In the back garden we planted some daffodils. The top picture was earlier on in the year when it was colder. Now all the miniature daffodils have come out. The bottom picture is some flowers that come up each year. It is lovely to see them these are like old familiar friends who you are always glad to see!
The sign post reminds us to have hope in God and never to give up!
Mushroom, Veggie Quorn Sausage casserole on a bed of Colcannon mashed potatoes.
Feeling ambitious, I decided to set off walking along the large circuit that loops around the whole of the village. I began from the cemetery, walking along I admired all the flowers in there, that the visitors had left behind, I saw lots of daffodils dotted about at this time of year and other colourful flowers. The faint scent was lovely wafting on the breeze.
I left the cemetery and walked down the little footpath, this is very popular with the dog walkers, but it is rather overgrown at the moment. I didn't meet a single soul on the way this time! The fields looked lovely and sunny nearby, In the distance when I shielded my eyes I could see the sheep moving around in the next field. The other field on the left was a beautiful meadow, it will be full of wonderful wildflowers, when they do eventually come out. However, today I was out walking the circuit and not field walking. The footpath finally ends, then it joins onto a fairly new housing estate, which many years ago, was once a field for sheep and one for horses, where you once had to climb up a steep grassy hill, as well as having to climb over two stiles! I can still just about remember it. Nowadays, of course It is a concrete footpath to climb up, that cuts up between two housing estates!
Today I was so delighted to see, that they have just put up a brand new bench, on a lovely green grassy slope, overlooking the little wood, the one that I am really fond of, this looks great! People(including me!) will now be able to come and sit there and listen to the beautiful birdsong, coming from inside the woodlands, on a nice sunny day. From here, I continued on along the footpath that led out to the back of the Village Hall car park, this brought me into the market place.
I then crossed the road, becauae I wanted to avoid the village at this time of day, as it looked a bit too busy! so I stuck to the more quieter foot paths, that bordered the fields round the back of the Co-op supermarket and Health centre. Along the way I had spotted lots of lovely flowers, including wild primroses, daffodils, hawthorns and lots of other pretty flowers like king cups, daisies, pink crocus, blue grapes and lots of Anemones so there was a riot of colours all along the footpath! Looks like somebody from around here had been very busy planting them !
Finally, at this point I turned and followed the footpath that joins the road to church street, from here I crossed the road into "Tree lane" which looks lovely and a bit greener today, with all it's magnificent tall trees blowing gently in the breeze. The village green is just nearby, but instead I took a left turn into the short cut, that passes into my street, just behind the church and leads home. I noticed that my neighbour had by this time gone back indoors, with her little doggies, but she had left all her windows open to let in the cool fresh air! Good idea!
Colourful Primroses
Source Open University.
L185. I have submitted my TMA04 presentation this morning on Canals and Rivers!
I could have waited much longer but my nerves just got the better of me and I wanted to send it off straight away. I could have tinkered a bit more with it, but it might not have made a great difference! I managed to get the whole presentation in under 5 minutes, I think it was about 4 minutes 50.something. By myself I used to get it a bit over 5 minutes so that wasn't good enough, so I managed to speak a bit quicker this time!
I feel I did ok all things considered! Now I have to wait for the results to come back. In the meantime I will be reading up on the TMA 05 the final TMA! This next one is about deforestation. I have really enjoyed these subjects of 'Health" and 'The Environment' it has been most enlightening!
God is our father, so let us rely on him all the more and he will bring us through, so have hope and trust in God!
And we shall overcome!
Because He is our Good Father.
📖 🕯🙏
It is a nice sunny ☀️spring day today outside, so hopefully I can go for a walk later. I may attempt to walk across the fields and look to see if there are some swans or ducks on the reservoir. If I feel strong enough with my bad leg, I might try to make it to the next village, but that might be too ambitious just yet!
🦢🦢🦆🦆
In the WoodlandsIt was misty this morning as I walked to the park, which is only a few minutes from where I live. I noticed there were still some white snow drops, white crocus and purple crocuses, minature yellow daffodils, pretty blue star shaped flowers called Amsonia were growing in the little woods on the perimeter of the park.
Amsonia flowers.
