Well Done Federer!

As a tennis fan, can't play mind; I was watching TV early this morning, like @ 8am, to catch the final of the first Grand Slam Tournament of the year, the Australian Open - there was added interest too, as it was between supreme champion Swiss player Roger Federer & British, well Scottish hopeful, wannabe Andy Murray.

I certainly find Melbourne's Rod Laver Stadium much easier on the eye being blue, than the garish red clay of Roland Garros, Paris, home to the French Open that I hate watching...

Guess, I'm very unpatriotic when it comes to tennis.

I could never warm to Tim Henman even though his home was Oxfordshire; and as for Murray I just find him irritating, so my support was always for Roger, my favourite all time player after Andre Agassi & John McEnroe!!!

He gave a masterclass in tennis & bet Murray comprehensively 6-3 6-4 7-6 (13-11) ...

And, lifted this trophy for the fourth time & claimed his 16 Grand Slam title....Well done Federer!

Photo's from Getty Images.

Saturday Photo Hunt - Spotted, AND Camera Critters early - Sally's Spots!

Today I'm using a Wire Fox Terrier friend for host tnchick's prompt.
When I first met Sally on WELTAF's London Christmas dog walk in 2008, I was most taken with her spotted back...

Since then we've had several more fun encounters, she is a delightful girl & I still love her spots...

Sky Watch Friday - Winter Grey!

This week, the skies locally have been nothing but leaden.
The view from the 'Head of the River' pub @ noon...The river is running fast & high after the big snow melt off & days of rain.
And, some of Christchurch Meadow that borders onto it on the left is already flooded, which does not bode well.
Definitely need the skies to clear, what we don't want is more water from above.

True Colours Thursday - PUCE!

Am sure many will have taken my name in vain re listing this weeks difficult colour suggested ages ago by Rinkly Rhymes who plays TCT & again by Jeannie who doesn't but should this week as penance!
But rest assure, I have struggled with it too.

I defined PUCE as a combination of RED & PURPLE.

But to be sure, I 'Googled' it & found, I needed to add TAN into the mix!

PUCE, also brought me to a blog :-

The Duchess of Devonshire's Gossip Guide to the 18th Century, as she had recently written a post on the colour.

I quote ...

"The invention of "PUCE" is an amusing story in itself.

Every fashion in France had to have a special name.

The socially awkward King Louis XVI, never knew how to tell his wife, Marie Antoinette, how to ease up on her extravagant fashions and attempted many methods that all failed.

One day when he walked in on the queen trying on a new dress, he attempted to discourage her with the mean humour common at court.

'It is the color of a flea [puce' in French!].'

The plan backfired!

His queen (and everyone else with her) loved the nickname for the colour and it stuck."
So, this is PUCE, [glad I did not know French, as not keen on Fleas!] as seen in its wide variety of shades on the Net...

So what have I personally found...

A Showroom's bedroom quilts, photo'd ages ago because I was envious of the stylish look...

A dress [bit iffy too] re window shopping...

Warming Winter soup from my favourite source...

An Orchid with definite traces of PUCE...

As for a cake I'd nothing to hand, so even made a special trip yesterday to look in the Celebration Cake Shop's window, as they have often come up trumps @ the very last minute.

But nothing suitable, a major disappointment but I found lots of interesting new cakes for the future.

So, PUCE has defeated me after an amazing continuous run of colourful cakes since 2nd April '09!

Coming home despondent - LOL - I spotted a Christmas Wreath still up & then realised it on a perfectly PUCE house...

Eat your heart out BJ, who use to regularly feature a home on her TCT post.

To join True Colours Thursday, whose home blog is HERE, all you need, is to post with photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week.
If you simply want to use the idea as a 'prompt', as I do now, with many memes, that is fine with me.
But, if, you'd like others including me, to visit you, please leave a comment so we know you are 'IN', either Blog is good - your choice!
Previous known participants are shown in the Roll Call on TCT side bar.
Next weeks colour is PEWTER!

And, please remember ideas for forth coming colours would be very welcome!

Wordless Wednesday - "Please donate, pretty please..."!

Two fer Tuesday - A Happy Australia Day Connection!

I was @ a loss re what to post today, then, I had mail yesterday!

Friend Angie in Oz, had sent me another personally hand crafted card featuring Australian Christmas postage stamps.

