The “Isn't Life Great” thread

[Scottieoutdoors]

Today has been a mental continuation of yesterday's joy - which I was too exhausted to share yesterday!!

Wife and I have been working our backsides off and finally got an afternoon off yesterday. So we packed our bags with some towels, swimming shtuff, brew kits and a whole ton of snacks (and doggo) and set off for a small walk on Dartmoor, hour or so to an amazing swimming spot. Had a quick change and did my best cannonball off a rock into the water which was of course not bathwater, but surprisingly OK temp.. had a quick swim about which was desperately needed due to the muggy walk... enjoyed a bit of a splash about, then got a brew on and scoffed some snacks and just enjoyed the peace and nature.
Was greeted by a lovely little nosey Robin, watched him/her having an explore around. Watched a few fish splashing about. Saw a king Fisher too!! Got all packed up and headed back. Definite return spot for us!
Felt very mentally elated and relaxed....

Physically I'm feeling rather knackered however!!

 

[Woody girl]

Spent half an hour, watching dragonflies by the pond this morning.
They are amazingly quick, and not one picture I took has a dragonfly in it! Oh well, don't need photos for memories.

 

[Tengu]

My cold is a bit better though I am still rough.

 

[swyn]

My cold is a bit better though I am still rough.

I took on one of these what I call a Summer cold. Meh! 'Tis 'orrible. Wheeze, gurgle and cough. Three weeks on it is geting better so I'm happy!
S

 

[swyn]

My youngest daughter has just arrived here from Bristol with her companion, a young and keen Arborist. He needs 'things-to-do' so I have asked him to cut all the dead Elm sprouts (Elms that have grown from the everlasting root-stock underground, but die after five to ten years of trying to be tree) I also asked him to sharpen my little chainsaw as it is 'orribly blunt.
He gets to hoon about on the quad and cut some bits of wood and isn't stuck indoors with nothing to do this weekend. I get my saw sharpened.
More free firewood for the winter, yesssss!
This is part of my 'au-naturelle' way of creating a hedgerow/coppice type of woodland thing using only suckers and mousie plantings that pop up in the un-mown areas of our ex-barley field (Not that you'd know this now fifteen years on)
S

 

[Woody girl]

Apples, picked.
Blackberries, picked.
Apple and blackberry crumble made, with some fresh cream to taste.
Autumn richness and abundance in a bowl. Yum!

 

[Scottieoutdoors]

Feeding my doggo peanut butter and watching her try to get it off the roof of her mouth

She also likes to nuzzle into my leg with the top of her head when I pat her, you can also feel the top of her head start to heat up when you give her lots of rubs

Dogs (or animals in general) definitely a natural happy pill!

 

[swyn]

Daughters companion is a keen bat person so I have managed to get my bat detector working and we've just been out watching/listening before the light goes completely. Just WOW! A half hour of joy watching/listening to these little creatures do their thing and only inches from us!
(FYI pipistrelle so far this evening)
S

 

[swyn]

Apples, picked.
Blackberries, picked.
Apple and blackberry crumble made, with some fresh cream to taste.
Autumn richness and abundance in a bowl. Yum!

Blackberry & apple crumble! Yaaaay!
S

 

[Paul_B]

Well my dog has just told me it's bed time. When with us she often picks 1030 to 1130. When we're on holiday and she is too but at the in-laws she picks 930 to tell them to go m to bed. She changes the time according to who's present. Just me she picks midnight. She's early tonight because the not all the family is home tonight which unsettles her.

Dogs are amazing how they change habits according to who they're with and how they have a really accurate sense of time. Being with one and experiencing that is a good thing.

 

[TeeDee]

Today has been a mental continuation of yesterday's joy - which I was too exhausted to share yesterday!!

Wife and I have been working our backsides off and finally got an afternoon off yesterday. So we packed our bags with some towels, swimming shtuff, brew kits and a whole ton of snacks (and doggo) and set off for a small walk on Dartmoor, hour or so to an amazing swimming spot. Had a quick change and did my best cannonball off a rock into the water which was of course not bathwater, but surprisingly OK temp.. had a quick swim about which was desperately needed due to the muggy walk... enjoyed a bit of a splash about, then got a brew on and scoffed some snacks and just enjoyed the peace and nature.
Was greeted by a lovely little nosey Robin, watched him/her having an explore around. Watched a few fish splashing about. Saw a king Fisher too!! Got all packed up and headed back. Definite return spot for us!
Felt very mentally elated and relaxed....

Physically I'm feeling rather knackered however!!

Which Dartmoor swimming spot?

 

[Woody girl]

Found a hazel nut Bush the squirrels haven't. Pockets full of nuts taken home.
Free food makes me very happy.

 

[henchy3rd]

Found a hazel nut Bush the squirrels haven't. Pockets full of nuts taken home.
Free food makes me very happy.

Lucky you.
I spied 47 hazelnut trees/bushes Within 10 mins walk, brimming with them only 2 weeks ago.. they’ve now been stripped bare by squirrels (& people who don’t care for others to enjoy foraging).
Oh well, you snooze you loose.

 

[henchy3rd]

Finding an open space away from the noise of town life. Being able to visit it regularly and feel secure because of the Robins and Nutcatches which pop by to check I'm being good.

Sent from my SM-A326B using Tapatalk

Today has been a rare occasion too.. hardly any background noise.
Very few vehicles & no road noise, no one’s working on their boats, no voices or dogs barking, less planes over head.
I swear I can hear the blood rushing around my head & my heart beat.

 

[Paul_B]

Found a hazel nut Bush the squirrels haven't. Pockets full of nuts taken home.
Free food makes me very happy.

Need to check our Hazel trees. Due to be coppiced this winter. There's some dead straight rods that'll find use somewhere. Until then they might have some nuts on. Not easy to harvest as they're on a steep slope. Didn't get much last year.

In the meantime I've cut back a good few bushes and shrubs. It's amazing how addictive cutting things back can be once you start!

 

[Tony]

Had a good swim in the sea yesterday.

 

[Woody girl]

I have one glorious yellow sunflower which is about 16 feet high and has 37 blooms on it! All the others are smaller (about 8 feet) and have between 4 and 12 blooms. All from the same packet.
I've never seen so many blooms on one sunflower plant. It's amazing.

 

[bearbait]

I was watching the Ravens having far too much fun up in the wind and updrafts on the edges in the Brecon Beacons National Park today. Nudging each other in flight, flipping upside down, hitting warp speed as they dive past their mates. I always enjoy watching them.

 

[Broch]

I'm coming back as a raven! - not so keen on the menu, but the flying just looks great fun.

No-one can deny they do it for fun surely?

 

[Robbi]

Been watching some here this evening, they surely look like they were having fun, twirling and skidding across the sky