I walked the footpaths through the park and sat down to rest and have a fruit drink at the picnic table. The grass looked tidy and neatly cut as I looked out across the green field. I could hear lots of birdsong nearby, but they were not landing on the field or the park.
The picnic bench
The Spinney wood had birds in the trees and I saw plenty of Magpies, wood pidgeons and crows in the treetops. I sometimes like to feed the birds with a few bread crumbs, but today they did not want to come down.
There were a few mothers on the far side of the park with very young children playing in the children's play area. I decided to walk the full length around the park's perimeter, then I crossed over and walked down cemetery lane.
Trees in Park
As I walked along, I saw a rabbit scurrying past, then it went quickly into the undergrowth leading to the cemetery. I passed through the cemetery too, but I couldn't see the rabbit anywhere. The cemetery is not very big, but it has some very interesting trees in there. It was not long until I saw a pair of squirrels there, together they were jumping from tree to tree around the whole length of the cemetery! then they finally landed in someone's back garden! A lot of people put some nuts out for them, or they sometimes eat food from the bird tables.
I finally got to the very end of the cemetery, I then walked down a footpath that leads to the woodland. There used to be a bench in there, right in the centre, but they had to remove the bench as older teenagers from the nearby estate used to gather there to smoke at night. It is a pity because I often used to love to sit there quietly, listening to the birdsong. It is still possible to walk through the woodland along the little footpaths and out at the other end.
But there is nothing like just sitting perfectly still, in the peaceful wood, on a bench, listening to beautiful birdsong it was so calming! The trees all touching each other and forming a lovely leafy canopy.
Oh well never mind everything changes I suppose!
Anyway, I enjoyed my walk today, but now I have to get back to studying and rehearse my TMA04 presentation!
Walking through the cemetery.
🎧📻📱
When sitting travelling on the bus to go the nearest town or city for appointments, I like to listen to Classical music on my head phones, especially while passing through the countryside in the winter time. ( I have a winter playlist) occasionally I get to see deers, hares and foxes. It feels so genteel and calm watching fields, woods and little hamlets going slowly by, while listening to classical music. Sometimes I listen to Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, Bach. including Air on the G String and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", and the Best of Bach.
Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, the Pastoral and other Piano works. Or Lark assending by Vaughn Williams. Also listening to Ludvico Einaudi Primevera.
Philip Glass, Cage, Steve Reich, Reilly,.I like some of the more modern classical piano pieces, I am just starting to get into it. These pieces are so relaxing, great for relieving my stress levels, so that I arrive at my destination feeling happy and relaxed.
I can't wait to get my bus pass then I will be able to travel all over for free!
What music do you like to listen to when travelling by car, bus or train?
Waterlilies white and pink
Floating in the stream
Damsel flies and dragonflies
Go there to dream.
Gill Burrell
We walked slowly along the shore
Wind and sand in our faces
Ours is the vast blue spaces
Of beach, and sea and sky
Sea-gulls wheeled over head
With screeching cry
We tasted the salty sea on our lips
And in our watering eye
Pebbles crunch beneath our naked feet
And slippery seaweed fronds
Wet with froth entwine
To tie our bonds
As hearts with love still beat
The giant windmills turned their heads to the sky
Passing quickly, a boat speeding by
Leaving a trail of foam
Time for us to head for home.
Gill Burrell
Sorry this photo was taken in France quite a few years ago! (But one can dream!)
I was feeling down in the dumps today, getting behind and beginning to lose all hope about my presentation for TMA 4, then I went to look for visible recordings and discovered a great new recorded Tutorial by Tutor Darron explaining everything I needed to do for this TMA !
Now I can start at last planning and rehearsing my presentation, using my notes and resource text evidence to put it all together. Brilliant!! Thank you!
It is important to have times of rest. A study has shown that there is a clear link to depression and lack of sleep.
We can get too busy and get burn out. Being busy all the time is no guarantee for being productive. It is something God warns us of remember to keep one day of rest, avoid work and pray. "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it Holy" (Exodus20: 11) and again God reminds us "Be Still, and know that I am God"(Psalm 46:10)
There is nothing worse than trying to speak to a tired grumpy person!
They just want to ignore you, they don't listen to you and are only preoccupied with doing their own tasks.
