Fish and Pheasant

All my creativity has been focused on outdoors this week and this mostly doesn't include taking pictures. The sun came out for more than a day and I continued my re-acquaintance with the garden shed and then the garden.

Wearing clumpy old gardening gloves and clearing away what I think should be cleared away, is such a contrast to tippy tapping at my shiny little piece of technology. Of course, if I'm not sure what to do with something in the garden, I can hit at it, drag it out and chop its head off - and then chop or cut it up. Very satisfying. To clarify, I am talking about weeds and overgrown stuff - not people... and especially not the person who gave me a little talking to this morning about how to correctly prepare paper for re-cycling. 

When you want a break from shed, tools and plot, the natural thing to do is visit a garden centre and mingle with exactly the same, but brand new. The plants are pristine, the pretty pictures on the seed packets provide an immediately pleasing paper garden, and the promise of food in the cafe (or restaurant if it's posh) is, well - promising. 

Visited a posh one in Cornwall yesterday and couldn't resist the champagne...

Couldn't resist taking a picture

The post office in our village has re-located to the off licence and I popped out in between gardening to check it out. How unique is this? There is much gossip concerning what will be purchased alongside pensions.

A double picture of me taking a pic of the new post office 

I'm going off-subject again, but this is the partially photographed pheasant that I missed in the neighbour's garden - so it is garden-related. The picture isn't brilliant, especially the eye and head. I heard him from inside and had to run an obstacle course, which included unlocking two doors and forcing a swollen-with-rain noisy door. I'm assuming he's the same one because he was sitting comfortably alongside where the overturned bucket of the other day, used to be. How's that for science?! 

The 'bucket' pheasant

Returning to garden centres - I visited a not so posh one earlier this week. I followed the sound of water, expecting to see fountains and things. Instead I found fish in tanks with hopeful expressions on their little fishy faces. 

Fish queueing to be chosen

Looking for the sun

Nothing too unusual in looking for the sun, except that everyone was looking for it today (yesterday actually). I'm not particularly interested in planetary stuff. So much of it is just so unbelievable and difficult to work out. The tides going in and out; night being dark and day light(ish); Australians not on walkabout upside down; Australians not falling off; us being up here, and them - down there; phases of the moon....and all the rest. I should ask the ten year old boy, who is the youngest in the country to have passed his GCSE astronomy, for an overview. 

When I was persuaded to take an interest in the partial eclipse, I took a peek - through a coloured plastic file - and what I saw was a piece of art in the making. Now that I can understand...

And here it is....

It's not colourful, but blame the camera. This was taken from our house and I could show you quite a few more but I'm sure this gives you a general impression. 

I can't leave it there, because it doesn't represent what turned out to be quite a colourful day. Once the sun and clouds had sorted themselves out, it turned into one of those glorious Spring days, when ALL the gardening equipment has to come out and activities are focused outside - all day. Instead of giving you a picture of the mess (due to rain getting in) of the inside of the shed, the wrecked by badgers lawn, etc. etc., you can have a glimpse of a snatch of colour, located when I just happened to be glancing across at the garden next door. The pheasant had been sunning itself next to an upturned bucket (use your imagination), but by the time I ran in for the camera, it was on the move. 

Fill in the gaps

Hardware versus Software

Give me hardware any time. I have always been partial to hardware shops and all the interesting stuff and the aroma that goes with it. 

Now, software is another matter altogether. I am partial to the gloss and sparkle of a new piece of technology, but using it is a different matter. Hardware is so concrete and get-at-able. Screwdrivers and torches, buckets and brooms, wrenches and glue. You can pick them up, smell/hold/ponder/ask questions, and have a reasonable idea of what you can do with them; buy them; take them home - and USE them, or not. 

As soon as you lift the hardware-ish lid of a new laptop (?) then you're in software no-go land. There's definitely no-one inside who can tell you what you should be doing or how to begin doing it. Yes - there is that little help up in the right hand corner and then a long bulleted list, which only very occasionally solves my issues - usually very simple. 

Desperation has led me to either google my question or find an enthusiastic, fast-talking American on youtube (to provide an answer, in case you're wondering). It is reassuring to know that other people have the same issues. If or when that fails, I go back to one of my four reference works: 

(1) the 72 page downloaded guide (on kindle, phone and Mac - just in case)
(2) Mac Basics - Easy to follow - Step-by-step tasks - in full colour (yes - if a vital instruction isn't left out...grrrr) (on p.134 select the pics first or it doesn't work!)
(3) Teach Yourself Visually Macbook Air - The fast and Easy Way to Learn (ha!)
(4) MacBook Air Portable Genius - I don't need a genius.