But, it never arrived - I suspect stolen en route after being spotted by a zealous Stamp Collector!!!

Anyway, to make up for its loss, she sent to me again...

This time, a a copy of her digital imaged calender...

Wow - am I so glad the postcard didn't make it!

January is now up on my desk...

And, it came with a batch of colourful postcards too...Am so impressed with designs.
Thanks again Angie!

And, a Happy Australia Day too!

Unconscious Mutterings 2010 - # 3!

Time to play the free word association meme hosted by LunaNina.
She says, I think & say what pops into my head and you ponder my thought process!

1) Food :: Glorious, Food..." that catchy song from the film 'Oliver'.
And, Spag Bol or @ least what I call a Bolognese sauce, as have a pot simmering away right now on my hob to have for supper tonight with Spaghetti!
2) Death :: inevitable; the right to determine the time of ones own!
3) Cafeteria :: Canteen food, school dinners - not that I ever had them as lived within walking distance of home!
4) Need :: My own space - hate to be crowded, feel pressurised...
5) Born :: Free' - the book [own a copy] written by Joy Adamson about herself, her game warden husband George & Elsa, the orphaned cub lioness, they raised whilst living in Kenya.
And, the film telling their story & it's sound track sung by Matt Monro, both of the same name...

6) Stitch :: the saying "A Stitch in time, saves nine"
But, I'm no seamstress & being a procrastinator doesn't help either!
7) Badly :: In hindsight, think I handled my sudden break with Little Buddy badly, as it has had repercussions far beyond our relationship ie mine with my only cousin, his sister-in-law!
8) Block :: OUT - the uncomfortable past; and the future, if my medical tests results come back bad.
9) Chuck :: Well, apart from LB - Chuck Wagon racing as always wanted to go to the Calgary Stampede to see the action but that was just too close to his home comfort zone/doorstep!
10) Spiral :: out of control, as things have re (7) - so be it, whats done is done.
This quotation expresses my current feelings well...

"I was never one to patiently pick up broken fragments and glue them together again and tell myself that the mended whole was as good as new.
What is broken is broken -- and I'd rather remember it as it was at its best than mend it and see the broken pieces as long as I live."
Margaret Mitchell - Author of 'Gone with the Wind'
[1900 - 1949]

Monochrome & Odd Shot Monday - Pig in Basket!

It's back to the Covered Market, spotted this outside one of the butchers...
Monochrome Weekend's creator & host is Alieni.

Hero's Celebrity Connection!

I'm a keen radio listener!
BBC Radio 2 for early morning wake-up music and Radio 4 is my later day sound track for drama & source of news.
There's rarely a morning I miss 'Women's Hour' - a magazine programme, originally as it's name suggests, aimed @ women but now with a huge mixed gender following as its remit is wide & varied.
But last week I didn't hear two shows, so played 'catch up' today via the Internet & am so, so glad I did so, because last Wednesday's guest was celebrity chef, noted cookery writer and authority on Italian food & culture Valentina Harris.
She was talking about Spag Bol. & how, what most of us know/make as this ever popular dish, bares no resemblance to a a true Bologna Bolognese sauce served on Tagliatelle not Spaghetti - our version is just a Ragu'!
Anyway, that's not the reason for this post interesting as it is - access to the said programme is HERE!
I've always keenly followed Valentina's Radio & TV appearances because we have a slight, if very tentative connection, having actually spoken on the phone & her Springer Spaniel Onslow Jet known as Toby was my beloved Hero's Sire!!!

Valentina arrived in London from Italy in the mid/late 1970's as a young chef, she married softly spoken DJ Bob Harris, 'Whispering Bob' from the cult Seventies BBC television rock music show 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' and @ a party met a young Jewish man, Simeon - Hero's original master & my business partner.
The three of them became firm friends, and when Bob started work for Radio Oxford in 1981 & subsequently moved his family into rural Oxfordshire, Simeon followed suit.
In May '83, Valentina's Springer Spaniel Toby & pedigree dam Abbisu Lady became parents.
Valentina's 'stud fee' was to have pick of the litter of puppies, but she didn't want another pup & Simeon, although he knew nothing of dogs, expressed an interest.
As a result, he selected Hero [Kennel Club name - Toby's Son of St James].
When I came on the scene 18 months later, the Harris's had returned to live in London.
But, Bob was a regular guest - he was hosting weekend local radio shows in Norfolk & Peterborough and Oxford oddly was a good middle of the road free over night stop for him.
I meet him frequently, went out to supper with him & Simeon & shared my wine with him in the flat when S was away.
Valentina use to phone regularly hoping to catch her husband or to talk to Simeon - Bob was usually somewhere the road & Simeon away in London, where he returned to live in '87 leaving Hero with me - so we talked and I found her bright, friendly & funny.
Bob & her eventually divorced as he had a 'wondering eye'; she went on to really build upon her cookery career; Simeon & I eventually lost contact, but as Hero brought me years of pleasure, I still feel a link to Valentina.
I own her first published book 'Perfect Pasta' from 1984 - just wish it was signed.

