Craft inspired by a wonderful sunrise

Waking early one morning in September, we decided to have a walk to the beach as the dawn was breaking. The tide was was well out, as the sun rose with the most beautiful sunrise which filled the sky and land alike,

Thinking about inspiration and theme for a handmade Christmas card for this year. I sat down with pastel chalks, guided by one of the images produced this:

I printed some copies, after adding Christmas greetings, layering a green card with red patterned card.

Elmley Nature

We moved to the Isle of Sheppey 6 months ago, after some necessary renovation and redecoration to the bungalow, we have also enjoyed long hot days of the summer. With the earlier nights and cooler weather beckoning we have began to explore a little further.

We have joined the friends of Elmley nature reserve situated on the marshy Swale area of the island. Well known for it’s habitat for raptors, migrating birds and other flora and fauna this week we had a wander for a couple of hours. My camera is pretty limited to do justice to the hovering kestrels, the geese and ducks and other countless, water and wading birds, but the weather was kind and the walk most enjoyable. A warden was very helpful in explaining where to try to find what. Living in dry hot Spain for many years, we have a lot to learn. Here is a few of the images:

In search of beer

As the long hot summer reaches into August, we felt energised into exploring the village of Eastchurch, after consulting the ordnance survey map that showed if we walked up the Warden road for, a satisfactory, 2.7 miles we would reach the village. Shops, a lovely parish church, café, hotel and pub beckoned as we wandered along the narrow lane, we glimpsed the recently harvested golden fields and the busy Thames estuary beyond through the fruit laden hedgerows. Dodging the occasional campsite traffic, the ubiquitous delivery white vans and farm vehicles we were pleased to find the Wheatsheaf Inn, that we had previously encountered, when it was sadly closed, now appeared open, so we promised ourselves optimistically a pint there on our return home.

Sloes ripening in the hedgerow, have to think about making sloe gin!

After about an hour of our intrepid exploration, we approached the village outskirts, the locals appeared friendly, passing the slightly shabby Shurland hotel, we crossed the road to the Castle Inn, bustling and friendly, we ordered 2 pints of beer and wandered to a table outside to rest our legs and quench our thirsts.

My glass was empty, as we sat there we were struck by how busy the area was, there appeared houses being built, some houses improved and repaired, there was a buzz. Understandably it is August in a holiday resort, but our memories are still filled with closure and contagion prevention measures. I did notice a JCB tractor towing a large earth moving vehicle, quite a sight, navigating the narrow streets.

We resisted having another beer, my legs were feeling the effects of the first, we had noted we could catch a bus, but after a moment’s consideration set off for our return. It was uneventful, I remarked to John that I felt rather warm, sweaty and tired, he informed me it was 27C. We arrived back at the Wheatsheaf Inn , where we received a friendly welcome, we opted for a pint and just a half for me, of Whitstable bay pale ale. We wandered through the attractively decorated interior to the garden overlooking the fields and the sea beyond. With a cooling breeze through the trees, it was very pleasant sitting there, the pale ale was delicious too.

Refreshed and ready for the final part of the walk we set off, through high hedges and the narrow lane, we did have to find places to let vehicles get passed. I looked back down the lane to see an escort vehicle followed by a red behemoth which literally filled the carriageway. Fortunately we were nearly at a field entrance, where we had seen large new heaps of brown material, it reminded me of waste olive skins we had seen in Spain, when we had seen it on our outward journey we had wondered whether it was topsoil or manure.

We had not seen anything like this vehicle, the driver appreciated us getting out the way, called a hydro trike we were intrigued what was the brown material and what was going to happen next.
Very manoeuvrable.

We spoke to the escort driver and the young gentleman driving the hydro trike, the escort driver informed us the brown substance was human solid waste, which would be loaded into the hydro trike , using the JCB vehicle. The hydro trike would then, with the help of rollers spread (20mts) the human waste over the field, to help improve the soil and useful way of getting rid of the brown stuff. He did apologise for the smell, but really there was very little.

This made us laugh and reminded us of John’s Mum, who often said “Hello me duck” !

We found beer, had an enjoyable, informative walk and stretched our legs.