Last day in Weston

So, two posts, but I'm mainly doing this because the two represent very different thoughts and feelings.  This is the more positive, less moany (I will resist!) one.  And it comes with pictures!  This is about reminding me to smile, breathe, and not completely ignore the world outside my little exam/revision bubble.  It is my last proper day in Weston, and so, during a moment of frustration, boredom and restlessness, I went for a nice walk.  I headed to the beach, as I realised that I haven't been down there at all this year, even though it's not much further than the same old places I keep hitting!  But enough with the words.

You can just about make out the pheasant, that randomly flew across the road in front of me and into these bushes at the bottom of The Hill.

Apparently where ducks (and old phoneboxes) like to hang out.

Gratuitous shots of the very cute fluff balls swimming and playing and diving in the canal.  Including this brave little independent one, venturing off by his(?)self

Then down to the beach, and a chance to people watch, get blown about, kick off my flipflops and be reminded of past beach trips, to better, and more exotic beaches, which brought back happy, warm, sunny, special memories.

These pictures are actually making it look nicer than it was, it wasn't nearly as warm and sunny as it appears to be, and it was very windy, hence the gliding sea gulls in the last picture.

At first glance, it seems so lifeless and bleak, but if you look closely, there's signs of life everywhere.  And of course, humour (this next picture makes me giggle, and in case it's not clear it says "Danger, sinking mud") and beauty (the second picture of a post weathered and aged) and then there's people being just too darn active for my liking!

And finally, on the walk back, I was overwhelmed by such a beautiful sweet scent, coming from these flowers, which I just had to take a photo (or two) of.  They had the most heady smell, and were really pretty, lush and unusual.  I loved the dark purplish foliage.

Yes, apparently there is a life beyond this little prison of books, patients, hospitals, exams and revision.  And it's quite lovely!

So nearly there!

With the wool fleece all but finished (and now all in my freezer - apparently there's a risk of nasty little bugs that eat wool, and since my stash has become increasingly valuable, I've taken preventative action), I've moved onto the only other thing I had in my flat to spin.  The silk hanky I made on the dye your own workshop back in February.  It did look a little something like this before I got my grubby spindling hands on it!

It is now going through the most beautiful transformation, which is leaving me wishing that I had more as it's so pretty when spun.  I have to carefully peel away the layers to get a single stretched out cocoon at a time, predrafting (necessary here, rather than a beginner's cheat!) and spinning.  *sigh*

It's working out so beautifully and so much the colours that I love in life.  It's also coming out very fine and quite even.  Can you tell that I'm so in love with this!?  I've left it in Bristol as I returned to Weston today.  There's just about five more cocoons to do.  It's going to be such a short length, especially if I ply it.  So am tempted to leave it as an ultra fine single.

So back in Weston.  I was fairly good today in terms of doing revison and going into the hospital.  So I rewarded myself with a long stroll around my favourite haunts and some new ones, armed with my camera.  I took loads of photos, so many of which I've very impressed with, and somewhat proud.  I don't think I could really put them all up here, but I have uploaded my album here, on google albums, if anyone wants to check them out.  I had a short list of 24, which I decicided I had to wittle down to just (!) these:

The bluebells are the inspiration for my blog title, they're teasing me with how close they are to blanketing the field!

The sun was almost directly behind this tree, giving it the most gorgeous halo effect on the photos!  Pretty.

Spot the cat (?maybe a dog, not sure, was too far away to see!)

Then I decided to get some interesting perspective shots of the back end of The Hill, and show different views of the church.  The shear rock face is stunning and makes for a really interesting positioning of the church, which I don't think my previous posts have got across.

I love the humour of this photo.  The boats all lined up in the dry(ish) docks.  Clearly their owner's pride and joy.  All neatly lined up in their slots.  And then there's this tiny little row boat in the line.  A serious case of mine's bigger than yours going on!

I only noticed when I got home that this shot, of trying to get perspective on the cliff, managed to capture a bird of some sort, soaring high above me!  Very cool!

Trying to capture the bird on the branch, sitting next to the bird in the nest. But bird number one decided to give me an action shot instead, which was also pretty darn cool.

All in all, a lovely stroll out in the sunshine.  Still full of so much promise of things to come, ready to brighten up my revision dreary days.

Hayfever season is here!

I'm sitting here really really hoping that my dry scratchy throat that has been festering all day is blasted hayfever and not the start of a cold.  This time of year, I never can tell, I have to let time and the development or not of other cold symptoms answer my ponderings.  I think it is hayfever, despite me talking my tablets for most days of the last week or so.  And my eyes are giving me hassles too.  All in favor of hayfever, just normally can control it with tablets.  Am using a different brand, but it's the same dose of the same active ingredient that I've used every summer for the last four or five years.  But ooooh well...

As promised, I remembered my camera today when I went on a walk.  This walk is probably to blame for the hayfever, but it was such a glorious day and I really couldn't resist.  And I wasn't concentrating very well, so getting some exercise (even if just a gentle walk around the village and up the hill) is always beneficial.

