Barefoot in old haunts

I am posting these completely un-edited pictures from yesterday because frankly, they speak for themselves! there was no adjusting of the brightness or contrast needed as the light was perfect for once.

I was in Holywells park and I had a marvellous time being in a place that I spent alot of my childhood. The sun was shining and making everything look so fresh and vibrant! I spent a little while near a wildlife stream (the top two pictures) and then kicked off my shoes and crossed the wide expance of parkland towards a very inviting tree on a small hill. I lay for about an hour underneath this tree listening to my earphones (in which was playing an odd music choice for such a relaxing day. Metal. -check out "Sikth", a really good band). While there, I just had to take a picture of my view into the branches of the tree. Every now and again, a Coal Tit would come and hop along the branches above me and even the noise of guitars, drums shouting from my earphones could disrupt a reeling of relaxation.

I did not put my shoes back on for the rest of the day! I walked barefoot back up a stony track back to the car and spent the rest of the day barefoot. I like having that freedom. Days like that do not come around very often.

On the news side of things, today saw my family and I taking a trip up to Aldeburgh to take the grandparents off for their holiday and tonight sees Dad and I running to the Train Station to pick up my sister Steph who is coming home for the summer!!! *celebrates* It will be great to be a family of five again. She has been travelling first class today, with as much tea and biscuits as she can eat! I think she may be travelling first class again somehow.

Right now, I am off to do some art and then go to get lil sis.

Have a good weekend everyone!!!

As the birds wake up.

As I went to bed last night, I found that again I had left it late enough that I could actually go to bed as the birds woke up. This was, naturally, quite by accident. I had got Distracted by that most eeevil of things, MSN messenger.

The Dawn Chorus never ceases to amaze me. One bird starts. Usually a Blackbird in my area. It seems he gets up earlier every morning to start his song and every morning it gets a little bit more beautiful.

Today I actually remembered to take my Camera with me on my walk!! Now that the Rapeseed flowers have gone from the field, the colours are less vibrant. Here and there Poppies Peek through the surface of green and Camomile flowers line the edge of the field. Whenever there is a change in season, the world is filled with colours so I think I find myself waiting for the next Season wether I like what it will bring or not. This week our weatheris going to get very sunny and the temperatures are going to get up into the 70s. Not the most pleasant of weather but I do love the daylight that stays past "bed time" and returns before I even get to bed.

Before I leave tonight, I shall post one last picture. It is made by my sister Pipa whilst she was messing about on my new image editing software. It is amazing and she is such a good artist but she is not so bothered in broadcasting it. I thought therefore, that I would let you all see Baby Sis's picture. One of my Favourites.

Camping and Hilariousness

~Glow Poi at 1 in the Morning~

~the pose of the weekend. (This pic got me mistaken for a guy!!! and I have discovered that electrical tape is better than plasters! - see thumb-)~

~Dusk on the first night~ ~The flags of St. George (England) and St. Perran (Cornwall)~ I haven't had so much fun in ages as I had in Walsingham over the weekend. It was time yet again for the NACF's annual pilgramage to the shrine of our lady of walsingham (NACF= the National Association of Catholic Families) so we all packed our trailers with tents and headed towards norfolk from as far away as Pennsylvania in the USA!! The days were Sunny, Hot and with hardly a breath of wind. This was such a change from the usual weather which is Cold, Windy and Rainy! None of us could believe our luck and so ALL of the kids (me included) were running around in bare feet all weekend! I saw old friends I hadn't seen in about three years and marvelled at how much they have grown up and changed since then! It was great to hang out and just have fun with some hilarious people. One of our favourite haunts at walsingham is the ford just down the stream from our field where we stay. Any spare moment that occurs during the day is greeted with the question "shall we go to the ford?" indeed, it now is taken for granted that we will hang out at the ford anyway, so people tend to gravitate in that general direction. This picture was taken a couple of years ago but nothing ever changes at the ford. Ever beautiful and special every time. (and peaceful Untill the NACF arrives) My bruises are now flourishing from all my knocks and beatings from the weekend (a couple from the poi) as I found out the best way to silence someone making playful jokes about my height is to (playfully) punch them! (at which point I get punched back) :D My family has been attending the Walsingham pilgramage ever since I was tiny (and the NACF itself was formed when I was 6 months old! ) so every time we arrive it is like seeing an old friend after a long time apart. A big part of the pilgramage is the Holy Mile. We all walk a mile into the village (along some quite stony paths) saying the Rosary. Lots of people like to do this mile barefoot and this year I managed it!!! my feet were so painfull at the end however, I had to wear some shoes to actually get home. I am already looking forward to next year!

