It’s been almost 3 weeks since we got our little Cavapoo floof, Freyja. Feels like longer!! Let’s of ups and downs, had forgotten how painful puppy chomping is!! My hands are full of wounds and swollen 😂
She has had her 2nd jab done, so on Wednesday she can finally go for her first on the floor walk, but only pavements. In a month she has a booster and 3 weeks later can go anywhere. Really looking forward to that.
Here are some pics.
Helping in the garden Notcutts In the carTeefies Who? Me?Destroyer of Dandelions More teefies
She is such a funny and affectionate little girl, and is so clever. She has picked up her training so well.
Its been a little while since I’ve put anything on here, haven’t really been myself to be honest. Its been tough losing 4 pets, and then losing a surrogate pet as well on top of that. Plus friends passing away and family members, didnt do much good for my mental health!
Am working on a piece so be patient with me. Until then here is my fundraising page and some of my pics
Beaver Moon in November, Cromer Beaver Moon across the North Sea at Cromer Sunset at West Runton Sunset at West Runton Sunset at West Runton Sunset from the cliffs at West Runton Peacock at Alby Crafts California poppyNeedle felting for a friend To those who died so I could live Needle felted gonkNeedle felted penguin The gang
If you follow my blog then you have probably read what happened last Sunday at the beach. I’m not a shrinking violet and generally stand up for myself, however, even being me, I took a step back and didn’t. I am glad I made that decision and chose my fight wisely!
Depression and anxiety is something I have lived with many years, more so depression, until I lost my Mam suddenly 3 years ago, then anxiety properly kicked in.
I have kind of just got on with it over the years, had good times had bad times, like everyone really. Life was what it was. However after Mam died I ended up leaving a job I absolutely loved with a conservation charity that I adored, I sadly didn’t have the right support at the time I needed it, from who I needed it from, and it broke me (I had support from a lot who really mattered and meant a lot, but they couldn’t sort what needed sorting). But you know what, that was then, this is now and everything happens for a reason and I am now working in another job that I adore, working as a peer support worker in mental health, using my negative experiences to bring positivity to others that might be struggling. If I make a difference to just 1 person then I have done my job as a person right!
Anxiety can display itself in many guises and there is so much more than I realised, it’s not all just lumped into “anxiety”. I’m not going to go into all of them as Dr Google can answer that for you 😉 I myself have a level of social anxiety, general anxiety, and cptsd (complex post traumatic disorder) of which presents itself in different forms.
Ok work not school, I’m too bloody old!! Pic from internet
Anxiety also affects our physical wellbeing. It causes stress and tension, exacerbating physical ailments one may already have, for example I have arthritis and when my anxiety is bad my joints hurt so badly! My shoulders and neck tense and hurt, I can shake and shiver, I can’t string a sentence together, I can’t move sometimes, I cry with frustration and anger. The list is endless, and because we are all so different, it can present itself to us differently.
When I feel myself slipping from being well, such as last Sunday, I was back into my hyper vigilance, that I had beaten with therapy, so that made my anxiety worse, thinking I was going backwards, even though I knew I wasn’t. I became alert, I was pacing, I couldn’t relax incase he came back!
I have spent this week whilst working also, spending time doing things that make me happy.
What makes me happy… The beach… The sea… Painting… My pets (including those we have lost in the last year!)… Crafts… Nature… Walking and music!
I haven’t managed to get to my happy place due to work, but will at the weekend. Here are some pictures to show you what I love and what has kept me going. (All mine unless stated otherwise.)
