It's been a long year...

With 6 weeks to go to the end of term I've been taking stock of the events of the last academic year. 

From the autumn term when I still felt sad about leaving friends 

and colleagues...

...but excited too about the new developments in my life and career.

To the cold winter when although things were going well I still felt daunted by the task ahead of me, 

a little frozen in time.

Bu then there were signs of spring and I felt my confidence, 

in me, begin to grow;

 with support from others who believe in me and the things I wish to achieve...

...before finally, this term, feeling like the blue sky is starting to appear and I feel like this is a path I was always meant to tread...

...and that although I have only left a faint trail...

...I hope that over time, it will be become clearer for others to see, 

and for them to follow...

...until it is no longer a trail, but a road well travelled...

Signs of Spring

Annual family snowdrop walk today; a beautiful clear blue sky day-enough to lift the spirits on its own but then add in some glorious spring sights and it left us all feeling more alert, healthier and happier...

 

Half term has gone so fast but with the return to school is a return to longer days and warmth in the sun and a sense of excitement and energy-that the best is yet to come...

Time together

Its been a busy few weeks, finishing with some schools and pupils and making a start with others but we managed to grab some time to head out as a family and do some exploring at the newly opened Brockholes Nature Reserve http://www.brockholes.org/about.

Amongst our finds were a giant foxglove...

A piece of wood that looked like it could have been a weapon but was actually used to film the local wildlife, look out Charlie Hamilton James!!!

We completed the spring nature trail...

...and finally found a woodlouse which led to great excitement for at least one of the party!

Sadly the last minibeast on the list, the shield bug, eluded us, so watch out...we'll be back!

Only 6 sleeps til the end of term and lots of time to explore together, but maybe not as together as this...

Spring Flowers

Went on our favourite snowdrop walk on Sunday, and it wasn't that the snowdrops were past their best, more that they had been outshone by the crocuses and the daffodils! Hence Cj has filled the camera with numerous shots, but at least in the digital age its easy to pick the best, as above and delete the rest.

I'm not a great fan of children mixing with technology too much-in fact theres a no tv on school days rule and a 2 hour screen time limit at weekends which makes me pretty strict according to my two.

However Cj spent a happy two hours looking closely at her surroundings, thinking about what makes a good composition, trying to create a few arty shots...

...and enjoying the beauty around her.

Maybe just a little technology can be a good thing, only don't tell my two I said that!!

Thrushes galore

Another observation by C this morning-2 song thrushes on the green. We have never had thrushes locally until the last 12 months-I'm guessing the cover wasn't right before with there being no mature trees as its a newish estate. Last year we began to get regular visits from a mistle thrush, singing its heart out from the roof tops and then in the last few months we have seen song thrushes around occasionally. Imagine our joy at finding some broken open snail shells in our front garden last week-maybe my salad leaves will be safe at last!!!

That's provided the thrushes hang around now all the bushes have been cut back to the barest branches by the council,at least its been done before any of the birds should have started prospecting for nest sites-although the blue tits have already been surveying our nest box so love is definitely in the air already for some birds...