Camera Critters Sunday - Big Fish!

The Covered Market's fishmongers Haymans Fisheries always has an amazing array of fresh fish on display, but this fellow stopped me in my tracks & left me wondering what Shark tastes like...

I suspect this one from the Celebration Cake Shop might be more palatable...

Camera Critters is Misty Dawn's creation, the blog is HERE!

Saturday Photo Hunt - Balanced!

As one, whose own sense of balance has always been off kilter - so much so, I've never even mastered riding a bicycle and as for ice & roller skating or skiing, no chance; I have to have great admiration for this guy, an expert @ balancing as a professional street artist/entertainer...I've now encountered, watched in awe & photographed him perfectly balanced on his tight-rope playing his fiddle with zeal, both in Oxford's city centre, as seen above and in Brighton too - regrettably re the latter, my camera balance was off as those images came out blurred!

Unconscious Mutterings 2010 - # 2!

Running late re this weeks free word association meme hosted by LunaNina.
She says, I think & say what pops into my head and you ponder my thought process!

Weak :: Me - trying to be strong as still have regrets re Little Buddy, after all 18+ years is a long time!
Flashy :: My Cousin in Praireland with her money.
Sack :: Feel like one of potato's re weight gain.
Business :: As usual re a daily blog post!
Purple :: Rain by Prince!
Fan ::"Lady Windermere's" by Oscar Wilde - recently watched again the 2004 film version 'A Good Women', set on the beautiful Italian Amalfi Coast, which I've driven with...
Airline :: Canadian - those were the good days of running off the where pilot LB had landed!
Guide :: Holiday - always thought I'd have made a good rep as love to travel!
Lunch :: Ladies that do - I once did - today had soup @ home!
Exercise :: Bike - sitting in my kitchen un-ridden for months & months & months!

Sky Watch Friday - A Skif of Snow!

Did I mention, we had another snowfall this week?
Probably not - it only lasted a few hours before the skies cleared...Guess I could have used the above for TCT re BLUE & WHITE!

True Colours Thursday - BLUE & WHITE, Take 2!

I knew I had a photo somewhere of this enamel charm...It was thoughtfully sent to me by Angie in Ynachep, Western Australia to make my day last Autumn.
I was very touched, as a favourite quote of mine was "Don't let's ask for the moon, we have the stars" from that classic 1942 Bette Davis film 'Now Voyager' - the clip can be seen HERE!
And, strangely having my own moon right now seems really significant, as I have finally had the courage to tell star gazing companion but married Little Buddy to begone out of my life for good!

Re the charm, I've regrettably mislaid the card with the details of it's artist on - put away somewhere safe, when I threaded my moon onto a leather throng to wear - maybe Angie will remember, as if I recall corectly she knows her via PostCrossing, a postcard exchange site which I did once sign up too but the procrastinator in me won out on!

True Colours Thursday - BLUE & WHITE!

My digital camera's Memory Card may need replacing as it seems to have developed intermittent amnesia - a bit like me :), as the images taken for today re Delftware were amongst photo's missing when I downloaded them into my lap-top, so it was into Archives - fortunately, I did find @ least one BLUE & WHITE not previously shown or written about.

Last year, whilst staying in Derbyshire with friends, we visited Cromford Mill, where the Arkwright Spinners group regularly give displays of their skill & sell their wares.

This lady dressed in BLUE & WHITE, is spinning dogs hair - in this instant, hair brushed from a Samoyed...

The spun yarn, she then cleans & from it, creates Chan Brown's 'Pet Hair Bears' - traditionally jointed teddy bears ...