Maisie (RIP) bodyboarding with my daughter AnnaSpook (RIP) & Maisie (RIP) hope they’re playing together 😭Elvis (RIP) & WaffleMacy Grey Bestest Buds Sharon and Steve. You have no idea how much you have keot me going all these months Shaz 💜 love ya xVery first painting I ever did. Transporter Bridge. Thanks Grandma xWalk around the field at sunset My gorgeous wife, and my face at the goon last Sunday 😂Walking around our local field In our lil pondRuby tailed wasp Silver washed fritillary WalcottSand Martins at CovehitheTitchwellI recently discovered Chelcee Grimes’s music accidentally, and she is an incredibly talented singer and songwriter, as well as footballer! She is right up there with my all time favourite writer Diane Warren (both these photos of Chelcee and Diane were stolen from the Internet lol)
We arranged to meet up with two of our good friends, Mark and Rachel (not a couple!) today, but owing to a mix up of erm sites, we were in Norfolk and they were in Suffolk 😂😂
Lou and I had a lovely walk through half of the meadow, then a bit of sandy wall and into Fen Hide. Caught sight of a rather large grass snake (probably a good thing Mark wasn’t there!) as it lobbed itself into the undergrowth.
We were the only people in fen hide and we sat watching a gorgeous juvenile marsh harrier sitting in a nearby tree, and doing short flights calling to Mum! There was also a reed warbler darting about (when the marsh harrier wasnt up!).
After leaving fen hide, we headed back along sandy wall towards the River Yare and common lizards were basking themselves along the wood joists, it was lovely to see.
We sat and had a drink and ate our raspberries (we are off to Meales of Stalham to pick more tomorrow!) watching butterflies and dragonflies flying around, was so peaceful.
We then walked along the river towards the Pump House (on being restored), watching holiday makers sailing past, and watching more insects. We were treated to a few Roesel’s Crickets, Meadow Grasshoppers, various spiders, various butterflies, bees and a few random moths. Lovely!
When we reached the pump house we were treated to the Highland Cattle in the field opposite, truly beautiful cattle. Again, more butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies, hoverflies, bees, beetles and birds.
We sat on the new-ish owl watching seat for a while, and there was a poo underneath , Lou said she thought it was water vole, I think hedgehog. Didn’t take a picture for prosperity 😂 however, there was an owl pellet underneath too, so I guess the owls are using the owl watch point too 😂🦉
When we went into the woods, it was a smorgasbord of baby birds!! Spotted Flycatcher, treecreepers, nuthatch, marsh tit… To name but a few!
Ruby Tailed Wasp Black and yellow longhorn beetle Roesel’s Bush Cricket Baby common lizard Common lizard Silver washed fritillary sticking its tongue out! Silver washed fritillary Mason Wasp aka The Tube Wasp (Ancistrocerus gazella) Yellow loosestrife beeYellow loosestrife bee
As you can see it was a good day for sightings really.
Birds – Marsh Harrier, wren, blackbird, robin, reed warbler, reed bunting, treecreepers, nuthatch, spotted flycatcher, grey heron, marsh tit, buzzard, plus some am probably forgetting!
Butterflies – silver washed fritillary, red admiral, gatekeepers, small white, large white, brimstone, meadow brown, ringlet, comma, painted lady, peacock, speckled wood… Think that’s them all!
Dragonflies and Damselflies – emperor, norfolk hawker, brown hawker, migrant hawker, blue tailed damsel, comman blue damsel, azure damsel, common darter, ruddy darter
Bees / wasps / beetles / flies – yellow loosestrife bee, common carder, all the bumbles, mason wasp, common wasp, hornet hoverfly, marmalade Hoverfly, the footballer Hoverfly, devil’s coach-horse beetle, scorpion fly plus so many more…
What a weekend! Most of it was lovely. Worth a 2.5 hour drive for Saturday.
Stopped at the Jet garage to fill up, I love to support a local business, plus I take my car there to get fixed.
Anyway, I followed this car in, into where there are 2 empty petrol pumps, the old boy stops at the first one, leaving me sitting.. So I asked him if it would be better if he moved forward so we can both get in. He was really grumpy and was having a go. I was really grumpy so retorted! He drove off! When I went in to pay, apparently he does it often! Tool!
