Walking on the Wildside

Over the Christmas holiday I had a walk along the Raven towards Park Head.
A weir along the Raven just out of Kirkoswald.

The Raven was fast flowing due to the recent rainfall

This avenue of tree is dramatic.

A straight track

Look at the moss on the wall.

A sign of good air quality

Look at this fungus.

It looks like a saucer

A circular walk around Ambleside in misty weather still produced some stunning views.
The walk started through Rydal Park.

A stone sculpture

Looking towards Rydal Water.

Atmospheric

Builder's join in the festive spirit.

What you can do with some warning tape

A view beyond the bracken.

Looking towards Grasmere

Mist clings in the valley.

Russet bracken

Look at the strata.

Rugged rocks

The view looking towards Ambleside.

This should have been a dramatic view

Descending off the hillside.

Look at the reflection in the water

Christmas Continued

I have put up my Christmas decorations at home this week. I have some very old traditional decorations.

Yo ho ho

The pottery snowman I made several years ago, not long after I started at my pottery classes.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

This pasta tree decoration was made by my daughter at infant school. 

As adults they still look for their favorites

I made this robin and holly mobile with the Alston Art Group. Mobiles are not as easy to make as they look.

Robins and holly now on display in the Artful Garden

I have been helping with the Christmas flowers in church.

Greenery and artificial poinsettia

Foliage and sparkle

Amaryllis on the altar

Sheep with a dramatic view.

Bleak and dramatic

A very old tin structure near Hartside summit.

I wonder if it is an old railway goods carriage

The Pedal and Paint milepost at Hartside summit.

A landmark you are delighted to see if you have cycled a long way

A stunning sunrise.

Golden hues

Christmas will soon be here.

Christmas Cheer

Christmas has arrived in the Artful Garden. The scarecrows are wearing Santa suits. New this year is a paper mache robin, poppy seed head characters and a robin mobile. If you live near Kirkoswald look over the wall and see the cheerleaders looking back at you.

The angels are the I made with the school children

Yo ho ho

Angels made from poppy seed heads

I made this wreath using poppy seed heads

Duo Recycleo looking very festive

Baabaara wearing her Santa suit

Crazy Maisie has had too much Christmas dinner

Bobby Barley wearing his Christmas suit

Charlie Barley and Looby Loo

Crazy Maisie on the booze

My robin mobile hanging in the apple tree

My latest paper mache robin

The dull days are not good for taking photos.

Happy Christmas to all my readers.

Leeds Lights

I still have a few things growing on the allotment that I can harvest, leeks, broccoli, kale and red cabbage. I have now removed the nets that were protecting them. 

Ready for harvesting

Although they have club root they are still growing

 I had a trip to Leeds. It was looking very festive.

A giant Christmas tree

Dior's Christmas display.

Don't look at the price tags

There are some lovely arcades in Leeds.

Victoria Arcade

The Lego man is very festive.

We're walking from the snow

This chicken is hoping to stay put for Christmas.

Cluck if in luck

My pottery houses stand out in the garden now that the plants have died back.

A study in blue

A dainty birdhouse

The dying red hot pokers look like shepherd's crooks.

All hooked up

The tiny viola's are resisting the frost.

Pretty faces

Mist hanging in the Eden Valley. 

Atmospheric 

Snow and Sun

I had a wonderful walk around Ennerdale last weekend. The ground was frozen and the lake looked superb.

Looking towards the lake

Snow capped hills

Frost on the dried flower heads adds a new beauty.

Frozen in time

Look at the detail of the moss and lichen.

Moss, heather and bracken

Fungus are still surviving in the cold weather.

Black and nibbled

Can you see the elephant in this lichen?

An elephant came marching

This sunset was one of the best I have seen.

Vibrant

Glowing

A trip to Alston yesterday revealed the beauty of the Eden Valley.

Looking towards the Lakeland hills

Look at the field patterns

The heavy snow of last week still lingers on Hartside summit.

Heavy drifts of snow

Dimpled snow

I saw this elk in a shop in Alston.

Elk,elk

A Polish puppet theatre.

Wesołych Świąt

Looking across to Cross Fell.

The snow lingers

The leaves have fallen off the apple tree. The few remaining apples look like tree baubles.

Just hanging

I have been busy making my Christmas cakes.

Not long to go now

These are two new designs I have added to my Etsy shop.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/magscreatesandmakes?ref=hdr_shop_menu

This is a card and also a tree decoration

This is a card  and also a tree decoration

 I have also redesigned my shop logo.