Working on a new website - posts may be a little sparse for a while.

 

Hi, big changes in my life. New job, new house! Two of the most stressful things that can happen in one's life apparently.

I appear to be enjoying the challenge though. Nothing too stressful so far. Usual niggles with tradesmen, solicitors and building societies. But, nothing a grown man with the support of his family can't deal with.

Maybe it's because I've just returned from a week's retreat at a Buddhist monastery.

I'm also working on a new website for our family business. Have a look and see how it progresses and morphs over the next few weeks.
http://aeioukeducation.co.uk/

 

Latest orchid photos

 

A few months ago I posted a couple of photos showing some of the orchids from my bathroom. I promised to post more as they bloomed. The latest crop of flowers from one species were particularly magnificent, so here is a photo. For the botanically minded it is Dendrobium compactum, a species native to South East Asia.

A budding designer in the family

My eldest daughter has just started secondary school. She seems to be enjoying it so far. One of the last things she did at primary school before the summer break was to design a logo for the local church. We didn't think anymore about it until we passed the church recently. You can imagine our surprise when we saw her group's design outside the church professionally produced and full size. What do you think?

The Zugspitze - top of Germany

The family recently had a well earned holiday in Germany and Austria. One of the places we had been told was a must see was the highest mountain in Germany - Der Zugspitze. The mountain is by no means the highest I've climbed, but it is certainly the most spectacular. The sense of exposure and vertigo inducing drops on all sides at the summit were truly awesome. Those who know me well will know that I don't use that adjective lightly and reserve it for places and experiences that really deserve it. The Zugspitze most certainly fitted that category.

That's me in the orange t-shirt. The photo was taken by my wife from the buildings near the summit across to the highest point. To reach the very top you need to use a via ferrata or iron stairway: very scary with no safety equipment and a pair of trainers!

 Once again the guy in the orange shirt with the blue rucksack is me. The drop from this point is about 1 kilometre straight down. You cannot tell from the picture but my legs were a bit wobbly here.

Reunited with my wife further down the mountain. A great day. I took a little piece of rock from the summit which I am going to mount on a plinth with a little plaque in German saying where it came from. Photos later. 

Butterfly Central - by chance

Took this at my local garden centre. Didn't  have a good camera with me so just grabbed the opportunity with my mobile phone. I think it turned out all right. I must take a rooted piece of this plant (Sedum spectabile) from mum's garden next time I visit if it is this good at attracting butterflies. I'm pretty certain they are small tortoiseshell butterflies. (Aglais urticae)

Return to blogging

After some months away from blogging due to work pressure I'm now back to the blogosphere. I work full time at teaching as opposed to mornings teaching and afternoons doing things digital. The digital side of things has been taken away from branch level in the main. Not really sad about it.
I've also discovered a new hobby for all the family - geocaching. See www.geocaching.com for details. More when I have a spare half hour or so to do it justice.