Category Archives: Spring

Symi: back on the Hot Rock

Posted on May 30, 2022 by BarryH

Back on Symi.  Been here two weeks now. A bit trepidatious about the travel chaos expected at Manchester Airport so turned up 4 hours ahead of flight departure. No queue at all at check-in, shortest queue at security ever.  Waiting … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring, Uncategorized, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Symi, Stockport: Then, now and soon-to-be

Posted on March 13, 2022 by BarryH

The Brexit Bonus has nowhere-near met cynically manipulated expectations.  Quite the opposite.  It has fallen far short and a realistic assessment is that it will continue to do so, despite the Ress-Mogg Magic Wand. One of the negative impacts, which … Continue reading →

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The Year of the Parsnip

Posted on April 25, 2021 by BarryH

This is the Year of the Ox, to be precise, the Year of the Metal Ox.  It began on 12 February and replaced the Year of the Rat.  At least for the Chinese.  For me, 1 March marked the end … Continue reading →

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Spring in the Brecon Beacons: The long and the short view of The Covid Lockdown

Posted on June 6, 2020 by BarryH

September 1961.  I started in the Sixth Form and my GCE ‘A’ level course.  Perhaps more importantly, I now had access to the Sixth Form Library which hitherto I didn’t even know existed.  It was like Aladdin’s Cave.  The only … Continue reading →

Posted in Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Pontypool, Reflections, Spring, Wales, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Under the Covid Cosh: musings

Posted on April 29, 2020 by BarryH

Five weeks in, under the cosh since 23 March, and the major change is in the weather. For all that time it has been warm and sunny, the sunniest April on record in the UK.  A single overnight shower two … Continue reading →

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Symi: virtually

Posted on April 15, 2020 by BarryH

Symi in April is very different from the island which most people see in the heat of Summer.  Sadly, thanks to Covid-19 there is no possibility of going there this month, or next, or for the foreseeable. Not only are … Continue reading →

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Say it with flowers

Posted on May 19, 2019 by BarryH

Sadly, I have been revisited by the misfiring which struck at Easter 2016 (see).  It has now been sorted and I’m firing on all cylinders again.  But it prevented my return to Greece for Easter this year ….. and then … Continue reading →

Posted in Nature, Photography, Pontypool, Spring, Wales, Weather, Wildlife, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Greece, Symi:  The smell of herbs and The Flood

Posted on June 13, 2018 by BarryH

OK, so I’m posting a lot fewer blogs these days.  Cynics are probably sniggering that old-age is catching up on me and I’m spending the days ‘reminiscing’ in tavernas.  Nowhere near the mark. True, I have less energy and take … Continue reading →

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Greece:  Nisyros spring

Posted on May 13, 2018 by BarryH

As intended, after my earlier-than-planned visit to Symi I returned home to resume sorting out my vegetable and fruit garden ready to leave for the summer, a task helped by four days of unusually warm and sunny weather.  Having planted … Continue reading →

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Greece:  Symi spring

Posted on April 27, 2018 by BarryH

Having made the most of the snow in the unusually prolonged winter (the last blog post) my intended trip to Greece and Spring was brought forward by a few weeks. The sudden and unexpected death of a very good friend … Continue reading →

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