Photos taken around the farm.

 

It is one of life's sayings that  'as soon as one door closes another one opens'   But the tragedy is that we keep looking at the closed door and disregard the open one!

 

 

 

Charlies Hide.   On the edge of the woods we put an old caravan for Charlie to use to photograph the wildlife. A good spot for the buzzards.  (Charlie , our photographer friend - Not Charlie, our dog!) 

Bluebell time in the woods. Sometimes one has to just stop and stare - and think!  It's quite peaceful here.

Teddy. An Arab cross Welsh Stallion. Teddy won the Hunter class at Taunton last week.

                                The flies are annoying.

     Most of the trees are in leaf and blossom now. What a nice time of the year.

 

Charlie has chosen another chair to supervise from. What a good companion he is. We are very, very  fortunate to have adopted such a  loving ShihTzu dog!

This scruffy robin is always watching and waiting for food. My aim is to get it to feed from my hand. But after several days of trying - no success at all!   It remains cautious and just looks from a distance!

                    A colourful male chaffinch.  A pretty bird.    

              He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who doesn't ask remains a fool forever!  

A Day out to Haytor, near Bovey Tracey, and Torquay Resevoirs, near Bridford.

The weather was not very kind to us today. Overcast, and as the day went on, the rain came down relentlessly. The weather had no regards what so ever for our day out!
Our first stop today was to Newton Abbot, for a bit of shopping! I found the craft shop to be very interesting. What a lot of stock they have in the Hobby Craft store!



The shopping didn't take long - and so off to Bovey Tracey and  to Haytor, near Manaton.  When we first arrived there, it was dry and ideal for a walk up to the Tor. There were many dog walkers, and Charlie loved it!

                               
          Haytor  -  near to Manaton, Widdecombe and Bovey Tracey.

Lovely views on a clear day - but not for us today! We just returned back to the car for our picnic, and the Heavens opened. It poured down! 
 So - next stop was to Hennock / Torquay Resevoirs.

We parked by the fisherman's  permit hut. There were warning posters there informing people that there had been numerous break- ins to parked cars recently. Be warned if you plan a visit!

I hoped that the rhododendron's would be flowering - but no. Perhaps a week to early. I intend to visit again next week on a sunny day. I love the reflection of the flowers in the water. Makes a very good photo!

Tottiford  Reservoir is almost empty. Construction work in progress!

Final stop to Sylvia and Peters bungalow in Bridford.

What a well kept garden. Lovely to see!

Have a good day.

A day out to Sticklepath, Okehampton and Meldon Resevoir.

This week on our day out  we first went to Sticklpath. Joan and I  had both been there before - but many years ago. 
I wanted to see the Finch Foundry, which was the last working water - powered forge in England.
It is now owned by the National Trust, and is very well kept and well presented to visitors. It was a pleasant stop - and Charlie loved the walk by the nearbye river.

 

The Finch Foundry at Sticklepath.

 

An inside view of the working area. I don't think it's up to todays health and safety standards!

 

A walk by the river. Charlie loved it!

 

Our next stop was Okehampton. We parked by Waitrose, which is next to the Lidl store. Very busy everywhere! We had a look around the shops, and our next stop was to be the Castle - but we couldn't find it! I expected it to be at the top of the hill (where Castles are usually) but we have since learned that it is on the left just as you are leaving Okehampton going towards Meldon. I think we will find it now on our next visit!

 

Walkway with shops on the way to main road. Very clean and welcoming!

 

The White Hart in Okehampton.   A very well known landmark. Is Wetherspoons going to buy it? 

 

 

Next stop Meldon Reservoir. A large car park, with toilet facilities, Plenty of picnic areas, and a very pleasant place for walks.

 

This moorland pony looks well! 

 

A  view of Meldon Resevoir. A very pleasant location, and a recommended place to go for a walk and relax.

 

 

A view down the Meldon valley taken from the dam. You can have a nice walk along the river here.

 

Have a nice day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos of some Birds taken from our kitchen window.

A dull morning. We have had some rain, and the light is poor - but never the less, there has been several birds feeding from the bird table this morning and I can't resist getting the camera ready for some action shots!. All the photos were taken through glass, and I do think this detracts the quality of the resultant photos.

 
The Greater Spotted Woodpecker has become a more frequent visitor in our gardens recently. The male has the red patch on the back of it's head, and also red under it's tail.




