In The Pink

Greetings! Well I am off on holiday today for a week, somewhere a bit like this! It seems like we were counting down for weeks and now it's finally here. So have a brilliant week all and I hope to bring back some interesting photographs, maybe a few new poems and probably a new book. I like buying new books on holiday, something interesting always turns up in an odd little book shop somewhere! For now enjoy one of my favourite beaches ever, at Sango Bay, Sutherland, North West Scotland.

Success!

I found this while visiting Literary Feline . Grab the book that is nearest to you (no cheating), turn to page 161, post the text of the fifth full sentence on the page, post the rules and tag three people. I tag: Mac's Niece at Caged Minutes , Bowledover and Coversgirl at Between the Covers. Page 161, 5th full sentence: 'Adam didn't have to listen to Eve saying that other men could have done it better, and Eve didn't have to listen to Adam saying he'd do it after his night out with the boys.'

Solomon's Seal Polygonatum multiflorum

I have recently been tagged, an almost entirely new experience for me! In the early days of In The Pink I was tagged by Mac’s Niece with this very same meme however was uncomfortable revealing anything about myself. Mac’s Niece happens to be my sister and she was very understanding of my decision not to participate, I sent my list to her via email and that was that. Anyway my need for anonymity has steadily subsided as I have progressed in blogging and I have now been tagged by Coversgirl with the same meme. I therefore already have a list of weird and habitual facts about myself! So! Here are the rules: 1: Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves. 2: People who are tagged, write a blog post about their own 8 random things, and post these rules. 3: At the end of your post you need to tag 8 people and include their names. 4: Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog. My 8 Oddities! 1. I frequently dream of vamp

Bears to be Shared I was given this picture by my parents from their newspaper. Obviously I would love to say I took it myself! Anyway, I felt it was an image that deserved to be shared. ( Image Credit The Daily Telegraph. )

Booking Through Thursday I have come across a wonderful blog called Booking Through Thursday . The blog has various questions relating to books and reading, and you are encouraged to copy the question into a posting of your own and answer it. By leaving a comment on the original blog you provide a link for others to find your question and answers. What a fabulous tool for a bit of blog networking! I recently gained a blog view from Africa, my first from that continent (Hello if you are looking again!) and have really got the blogging bug. I love the fact that people from all over the world have seen my pictures and musings and hope they have enjoyed 'In The Pink' as much as I enjoy maintaining it. Anyway, without further ado the question I choose is this, as it is a subject I have recently tackled. Bookless 'It happens even to the best readers from time to time… you close the cover on the book you’re reading and discover, to your horror, that there’s nothing else to read. E

Alan Johnston is a BBC Correspondent who went missing in Gaza on 12 th March 2007. He is feared kidnapped. Today is Alan's 45 th birthday. Happy Birthday Alan and my best wishes and prayers to you and your family and friends. If you have a moment please follow this link and sign the petition calling on anyone who is of influence in this matter to increase their efforts to secure Alan's release. You can also post the banner, follow link by clicking here or clicking on the banner, directly onto your blog or website and help to spread the message on. Thank you.

Fonthill Lake

Yew

Greetings! I have been visiting Coversgirl at Between the Covers again and found this wonderful quiz, The Jane Austen Heroine Quiz, sponsored by Kali at Strange Girl Dot Com ! I am delighted to announce that..... Take the Quiz here! 'You are Marianne Dashwood of Sense & Sensibility! You are impulsive, romantic, impatient, and perhaps a little to vocal in your honesty. You enjoy romantic poetry and novels, and play the pianoforte beautifully. To boot, your singing voice is captivating. You feel deeply, and love passionately.' Blimey! Willoughby and Colonel Brandon! My thanks to Coversgirl and Kali ! (Coversgirl, this is getting to be a bit of a habit! I hope that I can return the favour one day!)

iris

New Things Today's posting is in lieu of the last and current weeks 'weekly six'. Today I would like to celebrate new things. New life, new friends, new beginnings, new growth, new clothes! Yesterday heralded the arrival of the new sparrow chicks to the garden, their first journey out of the hedge, there are 5 babies at the moment. Also, arriving noisily yesterday, was the first starling chick, beak wide, still demanding food be delivered by his parents! I have not been able to capture them on my camera yet but we are enjoying many happy moments watching them develop their skills. They have all discovered the bird bath but have yet to understand what to do in it! Also, I had a wonderful night out last night with a friend from work. We shopped....ok maybe nothing new to you but the need for and love of shopping has never been particularly strong in me, excepting in the company of my sister! Anyway, there were many purchases of new clothes, which was brilliant, a trip to The

Jethro Tull - Fire at Midnight I believe in fires at midnight when the dogs have all been fed. A golden toddy on the mantle a broken gun beneath the bed. Silken mist outside the window. Frogs and newts slip in the dark too much hurry ruins the body. I'll sit easy ... fan the spark Kindled by the dying embers of another working day. Go upstairs ... take off your makeup fold your clothes neatly away. Me, I'll sit and write this love song as I all too seldom do build a little fire this midnight. It's good to be back home with you.

The Last Blossom

Blue Bell

Starling Squabble

Jackdaw Jackdaw lands in my garden at dawn He lands with trepidation An un-ease about his form Jackdaw nesting high in chimney Evolved to seek advantage Where he nurtures family Jackdaw territorial, protecting his supplies Magpie may be family But their needs are too high Jackdaw defending dominant in tree Seven in their number Seven I can see Jackdaw, eyes of blue, plumage deep and matt Jackdaw in my view Jackdaw sleek and black

Greetings. Well I have found some time to go exploring the blogoshpere and once again find myself owing to Coversgirl . Arukiyomi has very generously prepared a spread sheet listing 1001 books to read in your lifetime, as originally collated by Dr Peter Boxall , which Coversgirl has promoted on her blog, Between the Covers . Arukiyomis ' spreadsheet allows you to tick the books you have read and then tells you the percentage read, and the rate at which you need to read the rest in order to fit them all in to an average lifespan. I am torn between being ashamed and proud of my efforts. Although I have only read 1% I am part way through several more and have seen some of the books as films. I am however, intending to improve on my statistic and am shortly heading outside for a spot of reading in the sun. Several of the books mentioned are sitting on my book case just waiting to be read! Anyway, if you would like to view the list and see how you are doing click here and downloa

Isle of Sheppey

Greetings! I was going to call that last piece Fair Maiden, but then I found a poem called Fair Maiden, it's by Shane Ward . Anyway, I felt that the title had been well and truly assigned, and so leave the last verse from me nameless for now. Enjoy Fair Maiden. FAIR MAIDEN - SHANE WARD VERSE: Fair maiden oh so long ago it was since I saw thee In ribbons and in petticoats with tassels on your knee Twas innocence in which we played on bright and sunny a day And up your house we laughed and planned that we would run away CHORUS: Up yours, Up yours, Up yours is where laughed and played Up yours, Up yours, Up yours is where we played. VERSE: Fair maiden I remember that you solemnly did swear That if I showed you my two plums then you'd show me your pear And there I took you at your word but mayhap you forgot Ah solemnly you spoke that day but fruit you showed me not CHORUS: Ah sol, Ah sol, Ah solemnly you gave your word Ah sol, Ah sol, Ah solemn was your word VERSE: Fair maiden I r

Her smile ignites her eyes, her sway given of grace Naturally seducing, while instinctively chaste Alive with a passion, few could boast to share Tempestuous for instants, yet wise as she is fair Bathed in her favour, I stand adorned She is all woman, and of all women born.