February Is The Month Of Love

3rd February 2018

How quickly we all arrived at February and already people have ended the new years resolution and started smoking and eating like they were storing up the calories for the summer. Although Spring is closing in and the signs of change have arrived, winter is still not so far away and a severe frost overnight and the predicted snow for tomorrow is a constant reminder not to become complacent and not to expect anything more than nature can provide at a speed that it naturally moves forward at.

I ventured out today and set off to the farm before the weather turns to snow and whilst the skies are so perfectly blue, don't assume for one minuet that it was anything more than freezing. Here is one of my many places of which I visit on a regular basis to just be alone and absorb the tranquility and moment of extreme silence in which to capture the moment on my camera whilst the light and blue sky is in my favor. I often get remarks about the many pictures that I have taken and I always say that photography is easy, the skill is the patience and light and everything else is easy. These wind turbines are something of a spectacular sight when up close and they create such a spectacular silhouette on the skyline when the light is behind them. The fascination to myself is watching them turn silently but at the same time creating energy in which to power homes and whether you are in favor or against these mechanical giants, what you can't dispute is the fact that they are clean and work very well and by producing a 100% clean energy, I find myself liking them more and more.
Today was quite a special day in regards to photography and whilst I had no intention of taking pictures, I did have my phone with me of which allowed me to capture some snaps and video and the result is what you see here today. I always feel blessed that all of this natural beauty is all within 10-15 minuets from my home and whilst I would agree that there are many beautiful places on planet earth, there is only one that goes by the name of "God's Own Country" and this is what Yorkshire is known for all over the world and I assume it did not get it's name by accident.   

12th February 2018

I had good cause to take a drive out today, with the weather changing and temperature dropping fast, I had to get up to the farm and offer help in collecting and bringing inside some mothers to be from the sheep who by now and hiding out in the snow. However, they may be smart but not super smart and the call of food and an easy meal soon brings them in. The major problem is that for the most part, some of the sheep are above the snow line and the bitter cold was making life hard work and here are a few images from the hills of which I was to be seen running around with a bucket of food.

As one might imagine, the sheep are out there but despite not playing hide and seek, they were well camouflaged against the white background and although you can't judge it on a still picture, it was quite breezy and the sun was in the eyes as this field faces west and the sun was going down, the result was that it is going to be a challenge and one that requires brains over brawn and I'm blessed by having both. I always enjoy my time at the farm as the ability to clear the mind and think about other issues apart from the daily routine is truly a blessing that I enjoy despite the moans.

As you will see by the level of the sun in the distance, there is probably less that 30 minuets in which to carry out the duty today before it becomes too dark to see whats required. The ground and snow are rapidly turning to ice and when that happens, the roads around here become quite a danger and hazard to drive on and as such, it's time to get on and not waste a moment. The Mothers to be need to be indoors for the next few days, may even go into weeks until the severe cold weather passes over as the new borne lambs are not always equipped to cope with the severe drop in temperature and need to be protected from the cold. They will soon be back out again and dancing around in the green fields when the sun stays up for a few days but as the wind is coming from the North West and down from both Greenland & Iceland, as you might imagine, it's very cold and well below zero at night.

As you can see below, the sun is now disappearing over the horizon and will not appear before 07.00 am tomorrow morning and as such it's time that Peter Hulbert dropped back down into the valley below and into the car and heading home for a hot shower and nice cup of tea.

20th February 2018

How a few days makes such a difference in my part of the world. When I last gave you all an update, it was white all over with snow and ice but today was blue skies and bright sunshine, although not warm and followed 3 days of raising temperature and this gave me an excuse to escape to the countryside for a few short hours before the predicted drop in temperature arrives at the weekend with expectations of -10% for the weekend. However, it's not all doom and gloom as the days are getting noticeably longer and soon the cold will have gone for the next 8-10 months and a long and welcome period of warmth will descend upon Yorkshire and we will all smile with excitement. Today saw me heading for a small village about 30 minuets from my home and below are some images for you to see where I went.

