, once more, but out of reach in a way that Alice could never have imagined. Life has moved on, the divide between them is now so great. Surely it is far too late to relive those perfect summer days of long ago?

 And now I am onto Recipe For Love by Katie Fforde. Chick lit and a baking competition - remind me of the Great British Bake Off which as on TV recently  although I am yet to find out who is Mary Berry and who is Paul Hollywood!!  I am loving it.

When Zoe Harper wins a coveted place in a televised cookery competition she's thrilled. It's a chance to cook her way to fame and fortune and the little delicatessen she's set her heart on.

The first task has hardly begun when she finds herself with rather too much on her plate. Not only has she got to contend with the fiercely competitive and downright devious Cher, but she's fast developing an inconvenient crush on one of the judges - the truly delicious Gideon Irving.

All too soon there's more than canapés, cupcakes and cordon bleu at stake. Will Zoe win the competition or is Gideon one temptation too far? And is Zoe really prepared to risk it all for love?

Off on my holibobs in a few days and afraid to say I am going to ditch paper books and take my kindle away with me - have plenty of goodies on there since joining an e reader book club.

Pop over to The Book Journey and see what everyone else is reading today.

191/365+1 : Delicate

Back out into the garden for today's photo's - and what do you know - it's not raining!!

Not sure what this plant is but it's very green with delicate leaves.

A delicate shade of pink on my  Jacobs Ladder.

And tiny delicate flowers on the hebe.

I picked up a magazine today in WHSmiths - the first issue of Cake Decoration Heaven. I've never had a go at proper cake decoration but it's something I fancy having a go at - but how delicate is this cake??

190/365+1 : Broken

I know I shouldn't complain as our weather has been nowhere as near as bad as down South - even managed to eat my lunch sitting out in the sunshine last week. But yesterday it did nothing but rain - and some of the flowers in the garden are looking a bit sorry for themselves.

Some of the Foxgloves have broken and fallen down

Along with some of the Lupins

The raindrops look pretty though

A lone clover flower in the grass

189/365+1 : Past Its' Prime

Meet Tom - mt childhood friend who most definately past his prime! He must be about 40 years old now and is showing his age - those crooked whiskers, threadbare patches and holes. But I couldn't bear to part with him.

I had Tom and my brother had Jerry - and they are hand puppets. I'm not sure if Jerry is still in exsitance or not.

I'm not sure if any of you have heard about the summer photo scavenger hunt being organised by Rinda over on her blog. I am thinking of playing along started when I go on holiday - anyone else going to join in??

188/365+1 :Modern

Was struggling with this one as there doesn't appear to be anything modern around here - till I had a brainwave this morning.

The boys love their Xboxes (but as we are off on holiday next week they might have to be forcibly removed from their controllers and we will be playing board games and cards!!) and one of their favourite games is Modern Warfare.  The XBox can be likened to an electronic babysitter!!

Skywatch Friday

The sky as taken through a Gypsophila (baby's breath) plant.

See more skies from around the world here.

187/365+1 : Empty

In my garden today I found the empty seed head of my snakes head fritillary - I hope the seeds germinate and grow into new plants as the flowers are stunning.

Also in my garden the lillies I planted in pots have flowered.

And I have some teeny tiny tomatoes on my only tomato plant.