I've had more picture chasing around and uploading trouble today and if you only get to see the hardware museum from the recent outing to Chagford, then I'll be happy for today. 

The hardware museum in one of the Chagford hardware stores

I know - some of us are living museums! 

On a final note, I didn't get the super huge vehicle stuck in the little roads of Chagford, otherwise the story would have headlined today. The organisers of Chagword, Dartmoor's Literary Festival, knew I was coming and I ended up having a large chunk of the primary school playground for parking. 

Water and technology

Loads of water and trouble with technology. So perplexed with managing photos in 

i photo that I went out and took some more...instead of rounding them up. Got wet and still working on it.

A Watery Scene

Hope tomorrow's an improvement, when the super huge vehicle takes to the tiny roads of Chagford for Chagword www.chagword.com

Popping out

That's the great thing about living in a village - you can pop out at any time of the day or night, without a thought for the bus pass or the forward planning required to park Sylvia (super huge silver vehicle). An extraordinary bonus, is that I can pop out and admire the beach whenever I feel like it. 

I recently popped out on a dark, freezing cold evening to attend a meeting in the village hall. It was early in the evening and all was quiet and very still and exceptionally cold. I couldn't resist taking some pictures on the way.  

 Popping down the hill with glimpses of the church lit by a full moon

 Nearly there

 Very quiet, still...

...and chillingly cold

Parking and Murder Mystery

There was no particular theme to yesterday. I ditched the bus pass in favour of our super huge, Land Cruiser. The size is relevant because of the narrow, high hedged road out of this village and the need to park it somewhere when you arrive at your destination. The narrow road is potentially problematic when/if you meet the big red double decker bus, particularly on the steep hilly bit. I'm a fabulous driver going forwards, sideways (?) and parking BUT I'm not brilliant at reversing, especially down steep hills, synchronising with a row of other dubiously reversing drivers - and usually one who refuses to cooperate. The same applies to reversing up the steep hill. 

For some reason, dark windows in vehicles seem to be in vogue and ours is no exception. This adds a sense of 'reversing in the dark' to daytime experiences. There is also potentially very helpful visual guidance in the form of a little camera out back, showing the not so interesting film on the sat nav screen - which most people have been using for years. I find it difficult to relate what looks like three inches on the screen, before you hit something, which is a whole different measurement in reality. The beeping sound adds to the trauma, especially when it begins to shout.

You'll be disappointed to know that I didn't meet the bus and all went smoothly, even down to parking in a tiny space in an Exeter car park. I say 'Exeter car park', because it's not Los Angeles or somewhere with realistic parking spaces for super huge vehicles. I managed to squeeze between two cars, one normal and one huge, with the bleeper getting more frantic with every movement. Having assessed the situation beforehand (which the vehicle doesn't seem to be able to do yet), I chose a spot where the other drivers' doors were accessible. I had to hold my breath to slither out of a small opening in the door to get out. 

I was quite pleased with myself but not so pleased that it felt appropriate to take a picture - darn! To lighten the mood, I headed for a bookshop - and the crime and thriller section. This is what happened next...

 Like a true fan, I got stuck in with my camera

And some more

This is similar to a picture I took yesterday

 These girls are debating the probability of murder - ha... I know what happens!

Will she push him?

Take care Philippa!

Dodging the showers

Yesterday was one of those days when us plucky Brits play the traditional game of dodging the showers. The showers are accompanied by very dark depressing skies, followed by dazzling yellow sunshine and enthusiastic bird song. The former require umbrellas and waterproofs. The latter demand the re-opening of windows and doors, accompanied by tuneless whistling and overwhelming feelings of wellbeing - until the next shower.

Went out in the afternoon to find out what the birds are singing about. I used the tried and tested method of stopping the showers by wearing waterproof gear from top to toe. 

This is what the birds must be so happy about. The sea doesn't actually tip to the left, but I haven't the patience to straighten it.

Can't believe this is only a two minute walk from home. Maybe that's how the birds feel?

A dash of woodland for good measure provided some variation in the birdsong. My bird list is somewhat unorthodox as I didn't see or hear everything on it, but I KNOW they are there. It includes a pair of Ravens on the cliff, Rooks, Jackdaws, 2 Black Redstarts, a Grey Wagtail, a Pied Wagtail, Fulmars on the cliff and a hoped for Tree Creeper. Not bad!

Note the red collapsing cliffs. A dark cloud swung into action here.

Popped into the local superstore, which is a stone's throw from the sea and couldn't resist sharing a flavour of the local entertainment which is on offer, rather that consumables. There's something about the words curry and ferret together, which make me feel more than queasy. As for the Whole Lotta Led...

Final glimpse before heading home - still whistling and dry