Even Jesus rebuked Martha for her fussing about and criticising poor Mary. "Martha, Martha" the Lord answered "You are worried and upset about many things"(Luke 10. 41) He could see her bad temper coming out!
Taking a walk in nature to relax. A drive to a quiet country spot with green fields, animals, trees flowers. A quiet park or just relaxing in the garden for a while with your feet up. It can do wonders for your mind and spirit!
Having a little break or rest, a cat nap even, can turn you into a sweet, smiling, good natured person who is always willing to listen and ready to converse with others!
I have two more TMAs to go, then I will have completed my Degree in English!
I must stay positive, but I worry because my last TMA was not that high flying but just ok. I hope to do better in this one, I really must!
I am reading, taking notes, ploughing through the relevant blocks of L185 and reading all the source materials and e-books and bite size e- books as thoroughly as I can. I have to nail this!
After a morning of studying, mostly reading block 4 'Writing a report on the environment. ' I took down a few notes, but mainly reading, getting the gist and the feel of this particular block of the module.
Early flowers snowdrops.
This afternoon I went for a walk (I am still slow and stiff after my accident) but it was lovely to see the white snow drops on entering the far side of the park. This is by far the more picturesque route, as I entered first through a green area, that has an amazing alley of lime trees. Around the bases of the trees, I could see growing lovely little white snow drops and some pale pink and purple crocuses, there were also some beautiful bright yellow daffodils appearing nearby. There were birds and rabbits often hopping around about here and there. Today the world looked good!
Trees near the park
Walking further on, here entering an area with wooden picnic benches beneath the trees. There were trees in blossom.
I noticed they have now knocked the old tennis court down completely, so there is just a tarmac square left.
This is tarmac square is sometimes used for local kids kicking the ball about as the main field is very muddy at this time, so instead they have enjoyed playing ball on the tarmac. At other times the kids like to ride their bicycles on there and ride around in a circle having fun trying to catch up with each other!
There was talk of plans for a skateboard park, but I haven't heard any more about that lately.
At this time of day it was quiet in the park, when I usually go between 1pm- 2pm for a walk, (which is the time the children are at school during week days) it is empty apart from a couple of dog walkers strolling along. After a quick rest for my leg on the bench I am up and walking again around the park perimeter, I was so glad I had put my boots on it is quite muddy in places!
The birds were singing softly and cheerfully, up high in the tall trees and there was pale sunshine in the sky, a welcome change after all that rain!
Spinney wood
I headed towards the other side of the park called the spinney. At this time of year it sometimes gets flooded out, but not today thankfully, although there were a few puddles here.
It felt good to be out and walking again in the fresh air after the long winter and being confined. The Spinney woodland was wonderfully cool and smelt earthy. I like to hear the sound of the trees creaking and cracking in the breeze! Sunshine flooded the wood and there were plenty of flowers there too, snow drops and daffodils as well as other wonderful woodland flowers, that were just starting to grow in the woods, but very soon there will be masses of daffodils by next month!
The children's play ground
As I exited the spinney I passed the children's play area in the park, I can see this has now acquired a brand new pirate ship! This was built for the kids to climb up, explore and slide down the slide! The swings and roundabout were still there too, but the pirate ship will provide much more fun and physical climbing exercise for the little kids, which will be beneficial for their health and makes a change from them always playing indoors on computer games!
The playing field will be great when it has dried out a bit in the spring, it will be full of children playing football in the local teams.
The cricket matches will be soon taking place again on the green and some families will come here and sit down for a picnic.
Once more the park will be full of life as the spring and summer will soon arrive in the park at last!
I had my result for TMA 03. I was quite pleased with my result, but I realise now that I could have done even better. I know, It is easy to be wise after the event!!
There were a couple of things I missed, that I could have included in my essay that were important, but I was focusing on the other things that seemed more important to me and so unfortunately I missed out on the rest of the overall information. I probably deserved to have those points knocked off! However, in my favour I did cover the other 2 subjects in some depth. I don't want to make excuses for myself.
And that's even before I have read my tutors feedback!
I am happy to be at this stage of module Block 4 and studying the topic of the environment. Living in a rural area, the environment is a subject I can relate to, because when I go for a walk, especially when the weather is mild, then I can see nature springing up all around me.
