Satrurday Morning Bike Ride.

I managed to get out on a bike ride this morning, the only one for August. I always take my camera when out on my bike and always wonder if I'll really see anything new. Of course I do. It took me about three hours to cycle out, and one hour to cycle home. I didn't take any photos at all on the way home - just shows how much time I spend footering around taking pictures, but I enjoy it.

We begin with a rainbow, the hawthorn berries are ripening, cows are curious. Two of my favourite farm signs - the first one features a drawing of a cow and there happen to be cows visible beside the sign, the second is a painted ironwork sign featuring a sheep and there are sheep in the field behind. How serendipitous! As ever, hogweed and other umbellifers call for my attention. The swallows are gathering on the telephone lines, soon they'll be leaving, I've not seen many this year. The horse chestnut trees are always the first to show their Autumn colours, brambles are ripening, Summer is leaving us.

I decide to head up the glen to explore the old abandoned farm. It's almost exactly a year since I first visited it (I discovered some fascinating anecdotes concerning the farm which I included here). Little has changed. It's still a beautiful place.

Misc. Aug.

Flinging up my random photo collection for August...

Inspired by Rattling On I start a scarf...

...and finished it. I was a little short of yarn so added some extra rows in contrasting colours.

The main yarn used is Sirdar Countrstyle, the whole amount bought for 50p in a charity shop. That same visit I also bought the carved table shown under the crochet in the first photo, mine for £10. 

Ta da!

Whiskers white.

Some baking, looks like muffins.

And another almond tart this time with a mix of summer fruit.

Looks nice.

Tasted not bad too. Recipe from LEON.

View of pretty plant containers and wall. Taken right back at the beginning of the month, as were the following three photos too...

 Love the clouds in this one.

Crab and lobster collection by A from one of our beach visits during the school holidays.

Little wren furious with the cat (as was I) for pestering her family.

N's first day at school back on Aug 13th.

Finally, a tidy desk for me as I've now started back at school too. Future blog posts may be somewhat erratic as I try and keep up with the workload. I need to be able to read and remember faster!

 These shelves are tidy.

I spent one of my breaks at Uni parading with the tourists near the cathedral (future breaks will be spent in the library!). You've seen the lamp posts before, but this time I also wandered into the museum, they have some lovely stained glass there and a good view of the cathedral too (in the rain, unlucky for those caught in it, it's been pretty dry this summer for us)

Right, back to the books...

 Edited to add cat pic which didn't load 1st time round for some reason...

...Yes, it's supposed to be upside-down, I liked it that way!