Bills Posts

It seems hardly credible, but here we are with only just over two weeks to go until my 366 project comes to an end. I can almost feel the dawn of the next phase heading towards me. I said the to deliberately put a positive spin on it, because I really don’t see it as an ending, but moving to the next stage of my blog.

I know that I don’t want to stop writing. Even with the periods of writers block (I wonder how many of those there have been over the last 50 weeks) I’ve managed to keep going, and I feel that I have quite a range of potential topics. I’m sure I will be able to come up with something.

I’ve talked a fair bit in my posts about Vlogging, but nothing about podcasts. I tried to do some Audio recording this morning, I wanted to try the voice memo application. It was a bit breezy, and that certainly showed up on the replay, the wind noise over the iPhone’s built in microphone was unacceptable.

I went for another walk at lunchtime. Only a quick one, but this time I took with me a lapel mike. Now the only problem with that was when I tried to use it, it just did not work. The app kept on suspending the recording, so I guess that one is broken. Luckily, I have another – I will try that one tomorrow.

The August edition was loaded with articles associating walks with famous authors. Who doesn’t love Winnie the Pooh and his friends? Have you played Pooh-Sticks? It’s great fun. What would it be to play it off the original bridge in the Hundred Acre Wood. Of Pooh’s friends, Tigger would be the most annoying if it weren’t for Owl (Wol) intervening, the bounciness would drive me up the wall, but I wouldn’t be without either of them because they bring fun and adventure to the day, whilst I like and enjoy Piglets company, I think it is Eyore whom I gravitate towards. If I could just make him laugh once a day, that would be excellent.

George Orwell wrote the two books that I know; 1984 and Animal Farm, I can’t say that I necessarily enjoyed reading them, but they were both absolutely gripping. Would I want to visit the Isle of Jura, where he worked? I think it must be a beautiful part of the world. Certainly excellent for viewing the night sky. Apart from Smith, it’s very difficult to empathise with any of the characters (except perhaps the cart horses).

I’ve been to Edinburgh a couple of times. Once for the Christmas Market, it was very good, but it was massively crowded. Apparently Victoria Street was a model for Diagon Alley, You may not like, or even have read the Harry Potter series, but I have the utmost respect for J.K. Rowling. There is no doubt that the books are very readable at one point we had to buy two copies of the books because we didn’t want to share. We enjoyed watching the TV series – Strike. Hopefully they will do more.

I’ve never done any of the walks in the magazine, but I do enjoy reading about them. Another aspect to walking is Geocaching. I did one this morning, it was very well concealed, but it was easy to find. It’s in a location where people would be unlikely to see accidentally. There appear to be quite a few caches in Gosport, I should put some effort in to finding them. No idea what Geocaching is? I might need to do a piece on it.

The rather spectacular sight of the Golden Horizon coming in to Portsmouth Harbour, understandably, not under sail although that would be even more spectacular, if not at all practical. The Golden Horizon is the largest sailing cruise ship in the world. An absolute pleasure to see it come in.

The timing wasn’t right. I went to the cockle pond and did a salinity report (slightly above normal, but not excessively so). I got back to the waterfront well in time to see the Golden Horizon. That delay meant that I was later getting home than usual. Elayne was forced by the cats to give them breakfast.

That was my morning walk done, I also try and go for a lunchtime walk. That, at least gets me out for a bit. I’ve also decided that I would quite like to do an evening walk as well, if possible of course. But that really does mean a change to my routine. Having just now gone out for an evening walk I’m finding that I can’t do everything. The one thing I am not prepared to surrender is bedtime.

I wanted to go for a walk but it had been raining a fair bit during the day. It was too warm to wear a raincoat, so I took a brolly with me. I did to use it two or three times, but it was absolutely fine.

When I got to the end of Stokes Road I had a decision, I could either turn to the left and follow my normal route and go straight on and go somewhere else. I thought that it was the weekend so I should go somewhere different. In the past we have only ever walked past the old part of Annes Hill Cemetery. I’ve never been in any deeper than the front entrance. I didn’t know if we could even go any further deeper in to the cemetery than the initial driveway. As it happens, a route has been cleared along several pathways, so that it’s possible to almost walk the perimeter of the grounds.

It was interesting to walk around given that it is a cemetery, but it is an absolute haven for butterflies and insects. I stayed there long enough to do a Big Butterfly Count. There were lots of Marbled White which were easy to identify from a distance, and I think Meadow Brown, mostly though it was difficult to identify some from a distance. But, there were lots. Notwithstanding that it is a cemetery, and therefore a place of sadness and memory, there are things that make it come a live and an absolute delight to visit.

At just under four miles, it was a very pleasant walk.

I went for a walk at 6PM this evening. First time in quite a while I’ve been out at that time of the day. The contrast is with the morning.