A small bear that sits approx @ 7" needs 2.25oz of hair, a big boy ie 13" needs 9.5oz.

That is an awful lot of grooming!

Now the Spinners attire, reminded me of Alice, as in "Alice in Wonderland" in her BLUE dress & WHITE pinny, as seen here looking through the glass...

And flying off with WHITE Rabbit to the Mad Hatters Tea party...The above photo's, both previously posted, come from the now defunct 'Oxford Story' that featured her & her creator - Christ Church College academic & author Charles Dobson aka Lewis Carroll in animated detail - it was an entertaining tourist attraction, now replaced by a Sportswear Shop!!!

My cake from the Celebration Cake Shop is destined to be a repeat too, there was no other choice but this one...

To join True Colours Thursday, all you need, is to post a photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week.
If you simply want to use the idea as a 'prompt' for a post, as I do now, with many memes, that is fine with me.
But, if, you'd like others including me, to visit you, please leave a comment below, so we know you are 'IN'!
Next weeks colour is PUCE, a cross between red & purple - suggested ages ago by Rinkly Rhymes, who plays TCT & again by Jeannie who doesn't but maybe should next week!
And, please remember ideas for forth coming colours would be very welcome!

Wordless Wednesday & Todays Flowers - The First Daffodils!

"There cannot be a crisis next week, my schedule is already full!"

Henry Kissinger
(1923 - ....)

It seems an appropriate quote for me @ the mo; as I continue to lurch from one crisis to another.

But the good news is, my latest one is over!
After tearing my hall & living room apart yesterday, in a frantic search for my lost keys, which revealed nothing except dust, lots of dust & a dead spider and created one big mess to clear up today - I ended up in floods of tears of frustration & berating myself for my carelessness.
I subsequently poured myself a stiff drink and went & had an early night.
In the wee small hours I woke with a start and knew exactly where the *** keys might be.
I'd completely forgotten that on Sunday's walk I'd worn my winter Parka, while yesterday I went out in my leather jacket.
Almost toppling downstairs in my excitement - I retrieved the missing objects from my Parka's deep pockets - phew!
I must have slipped them in there after opening the front door instead of returning them to my handbag as normal.
Now, I feel even more stupid - failing memory is no joke.

Must Do Better!

After my Boxing Day incident - found collapsed in a city loo, bleeding, that left me robbed, with memory loss & meant days in hospital, I'd hoped to make a new, a good start in 2010!

But, already this year is not going to plan.

First I had to delay, then cancel my Brighton holiday due to the snow for health & safeties sake.

Then continuing dizzy spells meant I couldn't do my 'Good Dead' this weekend re friends, as feared I'd be more a liability than a help, so stayed home instead - whether I am forgiven, is to be seen.

Yesterday's walk, the first real one in ages went well till today's consequences!

After seeing my doctor & fetching in groceries - no house keys!!!

Looked & looked but locked out & worried was I.

Thankfully, after the visit from the Locksmith the other week, I had the fore-thought - amazing - to put a spare new key in my 'Key Safe' - a remnant from my late Mothers health care days, otherwise I'd be sitting on own doorstep, as even France' /Pussycat Paul are not current key holders yet.

Now, I only have to worry where my lost set of keys are???

Surely I did not leave them in the lock, to be taken by a passer-by???

Another set of new locks is a no-no, the last cost me dear.

On a totally different track - a newish Blogger Feature includes 'Importing Blogs'!!!

Me, the curious checked it out.

It works really well.

So, as I've written ALL my blogs as a Diary of my life, warts & all - I have successfully moved 'My True Colours' posts & comments here so the thread continues.

A Monochrome for Monday - The College Boathouses!

The snows have gone, quite literally washed away by a rainy Saturday.

Yesterday the sun was out & so was I.

After days of house confinement it was lovely to enjoy some fresh air.

It almost felt Spring like!

And, the river was surprisingly tranquil, along this stretch of towpath...

Alieni is creator & host of Monochrome Weekend.

Saturday Photo Hunt - Jiggly!

Host tnchick's prompt had me perplexed re how to approach this weeks word photographically.
I checked, my Concise Oxford English Dictionary for a definition.
"Jiggle, v - Jiggly, adj :-
To move or rock lightly up and down or to and fro in an unsteady, jerky manner".
Next out of curiosity, I entered the word in Google Images - the results were surprising, the female form - Mmm!
A search of my Photo Archives came up trumps!