 
Not a good shot of a Collared Dove - but I like to see this bird.  It is easily identified by its thin black half-collar.

                             
                                       A better Photo!

 
This cock pheasant often balances on an apple, but still continues eating.

A female Chaffinch. They are less colourful than the male species.

A pair of Greenfinches. Again, the female bird is less colourful than the male.

A glossy feathered Blackbird. The male bird is easily recognised by its all black body, and a yellow beak and eye ring. The males
sing superbly, especially from high perches in the mornings and at dusk.

Is this a juvenile Robin or a Dunnock. I have asked for advice. Does any one know!

A regular visitor now.  This Nuthatch especially likes sunflower seeds.

Our day out to Teignmouth, Torquay and Cockermouth.

The weather was kinder to us this week. Joan, Charlie and I had to go to Teignmouth first to pay for our Coach trip to the Isle of Man in May. When that little job was completed, at the Majestic Tour office, we walked through the Town towards the sea. It was quite busy, indicating that  the holiday season has started!

             Nice to see people sat outside the cafes.

A pleasant seating area at Teignmouth

Teignmouth sea front received a lot of damage from the rough sea storms that we have had recently. Most of the capping to the brick raised flower beds were being replaced, and nearly all of the flowering plants had been destroyed. However it hasn't stopped the visitors coming to the resort.

                 On going work to the sea front raised flower beds.

                          The sea gulls are almost tame!

                                 Teignmouth Pier and beach.

A nice view across the Teign Estuary to Shaldon.

We drove on to Torquay. Plenty of parking spaces now on the main road. But - £1.50 an hour. We  stopped near the Theatre, and  booked seats for a show coming in May  -  Dreamboats and Petticoats. I will look forward to that!  Torquay was also busy with plenty of  people enjoying the pleasant weather. What a difference the weather makes to our lives!

 

 

 The flower beds are a credit to Torquay. Really lovely! We stopped for a coffee at the café by the Wheel. Very nice, and Charlie was able to sit outside with us as well! The wheel is kept in good condition. Pristine paint work, and well presented all round.  I intend to go on it on my next visit.  £4.00 for pensioners.

                                   Torquay Harbour.

The parking hour was up - so the next planned stop was to be Cockermouth. Well - we drove slowly along the one way only road. I was expecting to arrive at a square or an area with some character, and showing something of interest, but next thing we were on the main road back to Torquay! There must be something to see in Cockermouth, but we unfortunately missed it! We will try again one day.

Another nice day out. Lovely weather, and already looking forward to next weeks trip!

Have a nice day.

 

A stroll around my Neighbours pleasant natural, wooded garden.

My Neighbour very kindly gave me permission to walk around his wooded garden and take some photographs. It was a nice day. A blue sky, and no breeze which enabled good reflections on the water. I was hoping to have photographed some different birds, than the ones I get at home.  However - I had  no luck there, but I did get some nice landscapes shots.

                                                   How nice to have your own lake!

                      A little stream running through the garden which made quite a nice photo.

                                        The garden has over 30 varieties of Camellias.

 

                   I wish I had prepared the camera for this shot! A little blurred, but I like it!

                                                Very peaceful!   Lovely reflections.

A poem called 'The Train of Life'

The Train of Life.


Some folks ride the train of life, 
Looking out the rear,
Watching miles of life roll by,
And marking every year.

They sit in sad remembrance,
Of wasted days gone by,
And curse their life for what it was,
And hang their head and cry.

But I don't concern myself with that,
I took a different vent,
I look forward to what life holds,
And not what has been spent.

So strap me to the engine,
As securely as I can be,
I want to be out on the front,
To see what I can see.

 I want to feel the winds of change,
Blowing in my face,
I want to see what life unfolds,
As I move from place to place.

I want to see what's coming up,
Not looking at the past,
Life's too short for yesterdays,
It moves along too fast.

So, if the ride gets bumpy,
While you are looking back,
Go up front, and you may find,
Your life has jumped the track.

It's alright to remember,
That's part of history,
But it's up front where it's happening,
There's so much mystery.

The enjoyment of living,
Is not where we have been,
It's looking ever forward,
To another year and ten!

It's searching all the byways,
Never should you refrain,
For if you want to live your life,
You gotta Drive the train!

Author Unknown

I like this poem! 

Read it again, it has a lot of meaning.