2021 - trying something new

 The middle of a pandemic seems an odd time to start trying new things - but it's possible, even stuck at home.

January -  Veganuary; trying to be vegan for the month

              - setting up a sourdough culture 

February - online escape room

March - I'm not going to include every new meal or dish this time, but I thought jackfruit deserved a mention. I've seen it talked about a lot but never tried it till now. Unlike squid, it proved to be a success. 

April - went away for our first holiday in over a year, picking somewhere new - the Yorkshire Dales - with lots of places to discover

                 

  Malham, 

          

 Littondale between Hawkswick and Arncliffe

 Aysgarth Falls,

  Linton Falls

         

 - I've toyed for years with the idea of joining the RHS, not so much to be honest for the gardening advice as because it makes visiting their gardens cheaper. This year a new garden opens in Salford, near to my 'Manchester' daughter, so I thought we'd visit that a time or two throughout the year, and also call in on some others - the first being Harlow Carr near Harrogate

         

May - so much rain! Maybe that's not a 'new thing' but it felt like the wettest month ever. Fortunately by the last week when I went away to Lincolnshire things had started to improve. Again, it's one of those 'drive through' places, that I've never stopped and explored, so there were lots of new places to see.

                 Doddington Hall gardens

                 Gunby Hall gardens

                 Bolingbroke castle

                 coastal nature reserves

                 walking in the Wolds near Binbrook

And not forgetting new recipes - vegan tortilla (made with gram flour instead of eggs, and you can barely tell the difference)

June - 

midsummer flowers walk at Shardlow 

July - short walk at Barrow on Trent

          Derbyshire Moors -  Baslow Edge, Upper Burbage Bridge 

August - back to Baslow Edge but walking in a different direction towards White Edge through heather

September - staying over in my Manchester-based daughter's flat, which was exciting in itself, and trying vegan fish and chips. I'm not sure which way round these photos are but one version is made from banana flowers, the other from tofu. I tried some of each and preferred the tofu.

                 - up in Argyll for a few days included lunch with a view at Loch Melfort hotel (I know I said I wouldn't include every lunch out but the views make this one worth including)

       

               - the up- and down-hill walk to Bellanoch viewpoint. definitely worth the effort!

                - Ardmaddy Castle gardens

                - then back to Manchester's Curry Mile which is amazing. I've never seen so many restaurants and takeaways together, with neon lights trying to lure passing customers  

 November -

a day out with dinosaurs at Thoresby Hall, organised by my eldest daughter because my grandson loves all things dinosaur!

 a trip to Clumber Park. It's not quite a new thing (I used to visit as a child, and think I've been back once at least since then)  but certainly the first time in twenty or thirty years

Also throughout November, I stopped 'talking' about doing something arty, and actually got crayons and paper out to join in with an online art course.  Things tailed off as Christmas approached but it's definitely something I want to continue with next year