One very wet Saturday in April 2008, the annual Lords Majors Parade took place.
It made its way through the town towards my evergreen park, which is where I caught up with it.
Amongst the parade's participants were a local group of Belly Dancers, who enthusiastically jiggled their wares & tambourines whilst jiggling their charity collection buckets for donations too.
One lady was particularly jiggly despite the cool damp conditions - I had to admire her exuberance, there was no doubt she enjoyed the dancing, the performance...It is not something I can ever see myself doing mind, fun as it may be!
Guess, I lack the costume, the spunk, the NERVE!

True Colours Thursday - APRICOT, Take 2!

Calling in for coffee this morning with friend & neighbour France' - Pussycat Paul & family are home from their Christmas holiday cum French ski-ing vacation - I spotted her previously un-noticed window box with APRICOT Winter Polyanthus peaking though the now melting snow - poor, poor them...

Hopefully, their snow blanket has protected them from the worse of the recent cold!

On the Winter Front - PP was amazed @ the volume of the white stuff locally.

He'd have liked the same snowfall @ his Alpine Ski resort, as he says fresh snow is the best - I wouldn't know!

Anyway, he was quick to make both our house's front pathways accessible again.

Now, as a Lawyer specialising in 'Accident Litigation' & Junior Partner in one of Oxford's most prestigious Law Firms, he obviously knew what he was doing regarding the consequences re shovelling snow!

And, if any one does slips on mine, I certainly know who to call!!!

Re - me, I'm set to head away for the weekend to help Friends!

Maybe out of touch for a while as it involves moving homes!!!

True Colours Thursday - APRICOT!

Long standing fun participants Doyle & Mollie, selected this weeks nice warming colour.

As they are now enjoying Summer in New Zealand, I'm hoping to see the lovely fresh fruit, as I'm rather partial to it - infact I usually have the deliciously soft 'ready to eat' preserved ones to hand, but when I need a photo, their glass jar is empty - pout!

So, finding other APRICOTs in my present very WHITE world has been a challenge.

Around home, I've retrieved a childhood school form prize no less from my bookshelves, because it's cover fits the bill - it's titles appropriate too...These Carnelian crystal gemstone beads of my Mothers, remind me of small APRICOTS threaded into a necklace...This trinket tray's flowers seem the right shade...And, what about this surprisingly striking Sunrise from the morning before the snows fell...The best I can come up with re that all important cake is this, with it's APRICOT Catherine Wheels...

To join True Colours Thursday, all you need, is to post a photo/photographs & text, or better still both, on the specified colour of the week.
If you simply want to use the idea as a 'prompt' for a post, as I do now, with many memes, that is fine with me.
But, if, you'd like others including me, to visit you, please leave a comment below, so we know you are 'IN'!
For this meme only, I lift my 'Comment Moderation' to help players connect with each other.
Next weeks colour is BLUE & WHITE together!
And, please remember ideas for forth coming colours would be very welcome!

Wednesday Wit - The Dog & the Snowman!

This cartoon made me chuckle...And, after more snowfall over night, plus continued flurries this morning, am sure a fresh wave of snowmen will appear.

Two Fer Tuesday - The Winter Sports Ground!

Sorry but more snow shots I'm afraid for this meme of Jonna's which just requires two or pairs of images!University College's Sports Ground should have been teaming with keen Rugby players on Saturday... Some had obviously trekked in...Only to find more of a Ice Palace rather than of a Sports Pavilion awaiting them...

Although as I said yesterday we have a small thaw, the thickness of the snow, much now compacted into ice means it is going to take quite a while for it to clear away, so making mobility easy.
This is not helped by the fact that in England, we have a nonsensical law that states if you as an individual clear snow/ice from your surrounds and then someone slips & incurs injury, you are liable to prosecution - subsequently, most footpaths including my own remain untouched!
Only 'Official' gritting/salting has happened on the main arterial routes leading into the city, leaving all side roads under a thick very uneven blanket of the now grey stuff still; so much so there has been no mail delivery in my area since the first snows fell last week - not that I'd wish my very nice & friendly Australian postlady cycling/walking in these treacherous conditions - I'm happy to wait for my bills!

