Almost the end of Summer ......

Here I am again then, writing this Post on the last Bank Holiday of the year here in the UK.  How I wish we had Thanksgiving, or something similar, to look forward to, between now and Christmas.  There, I’ve uttered the ‘C’ word, and it’s only August.  

In a couple of weeks, the children will be returning to school, at the start of a new school year, with a new Teacher to guide them through the next year, and so time rolls inexorably on.  I find it amazing sometimes to think that I am in the eighth decade of my life, but having lost close friends along the way, I am also very grateful to still be here to enjoy life.  I mentioned around 18 months ago, when I celebrated my 70th birthday, that they say that when you are in your 70’s, you are in the sunset of your life.  Well,  visiting my number 1 daughter and granddaughter in Ibiza a week ago, I was blessed to view a wonderful sunset.  As number 2 daughter and her young children were also with us, it made it doubly special.  

We have had a long, hot Summer this year, with cloudless blue skies during the day, and balmy Summer evenings.  What a wonderful treat!  Whilst I have enjoyed these lazy, sunny days of Summer, am I the only one who is now looking forward to the evenings drawing in, lighting the lamps and making the home a warm and cosy place, with the onset of Autumn 🍂,  putting  away the sandals for another year, and going back to wearing boots and long trousers. 

Each Season holds something very special for us to look forward to,  whilst we also reflect on Seasons past.  Perhaps that is one of the signs of getting a little older - reflecting on memories of times gone by.

Having said that, I also like to look forward - forward to making more memories with family and friends, and to realise how blessed I am. 

Toodle pip for now. 

One For The Birds And Bees. ....

I am very fortunate to have plenty of wildlife here in my garden in heavenly Devon, and I try to capture photos whenever I can. The woodpecker is the most difficult one to capture with the camera, because he is off at the slightest movement or noise. I shall have to sit myself on a chair and learn to be patient - and very quiet! I did manage to take this one shot, although the quality isn't really very good

I was rather pleased with that last one, I must admit. 

Talking about the garden and the wildlife, research shows that bees are dying in large numbers.  However, this is not a new phenomenon.  In the 1950’s, there were over 50 species of bee here in the U.K.,  yet now there are only  25.  The rest have become extinct, and yet the number of non-native bees have increased.  This has been put forward as one reason for the demise of our own native bee.

A bit like our native bluebells, which are now being over-run by the Spanish variety!  Many people are simply not aware of the consequences if the bee population dies out.  They are responsible for pollinating our crops, and I have discovered that a third of our regular diet could be affected if this decline continues, and animals, both wild and domesticated, would be left without the foodstuffs they rely on. The following poster is courtesy of Pinterest.com

Strangely enough, with the hot, dry Summer we have experienced this year, I have never seen so many bees in the garden, which is planted up with all the shrubs and flowers that bees love so much. I also have several Bee and Insect Hotels dotted around!

Well, we are now in August, and the year is pressing on. I hope you are keeping well wherever you are in this small world of ours 😊.