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• Post #3582267

  Just been over to church to do some maintenance on the bells. We discovered at the last practice that the tenor clapper was loose, so went over to tighten it properly, and check all the other bolts. Turns out bell 3 clapper was a bit loose too! The new ropes have had time to bed in, so adjusted them all to a better length. Pic4 you can see where the rope passes through the wheel on the right of the pic, and is tied around the spokes in the middle, so we can adjust length. Typically this is becau...

• Post #3515428

  I did a thing! Or lots of things rolled into one. Not only did I go #bellringing and ring a quarter peal on the hottest day so far, I was in charge and conducting it. And I drove there on my own, somewhere I've never driven before (though I've visited a couple of times so knew the route), in a car with no aircon, coming home past 2 primary schools at pick up time! Now taking some time to relax on our bed as it's one of the coolest rooms in the house, disturbed the cat who...

• Post #3515427

  It's hot, damn hot! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXR0uoxUvaw

• Post #3515426

  Popped inside for a few moments and came out again to encounter this baby on the patio. #birds

• Post #3515425

  It's now reached 30C outside, which was the point on Wednesday that I decided it was too hot to be sitting outside, even in the shade of the pergola. But given that today it is already 27C inside (it was about 24 on Wednesday), I think I'm going to stay out here, with my little battery fan helping the ever so slight breeze. Working on an article on learning striking for the next #bellringing guild newsletter, though some tree surgeons have turned up round the back and are shreddi...

• Post #3515424

  First fruits from my garden, radishes and sugar snap peas. The legumes are doing very well. Two rows of carrots - when I've tried them in this garden before they just haven't germinated, the raised beds are working for me here. No sign of the row of parsnips though. I don't know what the seedlings look like, but there is not a clear row of anything there. I'm quite pleased with the work I've put in. In the past I have started plants but not kept on with th...

• Post #3515423

  Time to change my phone wallpaper again. These daisies are a volunteer plant in our garden this year, but doing a fantastic job. #bloomscrolling #gardening

• Post #2148677

  "but you are working," says the cat, "you are providing me with a lap. Your job today is to give me lots of fuss." #gardening #cats

• Post #1963376

  Today I planned to be a more easy day, though it has left me with an achy back and feeling tired enough to be disinclined to cook tea. The half bag of gravel for the driveway has been distributed, filling the divots where the car wheels sit. And two more raised beds have been put in place, following strategic weeding of the area first. Still, tea to cook, and bellringing practice tonight, and I've only walked 2000 steps. #gardening

• Post #1960156

  Been joined by a little juvenile robin this afternoon while I've been putting together more raised beds. #gardening #birds

• Post #1846253

  Work (not) in progress. I'm taking a break from sieving soil today and clearing a space for the next pair of raised beds to go - approx where the wheelbarrow is. Need to get wood chips to go down on the black gravel grids. Buff gravel grids have been cut ready to make a start on improving the stone path, which also needs extending. Also need more grids to complete it, though we have the gravel (sitting on the drive) and the edging stones. Next up today, moving the turf pile which will mulch...

• Post #1688426

  I've been sitting so long in between gardening I've gained a friend. #gardening #UKWildlife

• Post #1037600

  Unusual item travelling down the M1.

• Post #1025898

  Finally went somewhere I could get photos of #TinyBalancingSheep.

• Post #944083

  Lazy day, so played a solo game of Forest Shuffle Dartmoor. For today's challenge I chose no.11: plant grove, with the aim to have 12 plants in my forest, and the lowest level of difficulty, score of 200. I managed the goal, but winter came too early and my score only reached 199. Almost there! I do lose far more than I win. #boardgames

• Post #926874

  Excellent quarter peal tonight at Whitwick. A replay of the method we attempted last week but didn't get - Mark and I have finally rung January's method of the month! Some really steady ringing. #bellringing https://bb.ringingworld.co.uk/view.php?id=1952543

• Post #926873

  This morning I'm at the 12bell eliminator at St Margarets Leicester. I'm not taking part in the actual competition, but was in the band for the test ring - essentially the sound check for the judges to make sure they can hear the bells well. The first team is currently ringing their practice piece. Not much business at the bar yet! #bellringing

• Post #926872

  Jogging again after 2 weeks off. My very busy month is coming to an end, so I can try and get back into my healthy routine again. I also decided the ground has dried up enough I can go back to my preferred circular route, rather than a there-and-back route along gravel paths. The weather reminded me who is boss though, and tried to rain on me as I set out. A slow time for my mile run, but not unexpected. At least I didn't have the long slog uphill in the second half. #running

• Post #926871

  The bellringers. A close up of part of the bellringers' window at St Margaret's church Leicester. Traditionally during Holy Week, church bells are not rung, and although many vicars these days wouldn't mind if we did, it does give us a week off. Some towers hold their annual meeting in lieu of their normal practice night. This year at our tower, we're going to the pub instead of ringing! #MonochromeMarch #bellringing Zine permission granted

• Post #926869

  Today's exercise involved my bike. I have dreams of summer weather, just hopping on the bike and cycling somewhere. Maybe to the reservoir, watch the ducks, and the fishermen in their rowing boats. Have an ice cream. Problem is, my legs currently disagree. And my lungs. I get the bike out and pedal through the wood. Whee! Downhill towards the road crossing. Whee! Downhill to the bridge across the stream. Uphill Uphill Uphill By this point I&...

• Post #926868

  Time, please. Last orders at #MonochromeMarch , with a sneaky selfie if you look closely. 31 days of posting monochrome pictures taken during this month of March. Thankyou @StevenLawsonPhotography for encouraging us all to get out there and practice our skills, I look forward to seeing the Zines (zine permission granted, as usual!)

• Post #926866

  Hot cross buns made for tomorrow. Although we are not involved in church anymore, other than ringing, I do like keeping the seasonality of food through the year.

• Post #848758

  This afternoon's walk was repeated trips from the water butts at the far end of the garden to the drain at the house. We need to move the butts so building work can happen, but didn't want to saturate the ground even more by dumping 500 litres in situ. At least it got my step count up! Meanwhile, the new shed was delivered first thing this morning. But a message from the builder saying his job at the beginning of this week is bigger than expected, so he won't get to us until next wee...

• Post #838171

  #SilentSunday #MonochromeMarch

• Post #820428

  Beans for #caturday. #MonochromeMarch Zine permission granted

• Post #806831

  Beautifully level sponge cake. Making gluten free cake for the #bellringing 12bell eliminator contest at St Margarets tomorrow. #baking

• Post #804587

  Spring Skies #MonochromeMarch #FingerpostFriday Zine permission granted

• Post #690491

  Nature's takeover. #MonochromeMarch #Mosstodon Zine Permission Granted

• Post #690489

  Blackthorn. One of the earliest blossoms out in the UK, blackthorn flowers are spreads of white against still bare hedges. The bare tree reflects its name, as over winter it is a mass of dark branches, compared to its lighter cousin hawthorn. I liked the contrast I got here between the white flowers and the dark background. #MonochromeMarch #Bloomscrolling Zine permission granted.

• Post #690487

  Music from the days of black and white. My grandad's accordion, dating from 1930s/40s. On Saturday nights during the war he would have played at dances frequented by the airmen stationed at the nearby airfield. #MonochromeMarch Zine permission granted