I think we must live in the driest place in the country. The clouds part and go round us just as the rain approaches. My garden does not appreciate this.

Found an Old Lady moth hanging out on my garden furniture this evening. Definitely did not want to be disturbed. Was very wedded to its perch.

Charles II’s rather weathered statute outside Lichfield cathedral yesterday. Apparently he was generous to the cathedral after the civil war so they mounted a statute of him on the west front. Now set on his own little plinth on the south side.

Visited Lichfield today for the first time. Cathedral was far more impressive than I had imagined. Stunning.

Spotted a pair of Scarlet Tiger Moths out in the garden. Hard to photograph but lovely to see #mothnews

Went and checked the wildlife camera and it beautifully captured the two muntjac deer that visited yesterday; one male and one female. Seems they spent the day lurking in the garden no doubt looking for somewhere warm and dry, it was so wet. #deernews

After the rain come the snails. Climbing up the doorframe. #snailnews

Muntjac deer in the garden. Two of them. Just managed to snap the male before he disappeared under the big conifer tree. #gardennews

Currently watching episode 6 of Widow’s Bay. Glad I’m not watching it in a dark house in the middle of winter #scary

Last month my little usb card reader went through the washing machine. Oops. OH kindly got me a replacement. I use it a lot for my wildlife camera. Anyway, one month on I thought I’ll just double check it before binning it and hey presto, it still works. Fab

I think I should have tracked how many texts/emails BT/Openreach have sent me over the last month since I ordered new broadband. Absurd number. It is installed, thank you. Now go away!

Found this amongst my parents’ belongings. Obviously a reprint. Good to know my opera cloak, wrap and slippers and all other apparel for the theatre, ball or concert can be made and most exquisitely embroidered Singer’s Sewing Machines

Well here goes. About to sign my severance agreement and find myself like millions of others, looking for work. That’s uni life.

Enjoyed our stroll round the grounds of Burghley House this morning. Do like the free parking and free access to the park. Impressive building too, just look at all those chimneys!

Oriental Poppies are so dramatic and showy. Love them. In my garden this afternoon.

There is a very loud thunderstorm going on outside. Could it do it slightly more quietly please so I can sleep? (But rain, yay)

The rain has reached us. The thermometer outside has gone from 29 degrees to 22 degrees in less than an hour 😀

Just looking at the MetOffice rain radar and there’s no rain anywhere, except Rotherham. Looks like it’s tipping it down there. No where else though. Enjoy the rain Rotherham. #ukweather

My pond doesn’t usually have frogs in it but today, a frog has taken up residence to try and stay cool. Sensible frog

Just gone through my wildlife camera’s footage of my pond for the last 2 days. It picked up robin, dunnock, wren, blue and great tit, blackbird, thrush, goldcrest, robin, robin, robin, robin, robin. I think the robin thinks it owns the pond. #birdwatching

Yesterday my phone died. Took it to Apple (so called) geniuses who said it’s broke and not worth repairing. So today drove to town, got new phone, got home, took it out of box at which point old phone decides it’s not dead or broken and reboots. GGGAAAAAAAHHHH!

Since I also managed to put my usb card reader through the washing machine yesterday, I’m not having a very successful weekend with tech.

Stoopid phone decided it has had enough and died in the night. Not looking forward to a trek into town to see whether it can be rescued. Annoying way to waste a day.

Oh no, ice cream van is back again but he’s changed back to playing Rule Britannia again. Or it’s a different van. Either way, it’s is mildly less irritating than the na-na-na-na tune without the BATMAN! part. This is as exciting as office life gets.

For those of you following the discussion about the local ice cream van, it’s back. But today it’s not playing Rule Britannia, it’s playing the theme music to 1960s Batman. So there’s a constant na-na-na-na-na-na-na in the background.

After the storm and hail comes the sun. There are still flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder coming from that black cloud over there. Weird when I’m now standing here in bright sunshine #weather

It’s 9 degrees C and tipping it down with rain outside and yet in the distance I can clearly hear an ice cream van playing Rule Britannia as it drives round the streets. Ours is a strange country #england

Stolen from my friend’s FB feed. So true.

Great little walk this afternoon up around Belmount Tower nr Grantham. Fabulous views and beautiful woods.

The Ebenezer Primitive Methodist Church in South Road, Walkley, Sheffield. Dated 1890. I understand about Primitive Methodists but can anyone tell me about the Ebenezer bit?

After an awful lot of ‘discussions’ where it turned out we were both right, and equally that neither of us knew how to use a belt sander, the old water butt from the chicken run has a new home. Phew. Do not ask why a belt sander was involved. #gardening

Cherry blossom, this fabulous tree is on our front lawn. Beautiful

Went to a car boot this morning. Bought some purple sprouting broccoli and a sectional playpen. The latter (with some additional netting) has now been converted it into a tunnel for protecting said broccoli. Result.

A fine time this afternoon exploring Brougham Castle nr Penrith. In between the rain. There were some mighty steps dark stairs to climb to the top of the keep but worth the effort.

Discovered this truly beautiful little waterfall just off the Skiddaw main path this morning. One of those quiet little places, no one else around. Just the sound of trickling water. Magical #lakedistrict

Out on the Solway Firth this morning enjoying the sunshine. The day didn’t quite go as we expected but being out in it was glorious nonetheless.

This afternoon we explored Larch Cottage Nurseries near Penrith. What an amazing nursery. Quirky and fun and there were some cute little chickens. Great selection of unusual and rare plants.

View from the lower slopes heading up towards Blencathra this morning. The snow of yesterday had gone and the views were fabulous

Loved our visit to Castlerigg Stone Circle this morning. Such an amazing location; the flat (ish) field surrounded by stunning hills on all sides. You can see why they chose this location. #StandingStoneSunday

Returned to Dacre church this morning to go to Easter morning service. What a lovely genuine welcome for a random visitor. #easter

One of the so called Dacre bears surrounding St Andrew’s church, Dacre, nr Penrith. No one knows if they’re bears or lions and whether they’re medieval or earlier. There is one on each corner of the church. Each slightly different. Not seen anything quite like that before.

It has been an extraordinarily stressful day. Please can someone change the way we buy and sell houses? The current approach really isn’t fit for purpose. Off to lie down in a dark corner now and go wibble.

Oh dear. We have a power cut. And it’s a working at home day. #twiddlesfingers

Genius at work in the spring garden.

Just reading through my 1957 edition of the ABC of Gardening and discovered I’ve been doing pruning all wrong. I should have been covering large wounds with ‘thick white lead paint’. Well that’s me educated. I’m sure B&Q will stock it. 🫤 #gardening #outdatedideas

Submerged lock gates at Kegworth, Leicestershire this afternoon. It was rather damp down there. Cars were just getting through the flood waters on the surrounding roads but I didn’t chance it.

House clearance at parent’s house is still throwing up the odd gem. Today I found an opisometer by Elliott Brothers of London. It’s used for measuring maps. C19th with an ivory handle and a nice leather case.

Rainbow over the garden 5 mins ago. Love it

My dentist appt got cancelled and the weather has been glorious so I managed 10 mins in the garden post work for the first time this year. Oh that feels so good

Hmm. I wonder if this is still valid. Perhaps I shall try my local Boots and see what they say