Interloper

Who invited him to this meeting?!

Ms. Twitter? Ooops!

This is my profile picture on Twitter. I know. I look sort of sad, but in truth, I'm just really exhausted after a long session of kong-on-a-rope. I entered myself into the Ms. Twitter contest when I should have opted for the Animal Twitterer challenge, but then again, Eduardo and Lou Peb are in that one, so if you would like to vote for me, here's the linky: @ http://bit.ly/aKleE (and I think I'm on page 22 with 7 votes -help!). Thanks in advance. Have a good weekend all pups!
Hugs xo,
Sammie

Awake My Soul!

In a book I'm reading called Sacred Hearts by Sarah Dunant, I liked this passage that talked about the 2:00 A.M. office of Matins which is observed in monasteries and nunneries.
This novel takes place in an Italian, 16th century, Benedictine convent. There were many young girls living there, and this passage begins with them: Girls of their age are greedy for sleep, and Matins, slicing its way through the middle of the night, is the harshest of all the convent offices.
Yet its brutality is also its great sweetness, for its very meaning is to coax and draw up the soul through the body's resistance, and when one is pulled from sleep there can be less distraction from the noise and chatter of the mind.
Zuana knows sisters who, as they age, grow to love this service above all others, to feed off it like nectar, for once you have disciplined yourself to transcend tiredness, the wonder of being in His presence while the rest of the world is asleep is a rare gift, a form of privilege without pride, feasting without gluttony.
I found myself thinking, "Yes, I experienced that feeling during the 2:00 A.M. feeding when I had babies." It happens now when I have a sleepless night. I feel like I've been given a precious gift of time and quiet alone with God.
I didn't feel that way with the first one or two. I was mostly aggravated then. It took more precious children, realizing with each subsequent one how swiftly time moves on, to begin to appreciate and cherish those early morning feedings.
And now when I experience the occasional sleepless night, I get excited to have a house that's perfectly quiet. It's a great time to pray, think, and plan. I sit on my front porch swing, turn on the fan to keep the mosquitos at bay, and have a great time alone with my heavenly Father.
And if it's a bright, moonlit night, I might go bike riding...which reminds me of the time one midnight when the moon was almost as bright as day, I woke up my older children to come take a ride with me. Laurel couldn't be stirred, but Garrett came. We made a great memory that night. I'm sure many more memories will come flooding back in this upcoming year when he goes to Iraq. But we won't go there now...

Falling

This hickory has always been one of my favorite trees on our place.

I loved the way it (picturesquely, romantically) leaned over the path, and defended it from my husband, who has long wanted to cut it down.

But now there's a problem. How can you defend a tree that insists on behaving in this manner?
Hubby says it must go. We need to be able to drive under there, and neither pickups nor tractors can Limbo. Plus, if this decline continues, a fence will be destroyed.

I'll still be sad to see it go.
(Note the crazy husband in the tree.)

Down!

The birds in the flame tree about 1.5km before I crashed. There are times I envy them, but I suppose they have days like this too.



Well I suppose now was the time it was traditionally "supposed" to happen, but that doesn't make it any easier to take. It happened when I was lane-splitting my way through the gridlock on the Sundale Bridge today -- something I've done a zillion times before, well there was this ute ahead (had to be a friggin' ute didn't it?) who apparently wasn't sure which lane he was in (although he wasn't actually moving anywhere -- that's what gridlock is all about). Actually, I managed to get into a position where I possibly could have gone by, but I just felt a little uneasy, and moved back, then tried for the gap around the ute, and didn't make it.

Strangely, it still came as a shock to me that I actually went down. It took a couple of seconds for me to realise it had happened, but then, I've got plenty of those spare if I'm riding through gridlock. Thank god it was the so-called "rush hour". I had plenty of time to get up, check myself, get off the road, do a minor repair that my bike needed as a result of the crash, and get on my way again. The thing that really bugs me is that firstly, it's my own fault, and secondly, I'd already done all I needed to in order to avoid this one, but I still managed to f*ck it up completely.