You will note that this small waterfall is running freely through the valley of my city and this water flows 24 x 7 to connect with many other rivers that join the river don valley which is so clean today that I am often found fishing for both rainbow and brown trout and whilst it is the worst kept secret, it is also known that salmon also run in the river along with grayling and many course fish. This part of the river is probably one of the narrowest sections but even here, brown trout can be seen swimming upstream on a calm day. The main reason the the river is so rich in marine life, is due to the many years of clearing up and maintaining high standards or water cleanliness in this part of the world. The benefit being that we now have otters and some true quality game fishing along the full length of the river and the splendid views that are provided by the clean water is a true bonus. I took this picture of the river riverlin on my way out to the moors and villages where the tranquility is something to savoir and today was no exception as I headed for a village made famous for it's castle and mines of which are purely for the tourist today and they flock here in their thousands when it's a Bank Holiday of warm Sunday which is a not often enough at this time of year.       

You will note by the picture to the left that patches of snow are showing on the high areas of the hills in the background and whilst the skies are blue and the sun is shining, it is a reminder that the air is still fresh and cold and that winter will return within the next 2-3 days with yet another coating of snow before we head toward spring time. I never moan about the weather as I feel blessed that we are lucky to experience all four seasons in the UK and whilst winter is cold, the bonus is that Spring is getting closer and hopefully the end of winter will soon be here and we can all look forward to longer, warmer and drier days to come.

                 
Above is the road to the top of "Mam Tor" which is a local high point for tourists to climb to the top and enjoy the spectacular views in all directions. I have seen "Hang Gliders" in the past take off from this point as well as "Para gliders" although I believe that they no longer do this as they have formed a club and moved the operations to that destination. To the center of the picture, you will see the car park for the Speedwell Mine which in itself is interesting as it combines a long walk down a flight of stairs to which is seriously deep down and then to climb on board a small boat and travel for about half a mile inside the mine to a large open section which is very exciting and interesting. 

To the left, you will see the small Castle to which gives it's name to Castleton and whilst small, was very difficult to attack due to the very clever positioning of the structure on the top of a hill with very steep sides which meant that defending the Castle became easy as the archers were firing downwards and the attackers were heading upwards which in itself was a problem. The archers placed in the right position within the Castle could easily ward off any attack by firing arrows downward where the attacker was trying to climb a very steep hillside and duck out from arrows and whilst trying to fire back at a target much further away. The Castle had only one weakness which was it's reliance on food being stored as water was in plentiful supply and was fresh and very clean, so food was it's only weakness of which they made provision in advance of any attacking army. For myself, Castelton offers so many good opportunities to take advantage of the beauty of this wonderful and charming village. It really is an artists dream, although I maintain that I am no artist, just a hobby to me.
 Below is an image looking away from the village and as you might well imagine, it is even more impressive from the high point of the Castle or Man Tor where you can see as far as 30 miles on a good day.

26th February 2018                                                                                                                         

It's quite frightening to admit it but the time just flies by and whilst it was only a few weeks ago that we were all preparing for Christmas, already Easter is staring us in the face along with St Patrick's day which is a day I always look forward to. So where does all the time go and how come that just when we all need more time in our life, the less we have left to waste and the clock somehow speeds up. However, the one thing I have learned in life is that money and assets come and go but time is more valuable and in limited supply. If I can offer one piece of advice in this life, always give your children your total commitment of time as they will value that far more than money in later life. This week saw a very sad end to a comic actress to whom we all loved and laughed at who sadly passed away at an age that suggests she was far too young to go and this emphasis's my point that time is the most precious thing we all posses and we should value that more than anything. It's truly sad that we all lost Emma at such a young age.  

Looking forward this week with a very positive tone to my routine as I have news coming in from 4 corners of the planet that hopefully will set the wheels in motion to a stronger platform of a brighter future and something that has been on the calendar for too long but unfortunately has suffered from delays for many reasons but to which I am optimistic has now entered it's final stages of completion.

Politics, compliance and general BS all seem to be the order of the day but the weak will always find time to moan and the positive will always find the strength to find a way and to that end, I pride myself on being the latter.  

I am enjoying my time more and more as I grow older and the simple things in life appear more precious than the tangible things in life, to the right is a fine example of this sentiment as it might appear like a simple river running past a field but this water is so pure as it filters through many layers of limestone rocks to the point where it is cleaner and less toxic than the water that runs from out water system. It provides a safe haven for wild trout to live and breed and when I see the many charity adverts on the TN requesting money for people who have no clean water, I realize just how lucky I am to have this on my doorstep. The gift of life in reality is not to be counted in money but to be valued by what we have in our lives that does not cost money. I have a family, I have friends, I have my health and I have freedom. All of these things are what many people would give the world to have and I like many take them for granted. This short update will probably take me through to March unless something happens that I feel I want to share with you all but until then, I will bid you farewell and wish you all the very best. I thank you all for your kind support and I make you one promise that I know you all want to hear. "I have not quit, I am simply on pause" and ready to bounce back with a vengeance.

