Tag Archives: blackberries

A Nice Day For A Walk

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I haven’t walked to work along the canal for the past couple of weeks. Early starts and unusual weather have meant I’ve not been able to do so. But this past Friday I managed to get myself organised and headed down the hill, backpack on, looking forward to the walk.

It takes me just over half an hour to get to the office when I walk, and it’s a time for me to think and clear my head. The canal, despite being close to a main road and crossed by a major trainline, is a quiet place. Birds sing, water laps, leaves rustle. It is green and lush at this time of year, the water still and smooth.

Cows were beneath the hawthorn trees, and the tiny cygnets I’d seen only weeks ago were now almost swans (although still very fluffy).

The old tree stump seat was almost overgrown with brambles and nettles, while the roses growing up the side of the old lock-keeper’s cottage had bloomed.

There were new boats moored along the way, some of them with bright potted gardens and unusual decorations.

I also found some fragments of pottery, blue and white. Probably over a hundred years old, little pieces of history tumbled among the flint and gravel, treasure to no one but me.

Along one stretch I walk on a narrow strip of land, the canal to one side of me and, hidden beyond a hedge, an angler’s lake to the other side. It’s an interesting feeling, almost like walking on water, even though I know the earth beneath me is solid.

I also found inspiration on my walk, a couple of blog posts and some more plotlines coming to me. I’ve been missing my old freedom these past few months – while I’m enjoying my new job and all that comes with it, I miss the time I had in the past to just walk and think. So I’ll make sure to do the canal walk regularly from now on.———————————————————————————————-If you enjoyed this post and would like to read more, you can find me on Twitter @AuthorHelenJ,  Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest. Plus my latest book release, A Thousand Rooms, is now available on Amazon. Visit my Amazon Author Page to see more.

 

Of Blackberries and Back To School

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IMG_3404The gorgeous girl started back at school today. I know, it’s odd to start back on a Friday, but that’s how the school has chosen to schedule it this year (I think we get an extra day off somewhere else). And it’s kind of nice, in a way. Only one day at school means that, after the shock of an early start this morning, we then have the weekend to recover and get ready for the week ahead. And it wasn’t so bad. We even left the house early – though a blister from the new school shoes meant our walk was a bit slower than usual.

IMG_3389And now I miss her. I know I write about this every time she goes back to school, but it’s true. For me the end of summer holidays is bittersweet. I miss the golden days, the feeling of having no schedule and nowhere particular to be. I miss the time spent with her, because I know that next summer she will be different, and the older she gets the less likely it is she’ll want to hang out with me. Ever since she started school I’ve felt this way. Still, I count my blessings and get on with things.

And I do have a lot to get on with. Work needs to pick up again, so I will be getting back to writing and pitching and formatting, getting my next book ready to publish. There’s promotion and scheduling and all that stuff, plus catching up with my bloggy pals and seeing what you’ve all been up to over the summer.

IMG_3412So what have I done today, on my first day alone since July? I went blackberrying. I do this every year, and usually make a big batch of jam then freeze the leftover berries, perfect for crumbles and cheesecakes through the winter months. And I did well. I took four containers with me, which I thought was a bit optimistic, but honestly, I could have filled a couple more. The berries were huge, hanging in clusters almost like grapes and falling into my hands. I have the first batch of jam on the go right now, the rest of the berries washed and bagged and into the freezer.

So. This is a bit of a rambling post, but it’s been a bit of a rambling day, wandering the country lanes. I’m away this weekend, then Monday will see me back to work. Looking forward to it!

And what have you been up to? Is it back to school in your world? Or are you simply lamenting the end of summer? Happy weekend, everyone 🙂

In The Hedgerows

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Today we braved the rain, the wasps and thorns and nettles, even the occasional spider. We walked along muddy paths with trees dripping above, laughing at each other, faces damp inside our hoods. We searched for treasure, night dark, glistening among the green leaves.

And we found it.

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Sweet and tart, nature’s bounty, tumbling from the hedgerows. So ripe that some were rotting on the brambles, left for birds and insects or trampled underfoot.

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Does anyone pick blackberries any more?