I wish I knew what this said.

The heavy rains drowned most of the grass, but not the crocuses, thank goodness.

Formerly the workshops of Richmonds Carriages.

I love the big windows. Just right for fine detailing and painting coach stripes. Now selling beds. Nice people.

Time to shut the window.

Today's mandatory food shot. Pizza Toscana with Tuscan sausage and birdseye chilies.

Totally different from last year's goulash at home. Good food, company, and fun.

Changing lane with a horse van isn't easy but this confident Roma seems to have it under control.

Note the gilded woodwork and wheels. Highly skilled work done by very few artisans now.

Shot into sun, hence lots of editing to restore details.

Shop doorway

I like the certainty this conveys. Of course it's a different business now.

Tea tonight. This will make two good servings, and is the work of just a few minutes. Just the thing after a busy day.

Strange. But possible.

Arty people have been described as "all hair and earrings". It was nice to see this vase today.

Traditional Scandinavian saffron buns, baked to celebrate Saint Lucy's Day.

Their name means Lucy's cat, because they look like curled up tails.

For some reason that I do not understand, UK is the biggest market for drophead or open top cars. Here they are, crewed by people who look better equipped to take on the South Pole than a gentle drive in the country. As they say up here, there's nowt so strange as folk.

As you stroll along Morecambe's promenade, you might look across the bay to see the southern fells; but how are they named? this useful sculpture traces the outlines and shows the names of each visible fell.

Lancaster Priory was established in 1094 by Roger de Poitou. It was Benedictine. This doorway is a later construction. An octagonal stone font that was found in the garden suggests the Priory was built over an existing Saxon place of worship.

A light lunch of things that are past their sell by date, but within the use by safety period.

Delicious and nutritious while preserving my cash.

Eggs and red Leicester cheese.

Steamed spinach and parsley.

Tomatoes in oil and vinegar.

Turkey bacon (whatever that might be!)

Damson ketchup.

And mendi spices for extra interest.

Processed with VSCOcam with f2 preset

Mirror Lab Pro on a Galaxy Note9. Cloud photo opened to preset filter number 2 called Mirror Lake.

My winter house guests are getting ready to leave, now that spring is here.

April lockdown

Costing up to €1.3 million it is not feasible to have an MRI scanner in every hospital. This one is mounted in a lorry that travels the country, chipping away at the patient list.

I had a scan last night and the staff were very kind and supportive. it's a noisy activity as the magnets move around one. and if you're worried about tight spaces it can be a tad worrying. but it's all good.

with luck they found my brain still works and the wiring, while odd, is intact.

The local water company had a pop up information stand at the local mall the other day. Giving useful advice to avoid freezing pipes and wasting water. They gave me this ice scraper 'free'.

Imagine my amusement to read that water bills are going up again, 'to cover investment in infrastructure'. The share price is up 30% over the year, so dividends should be up, too. I should be grateful for my piece of plastic.

I made pickled cucumber this weekend. It's so easy and quick and hones your knife skills. Slice cucumber, sweet red pepper (for color), garlic. Chop dill. Rest in a colander for 30 mins. Make the pickling brine and allow to cool. Pack the cucumber etc into clean jars. Add the brine.. I like it a bit warm. Make sure all is covered. Close lids and refrigerate. This can keep up to 3 months. It will be less crisp then but full of flavor and all its nutrients. Lecker!

Place on tongue.

Close eyes.

No sucking.

No biting.

Let the magic happen.

Sweet potato, carrot, shallot, red onion, garlic, herbs, marinaded overnight in some olive oil. Baked in the oven (or air-fryer) the kitchen will be filled with an amazing aroma.

I first had Glühwein at the bottom of a particularly challenging ski slope.

Here is some mulled wine that was a welcome end to an afternoon of hobbling to the shops.

Seen today on the window of a local bank. Lynette's window paintings stay for a while, but are not permanent additions, sadly.

Today is also the 80th anniversary of the signing of the United Nations Charter. That's worth thinking about for a moment, I'd suggest.

www.un.org/en/

And a short film, here:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCOkMWv5TB0

Time to get back for my train home. And here's the well laid track. But I'll find my own path. Nothing new there 😁

As more people carry a camera with a phone attached, phone boxes are being removed.

Having added stock - I used a mixture of chicken and veggies stocks - brought to boil then simmered for another 15 minutes, this is the result.

Radar, cameras, wind, temperature, and who knows what else.

A herring gull doing its thing.

Today's cooking for 40

What's on special offer today?

Red capsicum

Red onion

Spinach

Garlic

Stir fry veg mix

to which I added

Canned tomatoes

Passata

Veg stock

Cannelini beans

Red kidney beans

Yoghurt, Greek

Farfalle pasta

Balsamic vinegar

cook and simmer for 90 minutes

80 pence per serving.

only one return..."too many bits".

can't please everyone 👍

After about 80 minutes we arrive at Stand 2 at the Grade II listed Preston Bus Station. It is 'tired' and needs some TLC applied, but the staff do well with the resources they have. There's a cafe, and the loos are clean. The electronic timetables are accurate and there are places to sit down while waiting. And there are no speakers playing music.

I like this place!

Melody by Kellock Brown.

Shown at the 1901 international exhibition at Kelvingrove.

Happiness is just a cup of tea away.