The First Day Of The Rest Of My LIfe

1st January 2018

Welcome back to the start of a whole new year of what I truly hope is a good one for everyone and that 2017 is gone but not forgotten for any of us as despite everything, we survived in whatever form that took. I like to look back at life as a learning curve and as we progress forward, we look back as an education to build upon. Some parts were good and some were bad, some were happy and some were sad but our regrets are few and we are blessed in as much as we survived which many did not.

Many people appear to only judge others by money, wealth and what they are worth but I have learned in life that money comes and goes and wealth is easily removed but real value is in who we are and what we know and I learned to only ever value people and not money. Good people and more valuable than hard cash and through trauma and personal experience in life, I learned that good people are worth everything and bad people are worth nothing in our daily lives. I value my friends as they truly are the very best a person could ever wish for which is more than I can say for my family on occasions. Today is the 1st of the 1st and a day to rejoice and celebrate but I pray that this is the last one I see in this condition, I spend my whole Christmas as well as new year alone and locked in my room as I was simply not welcome around the ones who should know better. However, it's onward and upward as I advance into the new year with a shadow of hope in the background and a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel that promises to bring along change and real prospect of a future outside of this circle of misery. I used to think I was all alone in my cocoon of doom and gloom but when I see the internet and so many people sharing stories of upset and depression, it makes me realise I am certainly not alone but far from it, I realise that the so called "Good Will To All" time of year is far from it and in reality, it's probably the cause of more divorce, family breakdowns or upset to so many. It's sad but so true. Ah well, so long 2017 and welcome to 2018 and a whole new chapter in the story of Peter Hulbert and what got him to this stage of his life and why. This year is a bounce back year and the plan is that certain heads will roll for what has happened and the truth will out in the end and whilst the pathway was a long and uncharted course, there was reason for everything and everything has a reason and timing is everything sometimes and my time is here and now. I have no plans to write a book or even make an issue of things but I do believe in justice and truth and both will appear this year and afterwards I can move on with my life to a new home, new wife and direction, most of which from overseas and far away. I hope on occasions you will touch base with my blog and fill in the gaps I left as I progress along through 2018 and as the time becomes right to share the valued points, I will be happy to do so. For now, wish me luck and I thank you all for your support.

5th January 2018

Well, what a week. We are into the first week of January and whilst it is winter, the rain and wind have been a major problem in the UK and as we hear the news on the TV, our thoughts are with our friends and families in the USA who are truly having some really bad snow and ice that has not been seen like this for many years. Our hearts go out to our greatest of friends the USA who always roll up their sleeves and just make it work, unlike many other nations around the world whom always shout "Money" for some reason. Tomorrow is Friday for me and I'm looking forward to meeting with "B" who as everybody knows, is always my priority when the opportunity arises and as we didn't see each other over Christmas, I have to take whatever is on offer for now. No doubt we will go for dinner somewhere as usual and I look forward to it so much.
As this week has as one might expect been a very quiet one and people on extended leave and slow returning to work, there is not much to say, except that my associates overseas have been very busy over the holiday period and I am excited about what news will hopefully come very soon. I will of course share this news with you all as and when I get updates and posted myself. Just keep the faith and we should all see a turn in direction and fortune very soon.

To the right is a large Scorpion made of steel and displayed outside of Forgemasters in my City. It is quite symbolic in some ways as I always say that a scorpion has a sting in the tail and whilst you may be watching the claws at the front, the sting is far worse that the bite should we say and my action plan for 2018 would describe that as par for course in the scheme of things. There certainly are a few names and old contacts to whom I expect to be seeing all too soon in which they may feel slightly surprised if not very uncomfortable about the reasons we all meet up again in such a circumstance. This will put the nails in the coffin that I require to fulfill my obligation to myself in order to continue onward with my life and plans to which include my planned wedding to which we are still waiting to confirm the dates but expect to once again share that with you all very soon.

