You know what an outdoors-y type I am, always yearning to spend time in the countryside, fostering my habit of noticing the changes and identifying any new sightings. The miles we cover each year runs into numbers our combined fingers and toes have long since exceeded, probably weeks a year.
There's a well vocalised bias towards the warm and joyful seasons of spring and summer from me and I cannot pretend to be the least bit apologetic. However, since when has a change of season stopped me from going out?
The spate of wet weekends has meant two things; firstly, indoor jobs have seen some attention, not least plenty of cooking and baking of seasonal treats and secondly, when we have ventured out it has meant getting wet. Thankfully, we had a window of opportunity through which to escape on Saturday after a wet start, so we headed out for some fresh air and a mooch round the wilderness.


Keen have been a footwear brand whose boots have featured on the blog many times before. I'm a dedicated fan and have remained impressed with the build quality, design and comfort of their range. They have a new model out now which is more heavy duty than those I usually wear which will plug the gap in my boot collection nicely. The Karraig waterproof hiking boot is their latest in the range and is a boot built to perform on the most demanding of terrain. I can attest that these boots are particularly sturdy and hold my feet in an especially secure way. Next time I'm on a walking holiday these will be my first choice for those mountain ascents. Not only do they have a strong, grippy sole and foot bed, the lacing up has been designed to provide the maximum amount of security for fitting and the boot even come with a handy sheet to show you how to tension the laces best. The walls of the boot are noticeably firmer than any of my others which make my feet and ankles feel properly supported and ready for anything.

I'm wearing the steel grey/smoke blue colour wave but they also come in a lovely chestnut brown too. Currently available direct from Keen at £159.99, they represent a high quality boot and it's a reasonable price for this product which is both designed and manufactured in Europe.

This autumn I'm determined to dodge the clouds and get outdoors as much as I can to clock up some more miles. It's fungi time already, plus the beautiful berries are in full glory. Leaves are starting to put on a show for us so there's plenty to behold on the landscape no matter where you are.
Who's up for more adventuring this autumn?
Many thanks to Keen for sending me these boots to explore in.

Take care,
Sophie

Spring is the time of year when the most dramatic changes happen across to the landscape. From the darkness and starkness of the winter months breaks forth sunshine to warm the earth and the hearts of those folk who can't wait for the chance to get outdoors in the first rays. Over the last few months we've had some truly glorious days already and I make sure I acknowledge how grateful I am for each and every one of these. The energy of the countryside is infectious and spreads; galvanising me into rushing outside to bask in the new sights with my camera. Capturing my surroundings is a long-standing passion of mine and it's forever a joy to look back at pictures to reminisce or to re-live times long forgotten. Whether it's with a phone, SLRs or (Professional) Mirrorless Cameras the images captured are moments in time forever immortalised.

 Irresistible paths through the woods where the bluebells chime

 Early purple orchids


Looking back on the bright times and the fresh blooms is a luxury on the dark days, when the clouds hang low and the brewing storms threaten the peace. Each outing is another chapter, another episode, another opportunity to focus on the wonderful now. Wild flowers have stolen my heart wholesale. Water avens for example is a curious flower that is completely overlooked. It doesn't appear like a flower at all yet through photographing it and reading about it I've shone a little light on a hidden gem.


Above, blue spears of bugle
Below herb robert which is a wild cousin of a geranium I believe. So delicate.
Each one of my countryside posts encapsulates a single visit yet my blog as a whole progresses that little bit closer to covering more. Maybe none of the shots is a stand-out image, one to be blown up and hung on the wall, but as an ensemble they work to give an all round feeling of how it felt to be there in that snapshot in time. Yes, I'd like to up my game by buying a new camera now that mine is showing it's age and has suffered some serious use! The autofocus on mine is unreliable but I've had to use it a bit with the zoom lens. Something for the summer maybe, to plan a camera upgrade. Let's face it, I do get so much use, not to mention joy, from it that it's an investment in myself.



Speckled wood butterflies soaking up the sun
Masses of flowers on the forest floor. Lesser celandine, violets, ground ivy... I love the jumble of colour and leaves all fighting for the light.

Yellow archangel starting to show itself
Violets everywhere this spring.
It's privilege to be an observer of the tiny details. I collect moments snap by snap.

This post contains a sponsored link but all content is my own.

With the dawn of spring comes a new avenue for adventuring; longer daylight hours and the warmth to inspire heading outdoors instead of looking out of the window. Shorts and short sleeves. Smiles instead of scarves. I'm up for exploring and broadening my horizons, expanding my territory and climbing some metaphorical mountains. Doesn't the middle of May make you feel so alive?!


I've been road testing the new Keen Terradora Mid hiking boots recently. I've long since been a fan of Keen and their high quality practical footwear; the construction is well considered and they are ever so comfortable to wear as well as stylishly designed. These are from the new summer range and while many people prefer a low ankle shoe in summer I am bucking the trend and always opt for an ankle support.This pair come in six beautiful shades but I am wearing the most fabulous green which I think will both suit me and my motley collection of clothes. Green is good. They're waterproof, tough but flexible.
Good grippy soles, super cushioned for ease of the foot. I think they are such a great choice of footwear for my everyday adventuring. The two pairs I already own have been worn so often; the boots get worn every day for dog walking and allotmenting, the casual boots are perfect for a trip to town.