There are crocuses and daffodils, even in my street there are little flowers growing on the grass verges by the roadside. It is a welcome sight after a very cold hard winter!
In the fields nearby there are signs of new life, there are more birds in the trees, the dead silence of winter is slowly dissipating. The sound of running water can be heard once again in the streams, from the winter rains.
From the farms nearby, the sound of sheep bleating and the first new born lambs can be heard coming from the barns.
I can feel that spring is just around the corner, although there is still a bit of a nip in the air!
I have to wear my thick black duvet coat and white woollen hat and scarf to keep warm, but I am looking forward to rambling about on the country lanes again and taking photographs of nature, trees, rabbits and birds.
I feel close to God in the outdoors. I appreciate the beauty of his creation in nature. It is a healing force for the mind.
Listening to the music of Ludovico Einaudi - Primavera on youtube.
This sounds like the fight between the Winter season and Spring!
Everything went well today, this morning I got a lot done, first shopping, then I went for a walk to the library with J and I borrowed a couple of books from the library.
These books may be helpful for my course topic, which is about the environment. I have to write a report about the benefits of canals and rivers to our environments. Although we have to use only the materials from the OU. I just wanted to do a little back ground reading first for my own interest.
I Prepared a vegetarian loaf and some carots and peas with some sweet potatoes with a little gravy for the evening meal.
I am now settling down to read my new library books with a hot chocolate.
Today I downloaded an ebook, this was entitled 'Reports versus Essays'
I like these little ebooks they are full of useful information in bite sizes.
In an 'Essay' you have more freedom to express an opinion of your own but in a 'Report' it has to be completely factual and non biased. This is backed by evidence that is tried and tested.
Often charts and graphs are used to show the findings of the research.
The SWOT Model (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) is used to analyse an
organisation in its environment. This model can be applied to almost any situation, since aspects of the four categories (SWOT) can usually be perceived in any context.
Other model example is
Porter’s Five Forces Model
This model is designed to enable businesses to identify the competitive pressures they may be facing. The key concepts Porter uses are: established competitors, new entrants to the market, substitute products, the bargaining power of suppliers and the bargaining power of customers.
Reference
Block 4 session 1 of L185
Writing business reports.
Open university( 2020) Milton Keynes
Resting today after the mad dash this week, to finish my TMA3 for L185 about 'Health' I really enjoyed studying this topic and I learnt a lot!
Next topic will be about the environment - canals and rivers. I must admit I don't know a lot about this subject, despite living in a rural location. I think the canals or reservoirs may be on farming land around here. I don't know if they are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the rivers and canals or if it is the council.
When my aunt wanted to save a little woodland area near her home, she and other residents on the estate had to apply to the council at the town hall. They got together a petition and gathered the names of all residents who wanted to keep the woodland and that it would not be sold to a property developer.
There was also a lovely green area adjoining it and this has been left natural too. My aunt died so I don't know what happened next, but they managed to save the wood. As far as I know, I think the council are still looking after it. There are nesting boxes in there for the birds, and places for hedgehogs and badgers. It is not far from the open fields and footpaths. I once saw a pair of squirrels climbing the trees in the wood together. It was amazing!
So this week I will be reading about the environment, also I have to read some more scientific information.
I was not very strong at science at school, but I do like nature, the outdoors and the environment.
I have to read through Block 4 and find all the relevant information about the subject and read and take notes for the TMA 4, I then have to make a recorded presentation. Interesting but nerve wracking!
Let us love, for tomorrow we shall be gone,
but "I will always love you" just like in the song.
Love is stronger than death,
It does not go away,
It does not grow old or die,
Instead it is put on hold
until we meet again one day,
On the other side.
O fragile flower growing by the roadside.
How did you manage to grow here all alone?
Did someone plant you?
Or were you blown on the wind, so far from home?
Today I was feeling in need of hearing some comforting words so I read Psalm 27....
Psalm 27
27 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
4 One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
10 When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.
11 Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
12 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Ref;
The Bible
It was a cold damp day today, so I made a vegetarian curry with finely chopped butternut squash and quorn mince, lentils, beans, tomatoes, onions with various spices and basmati rice.
The family enjoy this meal.
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