Six Word Saturday

Six word Saturday

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Freezing fog

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Frost

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And Ice Sculptures

Ice Sculptures?  What?  Where?  Sorry, but this is a bit of a tease.

The frost and fog were genuine enough.  Those are some of my Nordic Walking friends, (with reindeer antlers and tinsel, but distant, so as not to embarrass anybody) on the beach on Thursday.  Don’t feel too sorry for them- they scoffed an enormous Christmas lunch afterwards!

The Ice Sculpture photos have yet to be taken.  I’m off to the Festival of Angels in York today, and hope to come back with lots.  Of course, I can’t be certain of this.  I don’t think I’ll be the only one there, so I may end up with lots of photos of the backs of heads.  Wish me luck!

Have a good weekend everybody, and don’t forget to check out the other Six word Saturdays on Cate’s Show My Face.  The links and header will take you there.

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Six word Saturday

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Technology may have defeated me- again!

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I’m battered and bruised today!  Don’t be fooled by Mrs. Sparkly, though I am indeed grateful to Elisa of Autumn in Bruges for nominating me.  Truth is, I really need a bit of glitter to cheer me up.

In the main I’m very grateful to WordPress for hosting my blog.  I don’t know if it would ever have happened without them, as I am one of life’s technologically challenged.  This week I seem to have thrown a spanner in the works.  My photos all want to appear in thumbnail size, no matter how hard I try to resize them!  I have petitioned WordPress for help- I mean, where’s the joy in a thumbnail sized photo?  In the meantime, I’m limping through my Six word Saturday, “sans photos”.

What do I have to do to earn my sparkles?  Quite simply, answer ten questions.

1. Describe yourself in seven words:

Restless, discontented, inadequate, sunloving, hopeful, enthusiastic, moody

2. What keeps you up at night?

Worry, and WordPress- not necessarily in that order.

3. Whom do you aspire to be like?

Anyone who travels, for a living or for fun

4. What scares you?

Me, in the mirror on a morning!  And those awful dreams I have, thankfully rarely, where something terrible has happened involving a loved one.  I wake up in a cold, black fear and can’t shake it for hours.

5. What are the best and worst things about blogging?

Don’t get me started!  You lot, of course- my lovely friends across the world, and the doors that open that I maybe never dreamt of before.  You know the worst thing, don’t you?  Hmm- starts with the letter t and ends in ology!

6. What was the last website you looked at?

Never a dull day in Poland -one of the winners in the Expat Awards 2012, and a cracking blog I’ve since subscribed to.

7. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

My discontented nature.

8. Slankets, yes or no?

Not really bothered.  My daughter bought me a lovely kimono one year.  I seldom wear it but it’s a bit like a slanket, I suppose.

9. What are you wearing now?

Jamas, but any minute now I’ll have to sprint for the stairs and get dressed or I’ll be late for zumba (again!)

10. Tell us something about the person who nominated you :

Elisa is another restless soul, like myself.  She is London based at present, and hasn’t quite yet worked out her future.  I know how that feels!  Do have a look at her Travels.

I’m passing a little sparkle on to :

Tay in Europe

Travel with Laughter

Simply Captured

All are joyful and beautiful blogs so do please have a look.  I’m off to fight with my photos again, but not before I give thanks to Cate at Show My Face, who has allowed me to whinge my way through this week’s Six word Saturday.  Click on the header or links to find out more about the challenge.  If you want to cheer me up you can click on the button below and visit some of my previous 6WS’s, which DID contain photographs.  See you next week?

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Six word Saturday

A dinner party!  Who to invite?

In time honoured fashion I’ve been invited by Just Fletcher to host a dinner party, with guests of my choosing, of course.  I thought it might make a diverting Six word Saturday post?

At the top of the table I’ve got Elizabeth 1, looking very stern, so I’ll have to mind my P’s and Q’s.  What a character!  What a life she led, though not one that you could really envy.  Will Shakespeare’d be good with the courtly speeches, and I might just get the chance to ask if he really did travel to Italy, and put paid to all that controversy.

I’m sure Michael Palin will be interested, and interesting too, travel being his subject.  In any case, he can charm the birds from the trees.  If Lennon gets a bit disrespectful, Palin and McCartney’ll do the soothing, diplomatic stuff, but rapier wit won’t be in short supply.

I’ve loved Paul McCartney and his music for as long as I can remember, and wouldn’t it just be great to have those two together one more time?  With both in mellow mood, now that fate has delivered both a punch or two.  Maybe a future classic will be scrawled upon the table cloth, as the evening wears on.