Many thanks for sending me this pair of boots to review. All opinions and content my own.
Here's to more adventuring!
Take care,
Sophie

Good morning everyone! It may be Monday but I am feeling refreshed and restored after sneaking away for a week of fluffy slippers, open fires, steaming coffees and the like. The first segment of the year has been such a drain for me and I was desperate to get away for a break, a change of scene and to relax in completely different surroundings in the way that you can really only achieve when in a fresh environment.
I booked a self catering cottage in the Yorkshire Dales; somewhere I wasn't especially familiar with in the hope of some new countryside to explore. The view from our doorstep was to die for on clear mornings; hills to the left and right and a valley connecting the two, an unobstructed panorama which no photograph could do justice. The number of shots I tried to capture my steaming coffee and the mountains (and failed). I thought these cow mugs were a bit of a taunt considering how much I loath encountering cows on walks though it transpired the owners had a bit of a thing for them. Typical.



In serendipitous timing I was sent a beautiful pair of slippers from Celtic & Co which arrived for me to pop straight in with my packing. It's been years since I've had a pair of slippers as the previous ones have always been cheap and cheerless only retaining a bit of charm while new before succumbing to slopping around and falling apart then being discarded.
Celtic & Co have an astonishing array of slippers, outerwear, women's sheepskin boots and knitwear made from natural fibres (even the slippers alone have a massive range) and there's very much an emphasis of keeping things natural, sustainable and recyclable about the company ethos. I chose the sheepskin bootee slippers in the colour claret - there were ten colours available of which I was tempted by the green, blue and lilac but plumped for this sumptuous, rich red.
Oh heaven; wearing the cosiest slippers in front of an open fire. It was a blissful arrival once we had unpacked and just sat down to relax.
The sheepskin is soft and luxurious. The helpful instructions brief you on putting your foot inside and not to worry that it's too tight and the interior needs to adjust to your foot (it soon does) and makes for a snug, cosy fit. The cuff can be turned down (as seen) for a fluffy collar or turned up to snuggle your ankle on cooler nights. I am very impressed, they are wondrous! With sturdy soles they are safe to wear without feeling too, too rigid. This design is a happy blend of traditional and modern; I can  equally picture my grandmother wearing a pair as well (Christmas idea, ping).
My other main ambition for our week away was for not feeling too tied into doing any one thing in particular, to go with the flow more instead of getting frustrated with not getting out enough/not reading enough/not feeling 'on holiday' enough, just to not think about things too much. I did read A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara which was heavy in both the sense of it being a whopper hardback tome as well as being an emotional wrecker too. Not a usual holiday read but I'm glad I was able to dedicate enough time to getting through it in just over a week as it would have spanned months at my regular pace (and couldn't have been taken anywhere near a bath).
There are going to be a number of posts from our time away; walks and castles and a few other oddments too. It's been good to get away and although all breaks come to an end it's always a pleasure to look back at the moments (sometimes already forgotten) and catalog them for future reference.
Many thanks for Celtic & Co for sending me the most fabulous pair of slippers which I'm sure will serve me well for a good long time to come. All content and opinions my own.
Take care,
Sophie

Perhaps you would consider my regular style more hedgy than edgy but on this occasion I fancied shaking things up a little. Say hello to my favourite new tee from Shropshire based Follow The River, an independent brand who offer a stylish range of organic clothing. When I saw this dandelion print I was sold, it's so 'me' as I am such a nature addict with a love for wildflowers. As my preference for tshirts is a little bigger rather than tight I sized up and love the casual fit. Capped sleeves are a winner with me!
Not only does the tee an indulgently soft feel, it makes your heart swell to know that the manufacture has been kind to nature too; the 50% organic cotton and 50% Lyocell (Tencel) mix is environmentally sustainable. Wood pulp is such a fascinating material as it makes for an incredibly comfortable fabric against the skin; all starting as carbon dioxide, water and a good dose of sunshine. Photosynthesis eh, what a process! In fact the Tencel manufacture process has received the European award for the environment from the EU so you can rest easy with a clear conscience. The design has been hand printed with chemical free water based ink too. Halo polished.
This tee is priced at £20 which I consider to be excellent value for organic clothing and such a lovely feeling piece; there are plenty of other designs on their site (mens and womens so nobody is left out), the fern is pulling at my heartstrings too but maybe a hoodie.

I styled my tee with a floaty pleated midi skirt, slouchy socks and ankle boots, a choker and wild loose locks. What do you think?

My hair is getting so long!

Many thanks to Follow The River for sending me this conscience clearing tee for me to style up. I'm popping a few more layers on today - these shots were taken on a much milder day in October.

Take care,
Sophie