Moth Caterpillars

On our walk today we came across several caterpillars. Rob took photos of two of them:-

 Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillar

White Ermine Moth Caterpillar

These both turn into beautiful moths that we had no idea were living in the area. The Elephant Hawk Moth Caterpillar feeds on willow herbs (of which we have plenty in the area) and the White Ermine Moth Caterpillar feeds on a variety of herbaceous plants.

A Trip To Alnmouth

Rob, Brock and I had a few hours at Alnmouth, Northumberland on Wednesday.

It is a very attractive seaside village, with a marina, golf course, lots of restaurants, pubs, hotels and cafés (for its size). There are also a few gift shops and delis to browse in.

We enjoyed lunch at The Red Lion Inn: a 'starter' of crisps, followed by Stilton and red onion sandwich for Rob; omelet and salad garnish for me. (The latter was a special request that they kindly cooked for me, since they didn't have any vegetarian, gluten free dishes listed on the menu.) The food was tasty, and it was a nice place to sit and relax. I see from their website that they do Bed and Breakfast, and also have a beer garden overlooking the sea, which we didn't spot. The Inn allows dogs into the bar area and beer garden, which is useful if you happen to have one with you.

[Click on any photo to see a larger version.]

Next we had a walk on the beach, which is beautiful: wide sandy expanses and very few people, even on a sunny day in August.

Brock found a new friend to play with: Becky.

We enjoyed an ice cream and Brock showed quite a bit of interest in getting some. And succeeded.

The nearby market town of Alnwick is also worth a visit for the shops, Alnwick Garden and Alnwick Castle.

The Beach - Folksy Front Page

My Pinterest Board, The Beach, has been chosen for the front page of Folksy.com today :)

To see links to the items for sale, please visit the original board via this link, then click on the pictures twice to be taken to the sellers' pages.

Etsy Shop Recommendation: The Spartan Table

My latest purchase on Etsy was from The Spartan Table. I am a great fan of Greek cuisine having enjoyed holidays in Kos, Kefalonia, and Corfu in the past. The herbs especially are very pungent. My favourite dishes are Greek Salad and Tzatziki.

I make Greek Salad with tomatoes, cucumber, onion, black olives, feta cheese, olive oil, a pinch each of salt and black pepper and a sprinkle of oregano. So delicious served with bread to soak up the juices.

For Tzatziki, I use a very thick Greek yoghurt with finely chopped or grated cucumber, lemon juice, crushed garlic, salt and pepper and chopped fresh mint, again served with bread, or with vegetable crudités.

I bought some olive oil, olives, savory and oregano from Jehny and George's wonderful shop and it arrived within days. They had also included samples of the shepherd's tea (a herbal infusion, which is refreshing and claims medicinal properties. It will be on my shopping list next time); chamomile tea; and currants (sweet and delicious, sprinkled on breakfast cereals, yoghurt or porridge).

Here is a glimpse of a few of the items available:-

Olives - Kalamon Variety - 210gr in Glass Jar

 

Sun dried Tomatoes in oil with wild herbs

 

Shepherds Tea - 30gr - Wild Greek Mountain Tea from Mountain Parnonas

I really recommend this shop - the products and customer service are second to none.