Still, as I say, it's about the time -- six weeks before a tour. Add this to being hit by a car in 2000, a far more severe crash in 2001, a knee injury in 2002, another collision with a car (this time in a hailstorm) last year -- all supposed "calamities" 4-6 weeks before a tour, and all of which I survived and learned from. The only damage done here is a bit of road rash in about three different places, and some bruised pride. I'm sitting out the Hinze Dam ride in the morning, just to make sure nothing seizes up -- I've got a century this weekend, and I want to be ready for that.

Another lesson learned. I have to say I'm feeling a multitude of emotions right now. Anger and embarrassment that I crashed. Relief (and even a little excitement) that I came out of it OK, and kept on my way (probably still getting home faster than any of the car commuters), and determination to put it right tomorrow. Time to get Alex Lloyd on the CD player I think.

Actually, the whole day was a bit of a f*ck up really. Kept getting interrupted at work and couldn't get anything done, now this. At least it's over (I think).

Ducks, Limericks & a Rattlesnake named Katie

Some of you may recall how my brain was completely taken over by the need to write limericks about ducks - last year. It was all Knatolee's fault. She began a World Wide Duck Limerick Competition...it ran for years...an exaggeration, but it felt like years. I must have written scores of limericks.

It got so that my brain made a limerick of everything I did, even at the most inappropriate and serious times my brain would suddenly come up with a limerick!

Time passed and I forgot all about the competition, lost my ability to write a limerick. (Thank goodness!) Back to normal. Then a while back I received the wonderful news that I had won the competition and a prize would be winging its way to me!

The other day I found a package awaiting me and this is what was inside - my prizes from Knatolee!

A beautiful hardback book, delightfully illustrated by Knatolee. Young Harry and I have read it twice already. It is set to become a firm favourite. Only one problem, Harry is not at all happy that we don't have rattlesnakes in Owl Wood.

There was also a lovely selection of handmade cards by Knatolee - featuring her ducklings and hens. All wonderful stuff.

Thank you Knatolee. It was fun and your book is stunning!

Check out her wonderful blog here.

Oklahoma!

This week we're visiting our soldier son and his wife at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. I've never been to Oklahoma before. I'm surprised at how much it reminds me of Colorado. We've got one more day here and then we'll start the two-day trip back home. I read one book on the way up and hope to read the one for my bookgroup on Friday on the way home.
More images to come...

Nene Way 5 Wellingborough Embankment to Irthlingborough

With Marta. About 11 miles in all. Weather variable - some showers, but mostly warm and dry. A test of map-reading today!





We followed the original Nene Way route, which meanders into and up to various places of interest along and above the valley.





A shaky sort of start - the map and the signs on the ground were at odds, and the directions in Mia Butler's book left us confused! Near the car park at Wellingborough Embankment, across the river from the Victoria Mill the Nene Way signs indicated following the river, either up stream towards Northampton, or downstream towards Irthlingborough. On the map the Nene Way crosses the A45 towards Little Irchester. But how?

Victoria Mill from the Embankment

Quarter of an hour's wandering - back to Upper Wellingborough Lock, then downstream for a while, and we were not a lot wiser. Though we had met the biggest collection of swans I've seen in one place:

Swan lake has nothing on the Nene

Eventually, after much thought, consulting the map and the guide, we went back to the London Road, and took the road to Little Irchester, which crosses the Nene. When we reached the bridge we could see a path coming up from the river - the spot where the signs directed us along the river bank. Maybe an alternative route has been developed, along the river, rather than with the diversions. The meandering path marked on the OS map is more varied.

The path leaves the riverside just before the bridge on this pic. Then you walk over it!




So, over the bridge and under the A45 into Little Irchester.

At this point we knew we were going the right way, as the instructions and the map now made sense! We walked down Daniels road, to the end, just after Newtown Road, where we turned right along the path which follows the railway cutting into Irchester Country Park. After a few minutes we passed the Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum(open only on Sundays).

























When we got to the Cafe we decided a coffee was in order -

BIG coffee cups
According to our book the path is clearly signposted, but, alas, not clearly enough for us! More map study, and we made it to the next reference point - where the path almost touches the layby on the A45, before making further fools of ourselves - this time because we'd failed to check instructions.Navigating by nose, weheaded off on a very clear path, too far south, and failing to notice we should have crossed an open field! All the same, our native intelligence (hmm), judicious use of map, instructions and even a compass, put us right, and we found the track with steps leading out of the quarry at the northern end.

