Tag Archives: Covid-19

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 →

Posted in Grey Britain, Health and humour, Nature, Photography, Reflections, Spring, Wales, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Locked-down in Wales

Posted on November 4, 2020 by BarryH

Since I arrived home from Greece in early September there have been various shades of lockdown.  It would be more pleasant and safer to have stayed on Symi but unfortunately not to be.  I would have been tempted to stay … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Grey Britain, Grumpy Old Men, Health and humour, Hiking, Landscape, Monmouthshire, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Pontypool, Reflections, Wales, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Greece, Symi: there ……. and back!’

Posted on September 14, 2020 by BarryH

Despite a few nervous twitches as the UK government had Greece on the ‘watch list’ for potentially banning all except ‘essential travel’ I made it safely back to Symi, via Athens and Rhodes. Great to be there again.  Some things … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Hiking, History, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Greece, Symi: here’s hoping

Posted on August 17, 2020 by BarryH

I usually come back from Greece to the UK for August, partly because of the heat but mostly in order to sort out my garden, harvest fruit and veg and store it away for the winter months.   In the throes … Continue reading →

Posted in Autumn, Greece, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Reflections, Uncategorized, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Virtual Symi: Summer solstice and Covid optimism

Posted on June 22, 2020 by BarryH

Summer solstice, 21 June, and for the last 10 years I have been in Greece to celebrate it.  With the sun at its highest, at the zenith (13.00 with adjustment for summer time) I’ve made a point of taking a … Continue reading →

Posted in Greece, Grey Britain, Health and humour, Hiking, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Grey Britain, Health and humour, Hiking, History, Mountains, Spring, Weather | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in Greece, Landscape, Mountains, Nature, Photography, Spring, Weather, Wildlife | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Life under the Covid cosh.  And a new book

Posted on April 4, 2020 by BarryH

I’m trying not to be bored. New words and phrases have entered the language, old words and phrases have taken on new meaning, usually imprecise meanings that convey different things to everyone.  We are all now living in ways we … Continue reading →

Posted in extreme gardening, Greece, Grey Britain, Health and humour, Mountains, Reflections | Tagged , , | 3 Comments