We then pootled along to Bawdsey in deepest darkest Suffolk and OMG its stunning. Reminded us so much of Lepe and Calshot in the new forest. The only thing missing was Bills Ice Cream Van!!! Les, you gotta go to calshot and have an ice cream!!!
After Bawdsey we took a pootle along to Shingle Street, another place we have never been. There were Linnets, Meadow Pipits, butterflies, lots of people and skylarks.
We were also on the hunt for fossils. Enjoy the pics.
Not sure what this plant is. Was on the dunes at Shingle Street Sea peas – Shingle Street Difficult to show, but this is my best pic of a skylark, and because I havent downloaded it onto the laptop , Ive taken a pic of a pic. I promise the actual photo is crystal clear. Rather tatty but gorgeous Yellow Shell Moth on toadflax – our garden Honeybee going into the flower by the nack door. Because of the way they eat, these honeybees are making a hole at the very top of the evening primrose flower, so they can then get out what they need. Clever stuff! – our gardenPatchwork Leafcutter Bee with her cutting – our garden Patchwork Leafcutter Bee Cutting leaves Macy
On Sunday we went to West Runton, was lovely. Its the kind of place you forget how much you love it until you’re there! We used to take Maisie our late Cavalier as she loved it there. We also got married there and had some pics taken on the beach. We decided we would sit on the dog side as we rather like it that side. Hope you like the photos 😊
West Runton This guy is gonna be very sore! He said the colour is called english brown 😂Sand hopper lying still so I cant see himBawdsey Bawdsey Another plant we don’t know Chilling PlodgingStill plodgingBawdsey Bawdsey Bawdsey Bawdsey Bawdsey Amazing camper vans parked at Bawdsey Had to sneak this in!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤪🏃🏃♀️🐕🦈Way back when I was 12 I almost drowned next to the Old Victorian Pier, my Granda Johnny Stephenson saved my arse! I had stopped breathing, he got me breathing again. Since that day I have never swam in the North Sea. I have toe dipped, thats it. I will paddle elsewhere but not the north sea. Well… Yesterday I swam! I am so proud of myself. I even wore bikini bottoms, which I have never ever worn before! Pic above to prove! I am incredibly proud of myself. I turned 50 two weeks ago, nice to face things amd reclaim bits of life! Photo taken by L.M.S.Me (short hair) and my wife chilling in the beach tent before swimming ❤️Hm Coastguard flew over waving at us all, they were making sure people weren’t being stupid. We’ve got gherkins!!! WooooSpeckled Bush Cricket on a Corn Marigold in the garden Not sure what this plant is that has developed in our planter 😂😂 suggestions on a postcard!! A smile to end the blog post! Peace out x ✌️🙏💜
I keep meaning to sit and write a blog post but time seems to get away from me. Work is busy which is great, we have released 7 hedgehogs which is fantastic. We’ve been helping a neighbour who broke her knee plus other bits and pieces. Oh yeah, I was ill. I had immense pain in the lower part of the abdomen where my appendix is. It was that acute I found I couldn’t stand, it made me break out in a sweat and nearly fall over a few times. I went to the dr which I really don’t like doing, but needs must! They took blood, am waiting for an ultrasound, but the dr thinks its possibly an infection in my gall bladder!
I was told to go on a no fat diet, which I have and have lost 1 stone 2lbs so far (that I know of..)