As we emerged from the quarry the view of St Katherine's church spire was impressive.

Pathway to heaven?

The weather vane is a catherine wheel - the way St Katherine was tortured to death, so not too jolly.

We followed the path as far as the cemetery, then went down St Katherine's Lane as far as the main street, where we turned left.





The path runs alongside this road, Chester Road, right up to the A45.

We had to cross the busy road on foot - there is a central reservation, but it's not ideal.

















































Obstacle overcome, we crossed a field next to Chester House, which is dilapidated, but clearly being renovated - maybe this will be the latest health spa and hotel?

The field is full of the bumpy remains of the old Roman settlement of Chester-on-the-Water, a village which existed in the fourteenth Century, but was deserted by the eighteenth. Chester House was the manor house.



(Update October - there are plans to open this as a heritage site)

Deserted village of Chester on the water

The bridge was built when the Nene Way was opened.

We crossed the two wooden footbridges, then walked through two large grassy areas where horses were grazing, in spite of what looks like vast amounts of ragwort, which, it appears is not normally a great danger unless incorporated in silage,and under the viaduct which carries the mainline railway to London.









We followed the Nene downstream to Ditchford Weir, and crossed the bridge over the weir, but soon realised that the path was too overgrown to be much use. The path we wanted ignored the bridge and continued to Ditchford Mill, which is labelled simply Works on the OS map. We crossed Ditchford Road, to a somewhat overgrown area. The blackberries were good! It looked like a rather odd smallholding, with a few sheep and some chickens, some out-buildings and notices about fishing in Isabelle's Lake. One of the fairly rare signs for the Nene Way was stuck to the side of a shed.





The path took us past sewage works, and an abandoned caravan, where someone had clearly spent a bit of time. Skew Bridge Water Ski Club and lake was hidden by trees. The path was easy to follow through Higham Ferrers Pits Nature Reserve , eventually taking us over the river and the A45 via a striking footbridge, with views over the noisy road and the tranquil fishing lake beyond.









It's clearly too tempting for the local motorcycling youth, in spite of barriers! Now, in my day . . .





On the other side of the bridge we soon came to a road leading up-hill, and letting us know that Higham lives up to its name. We left the Nene Way itself in search of food, and explored the main street, ending up in a small cafe and deli - 'Savour the Flavour'. Great £4 meal deal - sandwich, drink and a 'treat'.

Not sure about our morals, but food improved our morale

The town itself is very attractive, with its church, market place and further down the hill the remains of Chichele college.





The Nene Way follows Saffron Road, parallel to the main street, passing the cemetery, and Vine Hill Road.

We continued behind the Kings Meadow estate on a rough track which took us to another footbridge over the A45.

Straight ahead across the valley, then climbing up towards the odd-looking church tower of St Peters.We went past the church to have a quick look at Irthlingborough market cross in the High Street, before returning to walk through the churchyard and along Nene View. Then it was downhill across fields to the A6, and we finished the walk outside Kettering Town Football Club's new ground.

Total so far - 50 miles - 5 separate days - average 10 miles per walk. I think we have three walks left to make it to Wansford, though the whole Nene Way in Northants is 70 miles. We did cover 5 and a half miles twice on the second leg.

, including our deviations from the route:You can work out where our coffee stop was, and our lunch stop, by the criss-crossing lines, like scribble!

Photo Shoot Bike Ride

After coffee at Panera Bread, the weather was just too nice (for the end of October) to spend it in the house. Time to get out for a bike ride. Aired up the tires on the hybrid.
Had not been riding that bike in a while (with the road bike getting the work-out). But, with the cloudy sky, it was a day to shoot HDR exposures. The hybrid has the rack and bag to carry the D-SLR.
Was a bit rough heading out - into the wind from the SSW. At least got a break riding up Indian Creek Trail with the wind.
When I turned the corner onto Veteran's Memorial Trail I noticed that the construction barricade was down, The re-paving there was done. They still have to pave the section of Western Historic Trail from S 24th to the Trails Center.
Feeling good at the Trails center, so headed on North the the "Bob Bridge" and across to Omaha. Got some awesome photos on the ride!
Uneventful ride back to the Trails Center and on to the car at the Wabash Trace trail head.
Some of the photos shot today are on the Tom Winfield Photography Facebook page.
27.6 miles today, topped the 1700 mile mark for the year.

