Happy 'Cause I'm Home

You may well be under the impression from watching the previous two videos, that all this chat about us heading off on our much-missed Gnome-Treks may mean that all we want to do is bugger off into the unknown.

Well, you'd be wrong. 

We love this humble abode of ours and many of you have asked; "Just how is that garden of yours looking?" Well, maybe not exactly many of you, but someone did hint that maybe I should shut up about the Pyrenees and show more about our little corner of paradise. 

After having a couple of difficult Springs where late frosts started the decimation of my much cherished garden (a decimation that was completed by a scorching summer without rain) we have had a most welcome season of perfect growing conditions. Loved by all my plants, especially the weeds. I await the coming summer with a certain amount of dread, and am spending much time tweaking the watering system and talking nicely to our water well.

So here is our garden now, put all together in a video for your pleasure:

Don't be surprised if the next garden video is of a desert wasteland...

Gnome Trek Series 4, Episode 2. Escaping Purgatory. Part Two

Thus leaving our abode in the capable hands of Annick's mum (aided somewhat by some others of our long-suffering family) we ventured forth in search of that higher ground...

(Part One here)

We had arrived and immediately set about that which we do best. Eating & drinking.... 

The next morning, after a quiet evening-in surrounded on all side by two screaming banshees, we set off in search of rocks.

We had arrived in the upper reaches of the Ariège. 

As can be seen in the photo above, it's mostly made of big rocks. Another great discovery.

The banshees set about terrorising the neighbourhood by climbing every mountain

then hurting downhill whilst filling the air with the sound of music (screaming)...

...then my two little favourite things ran Far. A long long way to run...

They subsequently attempted to hide from their weird granddad...

I searched high and low, I followed ev'ry by-way, every path you know.

Meanwhile, high on a hill was a lonely goatherd....

And so, we had escaped purgatory and arrived, finally, in paradise. A last walk with Sky up the mountain before returning to Mundania proved somewhat difficult for my canine companion. 

This was the very last time we would attempt a long walk, as she collapsed on the return downhill trip. Then, finally approaching our house after significant rest breaks, she was attacked by a bloody great Mastiff who attempted to eviscerate her. But only after failing to rip out her throat. 

Sky was, to say the least, mildly perturbed. 

When the dog bites. When the bee stings. When I'm feeling sad. I simply remember my favorite things. And then I don't feel so bad.

After a spell in intensive care (aka our kitchen. She likes being near food, especially if it is so close as to be in her stomach) we returned home, pouring the poor soul out of the van into home territory. We also dropped off the Krazy Kids and recuperated for a couple of days before, once again, heading for them thar hills.

This time it was just myself and my loving wife. With not even our dog to hold us back, we could ramble-on to our heart's content.

The weather, on the other hand, had different ideas.

It started like this...

...and ended like this...

Maybe sitting in front of the fire was a better idea.

Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes. Silver white winters that melt into springs. These are a few of my favorite things

Many apologies for plagiarising the movie "The Sound of Music". I realise that I'm probably the only one left alive that even remembers it...

Gnome-Trek Series 4, Episode 1. Escaping Purgatory. Part One.

Purgatory, not quite the Final Frontier. 

These are the voyages of the Flying-Brick ‘Gnome’. Its four-day mission: to escape Purgatory, to seek out the higher ground, and generally swear a lot. To boldly ramble-on where no Gnome has rambled-on before...

For many months now I have slumbered here in Purgatory. Eons have passed since my last ramblings. Some of you may have pondered upon my fate, some of you may have had a passing concern, most of you will not know what the heck I'm going on about.

As usual.

The last few months have been, putting it mildly, something of a pain. Mostly centred around that part of the skull that normally holds a brain. 

A recent MRI revealed 'nothing'.  Hmmm. That sums me up then...

My time spent in Purgatory has not all been in a state of total agony. Paracetamol has been my constant companion. Heroin has also been prescribed, and this may go some way to explain my visions of strange floating shiny animals...

...and at other times; unicorns.

On one occasion I was fooled into thinking that I had escaped Purgatory and had achieved a higher plane of existence...

...where my disciples bent their heads to me...

It was just a passing fancy, a promise of something well beyond my reach. 

I woke once more, drenched in pain.

These passing visions provoked me. They propelled me towards recovery. That and my sluggish immune system (plus a bucket-load of medication).

Now? The ongoing attempts of Covid to lay me low finally appear to be receding, leaving just the usual feeling of utter knackered-ness. I hope to have bid a final farewell to the near constant aching head, and have spent the last month recuperating by taking out my weary anger upon the various malevolent weeds in the jungle surrounding us. 

I now feel it may be time to venture south, to that higher ground.

However, before that, as a prize for escaping a state of recently terminated interminable suffering; I have a new camera to play with. Having waited seven years for Sony to upgrade my previous love, I have finally given in and gone back to Canon, as they now appear to have produced the best camera ever (the Canon R7). 

I thought I'd give it a try. 

Here's some first attempts from our domain. Note the bluesy theme:

It is long past the time for another Gnome-Trek. These, of late, have been very few and far between. Looking back at last year, Episode 1 of Series 3 was our Gnome's only trip into the unknown. 

This year has to be different.

Maybe.

Thus leaving our abode in the capable hands of Annick's mum (aided somewhat by some others of our long-suffering family) we ventured forth in search of that higher ground...

..where Lyzëa demanded the 'flower in front of the face' photo. They say never to work with animals or children. They could be right...

To be continued here