A tired mind

I havent got much to say tonight! *silence......*

so I wont!

I would just like to welcome my sister Steph who is new to blogger!

Enough said from a tired mind who has done too much today. Goodnight!!!

~some pictures I took from the supermarket parking lot. The clouds were nothing like I had ever seen before as they looked like they had rain falling from them but it never reached the ground!~

It seems that I always forget my camera when it is most needed. When I left the house to walk Monty today, I discovered the most beautiful field!!! The sun was shining, the birds were singing and there was a carpet of purple flowers on the ground! Those are the moments when you really wish you had remembered to pick up your camera before leaving the house. Fortunately there is a chance that the sun will be shining tomorrow morning also. I shall therefore be keeping my fingers crossed for good photography weather.

~Dad moment of the week~

...talking about who is in charge of what in the house. Dad listed everyone's jobs that they do the best, and then hugged me and said: "And Fizz is in charge of the Crab Quotas!"

also this week we have ...

~Mom moment of the week!~

...Mom was watching Bear Grylls trying to survive in Oregon.

"I'm sure that Bear Grylls makes everything seem more difficult than it really is! He has such a huge ego that even doing household chores could be turned into a survival challenge! Can you imagine that? Bear Grylls does the washing up! God help us!"

Back into the swing of things.

Hello everyone! It has been a while since I have posted anything on my blog. without going into things too much, I had a hard week. I think that should be sufficient! So now that I am back in the swing of things, I thought that I would get back into the very rewarding process of blogging.

Yesterday was the first Home match for the Ipswich Cardinals my home American Football team. I always enjoy going to watch them play. There are some great folks supporting them including one American man who would give most comedians a run for their money. He had the whole stand laughing their heads off with his shouted comments to the referee (and boy can he shout!)

We were playing the Peterborough Saxons (playing in blue) and we had a great time shouting down their (three) supporters that were in the stands near us. If the three of them yelled "saxons!" the whole congregation of us Ipswichians would yell "CARDINALS!!!"

Amongst the changes for this year, We now have Cheerleeders!!! The poor girls stood for hours in the cold, the wind and the rain in short skirts and t-shirts! Thanks to the efforts of these brave girls, our cheers were much louder!

One thing I need to remember though next time is that I should NOT eat lunch before I go to one of these games. The Refreshments stand is just TOO tempting! I ended up having a jumbo hot dog and a Dr Pepper. Honestly. what more could you want! Football, a hot dog and Dr Pepper! bliss.

After The Football, Grandma and Grandad came round for tea and then after we had taken them home I took a walk to capture a sunset. It had all but dissappeared by the time I got to the best location, but I can't be lucky every time can I.

A most British passtime!

The list of British passtimes yet to be covered is now growing short I fear!!! In tonights lesson we cover "The British Barn Dance".

We (as a parish) held our second barn dance at our church hall last night!

Slightly nervous because of our last attempt (to which only three families came), and resisting the urge to dress very hippyish, I proceeded to an evening of brilliant folk music by the best folk band around our neck of the woods "Melton Folk" and incredibly hilarious dancing!

~the beginning of the dance and Pip was put in charge of the tickets. Well what else do you do with them folks!~

~the welcoming party!~

The best dance of every barn dance is always "strip the willow" which can be very dangerous to one's limbs if you are not quick! basically you and your partner spin by linking arms and then link arms and spin with diferent people therefore creating a slingshot effect which threatens to catapult people in every direction ! ... but I am not doing this dance justice. I should have had someone taking a video!

Anyway. A fun time was had by all. even the people who didn't dance but very generously paid to get in.

hope you all have a brilliant week guys!!!

~Dad moment of the week~

"But these are FLYING crabs!"

said in response to a nature programs comment, something along the lines of "some crabs are extraordinary"

Can I have my head back now please??

Hi all, I do apologise for the very quiet week on the blog front, I was hit with various kinds of headaches this week, cuminating in a Migraine yesterday. after that, Bliss!!! my head is free! I am now re-aquainting it with something called daylight and wakefulness! All the headaches however have cleared my head and here is some good news! My "artist's block" has gone! (for a while anyway).

I havent been able to draw things for weeks but last night I picked up a piece of paper and just doodled away! It is so good to have designs in your head that want to be put down onto paper! One day I really will have to start a little scrapbook as I have bits of paper with sketches on lying all about my art drawer.

I got a GREAT package in the mail this week!!!

Angel Girl has sent me a couple of things from Catch Con!