16th January 2018

Today was a day of contemplation and thought and if you never step back and take some silent thought, I would suggest that it's time that you did. It is a great way of clearing the mind of confusion and replacing it with some logic without influence. Try it, you may well enjoy the moment.

There is something quite satisfying about this quite somber picture to the left and I will share this thought with you all to take with you throughout your life. "It does not matter how big your house is, or how fast your car goes because at the very end, we all have the same sized grave" and whilst I don't wish to encourage doom and gloom, I do hope you reflect on this simple message of life as everything that we have is not forever and that includes our life.

My world became very cold this week and snow, wind and driving rain followed by ice and more snow has made this part of the world very interesting at best and scary at worst for the drivers who always enjoy going just that bit quicker to the next accident. We were stricken by a major storm over the last 2 days with worse to come tomorrow through to the early hours of Thursday and cold is a word to describe the sunny areas of Yorkshire whilst freezing describes the rest.

When somebody asks me if it is cold where I am, I say no.......cold is 5% warmer than this and the description is that it is freezing her and not cold. For this young lady to the right, she discovered the hard way just what can happen on a cold and frosty morning. I would say at this point that my friends in the USA will be laughing at me right now as they truly are suffering from the cold weather and my days in Reno & Lake Tahoe were some of the most stunning of my life for snow and my time at Frenchmans lake were some of the most exciting. I recall seeing snow drifts over 12 feet deep and they were pretty special and the cold was amazing but I'm judging this in a UK context and as such it is quite unusual from the last few years point of view as we have not seen truly cold weather for a few years and it may bring problems but it also brings along benefits too that we enjoy for many reasons. 

24th January 2018

Yesterday was about as weird a day as it get's for about as many reasons that I care to forget but with some real high's and very few lows and one of those peaks is to be found below:

Despite what appears to be quite a boring scene from a country view, if you look toward the bottom and enlarge the picture, you will see the birth of a Rainbow to which took about 4-5 minuets to open up into a perfect arch but as I was driving along and heading for West Yorkshire and the town of Huddersfield, I saw this out of the corner of my eye and not having my camera was a problem but today the cameras we all have on our phone are very good at capturing snaps or moments in time such as this very well indeed. Below are some follow on moments of the Rainbow as it created such a spectacle in the skies above Yorkshire and a splendid moment in which to put into my special moments in time that I will never forget for a long time to come.

The bonus with this picture was the bright blue skies that came as part of the package and changed very quickly to grey and eventually the dark of night and I was very lucky to capture this moment with such clarity on a phone.
The Rainbow eventually covered a large area across the blue sky and as you will see below, it kept fading in and out a little due to the light conditions and changing of wind direction and wet conditions that were to follow but all in all I was quite impressed with one of those miracles of nature that we take for granted so often as just a part of life.

The image below whilst a little affected by the light, shows in the distance the famous Emley Moor TV tower that is quite the spectacular landmark and can be seen for miles around on a clear day.

29th January 2018

It's been a bit of a fast start to the week for some reason and whilst it is only Monday, I do appear to have managed to get a lot done in a short space of time for some strange reason. It's not a moan or complaint, more a pat on the back for getting on with it to which on a Monday was quite encouraging. My week ahead is generally guided and influenced by others as I need to speak to someone from overseas but am struggling to locate of connect with them. I always find with people overseas that because of the time difference and culture and prior commitments, it just becomes very frustrating and hard work and I often find myself looking in the mirror and telling myself to be more patient...........but I confess it has little affect on the final outcome. I have had some good thinking time over the weekend and my thoughts were focused upon a very special person in my life of whom is a Doctor and based outside of my country. They are suffering with a natural disaster and my thoughts are with them through these special moments as they are about to start working at an "All New Practice" from Monday and as a result of this natural disaster, it has made travel and daily routine very difficult in so many ways. Sometimes we just don't stop and think what it must be like to live under the present danger of the earths many faults and imperfections and coming from the UK where these things are almost unheard of, makes it even more shocking when our friends far away are so badly affected by these daily problems of which we have little if any understanding.