An avid reader, I’ve only recently returned to historical novels, and it’s the fault of Philippa Gregory.  She lived and worked for a time in my part of the world, so I’ve always been mildly curious about her.  I was checking out some books at my local library, and “The Red Queen” was on the counter.  I could resist no longer, and was absorbed by the storytelling.  Elizabeth 1st will surely be surprised at where women find themselves in society today.

Which brings us to Helen Mirren.  Well, every dinner party needs a touch of glamour, doesn’t it?  Maybe she can console poor Bonaparte.  Such a sad ending to all those aspirations.

So what do you make of my choices?  I’m not going to nominate anyone, but if you have an inspirational line up that you’d like to share, I’d enjoy to read your post.  Have a look at Just Fletcher’s Virtual Dinner for starters (or dessert).  Cate of Show My Face has been more than tolerant of my Six word Saturdays.  Follow the link or click on the header to see how it should be played.

Before I go, I’d like to share a follow up to my last week’s 6WS.  For anyone interested in Steampunk fashion, here’s the next instalment of Jema’s interview.

http://www.themuse.tv/2012/11/gothic-glam-steampunk-fashion-part-2/

Six word Saturday

Not going to panic, just yet!

It’s fun to shop for a wedding outfit, isn’t it?  I keep repeating that to myself.

The following video features Jema Hewitt (aka Emily Ladybird), who will be my daughter’s matron of honour at her wedding in February, explaining just what is meant by Steampunk fashion.

http://www.themuse.tv/2012/11/gothic-glam-steampunk-fashion-part-1/

I know- it stops short right at the point where you could look at some of Jema’s designs!  I’ll have to hunt down Friday’s edition of the show.

You see, I had in mind an Ossie Clark style, fitted, floor length frock, with tiny covered buttons, long close fitting sleeves, maybe in cream or a pastel.  Although I much admire my daughter’s style of dressing, I’m not sure that I can carry it off.

As Jema says, you can adapt it to yourself, but so far I’m not having much luck with the shopping.  Lisa has almost finished sewing her wedding gown, but then has a bridesmaid’s frock and waistcoats for the grooms to do, with Christmas looming.

I guess I just need you to wish me luck.  I don’t have any skills with the needle, and am online hunting for something suitable whenever I can.

Before I go this morning, I’d just like to send my very best wishes for a speedy recovery to Viv Blake.  I understand that she’s in hospital undergoing tests.  She’s too far away from me for a hospital visit, and will be sadly missed on this week’s Six word Saturday, so get well soon, Viv.  As always, grateful thanks to Cate at Show My Face for the opportunity to share my six words (and more).  Follow the links for details.

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Six word Saturday

Not an artistic bone in my…

What can I do with all these pretty leaves?

I often have good ideas, but am totally incapable of carrying them out.  The other day I saw a wonderful leaf photo of Ganesh.  I wish I could remember whose blog it was on, and I could show it to you.  The leaves were mostly green, but I got to thinking that with all the fabulous Autumn colours still about, I ought to be able to produce something a bit special.

Nothing too ambitious, you understand.  I know my limits!  A dog, a cat, maybe, if I tried really hard, an elephant with a howdah on it’s back?  I could picture them perfectly.  So after much effort, what did I produce?

Not exactly a floppy-eared puppy dog!

A cat? This is more like Piglet from Winnie the Pooh.

And the elephant? What a disappointment! An anteater maybe…

Not going to be framed any time soon, are they?  I’ll roll them up and put them away.  Well, at least I may have given you a Saturday smile.

If by any chance you’re reading this and have recently posted “Autumn Leaves”, or the Ganesh photo, please give me a shout, with the link, and I’ll be glad to include it here, to show what real artistry is.

As usual, many thanks to Cate for hosting Six word Saturday.  The link or the header will take you to her Show My Face blog and all will be explained.

Six word Saturday

Ever had one of THOSE weeks?

Who hasn’t?  Everything slips through your fingers, like butter.  Catastrophe slides in upon catastrophe.  If you read my Richmond post earlier this week, you’ll know that things didn’t quite go to plan on Monday.  Still, I managed to have a lovely day.  So when I met my Nordic walking friends on Thursday, I should have known I was the jinx.

The plan was to meet at Grosmont, on the North York Moors, ride the steam train as far as Goathland, then walk back to our starting point.  We’ve already done this earlier in the year, and I wrote about it in Steam’s up in North Yorkshire.  Someone forgot to consult the railway timetable, however, and in November- guess what?- there are no trains.  Ah well!  We’re all relatively fit, and fortunately, it was again a pleasant day, so- a double dose of Autumn colour.  We walked there and back again, just stopping for our picnic and a brief look around in Goathland.

