Sunday Swim: Swimming with Jellyfish

 I had my first sea-swim of the season this morning.  A week earlier than last year, but nearly two weeks later than in 2019.  Other than sharing my swim with several comb jellies that were still lurking near the surface at the early hour (they usually return to the sea bed in the morning), I haven't got very much to say, so I'll just leave the handful of photos that I took and their captions.

Not a shooting star over the End-of-the-Line...

An Ominous Start

 Another early morning, pre-work wander along the promenade yesterday began with a rather ominous sky on the horizon.  However, it apparently decided not to make landfall on the North Norfolk coast, and buggered off out to sea, maybe to pay Norway or Denmark a visit?

 Anyway, the drama was far from over as not only was there a false moon rising, but the Triffids were on the move...

This groyne caught me unawares.

It loomed out of the sea as I was admiring the sunlight sparkling on the gentle ripples.

No ships on the horizon today (and by "today" I mean yesterday)

Infomaniac Garden Photos Event 2021 Announcement

The House of

I N F O M A N I A C

Garden Photos Event 2021

is being held here again rather than at The Very Mistress's - or anyone else's (because no one volunteered) - remember?

~O~

 I hope you've all made a start with the preparations to your extensive grounds/modest plots/back yards/window boxes/house plants/trays of cress, and have been taking photos - and will continue to do so - ready for the event of the year in November?

 I certainly have, along with Jon and The Madam Arcati.  Even Ms Scarlet has got her derrière into gear with a showing of her Big Pink Bush™.

 Anyway, here are a few little snippets from Hexenhäusli Device's gardens this afternoon.

 On the right is the lovely, dandelion-like flower of hawkweed (last seen at Castle Device, here), and below, my Gin Time corner (well, if Madam A can have a Wine Time corner, surely I can have an equivalent?), complete with G&T, of course.  I sat here earlier listening to the birds and the ever present hum of the bees and flies in the trees above (of which there is also a photo - taken from my vantage point).

The Last Sand Castle

 I finally, finally, got up when I woke up (at about 5:45) rather than lolling about waiting for my alarm to go off (6:14), and got out of the house for a walk before starting work (at 7:00).  This meant that I was in time to see the last remaining sand castle from yesterday's industrious half-term day-trippers.  It had been built right up by the sea wall so, because of the low high tide, was spared being totally demolished by the waves.

Goodnight

 Well, that's the Bank Holiday almost over with.  And what a gorgeous day it was, too - weatherwise, anyway.  See you in June!

Life on the Embankment II

 Just over a year later, this is the sequel to the original Life on the Embankment.  The bee is not on the embankment - that is my (rather dry and rough-skinned) finger it's resting on.  I discovered it flailing around in the pond, so I fished it out and let it warm up and dry off on me as I sat in the sun on Thursday afternoon.

 Here are the embankment photos: The deer are from Tuesday evening, and the fox from early yesterday morning.

This is a muntjac deer - a young one, I believe

Here it is with its mum - either camera shy or they've found something extremely interesting amongst the nettles and Alexander.

An Assemblage of Aquilegias*

  Oof!  Sorry I'm late.  In between the Watching of the Telly (I watched Tremors on Netflix last night - I'd forgotten what a fox Fred Ward is [Kevin Bacon was rather cute, too]), it's been all go here lately, so I haven't been able to get around to see what you've all been up to, nevermind pop something of my own up!  However, here's a little something from the allotment to tide us over until normal service resumes. 

 Hopefully soonish.

Bluebell Blowout

Also available in white - ask at the front desk for details

 As yesterday's bluebell show seemed quite popular, I thought I'd remain on the bandwagon and bring you a far more local display - from just a quick wander up the road, rather than 20-odd miles away at Pensthorpe.  In fact, I could have saved myself some time and money (and blue fingers from the cold) by doing this yesterday instead of the Pensthorpe trip!

Feeling Blue (with the Unusual Suspects at Pensthorpe)

 Another dull, drizzly, cold May day meant another wander around Pensthorpe Natural Park with Inexcuseable and Count Podgekinson.  I didn't take so many photos of the ducks, geese, and other water fowl this time as they're all pretty much the same as those seen in the previous link and this one.  However, I couldn't resist this handsome little Mandarin duck on the right!

Unlike the previous Pensthorpe post's mother mallard's ten ducklings, this one only had one

This greylag goose couple were out and about with their three goslings

Good morning, deer

 I've been meaning to have a quick walk before starting work for ages now - since it started getting lighter in the mornings, in fact - but once the laptop gets going, I find myself quickly distracted by the chaos it shows me, so I simply must begin sorting it out and creating some order.  But not yesterday.  Yesterday was different because I found myself awake a little earlier than normal (because of the bright, bright sunshine streaming through my not-quite-closed blinds).  So, after I'd connected the laptop to work's VPN thingy, filed emails, tidied up tasks, and updated the stats to show what our workload for the day looked like, I stuck my fingers up at it, grabbed Camera and left the house.

 In the previous post I showed you Cromer Pier of an evening from Overstrand beach, and in this one you get to see it in the morning.  I know - I spoil you!

That's the Hotel de Paris overlooking the pier near the foot of the cliff

Not Quite Majorca

 I had a little stroll down along the promenade after tea - just to get some air and stretch my legs, as tomorrow's weather forecast is not conducive to going outside (unless I get up very early in the morning), so there'll be little in the way of leg-stretching then.

 I haven't got a lot to show for it*, you may be relieved to hear  - Cromer Pier in the distance, a young(ish) cormorant, and a bunny!  Plus there's music at the end.

 Norman and Norma got married in Cromer and caught double pneumonia.

 Quelle surprise...

 * Not even worth putting a page break in.

Bank Holiday Blues* II

* Contents and colour may vary.

Check colour swatches - don't trust the Host's colour-blind eyes.

 Another Bank Holiday befalls us Brits, so what better way to use up some of the 'Yay-I'm-not-at-work!' time than to have a quick wander around the countryside?

 At first glance, it may seem like this is a re-post/copy of this Bank Holiday post from 2017, but I can assure you that all these photos are new, and came from this morning's walk along Smallhopes Hill to Northrepps and home again.  (I'd intended to take new photos of 2017's BH subject matter, but either couldn't find all the plants, or forgot/couldn't be bothered/replaced them with deer...)

Primroses on Smallhopes Hill

Doe!  A deer!