 Has anyone noticed how quickly this year is moving forward, it seems like only yesterday that we were all shouting "Happy New Year" and yet we are knocking at the door of February already. In many ways, it's a stark reminder of just how short a time we spend on Earth and how much we should value that moment in time that is so precious and yet we all so often treat is so wastefully by not enjoying the moment. Time is the one thing that we cannot replace no matter what. I always justify this by saying to people that the time we spend with our families and especially our children is far more valuable than the money we spend on them, I know as I grew up in a world where I was crying out for attention to which I never got except from my chosen friends and that feeling of emptiness is something that can never be replaced in later life. It has a lengthy and lasting affect in so many ways and depending on how your life and time was spent, defies if your life is filled with positive or negative memories in which to reflect and look back upon. I am often reminded of this with my own children and no matter what time they want with me, I give it as the pain of rejection is something I know all too well and I never want them to feel that no matter what. If there is any advice I can offer parents that I truly believe, it is that no "Play station, Nintendo or any other Video Game" will ever replace the memory of being in the park with your child and a ball. I guarantee it....!! Try it, your children only want your money when they can't get your time.

The Long Cold Winter & 2017

The Cold Is Finally Here

We are well on our way to Christmas and it feels like only yesterday that we were all enjoying the Indian Summer but whilst summer was a long one this year, the change from warm to cold came very quickly and the prediction is for a white Christmas which is always nice and romantic but often a problem for travel and movement of people in the snow and ice.

The Autumn was a very colourful time in the UK and the farms as always were so busy gathering up the wheat, barley and hay for the winter. I spent much of the summer up at the farm and as always, many hands make light work although it always provides the ground rules for a good night sleep too after a hard day loading and carrying hay. The fields this week are showing all the signs of frost and cold as the Northern Wind blows in a fresh breeze the we describe as biting because of the severe cold. Many of the cattle both sheep and dairy are ready to come inside for a respite from the wind and soon the cows will be in for the winter and long days doing nothing.

November is a time for remembrance in the UK and the whole country falls silent at 11.00 am on the 11th day of the 11th month as a mark of respect for the fallen hero's of both world wars and on the right, you will see a small tribute to our very own Dambusters who practiced their run in the Derwent Valley in Derbyshire which is on the Sheffield border and the fly past as a mark of history was a special moment.

The Christmas build up started early this year and my thoughts a far away with a very dear friend to whom I hope to be united with very soon and whilst I don't want to wish my life away, I do wish the clock would move on a little faster so we can meet up and catch up on some lost time. Looking back over 2017 is a reminder of just how many people we lost from our lives both famous and personal to ourselves and the loss to the celebrity world has left many empty seats from both the acting and music world and a fitting reminder that we are only here for a short time and every moment is precious in so many ways. I always say we should live each day as if it were our last and treasure the moment.

I want to leave this post on a little lighter note with a reminder that Christmas is nearer and the stock has arrived at the farm ready for the big day. I named the guy on the left "Fred" although the experts will tell you it's a female but whilst everyone is getting excited for the bid day, I'm pretty sure this guy is in no mood to celebrate. I will leave it for now that I (Peter Hulbert) wish you all a very pleasant Christmas and lets all look forward to a good start to 2018 for all. The time of Christmas is a magical one for many, especially children who become very excited about the prospect of Santa visiting on his sledge pulled along by Rudolf and carrying lots of good things for children to enjoy and appreciate into the new year and beyond. For me, I simply look forward being around nice people who appreciate kindness and sharing and whilst it is a bit too much to expect, I would hope my Daughter might want to see me but alas I am learning that the black sheep is only welcome when needed but rarely wanted. When I look around the world at the poverty and starvation, I find it quite vulgar just how much the western world shows such little value toward the huge waste and expense of Christmas when there are children who would be grateful for a drink of clean water on Christmas morning but sadly it is the way of the world and no one ever said the world was a fair place to live.

I am expecting 2018 to be an eventful time with many changes and much progress in which to build some serious foundations and turn a corner. The farm is busy and I do not need to spend as much time there any more and as the stock comes and goes, the preparation is for March and lambing season when the hopeful start of an early spring might bring a good season of new lamb and allow the dairy and beef to stretch there legs and enjoy the sun. Most people around that time will be looking toward summer holidays and we will be hopeful and a warm season through both March & April and heading for stock sales in May through to July. I posted the picture to the right as it often sums up just how I feel and whilst life is a lonesome place, sometimes we just have to keep going. Sadly, 2017 saw too many famous people leave our lives and for me, the gap I miss the most was the music and memories of George Michael who was such a talent and huge loss to the music world. for those who wish to see or follow the daily nonesence as it happens, please feel free to follow us directly at www.peterhulbert.club and we will always welcome you on board.