I am controlling most of the pain with diet and dihydricodeine at the moment so all good. Have started going back out for walks after being off work for a week, here are a few pics x
This is Munchkin who first came to The Prickly Deli in Oct last year6-Spot Burnet Moth (photo of the viewer on my camera) Daisy released on the world! Donald and Daisy Daisy trying to escape! Hmm… Small Magpie Moth6 spot burnet moth caterpillar Planted these poppies last year in memory of my Mam Sunset across the NDR (Northern Distributor Road / Broadland Northway) Pale Tussock MothPale Tussock Moth7 spot ladybird larvae Kerms is back!! Zebra jumping spider. I just love these little guys n gals, they have the cutest faces!! Zebra jumping spider waving! Spook and Maisie were Friday Floofs on Animal Friends Insurances Instagram on Friday. I miss these guys so much xMacy enjoying the sun, looking like she is sniffing the corn marigold 😂Sunset on the field. May as well try and get the most before they build houses! Vapourer moth caterpillar on the rosesJuvenile nuthatch at Pensthorpe Brown Argus on plantain, at Pensthorpe Reed Warbler at Pensthorpe Garden Warbler at Pensthorpe Baby wrens. The swallows abandoned the nest whilst building, so the wrens took over and finished it with foliage. Looks great. Theay have now fledgedMammy WrenPuzzle hiding!
Thats it for this episode lol. Hope you like the photos, feel free to leave a comment. Take care x
I have always loved a sunset, the swirling colours, the clouds shaping and colluding together, the flowers, the darkness creeping in. The birds singing the giving way to bats chasing insects…
The colours we see are created by something called Rayleigh scattering. It’s the same thing that makes the sky look blue during the day.
I thought I would share some of my favourite ones that I have taken. I hope you like them. PS there are no filters on any of the photos, they are as it was, the only tweak was when I have added text.
Enjoy! Love and light x
Thorpe Marriott fields Ringland Thorpe Marriott fields Breck Farm Lane Our garden St Benets Abbey Cromer H.M.S Trincomalee, Hartlepool Sandymouth, Cornwall Thorpe Marriott fields Sandymouth, Cornwall Thorpe Marriott fields Blythburgh Portishead MarinaSevern Bridge Thorpe Marriott fields Walcott Thorpe Marriott fields Thorpe Marriott fields Not strictly sunset, but just after. Mr Blackbird was singing his heart out at the moon, seemed wrong to not share him with you 🙏A swallow flying at Sandymouth Cornwall Thorpe Marriott fields Thorpe Marriott fields SnapeSnape MaltingsFedden Village, Portishead
Sunset on our patchPlaying with torch light on bluebells Not sure what this insect is yetSulphur Tubic (esperia sulphurella) Flower crab spider Clarkes Mining bee on Dandelion Clarkes Mining bee on Dandelion Yellow archangel Yellow archangel White comfrey One of the cranesbill plantsVery cute Nettle weevil Cherry Gall on Oak. Living up to its name, the cherry gall wasp produces growths, or ‘galls’, on oak leaves that look like red cherries. Inside the gall, the larvae of the wasp feed on the host tissues, but don’t cause a lot of damage.Mollie, our neighbours kitten, checking out our native wildflower patch (corn marigold, borage, lacy phacelia plus herbs) Herb Robert Lords and ladies
Flower MoonThe BroadsThe BroadsSt Benets Abbey (West Gatehouse) St Benets Abbey Night Sky from inside the west Gatehouse of St Benets Abbey Starry sky at St Benets Abbey Sunset St Benets Abbey Red Mason Bees getting jiggy with it
Hi peeps, it’s been a while! Please accept my apologies for lack of writing, havent been in the best of places. Mental health is tough to carry on through, especially when you work in mental health too.
I have found it quite difficult to pick myself up after we lost Spook, I felt like I lost a piece of me. We have lost 3 treasured pets in the last year, and Macy is still struggling as it’s the first time she has been the only 4 legged furry indoors. We shall plod on though. For now I hope you like the photos. Feel free to leave a comment x
Bluebells at Pensthorpe CowslipsForget me nots Tiny pixie cup lichenTufted duck Lapwing with lunch KermitBluebells Lacy phacelia (purple tansy) in our wildflower garden Red Mason Bee on borage in our wildflower garden Hoverfly larvae Young starling rescued from next doors cat. It was ok and made it
If you start to feel your mental health is letting you down, take yourself outside and let nature heal you. Take in the sights, sounds and smells around you, feel it all.
Will do a follow up post as couldn’t fit all my pics in x
Wild Sue's Wilderness 