.....but its January!?!

Ditching the car once more I decided to exercise the old people's bus pass and headed into Tonbridge to have a tea at McDonalds and then get on the number 7 into Maidstone. 

The journey is about 14 miles and by car it would normally take about 35 minutes. Parking at the Park and Ride, there is a further 20 minutes into town, so it's not a short trip.

By bus, the journey is actually further because it takes in the villages between Tonbridge and Maidstone, whilst the car would hug the A-roads and dual carriageway, get onto the M20 for one junction and avoid the villages all together.

However, buses are slower, give over-the-hedgerow views of the area, giving someone like me (who is invariably driving) the opportunity to look at something other than the tarmac ahead.

I never realised there were so many large country residences along this stretch of road! It was a true revelation. 

Mentally noting the positioning of bus stops,  I came to the conclusion summer months were for exploring, photography and taking the sound recorder with me just in case, after all, I have no idea what I will see or hear.

Buses are liberating and give those of us who end up behind the wheel a chance to stretch our legs, get some exercise and see a bit of the area we usually drive through.

If you've not tried it, then maybe take one more vehicle off the road for a while, slow the pace down and go and explore.

After all, if I was driving I'd never noticed the big clumps of crocus in the fields outside Hadlow or the swathes of snowdrops in the woods by Mereworth. I wouldn't have noticed the catkins hanging full of pollen by the Medway at Yalding, nor the height of the river at the lock gates there. 

In fact, all I would have seen would be the tail lights of the cars in front of me and the side lights of those approaching. 

Today, I had the better view.

Old Fashioned Consideration is not dead....phew

There is an old phrase, 'good manners never hurt anyone' but to witness it is still a pleasure and to witness it in someone under the age of 18 is even better.

Buses do get crowded, especially on single deckers and especially when students are leaving school, mums are attempting to get toddlers and prams into restricted places and pensioners are going home after socialising for a few hours.

I was happily standing watching this mayhem when a young student of no more than 11 or 12 stood up for a pensioner. She did it without hesitation. Strangely enough she looked over at me and without realising, the teacher hat went on and I nodded approvingly. She smiled and stood further down the bus.

Later, on, musical chairs began as men and women under 50 stood to allow the older community to sit down.

Each passenger thanked the bus driver; even the students thanked the bus driver!

Is politeness coming out to combat something less so in society today? If it is, and whatever has caused this to resurface, all I can do is applaude it. Long may it continue.

Its Monday and its raining

I suppose I should be relieved it's only raining. When I look at the news we have floods, droughts, fires, earthquakes and volcanic activity around the world. The earth is struggling under our weight of demands and our incessant digging into its skin for all it can plunder.

I often wonder how a human would feel if that old adage of fleas on backs of fleas existed in truth. 

If we were the first layer of fleas feeding parasitically off the earth's crust and we had a commensurate number feeding of us in a similar way, would we tolerate it as benignly?

I think our own eruptions and mood changes would reflect what we're seeing right now in the earth and those who are denying the action of the fleas on themselves must be, how shall I put it, deaf to reality?

On a brighter note, I went to the Farmers Market yesterday leaving the car at home and relying on my feet in one direction and the bus, the other. Mindful of pollution I felt it was about time I took the strain off roads and used two modes of transport which are either free or reduced due to shared carbon emissions. 

Have any of you come across one of these vans in your area? If it's a franchise then it's a really good one and the queues for this gentleman's services are usually long, especially as we approach the new allotment/gardening season. Prices are fair and he does an excellent service.

I don't know what it's like on your area but we are keen on our allotments round here and queues for a space are long. 

I was out walking the other week and noted the number who have already finished their early dig and covers, warming the ground, were already in place. 

Tyres are back ready for potatoes to be earthed up inside and some had dug their old 'greens' up and had strung out new furrows.

It's a weird winter and as I commented yesterday, neither begun nor ended.

I'm in and out my greenhouse wondering when the night scented stock will finally stop flowering and if the pelagoniums will actually stop sending up new shoots. The only plants to have gone into winter mode are the dahlia and that, I suspect, is because they've not been watered since September!

It'll soon be time to start thinking about getting the early seedlings going and the seed packets are lining up in the kitchen ready.

I still have my compost to turn but when the weather has been ok, my neck has been bad so........mm, it's going to be early Spring before that gets done.

Wonder when that'll actually be this year?

Its 12th January and winter's still not here

How has your start to the new calendar year been so far? Good? Still paying off Christmas and the New Year, or, like me, ready for the Chinese New Year which begins January 25th?

It's the year of the rat, a time of fresh starts, new beginnings and for me a reflective time to re-establish exactly what I want from life.

Exciting, especially as the wanderlust has really started kicking in.

I have a few plans in mind so watch this space and all will be revealed when I know how they'll manifest. 

Back to winter. Anyone seen it yet? Yes, we have the grey skies, the rain, the cold snaps but even they haven't been that cold.

I caught a different bus route home and walked back through the woodland paths we have not far from here. I was surprised to hear Spring song from the birds and the catkins fully open. The wild parsley is already developed and there are signs the wild garlic plants are sending up their tender shoots.

Either Nature knows something or they are going to get badly caught at some point.

Regardless, I'm out doing my usual, walking away from home, catching the bus back. It's good fun and with so many walking routes to choose from, I have plenty of choice.

Next week it's back into London I think, take a look around and go to a Ramen House for lunch somewhere.

But for now it's back home and the reality of a load of washing which needs hanging up to dry indoors, one aspect of this time of year I never really enjoy.

From the totally sublime to the absolute ridiculous

Today was one of my regular trips to Maidstone.

Although I sport my own nails, to keep them intact I get them wrapped with fibre glass, a safer technique to acrylic as it requires less abrasion to your own nails and fewer chemicals.

Anyway, I digress. The reason for this blog is to record the sublime and the totally ridiculous with a quick stop at 'oh dear' on the way.

Sublime.

A new florist has opened up; called Vinetta Flower Gallery, you'll find it along Pudding Lane in what was the Vintage furniture centre.

She's only been there since November, but what caught my eye was the 'tree' with old bird's nests filled with bulbs, and then I looked in the window....

such fabulous creations and very unique. If you want flowers and a special occasion is looming then consider this lady, she has some wonderful ideas.

So that was the sublime, now the 'oh dear'. 

Maidstone is well known for its subway under the very busy Tonbridge Road next to the river,  but it's very proximity to that amount of water makes it susceptible to flooding. 

Well, that's the worst I've seen in a long time! And its not just a little puddle,  its absolutely flooded all through up to the exit staircase.....a real, oh dear. 😁

And now The Ridiculous!

Have you seen Easter eggs yet? Well check out Wilko

At the check out, next to the Christmas remnants you'll find the first Easter smattering. 

What does make me grin is they failed to intersperse some Valentine's chocolates.......give them a couple of weeks. 🙄