11th December 2017
It's certainly took a change toward the severe winter in time for Christmas here in God's Own Country. Winter came with a vengeance over the weekend with plenty of snow to keep the streets looking like a place for Santa to park his sledge in safety. There have been many accidents on the roads but as I always say, "The only thing that has changed is the weather" and for some reason, people assume that driving at high speed in the snow and ice is fine.........until they come to a sudden and painful stop..!! Just set of 5 minuets earlier and drive slower and you might discover that the car survives the winter in one piece and your life remains stress free but it's rather like talking to the wall in many cases but I do love seeing the speed freaks who pass me at 70 mph rebuilding a tree 5 miles down the road when I pass them with a smile on my face. Brains not brawn is required, similar to the tortoise and the hare and we all know who won that race. Please just spare a thought for safety, the grave yard is littered with heroes and the scrap yard is full of the mistakes.

For those who are not quite sure just how much snow is a lot, the picture to the right is more than enough snow for most folk but here in God's Own Country, I would say that when it's this deep, it's time to put away the shorts and start thinking about wearing a long sleeved shirt in the county where Men are Men and hairy chests are the fashion and that includes the Men......!! I have no updates from the farm as I have not been up there this week but what I can say is the sound of gobbling turkey was silenced last week and maybe that is why I didn't pop over this week. I know it's the reality but I still find it difficult for some reason. Maybe next year will let you all pick one to save and all the money raised we could give to the local animal rescue center or something similar along the good cause avenue.

18th December 2018
Today was one of those beautiful bright blue skies and typical winter days in which the air is cold but so fresh and still and as such, a walk in the country was on the top of my list today and as I always enjoy the scenery where the famous "RAF 617 Squadron" (Dambusters) undertook their training, the order of the day was to head for the valley and reservoir on the Derwent valley.

As you will see in the background, there was snow on the hills and ice on the ground but this allows for the sense of winter and charm of the fresh air. Along the walk today, I met with a professional video surveillance and photographic team and spent a while learning how they capture true quality pictures & video from as far away as 7 miles and I found it truly interesting. As many people know, Peter Hulbert has a passion for photography and this takes another step up the ladder to which I may look into in the near future. Whilst I was not alone today, there were so few people about that the silence was deafening at times and I only saw 3 people in 2 hours which was akin to Heaven. The pictures to the right were only taken from my phone but they give a good indication of just how pretty the lake was today with it's mirror finish and sound of ducks in the distance, it was quite a spectacle to see and in the very far distance, the snow capped hills gave it a look of Switzerland in spring time. The world famous Dambusters chose the Derwent Valley because of is many similar features to the target they were due to attack in Germany and whilst Ladybower was not the reservoir they practiced the dummy attacks upon, it was used as the fly over from the Dam above which was where they released the non armed bouncing bomb.

The bridge to the far end of the lake is quite a land mark and feature of this wonderful reservoir and recently featured on TV as a memory of it's past, to which underneath the area around the bridge, is a submerged village which was flooded to allow for the positioning of the lake and on occasions such as drought or as I myself remember a few years ago when a maintenance team needed to inspect the lake, the reservoir level was lowered and at that unique time, one was able to see the village as it poked through the surface of the water one last time as a reminder of it's past. It was a strange sight if not a little eerie in some way. My distant memories of the lake are of about 30 years ago when I spent the day fishing with my old friend and fly fishing expert "Jack Charlton" whom at the time was the manager at Sheffield Wednesday and as this was a mid week fishing day, we agreed to meet on the Saturday at the Lady Bower Dam Hotel for a beer before he went off to the match. Ironically, we met a few weeks later at Filey Riggs where we sat for most of the day catching very little. Today, Jack casts his fly mostly in the River Tweed and I see very little of him.

24th December 2017
I never expected or planned to be writing any updates to this blogg in regards to the life and antics of one Mr Peter Hulbert on the eve of Christmas but one has to do what one has to do and as I'm not really doing anything right now, then this signaled the right time to sit and write a few words of mainly thanks to all of my friends and family who supported and guided me through 2017 and got me to this point in my life. It's true that there are many things planned for 2018 and all are very exciting and whilst I would love to share them with you, I'm reliably informed that I need to keep them under wraps for now but soon you will see a burst of excitement and at the time most appropriate, I will share the planned events and news with you all.

