2025 Catch up

 2025 Combe Martin, in no particular order.

Low tide on Newberry beach, the summer dog beach just round the corner from the main beach.

              

Hunting of the Earl of Rone, May bank holiday.
I'm still a bit confused as to what went on, but for 4 day's the villagers marched round the village dancing and drumming, whilst looking for the Earl, they found him on Monday, marched him down the village to the beach, backwards on a donkey, then threw him in the sea.

They marched past our house several times, the last photo is taken from my balcony of the school with the children congregating for their part of the march.

            

The sunsets are spectacular from the main beach.

                                                   

      The family came to visit, we had breakfast at Bobby bakes, well worth a visit if you come for a trip.

                                               

Then Fred & James took us to Cornwall to celebrate our joint wedding anniversary's for the night. We stayed at Gurnard Head, which is a bright orange dog friendly hotel. On the way home we went to the Eden project.

                   Siri's family came to visit, then they came back again for a second visit.

Summer sunset, watching the sun go down with a bottle of wine, what more could you want in life.

The beach is spectacular with caves and rock pools and the dogs absolutely love it.

         

                        

I spent months clearing the ivy out of the front garden, cut the corner of the lawn off so we can squeeze 2 cars on the drive. Siri had to be taught "off the flowers"

                        

                           And we had a new balcony balustrade as the old one was rotten and dangerous.

Lots of other small things happened, none of them truly memorable, but they all add up to a perfect summer on the beach, in the garden with our family.

Life is very different here, we used to have an extensive social life that I sometimes miss and knew every face in the village. 

We don't have it here, we know and chat to our neighbours, we chat to tourists on the beach, life is very easy, there are no expectations, I finally feel at peace.

Photo's on my phone 25th April to 8th of May 2024

 Good morning Blog

Time for another "Photo's on my Phone"
All the photo's are unedited, normally I brighten them up, but its been so dark and gloomy, it will be good to compare when the sun finally arrives.

Evening dog walks in The Valley of Rocks (which is 10 minute walk from front door). 

There is a touch of green on the hills, hopefully spring is finally here.

 

 

We celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary with a road trip, both of us love driving so a road trip is always a big treat. This time we went over the border into Cornwall to Charlestown, just outside St Austell. We have a lot of local St Austell Brewery pubs, so decided we would got to test it in its hometown. It rained .... at lot, but we had a lovely pub lunch, the beer was good and the dogs enjoyed the sea!!

My current wip, its the stones on Lee bay beach, I like the close up detail but not sure about the overall image.

It's an A2 drawing, watercolour background, details are drawn with acrylic pen. Acrylic pens are a wondrous invention, minimum mess, maximum coverage. I can't be trusted with paint, I end up wearing most of it in an effort to protect my project.

An evening at our local doggy play barn with a couple of friends. Siri, Milo & Edith are ball obsessed, Tinks & Lulu happily wandered around in the background doing their own thing.

Sunday dog walk on the moor with Mummy, the dogs and grandboy's, we found a lizard, but it was gone before I could take a photo. Poor Bert was distraught he's missed it, he was too busy shouting to get Siri out of a gorse bush.

On Saturday I attended the Lyn Valley market at the town hall, it was the first the day the sun had shone for a long time, so not many people, however surprisingly I sold quite a lot.

My next town hall market is the first Saturday in July (not sure of the exact date.)

Bank holiday Monday on Dunster beach, Grandpa and the boys made sand castles and I put my feet in the sea for the first time this year.

You might wonder why there are so many of the photo's feature Siri, he is not just a dog, he is so much more. Like my previous German Shepherds he wants to be part of everything I do and needs my constant attention. Its more like having another small child, but at the same time he is my comfort dog, he gives me love, loyalty and support

Without him I struggle to leave the house on my own, crippled with anxiety and self doubt, but with him by my side I can go anywhere, do anything, be anything I want.