Unconscious Mutterings 2010 - # 1!

I use to occasionally do Unconscious Mutterings, the free word association meme hosted by LunaNina - it is fun.
She says...
"Rules are - there are no rules.
There are no right or wrong answers either.
I say ... and you think ... ?
Don't limit yourself to one word responses; just say everything that pops into your head."
And, I personally add, you then ponder my thought process - LOL!

1) Resolutions :: New Year ones made to be broken, two of mine already are, not to drink daily and try to stay positive!!!
2) Page :: Trying to turn a new one, aka, another potential resolution to break!
3) Narrow :: Minded - one thing no one could ever call me!
4) Refuse :: Always hard, I can never so "No", even when deep down I know I should for me!
5) Fountain :: Bellagio's dancing ones in Las Vegas, a fond memory of last years trip!
6) Grunt :: My latest bear Othello, he does as has a growler mechanism.
7) Construct :: New life, badly needed & hopefully in Brighton this year
8) Nightmare :: Failing to sell my delapidated terraced house for a fair price, so making (7) impossibe.
9) Inch :: Too, too many gained recently!
10) Instant :: If only, if only there was a quick fix to (9)!!!

Monochrome & Odd Shot Monday - Icicles!

The forecast weekend snow didn't reach Oxford, we've even signs of a thaw!
Opened my back door that benefits from the mornings bright sunshine to find this dripping above it...Monochrome Weekend's creator & host is Alieni.

Happy Purr-Day Dear Misses Peach!

Being regretably a little, well a lot self obsessed @ the moment, I very nearly missed an important 'family' event.
'Cousin' Misses Peach >(^;^)< or to give her her full Peculiar Aristocratic title "Her Eminence the very Viscountess Peach, the Saturtine of Bow under Bumpstead" is a remarkable Seventeen today... And, no Purr-day celebration would complete without a cake in her favourite shade...
Happy Day sweet vintage pusscat, your blog is a contant delight & our friendship I treasure.

Camera Critters Sunday - My Golden Reindeer!

I'd no true animal photo for today, but having promised BJ to try to continue to post daily so she knows all is well, have had to be inventive!
When it comes to Chocolate, I prefer the Dark side, ie 80% Cocoa beans.
But, it is difficult to find in fun form, so treated myself to as small Lindt Gold [Swiss Milk Chocolate] Reindeer, surprisingly he is still in one piece, so able to venture out...

Saturday Photo Hunt - Bulky!

This week's prompt from host tnchick, in light of the cold, immediately conjured up images of bulky Winter attire.

So I delved into the Photo Archives, for this odd shot of my snow boots...

I really could do with them right now, but they're out on the farm in Saskatchewan, CA!

It's *** Snowing Again!

My blue skies are gone!
They are replaced by snow laden ones, that are already leaking small flakes!
And, the forecast is for a huge dump of the white stuff in my locality this Sunday, with blizzards across the country & severe wind chill being added to the mix!!!
Grrr!
Sure, I am safe & cosy in my own home - no problems there!
But, by rights I should be in Brighton again now - my usual hotel, the Royal Albian, as part of the Britannia Group, having made me an offer I could not refuse to take up.
Although, it's rather, very premature to go flat hunting as my own house isn't going on the property market till early March, I decided to accept, as am always happy visiting there.
So, was set to join Jackson on his weekend walks, his J1 for several fun lunches @ Bills in the week and to put my name down for info @ various Estate Agents - all is now in frozen limbo.
Brighton once away from the promenade is surprisingly hilly with many steep roads and since it had heavy snow much earlier than Oxford and more recent snowfalls, the town according to J1 is seriously treacherous under foot & freezing
She said my decision re cancelling visit was probably for the best, only being wise though, does not sit that well!
But, FOOTNOTE to myself - when apartment hunting seek one on level ground!

Sky Watch Friday - A Wintery Neighbourhood!

Okay - for most North American friends my current posts maybe a joke!
You take Ice & Snow seriously as a matter of course, it is your Winter norm.
While, here in the UK, especially in Oxford, it is a novelty!

As the 'Big Freeze' is set to last, after my snowman building of yesterday, I ventured briefly out just as far as my local convenience store for essentials supplies - these are scenes from my very careful walk under blue, blue skies...

And this is the current view from my kitchen window....