The Plantation is decidedly yellow.  Partly with the end of the daffodils, but mainly with flowers, which although impressive, I can't name.  There are some dandilions, cowslips (mostly still only buds) and maybe some buttercups, but mostly stuff which my meagre knowledge of Bristish plants just can't identify.  But who cares, it's still very pretty!

Dandilions and a clump of unknown little yellow flowers (not greatest picture)

Bluebell stalks hinting at things to come

Clowslips also giving hints

Up on The Hill, where there are minimal flowers for most of it, a couple of butterflies decided to flirt around me, tempting me, but making it very hard to take photos.  This was as about as good as it got:

And I found the bit of The Hill that actually is blanketed in flowers.  It's a bit more of a sheltered area, so I think things have more of a chance of making it.  The Hill is on the whole very exposed and very windy!

I initially thought that these were buttercups, but I think the petals are too pointy.  So I don't know what they are, but it's again very pretty and that's what counts!

And here I sit, back in my room, chewing gum in the hope that it soothes my dry throat (mininal benefit!) and taking a break from the books.  Am finding it so strange to be revising again, and going over the stuff I did last year, but I'm so very glad I made such good notes last year, I'm really finding them very good and useful, and there's only the odd word here and there that I can read - maybe I have a doctor's handwriting after all!

And so the sun sets on another day in Ashleigh-land

Literally!

 My room here in Weston get the most amazing full afternoon sunshine!  It's annoyingly bright, and I spend my afternoons with the curtains nearly completely closed, and then still struggling to see the contents of my computer screen!  But then, come early evening, I get treated to things like this.  A glorious setting fire orb!  Very beautiful, with ribbons of cloud dissecting it.  And now, just a faint memory as darkness starts to chase the light away.  I love the lengthening days.

I went via my bluebell field on the way to get milk this morning.  It is showing signs of promise, lots of stalks poking out of the grass, laiden with blue buds, but not really open yet.  I'm so glad, I was worried I would have missed it over the Easter break in Derby.  I'll try remember my camera on my next walk and keep a little bit of a progress diary, to brighten my otherwise dreary life!

I had some positive news today in the form of some very positive feedback on the audit I did back in Feb/March.  It wasn't from the person who marked it,  but from the person who I worked closed with.  She also gave me some followup news of the actions that have been taken as a result of the findings of my audit - how amazing is it that something I did is actually affecting patient care.  I'm so proud that I have made a difference, and to use the buzz words "improved their standard of care in keeping with evidence based medicine best practise guidance", even if it is just to a handful of people.

Even better news, Rowan is out of hospital and home.  Yay!

And so back to the books.  Am currently trying to work out a bit of a revision timetable/action plan.  What fun!

Weston Days

Well, so much for doing two posts in one day to catch up and then.... nothingness!  I'd say oops, but it wasn't really that sort of situation.  It was partly circumstance - staying in Weston with the worst internet connection ever, doing job shadowing (which to be honest wasn't really here nor there, so didn't inspire many words out of me!) and still not feeling 100% me.  I was having a few bad dreams about the accident and a few flashbacks which were just leaving me a little unsettled about everything still.  But that seems to have settled, so how about talking about positive things?

So, finding the positive in Weston.  Despite the bad internet, there was nice weather in the first week, and lengthening days gave me the opportunity to have a couple of long, lazy walks and enjoy being outside.  The first morning that I woke up in Weston didn't exactly inspire:

But things did improve and I unearthed some delights in Weston:

I'm not really sure why, but this hill and this Church always inspire me and I find it so peaceful to walk up there.  It's less than 15mins from the hospital accommodation, but feels like a world away.

Despite the crazy climb to get up there!

But the views from up there, stunning on a bright early spring afternoon.

And when I see something like this, it of course says "come on in!".  This is a beacon tower on top of the hill the church is on.  I've been up that hill loads of time, but the gate has always been closed and firmly locked.  Naturally, I was curious to explore.

And got very windswept for my efforts!  But I was up there, reading the plaques to identify distant hills and places.  Then back down the stairs.  I love the visual appeal of spiral stairs!

And through the woods, still bare and awaiting enough warmth to flourish (remember this was about three or four weeks ago, can't wait to go back and see how it's changed!):

And finally, round the corner to check up on my highlight of last year - Bluebell field, which was a riot of colour when I was last in Weston.  I knew it was probably too early for bluebells, I thought I'd give it a go anyway.  And instead I found it should prehaps have a different name for each month of the year, in this case Snowdrop field.  It was a blanket of white.  Which I couldn't actually get into, locked up, so photos don't really begin to do it justice, but just a little hint of what it was like and what it will be like when the bluebells are in full bloom.  They most likely will be by now, I'll have to rush back on the first not wet day when I'm back in Weston next week.

And finally, an upclose shot of some snowdrops in a churchyard on the way back to the hospital.

Yay for spring finally trying to arrive in our lives.  I really need it.  The sunshine, getting out and about in the sea breezes and not feeling dark and cold anymore.  Although it also signifies that there are things in my life that I can no longer ignore, like the rapidly approaching exams and the need to revise... all over again.  But fortunately, there will be lovely walks to go on when I need a break from the books.