Monday 9 January 2012

Best foot forward

Twas a beautiful sunrise this morning, I rushed outside to take a few snaps.

Isn't it amazing how the sky looks like it is split in half.

I wonder what makes it do that.

Then the clouds came over and in a few minutes it was gone.

Whatsitlikewhereyouwork asks if I am giving up coffee. Hi there, no I wont be, I like coffee, well Nescafe actually. I am cutting down a bit though, mainly because I can't drink it without sugar. I am having one mug on alternative days for breakfast, instead of every day.

Today I had no coffee, and made a smoothie with these ingredients, this is a dinner plate. Ten grapes, one carrot, one orange, a few pieces of apple, some pineapple, and three teaspoons of seeds. Add water and blend, first on slow speed then whizz it fast.

Eat with a long handled spoon, straight from jug. Simple.

I thought it was about time I got off my bum and went for a walk today, so the computer did not get switched on this morning. Before I went however I had a bit of clearing up to do around the church. The youngsters have been partying and left a bloomin mess, especially around the front gate and the bench. Loads of discarded bottles and cans, some smashed up. They don't think about how this might cut the feet of passing dogs, quite a lot of people walk through here on their way to the hills. I took my sweeping brush, a small dustpan and brush, as well as my picking stick. Job done.

I walked into town because I needed some eggs from B & M store. Some of the route is across the fields, some along a country road, and some on a main road. I was a bit sad to see this beautiful pheasant lying dead by the roadside. It was probably hit by a car as it dashed across from the woods. Poor thing :o(

I purchased six eggs for 95p, only buy free range, a small pot of black pepper for 39p, and I found some packets of shiitake dried mushrooms, 29p for four. Apparently they are supposed to be good for you, so the book says, worth a try for that price.

I thought about getting the bus back, but I still had loads of energy so I thought, no, walk back. I need to keep my fitness up, ready for the long days and I can start walking longer distances.

I called in at the Cash and Carry as I was passing. They have some out of date (Aug 2011) tins of John West tuna chunks in brine for 50p. It's a good job I took my rucksack, I bought eight tins, although I won't be eating most of them, the cats love it for a treat. I asked the man if he had a lot in stock, because they tend to have limited supplies. He said they have 60 cases, so I might get some more when I am passing in my car. I used to get Tesco Value chunks but they have gone up from 45p to 75p, a horrendous price increase which I wont pay.

Anyway, I was approaching my village as the sun was going down. Look how it bathes all the trees in a red glow. I deliberately left my shadow in there.

This bit of the walk is very nice, hardly anyone ever uses this route.

The windmills just the other side of the road, over the hedge, and the marker post saying turn left.

Almost home now. The sun will disappear in the next few minutes.


Tonight my dinner was a plate of steamed vegetables with half a tin of tuna fish. I had to open a second tin. As soon as the fishy smell wafted through, I had four cats in the kitchen meowing like crazy, even Garcia the neighbours cat was licking his lips in anticipation. Toodle pip, catch you tomorrow.

13 comments:

  1. What lovely photos... it has poured down with drizzle all day here and been very grim! Not pleasant for anything outdoorsy.

    I hate to see dead pheasants as they're a favourite bird of mine. There was one in our garden which Dave photographed whilst I was working - I'll be posting a few photos this week, he was lovely :)

    I've never got into smoothies but your healthy plate looks very appetising! I never have breakfast as I'm not a morning person AT ALL so I never have the time to eat and I don't have an appetite until I've been up for an hour or two.

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  2. Cash and carry ... thats an old fashioned term you dont often hear nowadays .. made me smile.

    Loved the sunrise photos ... so pretty.

    Vicky x

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  3. What a wonderful walk and what a beautiful part of the world you live in.
    I tidied up on my walk here out on the Praire. Found three small empty plastic vodka bottles, a lot of water bottles and some coke cans. Had three plastic bags when I got back and put them in my recycling bin as it is never very full. It was fun and I walked five miles.
    Your smoothie looks great. I am going to make one with my kefir that is brewing away nicely.

