Random Ramblings of a Writer Blog

Summer Beach Read Giveaway -bundle-12 0

Summer Beach Read Giveaway – Bundle#12

Beach read bundle #12 – 5 CHANCES TO WIN eBooks of CARDS FROM KHLOE’S FLOWER SHOP by Isabella Louise Anderson, THE SINKING CHEF by Sylvia Ashby, and VISITING LILLY by Toni Allen CARDS FROM KHLOE’S FLOWER SHOP – Isabella Louise Anderson – 5 ebooks As the owner of a successful florist shop, Khloe Harper trusts her instincts. She has a strong bond with her family and friends, but after being betrayed by her last love, she’s kept herself at arms’ length from romance. When dashing entertainment attorney Derek Thomas walks into her store, Khloe’s interest is piqued. What at first...

Winkle on Elmer Beach taken as part of the Wildlife Trusts #30DaysWild challenge for World Oceans Day 0

#30DaysWild – Day 8 – The Ocean

As today, June 8th, is World Oceans Day it gives me a good excuse to share a couple more of my photos from Elmer Beach on the South Coast. To me there’s nothing more wonderful than walking along the beach on a warm day and watching the sea roll in. I’m fascinated by waves (I can watch them for hours!) but do try and look closer at the marine life around me, including sea birds that rely on foraging for bugs when the tide goes out. As you saw in my previous post, on Elmer Beach I discovered colourful anemones...

Mandarin duck family taken as part of the 30 days wild challenge with the Wildlife Trusts 0

#30DaysWild – Day 7 – Mandarin Duck Family

I’ve had a busy day but really wanted to share this lovely family of Mandarin ducks with you. They breed at the same location, Waggoners Wells near Grayshot, Surrey, every year and I’m so excited to see that this year they have six healthy ducklings. It was a really gloomy day hence the photos aren’t too hot but it gives you an image of the whole family – except Daddy Duck, who was nowhere to be seen. I spotted the Mandarins just after they’d finished their feed time and needed a rest. Once they get on the water they are...

Sea anemones as part of the Wildlife Trusts' #30DaysWild challenge 0

#30DaysWild – Day 6 – Sea Anemone

When the Met Office predicts gusts of wind up to 40 mph and flags up a yellow weather warning it’s wise to stay indoors and rest on your laurels – especially when trees are falling down and branches are tumbling close to your head. I did brave the wild and windy elements but I haven’t downloaded my photos yet, so I’m cheating a bit and sharing a couple of photos of some lovely sea anemones I found last week when we visited Elmer beach on the South Coast. If I’ve got it right these are Actina equine and in real...

Summer Beach Read Giveway - loads of books up for grabs and cash prizes 0

Summer Beach Read Giveaway

Look at this amazing Summer Beach Read Giveaway I’m taking part in! I’ve teamed up with some awesome authors to make your summer reads the best ever. Enter now to win your summer beach reads – and gift cards! Here’s our organiser, Hilary, to tell you all about it. I don’t know about you, but my favorite time to read is during the summer. Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge reader and I love to escape real life with an amazing novel. But to me, there is just something special and magical about reading while being outdoors. I...

Cotton-Man Farmer part of my #30DaysWild challenge for the Wildlife Trusts 0

#30DaysWild – Day 5 – Cotton-grass farmer

When the wind blows and the rain falls the best way to go wild is with one’s imagination. I saw this little fella making his way home, scythe over his shoulder, keen to get warm by the fire. ‘Good day,” he said, “My name’s Cotton-grass Farmer and I farm near the bogs and marshes around Thursley Common.” “Good day to you, sir,” I replied, “you look very fine in your long white smock. May I take your photo for today’s random act of wildness?” He stood straight a moment then stroked his beard and went on his way. He might...

Blue Damselfly taken as part of the Wildlife Trusts 30 Days Wild challenge 0

#30DaysWild- Day 4 – Blue Damselflies

I spent today chasing blue damselflies in a blustery wind. This probably wasn’t the wisest way to spend a Sunday with my camera because the wind kept buffeting my subject out of shot every time I lined up to go click. Watching them was fun but the females proved shy and kept playing that cute game called ‘let’s hide behind this blade of grass every time you point that camera at me.’ They do it all of the time. I’ve been known to chase them round and round the same blade of grass for ages without getting one shot. Crickets...

Large Red Damselfly 4

#30DaysWild – Day 3 – Damselfly

Today’s random act of wildness was to wait patiently while this Large Red Damselfly flew backwards and forwards trying to catch her lunch. At last she caught it and settled to munch her bug. She kept twitching and the wind swayed the leaf she’d rested on from side to side, but eventually I managed to capture a shot of her spitting out the wings. Yeach, don’t want to eat those nasty wings. I imagine that once she’d also dismissed the black outer wings there wasn’t much left to eat at all. Little wonder she only rested for a short time...

Two bugs mating 0

#30DaysWild – Day 2 – Bugs

Yesterday, sitting in my little patch I dare call a garden, taking in the sunshine, I spotted something shiny winking at me from one of my hardy geraniums. Taking a closer look I found these two bugs mating so rushed indoors to grab my camera before they ran off. They were still there when I returned, far too busy to want to fly away – although they did keep moving around when I got too close. My bug book wasn’t much help at identifying them but a quick internet search turned up a fab website with lots of pictures so...

Germander Speedwell 0

#30DaysWild – Day 1 – Speedwells

This morning I went through some photos I took over the weekend and looked up the names of the wildflowers. The blue flower in the main image I recognised as a Speedwell, but the other two I was uncertain about. Even though they all look remarkably like Speedwells, I couldn’t be certain about the upright specimen because I’ve always associated Speedwells with a low-lying creeping disposition. Add variations in colour within the same variety and it all became rather confusing. The first ones that caught my eye were the Heath Speedwells, growing in great swathes and forming a purple carpet...