Of course the light was different, but the main differences were that there were people around, lots more people. Out strolling, or on a mission to a social event. I did my normal walk anti-clockwise. Along Stokes there are a number of food places. As I walked along, there was a mix of Thai, Chinese, Kebabs, Burgers assailed my senses. I found a geo-cache, only my second one, but nicely found. Sadly, I didn’t have a pen to write in the log book, but I will Monday. I then walked on down to the cockle ponds. There I paused for a while to look at the pond life, and there was lots of it. There were some translucent fish swimming around at lower levels, but there were some small creatures, sadly I have no idea what they are, but for their size what impressed me was the speed at which they moved. For some reason, my mind was drawn to the film “Blade Runner”, a science Fiction starring Harrison Ford, it was the city scape, and the flying cars I could imagine the chaos, and all that life in the pond running around on their projects – whatever they are it was fascinating.

I took a swing past the bit of water adjacent to the start of the Gosport Ramparts;

I wanted to see if the Cormorants were there. They weren’t but the egret was, I had another go at trying to get a picture, but it is way too nervous. Just won’t let you get near. Just beyond the bridge over this stretch of water, I noticed a flock of sparrows that were flitting between to bushes, pausing on the roof of a nearby building – either resting or keeping a watch out for threats, they seemed very busy. The promenade itself wasn’t very busy but the approach to the ferry ramp certainly was. I walked up the high street, and my senses were once again attacked by the smell of cooking, I must admit I am craving Kebab meat and chips, with some Mayo on – I didn’t succumb tonight, but I am very likely to soon. Outside the Lord Nelson, there were two groups of people, sat at tables with beer, I really wanted to take a picture of them, but lacked the courage to ask them. Why didn’t I? I’m sure it would have been a good picture.

It taught me a lesson. I’ve lost that shot, perhaps I may get another chance in the future. I was walking by the Snooker hall the two blokes in the B&W picture were sat outside having a smoke – I would have preferred them to be having a pint, but there you go. I approached them, explained I was in to street photography, asked if they would mind if I took their picture – there response was brilliant, yeah, not a problem. Just goes to show doesn’t it. You don’t get if you don’t ask. On the other hand, if you do ask you are very likely to get.

This time two years ago, our impending 2020 trip to China was really beginning to take shape in our minds. As time moved on and Covid-19 was really beginning to raise its ugly head the the thought of not going was very near changing from a possibility to a likelihood through to a certainty, we had a decision point where that likelihood turned in to an absolute certainty – we were not going to China. The dissappointment was palpable.

It was around then that I thought of the fantasy holiday. If we couldn’t really go to China, we would go virtually. The wonder of the virtual holiday, is that you can do what you want. Even ignore the rules of physics – I don’t think I did that though, I think I kept everything as real time as possible. But, I did take certain licenses, such as commandeering The Queen Elizabeth for the entirety of the journey, and the captain was at our beck and call. And, we could go wherever we want. that was fun. I’m not sure whether I was doing it for my facebook friends or me, Actually, really it was for me, it gave me a focus for my writing. I enjoyed doing it. Of course, I had to bring it to an end, and I did so to allow enough time for Christmas.

I like America, there are lots of places I would like to visit. As were coming to the end of Fantasy Holiday 2020 (FH20) I started to think that I wanted to do it again, so I fairly quickly decided that FH21 would be a tour of the 50 continental USA states, excluding Hawaii and Alaska.

That allows us to get home in time for Christmas. We are now in Week 30, so well past the halfway point. I’m wondering if I want to do an FH22. I do have an idea, and I am thinking about it.

I wanted to wean my facebook friends off that medium, and come to my block. I haven’t been that successful – perhaps I haven’t tried hard enough, but as it happens, it’s worked out fine.

These last few days it has been hot. Almost uncomfortably so, but I have managed. I hope you have as well. Only a few days ago, we were moaning about the amount of rain we were having. I’ve spent a period time in an environment where you can pretty much guarantee that it will be light at 0700, dark at 1900 and in between it will be bright, hot unremitting sunlight. I think once, it rained. Very briefly, hot large droplets and it lasted 5 minutes. I didn’t enjoy it, not just the heat, the predictability.

Whilst the uncertainty about weather may drive up us the wall, I would not have it any other way. I love the variability. It could have rained at any time today (I knew it wouldn’t), the forecasters do have some credibility – just a bit.

I’ve always said that my least favourite season is summer. My heat tolerance has always been low. When I was quite young, I got into a situation where I got a dose of sunstroke. That put me off any extended exposure. It’s not that I’m becoming acclimatised to summer, these last two mornings in particular have made me realise that all the seasons have their own characteristics that can be enjoyed.

There were two points in this mornings walk, as I was crossing Clarence Road, next to the tavern I can look down toward the Spinnaker and the lipstick. There was a quality of light on those two buildings, that I’ve seen that light in other places; the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands. Then as I was walking along the promenade, the warmth, the waterfront I could have been in anyone of those places. A visitor coming here has so much opportunity, things to see, history to experience – all through the year (I have to maintain the weather link).