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  4. Those sky pictures look lovely. I've taken some nice sky pictures but the most unusual sky I have seen was when we were going up to North Lancashire and set off quite early, the sky seemed to be split in two but - sideways, if you can imagine that.

    I love the rosy shots.

    I prefer to drink my smoothies rather than eat with a spoon but everyone likes different things.

    Cats have an incredible sense of smell. Merlin comes running when I do toast, as he gets for a treat a TINY amount of butter/marg on my finger, for him to lick off. He's quite happy with his little treat.

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  5. The orange tree shots are gorgeous, so vibrant.
    Poor poor partridge, we don't have them here but I remember seeing them in fields when I lived in the UK.
    Jane x

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  6. I live in Queensland Australia and walk most mornings and over 20 years have been collecting alumimun cans and wondered if you have ever considered doing this. They don't earn much but I figure I am walking past them why not pick them up. I cash them in every few months and I find it encourages me to walk wondering what I will find along the way. I also find money on the ground especially carparks and this year haved decided to keep track of how much I find. People often laugh but I enjoy this and keeps me fitter. Enjoy your post even though you are a long way away.
    Regards
    Melinda

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  7. The part about picking up cans is a good one. One day, I just decided to get rid of four metal chairs that I was not sanding and restrapping. As I got rid of a metal railing that has never been reattached to outdoor stairs into the basement, I decided to go into the basement and see what was there. Exbf came at my request and got some child's swing chains. In a month with two trips in the car to recycle, about 6 miles total for the two trips, I made $30. It is just a bit, but bits help me. When you clean around town, you could tell people you were collecting cans for walking trips and cat food. People would probably save cans for you. I crush the Coke cans. I rinse the tuna tins and recycle those too.

    A different price is paid for tuna-type cans and for Coke cans. If you mix metals, the price is less that you will get.

    This Wednesday, he will make another trip to the recycler, and I will get about $15 again.

    I even have a can on a shelf where I put staples, screws, bits of wire and he takes those off, too. Of course, I save screws from my projects.

    When I don't want to use water to wash them, I set them outside in a rain with a tiny drop of dishwashing soap in them. Or, I stick them in the dishwasher every time I run it.

    Of course, this is all in the US. Bits of money here and there help.

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  8. Wow, nice photos. I bet you can't wait for Summer?

    I saw you're having the Green Tea. Most people that I know who have it for the first time hate it also.. same here. But after a few weeks it really grew on me and I enjoy it more than black tea now. Make sure your water isn't boiling when you pour - 90 degrees will do it. Then leave the tea bag in for 3 mins tops. Any longer and it will start to taste bitter.

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  9. What a lovely part of the country you live. Lucky you! I love to see pheasant running through my garden, poor thing. Well done on finding your bargains - I need to see if we have a cash and carry nearby. Debs x

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  10. Lovely photos as ever. Your supper plate looks very appetising. I did smile about the tuna, my dogs love it too and will appear from no-where when they smell it :-D

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  11. Thank you for the tip on brewing green tea, Mathew. Whole Lotta Lottie on the previous post, also mentioned letting the water cool slightly before adding the tea bag to it. I will try that. I read somewhere that you should brew it for longer than ordinary tea, about 8 or 9 minutes, I'll have to check on that.

    Regarding collecting and selling of cans. The payment would be so low in this country, for individuals to cash them in, it is hardly worth the bother. You would need a lot of storage space and transport to take them to the recycling yard. Our council comes round once a fortnight to collect in a lorry.I wish we could make money out of it, I would be out every day picking them up.

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  12. Lovely photos again. You had an active day!

    I went for a dog walk on the heath yesterday and came home with two discarded cider bottles. Left on the verge of a lane in the middle of a National Park....hmph!

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  13. have you never thought about eating road kill?

    if you dont eat meat yourself you cats may like it.

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