Bit of a climb up first- isn’t there always?

Nice view back down. There was a steam train on the platform but no passengers allowed.

It’s always nice to follow a stream

A woodland sculpture along the way

And a nosey sheep! Seems the privet is quite tasty.

It’s a bit tiring on your hind legs, so he settled for grass.

The village of Goathland appears regularly as  Aidensfield on the TV programme, “Heartbeat”, and attracts lots of visitors because of that.  It was lovely to see it bereft of people on a crisp Autumn day.

There’s a cluster of shops and tea rooms, and a couple of village pubs.

“Aidensfield” stores

And post office

I loved the metalwork on the tearoom windowsill

And it’s not everywhere you can buy gollies any more! Anyone remember Robertson’s marmalade and collecting the badges?

Proof that it’s Goathland, not Aidensfield, in reality.

Eventually we had to set off back again.  The shadows were lengthening by the time we approached Grosmont.

Almost back to Grosmont again

Tired walkers troop downhill

Made it!

How to salvage the good out of a “dis-aster, Darling”!  (You do watch “Strictly”?)

Hope your week was better organised than mine, but no less lovely.  Many thanks to Cath at Show My Face for the opportunity to share.  The header and links will help you join in, and see what everyone else has been up to.

Six word Saturday

Firework Display or Strictly Come Dancing?

Fireworks over Hartlepool Headland- courtesy of Tony Dowson

Beautiful aren’t they?

I can almost hear the “ooh”s and “aah”s

I was born on Guy Fawkes Day, so fireworks on Bonfire Night always seem like a personal celebration for me.  I’m like a big kid when I hear the “whoosh” and “zip, zip, zzzip”.  But I hate the cold.  Our town firework display takes place on the seafront, and as parking is always an issue, involves an invigorating walk beside the sea to get there.  The lights of the boats twinkle far out on the water and on a sharp frosty night the stars are needle bright.  Romantic, but cold!

So usually I wrap up warm, and we make the bracing walk, then come home smelling of smoke.  This year I’m not sure if I want to.  The Winter seems to have come around too fast, and I’m just a little sad.

Inimitable compere, Brucie, with dazzling Tess Daly

Flavia’s flying!

Temptation beckons in the form of “Strictly Come Dancing”.  I love the show with a passion and have done since its beginnings.  I even watch the fanzine every night!  For a whole half hour the laptop is switched off (well, sometimes) as I watch the dance sequences over again.

The past few years we’ve recorded the show while we’ve gone to the fireworks, then there’s something to look forward to when the “ooh-ing” and “aah-ing” stops.  Shall we do that again this year?  I’ll have to wait and see.

None of the images are my own this week.  My very talented stepbrother, Tony Dowson, is a professional photographer and took the fireworks shots when the Tall Ships came to Hartlepool in 2010. (what an occasion that was!)  The others are borrowed from Strictly.

Are you joining in with Cate’s challenge?  The details are all in Show My Face, or you can simply click on the header.  Have a happy and safe Bonfire Night, and wrap up warm.

Six word Saturday

Somebody out there likes my blog!

It’s been a “heart it” sort of week, if you know what I mean?  My last post, H is for Happy Heart, seemed to make quite a few people smile, myself included.  Smiles are always welcome, so I thought we’d share another heart or two today.  The city of Guimaraes in Portugal was full of them.

I seem to’ve been blessed with a bundle of blog love lately, and I’d like to pass some of it on today, if you’ll indulge me just a little.

Who doesn’t need a bit of sunshine at this time of year?  Autumn in Bruges (isn’t that a lovey name, and very appropriate right now) was kind enough to nominate me for the Sunshine Award.

Izabela Benisz suggested I was a Beautiful Blogger.  I usually scurry past mirrors these days, but it’s a lovely thought!

Deepali passed on the baton for the Adventurous Blogger Award.  I’m still trying to shake my head clear of Portugal so I haven’t started plotting my next adventure yet, but it’ll come!

I’m going to put these bright new jewels in my sidebar and on my Awards page.  Please spend a little time with each of the bloggers.  They’re all very deserving recipients and I’ve enjoyed reading many of their posts.

Never short of an idea or three, Alyson Sheldrake, painter extraordinaire and the authoress of the Algarve Blog and The Thought Palette (another blog name I really love) has initiated a new award, Blog of the Year, 2012.

Here I quote Aly:

The ‘rules’ for the award are simple:

1 Select the blog(s) you think deserves the ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award

~ 2 Write a blog post and tell us about the blog(s) you have chosen – there’s no minimum or maximum number of blogs required – and ‘present’ them with their award.