Cold storage

Going by the barbed wire you'd think that these casks might actually be full of whisky, and that the coating of frost was part of the secret alchemy that turns barley, water and yeast into the water of life. They're certainly precious enough - many are old sherry casks from Spain, or Bourbon casks from the USA - but they're all empty, and stored in these pyramids until they're needed.

Each cask is stamped with the name of the distillery, or group of distilleries - in this case the Highland Distillers - a serial number, and the year in which the cask was filled. I think I can make out 1994 on one, and possibly 1988 on another. Their turn will come round again.

Escape from the Heat!

Temps here on Saturday had soared into the mid-90s and we were due for the same Sunday, so we loaded up the Sammiemobile and headed for the coast. Our destination? Bodega Bay - about an hour's drive northwest - and where "The Birds" was filmed (see here for more info if you like.)

Once leaving 101, the countryside is bucolic - old chicken coops (Petaluma was once famous for it's chickens and eggs) and farms, pretty dairies and even newer spas and retreats.
We stopped in the actual town of Bodega, about 5 miles inland from Bodega Bay. Above lower right is Potter's Schoolhouse and right is St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church, both in the movie.
We were headed for Doran Beach, a Sonoma County park and beach. The air was fresh and cool - whew!!! What relief!
Oh yeah! Love the beach! Gotta show Av the nuts and bolts of waves and sand.
Don't have my kong today, but this stick is perfect!
Salty and fibrous - yeaaahhhh... most excellent!
Hey there - pull that harness up, girl!
Sakes! You're embarrassing me!

Okay, okay... maybe I just embarrassed myself! We have to leave now, but let's check out the camping scene before we go!
Wow! Look at these guys! They have got it going on! I would love to live in that house on the beach with that front yard full of doggehs! How cool was that?
It was time for lunch. I wasn't allowed. Bummer. So after Dad ordered some goodies, we took a walk to check out the place.
Bodega Bay is truly charming - a little fishing town really, but the tourists have found out all about it.
Look at these! We couldn't get any closer, but I sure thought they barked funny. I woofed back a proper woof, but they're apparently slow learners. It was time for lunch.

And Dad shared a bit with me (heheh!) and ohhhhhhhh.... yummalicious fishie with a chip or two. Mmmmmnnnnnn. Then we drove home... except it was still too hot.
Soooooo.... we motored down to Sausalito, as we knew the temps were cool by the water. Here, we got another amazing treat. Boy, Dad and Momzers were in a great mood! Me and Avalon got scrumptialicious Strawberry Frozen Yoghurt with Strawberry Sorbet Swirl in it. Oh. My. Dog. We licked and licked and Avalon finished first. Then she tried to steal mine. Just like a little sister, huh! But we even got lots of pats from humans, big and small as we strolled down the streets of this also-charming (and waaaay too touristy) town. What a cool day!

Princess Place

My last full day in Florida. I had been hearing about Princess Place Preserve. It was just a couple miles north of where I am staying.
To get to the preserve, Exit 298 of I-95. South on US1 about a mile. Turn Left onto old Kings Highway. Take that for 1.5 miles. The road (dirt - sand) road is on you left.
Walk the grounds. Take a look at the old Lodge and Lodge Stable. In the stable, I found brochures about the preserve (including a map). In this area of the preserve you are in a large grove of live oak trees.
I did not take the time to walk some of the hiking trails. Took the time to drive the Loop Road. Along the Loop Road there's a open area. There is an eagle nesting area. I could not see the nest.
After the "tour" of the preserve, I gassed up the car for the return trip. Stopped in at the bike shop (PC Bike) to thank them for the shop rides. If you get into Palm Coast, stop in to see Jake, Kelly, James, and Diane - "your hike shop".