Category: Nature

Animal Kingdom, Fitness, Lifestyle, Nature, Photography, Weekend Friday Favourites

Weekend Friday Favourites

by natjtan5 Comments on Weekend Friday Favourites

I hope you’re having a great weekend! I won’t lie, being on lockdown cooped coming up for the 6th week I’m having my loopy moments, my motivated moments and perhaps more demotivated moments.

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I think the Spanish government will call the State of Alarm next week for another two weeks. The government can only call it every two weeks. I’m just hoping they relax some restrictions and we’re allowed outside even if it’s for exercise. This however might be different for each region based on regional covid-19 infection levels or health care facilities. If another 2 weeks is added, that’s 2 months under near total lockdown. I understand the whys, so don’t come for me! As Catalunya is one of the worst hit regions after Madrid, it might be one of the last regions to have restrictions lifted. One thing all regions can agree on is kids that have been cooped up for nearly 6 weeks need to get outdoors to play. The next State of Alarm may allow for this. Big kids allowed out too would be amazing too.

As for Weekend Friday Favourites, it’s short one. This week’s been a struggle motivationally and mentally. My birthday’s next month, a big one and with that comes lots of whys, what ifs, what no’s, what I’ve done etc. I lost a few days in a little head spin. But hey, everybody gets old! Youth’s appreciated as it’s got fat cheeks, no wrinkles, elastic skin! Nature really likes to hit you hard with age. Just when you’ve getting used to things she takes them away! Okay enough reflection. If you’re still here, Weekend Friday Favouites, things that have made me smile this week or caught my eye. 

Birds

Ducks, kestrels, wagtails, seagulls, swifts, parakeets, magpies and pigeon seen flying. All flying higher or lower than usual. 

Dried Mango

I did a little mental happy dance finding sulphate free dried mango slices in Continue reading “Weekend Friday Favourites” →

Animal Kingdom, Nature, Photography

Early Spring

by natjtan2 Comments on Early Spring

While many of us are watching spring from our windows this year and celebrated the official first day of spring inside, nature doesn’t do dates. She does arrivals. Spring started saying hello at the end of February back when we were allowed out in freedom. While summer holds a place in my heart as my favourite season, spring is very close second by a fraction. Watching everything wake up after winter gives a warm feeling of longer warmer days ahead.

The sun come the end of winter has a warmth to it. The light’s bright, trees start getting dressed, people and animals start to hang out more in the sunshine thanks to the longer days. Finding a sunny sheltered spot out of the wind is heaven! Anyways, early spring photos at the zoo and running errands. Apologies if there’s too many or if you’ve seen here them before.

Cherry blossom’s always spring. This is all the blossom I saw this yearThe same for Jasmine one of my favourite flowers and scents. All the jasmine I saw this year Plane trees starting to get dressed while shedding seed pods. Continue reading “Early Spring” →

Animal Kingdom, Fitness, Lifestyle, Nature, Photography, Thought

March 2020 Catch Up

by natjtan1 Comment on March 2020 Catch Up

I wasn’t sure if to do March Catch Up this year. Half of it has been spent in Covid-19 lockdown. Spain called the State of Alarm on the 14th March. Unless an essential worker, everybody’s only allowed out for food, pharmacies, doctors or work. We’re now in our 4th week of lockdown with another 2 more weeks to go. Possibly another extension until the 10th May and beyond! Who knows! I’m hoping come the end of April the Spanish government eases the lockdown confinements. Even if it’s just we’re allowed out to exercise! Greenery and seeing the sea close up is what I miss. I will miss the quiet outside and cleaner air.

I’m sure many of you are tired reading and hearing covid-19 news, so I’ll try to keep the 2nd half of March to a minimum focusing on the freer first half. Back when I could cycle, run, climb, pop to the shops with no worry of will the police believe me I’m only getting bread or a weekly shop! I never knew how much I travelled in the city looking back at photos. My world was small then, now it’s even smaller. Do I have more time to do stuff I didn’t back then?

Not even a day or 2 old already running, jumping, exploring!One patient Mangabey monkey mum. She’s a good mum. I think as monkey hierarchy goes, one of the higher ranking mums. Late winter early spring life

Erm, I got a wheel blocker for my bike so I’m trying to do as much cycling. Gym workouts are now at home, run days are Popsugar Fitness dance classes. Climbing hours I don’t know where they went. Maybe more phone. One thing I have noticed is my skin tone has improved as I’m not wearing make up. There’s no point if I’m not going out. I’m still washing my hair every day as it’s still getting as greasy. And for sanity. My hair’s so fine grease shows in an instant. If clean hair gives me a sense of normality in a crazy time, Continue reading “March 2020 Catch Up” →

Animal Kingdom, Nature, Photography, Travel

San Francisco Botanical Gardens 

by natjtan2 Comments on San Francisco Botanical Gardens 

9,000 different plants from all over the world at San Francisco Botanical Gardens take you on a journey across the globe. You can’t just look in one direction ahead! Looking up magnolias, redwoods, looking down camellias, herbs, moss. Each twist and turn of the paths takes you almost if there’s no one around a secret garden on the other side of the world. Or down the road in the California garden!

We had enough of the city, wanting some fresh air when we visited San Francisco earlier this year. The botanical gardens and Japanese Tea Garden were a few places on our list of places to go thinking they’re in the same garden. The Japanese Tea Garden is in the same park, Golden Gate Park but not in the same garden if that makes sense. Golden Gate Park while it looks close to the centre or downtown San Francisco isn’t. For some reason looking at the map of San Fransisco bay area I thought it was like a European town with everything more of less in walking or a metro distance. Err, no! You need a car to get around, unless you want to do multiple buses, taxis or Uber. A car worked out cheaper than Uber. We stayed just outside San Francisco in Belmont, Redwood Shores and I think the garden was a 40 minute drive away. We’d thought we’d have enough time to do both however the botanical gardens were bigger than we’d expected. By the time we’d left (after a who’s right which way back to the entrance! I think we both compromised and worked it out) it was 16.30 winter closing hours.

Bamboo gardenDSCF0072Puffer fish!

We could have easily have spent more time in the gardens. It’s split into Californian indigenous plants within their own geographic location and into South America, Asia Africa and Europe. The Mediterranean Garden features native Californian plants along side plants from South-western Australia, Chile and South Africa all grouped within their own geographical location. The Mild Temperate Climate features plants from Eastern Australia, New Zealand and a Japanese Moon Continue reading “San Francisco Botanical Gardens “ →

Lifestyle, Nature, Thought, Travel

February 2020 Snow Moon

by natjtanLeave a Comment on February 2020 Snow Moon

February’s Snow Moon was a little special for the same reason Januarys’ Wolf Moon. I got to see it from the other side of the world! Oahu, Hawaii and the Big Sur, California!

Famed with trees like a two stag beetle stand off. Or spider. Pfeiffer Beach California

I’m not sure why I or us humans like the moon. Maybe like the sun it’s its constant yet ever changing predictable presence. Maybe it’s connection to nature. Maybe as its inspired thousands of stories. Maybe it’s its mystery. Maybe it’s because the night isn’t so dark, there’s light and light always triumphs the dark.

Anyways don’t forget to look up into the sky! Both the night and day sky and dream big!

Oahu Moon. In traffic the power lines caught my eye. Only later I noticed the moon! Okay, I know this is a bad shot, however as you’ll see in the next photoIt was only two days between the two shots. Five hours apart by plane. Two locations on Earth, difference perspective. Here a Big Sur Continue reading “February 2020 Snow Moon” →