~ 3 Please include a link back to this page ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award – http://thethoughtpalette.co.uk/our-awards/blog-of-the-year-2012-award/  and include these ‘rules’ in your post (please don’t alter the rules or the badges!)

~ 4 Let the blog(s) you have chosen know that you have given them this award and share the ‘rules’ with them

~ 5 You can now also join our Facebook page – click the link here ‘Blog of the Year 2012’ Award Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/BlogoftheYear/ and then you can share your blog with an even wider audience

~ 6 As a winner of the award – please add a link back to the blog that presented you with the award – and then proudly display the award on your blog and sidebar … and start collecting stars…

There are a total of 6 stars to collect. You begin with the ‘1 star’ award – and every time you are given the award by another blog – you can add another star!

Thanks Aly for your nomination, and also to Julie Dawn Fox, who was kind enough to nominate me too.  I’ve since collected stars from The Travelbunny and Francine in Retirement, so that makes four!

I find it very hard to select from the blogs I regularly read.  They all have something to offer, and they all are giving of themselves.  When I look in my Reader, certain blogs almost always command my attention and so I will focus on those.

The Travelbunny  Suzanne has travelled to more places than I will ever reach, some of them exotic locations that I truly covet.

On the Luce  Likewise Lucy, who always seems to find hidden gems and great tips wherever she goes.

Jakesprinter regularly knocks me out with his Sunday Post.  How he achieves his amazing graphics is completely beyond me.

Just a Smidgeon is one of the most beautifully crafted blogs I have ever seen.  I’m no cook so it’s a measure of her talents that Barbara always induces me to read her posts,  although I’ve never yet baked anything.

This man’s Journey  Island Traveller is a man of enormous compassion and love for his fellow beings.  He makes me feel humble.

Third Eye Mom  Nicole has the most amazingly generous heart, coupled with a love of adventure and the great outdoors.  The photos alone make me drool.

Once again I have presumed on Cate’s good nature, and have stretched my “six words” to the very limit.  I may have to resign from this challenge!  Please check out Show My Face and you’ll get an idea of what I’m supposed to be doing.

Thank you for all the kindness and “likes” we share.

Six word Saturday

From Nordic Walking to Swan Lake

Copyright @ Birmingham Royal Ballet website

I guess I’m back to “normal” again, though I still drift off in daydreams of Portugal.  Overall it’s been a good week.  Much tramping about in leaves and mud with my walking groups.  Definitely ended on a high.  How could I get to this age and never have been to a performance of ballet?

The Birmingham Royal Ballet were performing at nearby Sunderland Empire Theatre and I was offered a last minute ticket when somebody dropped out of the group.  Very serendipitous, and very lovely.  I enjoyed every minute.  We had a laughter-packed meal together beforehand at Luciano’s Italian restaurant.  Quite delicious!

Maybe England isn’t so bad.  Off to zumba soon, humming Tchaikovsky as I go.

Hope you’re joining in with Cate’s Six Word Saturday?  She’s a lovely hostess.  The header and links explain what it’s all about.

Six word Saturday

Stunning!

Spectacular Sao Bento railway station in Porto

Fabulous!

Port side!

Serene

Sailing on the Douro

Blissful

Tavira Island

Wonderful

A Portuguese Water Dog arrives to perform

In action in the Water Dog Trials, Lagos

Portugal

Pretty Guimaraes, European City of Culture 2012

Just six words? Sorry- quite impossible!

Some of the highlights?  Undoubtedly, sailing back to Porto from Peso da Regua on board a beautiful barco rabelo- the wooden boats used originally for carrying port downstream to mature in casks in Vila Nova de Gaia.  The company of two young Americans, on the last day of their honeymoon, made it extra special.

The free walking tour we took around Porto, with Iris and 22 internationally varied others, was pretty good too.  After 2 and a half hours of ups and downs, the Francesinha (a lavish cheese and meat toastie in a piquant sauce), and exchanged life histories, were also pretty great.

A glass of port in the surreal surroundings of Lello’s bookstore (sorry, no photos allowed)- it doesn’t get much better.  The highly entertaining antics of the Portuguese Water Dogs, followed by a trip round the grottoes in a small water taxi- well, you know how I feel about water!  You’re right- there will be more posts to follow…. I took over 570 photos.

For now I need to say thank you to Cate of Show My Face for welcoming me back again, and rush off to check what you’ve all been up to in my absence.  Hope to see you all back here next week.  Follow the links for more information.