I was going to try and make a grand ending, but it didn’t work. Just enjoy the weather, whatever it is!

This house is at the side of Spring Garden Lane. It’s next to the railway station. In times gone past the railway line would have gone over this road. The people lived here in Queen Victoria’s time would have been a part of history. They would have seen trains going past in to the Navy’s victualling facility at Clarence Yard. They would have seen Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and their entourage passing through on their way to catch the boat over to Clarence House, and they would have been part of that day in 1901, when the passing by of Queen Victoria’s Coffin signalled the end of an era.

This is one of the many places in Gosport that has a role in history. Places and times to explore.

I’m having a quiet time, sitting in a swinging chair under the awning of our shed, watching the light as the evening draw in, listening to the birds singing, and the clatter of talon against wood as the pigeons try to work out how they can get from the roof of the bird table into the food tray, with enough room for only one of them. They manage it though.

Every so often, a sparrow or a starling takes a low, fast pass over the garden, I don’t know if it is to check it out for food or hazards, or if they really are on a mission to somewhere else in the area. Apart from the plants and the leaves of the trees rustling in the very gentle, almost non-existent breeze, the garden is quite still.

I came out earlier this afternoon and spent 15 minutes where I am now, getting up occasionally to go and look at a butterfly. I’ve started doing the Big Butterfly Count again this year https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/ I loved doing this last year, and was determined to take part again. They have an excellent app. Today, I saw three small whites and a small copper, About this time of year, we are due to start seeing Painted Ladies. Can you believe that the butterfly you see, may very well have come from the Sahara? Isn’t nature amazing?

Soon, as the evening light draws in, it’ll be reasonable to start looking out for stars at a reasonable time.

Should it be easy to write? I suppose that depends upon the individual. The thing is that you need something to write about. Even if its writers block.

Whether it is here, or my facebook account, I need things to write about. Mostly, the morning is easy. It only gets a bit difficult if I haven’t gone for a walk, then I have to think something up. Otherwise, I have my observations from the walk, my observations of the menagerie and of course the Fantasy Holiday (week 29 now, Maine).

Now there you see is the crucial word, used twice in the last paragraph. Apart from some wildlife, there is one area where I haven’t been very good, and that is plant life. I think I could do more in both wildlife and plant life, but I am no good with plants. But, there’s an app that could help me with that.

Nature is such an obvious subject to observe, but I don’t think that I’ve added it as one of my interests, perhaps because there are aspects of it that I observe and comment on every day. But not to a very high level. Now, don’t start thinking that I am going to get in to botany or zoology because I don’t need to. It’s just what I see. I take a massive delight in seeing the birds, and it is lovely to see a nice flower, especially a wild one.

I need to work on my observation skills.

I’ve watched a few of the videos made by Ali Abdaal, he’s a doctor who has got heavily in to media, YouTube primarily, here’s a link to his channel; https://www.youtube.com/c/aliabdaal. He’s done extremely well out of YouTube. One of his videos recommended three books;

• Steal like an Artist – Austin Kleon
• Show your work – Same author
• The war of Art – Steven Pressfield

Actually, he didn’t recommend Steal like an Artist, but it precedes show your work and it made sense to buy it. They weren’t expensive and they are the kind of book that only takes a couple of hours to read. I’m 3/4 of the way through the first one. It is not critical book despite the perception that the title might give. It talks about how artists get their inspiration, and how you can become inspired in the same way.

I haven’t started the second book yet, but it follows a similar principle. I think in the case of both Books, I am seeking in a way to take away some of my conservative (with a small ‘c’) inhibitions. I was walking down the high street and there was a pile of litter, dispersed in a certain way. I wanted to take a picture, low level, with the camera on the ground. I looked around, there was only one other person on the street, he was easily a couple of hundred yards away. But that was enough. I didn’t take the photo. I thought “He’ll think I’m weird”, I was embarrassed to be in the position of wanting to do something that wasn’t normal. The picture may have been rubbish (yes, yes, I know) but I’ll never know because I was either afraid, or too embarrassed to do what I wanted. Why? You’d think would you – (and I’ve talked about this in a previous post – can’t remember the number) when I bought the dictaphone in Berlin, and was then too embarrassed to walk down the Kurfürstendamm making audio notes in case people thought that I was talking to myself and was therefore mad. What a joke that turned out to be. Everybody is now wandering everywhere, talking in to little boxes. I need to release my inhibitions – just a tad, not too much.

The third book, the War of Art, is mostly about defeating procrastination. That’s something that I think I suffer from. I do a little bit, I don’t think it’s extreme, but there are times when I avoid doing things until I have to do them. I’m not ready to read that one yet (no, I’m not procrastinating about the book. I have something else to do.

It’s magazine time again. This month’s issue of Country walking has turned up, and it looks interesting. Apart from my Breakfast book, I shall be focussing on that for the next couple of days. My breakfast book? I’ll write about that in a bit.