She sent me Nick Mavars Signature on a Northwestern picture! (I seem to remember her telling me that Nick signed on Edgars head as a joke since Edgar wasn't there! correct me if I am wrong Angel) :D

Angel also sent me a Crab Wizard Calendar for 2010 and Crab pen! (unfortunately the Crab pen does not wants it's photograph taken. It is a shy little thing and so getting a good picture of it is difficult). Thank you Angel for such wonderfull gifts!!! Hopefully next year I might be there to get Signatures and pictures! (fingers crossed).

Now Some news, I have officially started work on a new Deadliest Catch video! this one shall be entitled SIG HANSEN (!!!) so wish me luck with this! I think I have found a good song and have started cutting up DC episodes. Major problem however, I havent got two of my very favourite episodes!!!!! I shall have to see if anyone can upload one to me or bully my "Ares" software into finding anything Deadliest Catch related. It seems that whenever I need it, it throws a complete wobbly and refuses to work.

(p.s. Dad purchased a new toy today, a remote controlled helicopter! I hope he lets me have a go on it, I wanna play "USCG rescues!" )

Fizz has a MAP!

Baby Sis gave me a map today!!! It is a map of Haugesund and Karmøy in Norway and it is almost as tall as I am! (I am sure you will see a picture of it tomorrow as it is too cool not to have a picture in here). She had to write a case study for Geography today in 6th form all about Karmøy and after she had finished decided to give all the Notes, workbooks and maps to me so I am very happy. I am sure I never got to do anything near as exciting as studying places like Norway when I was doing Geography at school. We were told by our tutor to study social development in Middlesborough (not the most lively place by all accounts). I would have enjoyed learning about a foreign country for once.

A funny thing happened this morning, Baby sis and I both woke up at around 6:30am. Neither of us really payed this much attention until we were talking this afternoon and realised that we had both done it in the same manner! we woke up, sat bolt upright and thought "Im late getting up!". We then realised that we were NOT late so proceeded to go back to sleep again. Neither of us can really explain exactly WHY however. It is just one more thing to puzzle over in life!

My picture tonight is of the sunset we saw from the car yesterday evening (edited slightly of course for mere drama). For some reason there is always beautiful skies on the way back from Kent. I always make sure I have enough charge in my camera for the journey home.

~Dad moment of the week~

(opening the canary's birdcage) "come on out tweety and go for a swim!"

Bank Holidays and sore Leggy Peggys!

Since this week was a bank holiday, My family were out and about ALOT! I therefore got many good pictures of the sights around Suffolk.

On Sunday we went to Otley Hall which is a fantastic old house which is still lived in and which the family that owns it opens up for special occasions. We got to tour the house and watch some real dancing with the most wonderful instrument! A Hurdygurdy!!!

It was amazing walking through the house. It was supposed to have been commandeerd as Hitler's base if he invaded. he had picked it out for himself as a good stopping over place on the way to London! Thank God THAT never happened. The house actually looks lived in which is fantastic! there are family photographs of the people that live there and "Keep out" signs on the son/dauhgter's bedroom door!

After a good walk round the gardens filled with peacocks and people doing archery, It was time for a cup of coffee back at the homestead.

Bank Holiday Monday was no different! We travelled to london/kent to see my grandmother for the say (that is a looooooooooong way to go ) but got some good walking done and got home very late. It is no wonder we are so tired!!! It shall be nice to get back to normality! I hope you enjoyed your little dose of the english countryside!! Have a great week!!!

May Day!

I am sorry about the lateness of these pictures, It has taken a while to get them uploaded. I hope you enjoy them however.

My family and I were up at 4 in the morning on May the 1st to welcome May and the coming of summer. It is always so magical to take part in this and as I promised in January I think, here are some pictures of our adventure!

~The Green Man~~Awaiting the sun~

~The musicians providing the traditional tunes~

~The Police showed up! I believe they must have thought we were an illegal rave or some such (not surprising with the whacking of sticks and handkerchief waving!)~

~as we watched, Fishing boats started to appear and make their way out to sea for their day's fishing~ ~It was as if the whole world was waiting for the sun to rise~ ~the sun starting to sppear was a magical event. I was (I think) the first to spot it and pointed it out to a few people~ ~The Sun is finally here!!!~ ~The men stood in a group and sang in May. I wish I had know the words! it was a beautiful song.~ ~and now, back to the dancing!~ ~I went down to the beach to get some photographs~ ~"the money shot"~ ~now that the Sun had risen, we all trouped off home. It was a wonderful day!~ ~The East Suffolk Morris Men~

http://www.eastsuffolkmorris.org.uk/