Christmas is truly a special time for most people and whilst I missed out on a few memorable times with my loved ones, I'm looking forward to a change in fortune that will make up for this in 2018 and whilst one can never replace those times and precious moments, I will try harder than ever to improve as a person in the new year and hopefully this will reflect the outcome in the end. Today, I sit alone and miss certain people both near and far so much, all that I wish is that my sacrifice is not gone in vein and they have a wonderful time where ever they are or whatever they are doing. Life is too short and I am a great believer that we should live each day as if it were our last one on earth and not look back in anger or regret.
It's been quite an eventful year and looking back at the many people to whom we lost in 2017 seems to be endless and often departed this world far to early, which left a space in our hearts that quite simply will never be replaced for whatever reason. I am not going to name anyone in regards to this as it's disrespectful but suffice to say there are many people whom I would give anything to be with right now and spend some time with that sadly are no longer here and are greatly missed by so many. Our short burst of snow appears to have gone for now but as winter has only just officially arrived, one must never assume it has gone for good as January, February & even March have often provided a blanket of snow to remind us all that the weather is in control in many ways but I'm pleased to say that great miles stone of the 21st December which is the longest night and shortest day in the Northern Hemisphere has passed us by and from now on, the days become longer and summer is on it's way, so all I can say is "Back on your heads Australia as it's our turn to have the sun". I wish to send my very best wishes to my friends in Australia, New Zealand, & Philippines whom I send my love to you all. 

Whilst we managed to miss the snow this weekend which caused problems for Santa, we are expected to take a serious drop in temperature over the next few days and while it always looks so good on a post card, the one thing you rarely want is the disruption that is caused when drivers ignore the logic of slowing down but instead show a complete disregard for common sense and speed up. This type of behavior often results in a bad end by accident or even worse, injury but all too often the innocent driver is affected by this madness by being involved in said accident of caught up in the delays caused by the accident and my logic always says "who gained what"from this type of stupidity and actions of the reckless. Please think in front and prepare for your journey in times of bad weather, please set off earlier and expect the unexpected and prepare for the worst and hope for the best and if we all slow down, we might just reach the other end on time and in one piece and with the added bonus of no insurance claims to deal with or accident repair garages to negotiate and argue with well into the new year. Better to keep the car we have in one piece that to collect the bits and hope they can be repaired which as we all know, is in itself a major inconvenience which if we admit it to ourselves, could well have been avoided by slowing down. Please stay safe and enjoy your Christmas and hopefully I will see you here in the New Year in the world and life of Peter Hulbert and his antics.

29th December 2017
It's just 48 hours to go for the UK to the count down to the New Year and whilst we have quite a time to wait, we all too often get absorbed in watching the other countries launch there New Year ahead of us and enjoy the spectacle and splendor of their excitement with just as much as our own New Year had started. I'm not one for looking back in a remorseful way but it has been a year of events both happy and sad and I pray that 2018 is a year of rejoice and happiness around the world and a lesson that war resolves nothing but peace brings people together.

 The world has many news channels and there is never a day goes by when we are not reminded of starvation and poverty somewhere in the world that is not associated or connected either directly or indirectly from war and whilst my heart bleeds for these people, I always ask myself why they have money for guns but not for food, why do they have children they can't feed and why do the Politicians always have a very large car and belly while the nation starves ?. There is something sick and morally wrong with the world that allows this on mass and we all have our differences and share our own space on the same planet no matter what your thought process is. When I breath out, that air passes to others and it goes around the world in the end and it's time we learned to work our differences out without fighting and war. I am a great believer that laughter has no boundary or border and while comedy has different levels, a laughter anywhere usually has a knock on affect to others where we all finish up laughing and I vote to ban wars and tell more jokes. I do hope that the world reflects one day and accepts that the only fight we should have on planet earth is a joint force to save our planet and pool our resources to do so. It would be a great turning point in history to think we left our planet in a better state when we left it than when we acquired it and that the future of our species went on protecting and preserving it for future generations to come.

31st December 2017

The countdown has started, the Fat Guy with the Big Red Coat has done his yearly task and now we are all getting excited that the end of 2017 is finally here and a whole new era and start to an exciting time is finally arriving and the anticipated 2018 is about to start with a variety of celebrations around the world. For the world of Peter Hulbert, it is always an exciting time filled with opportunity and hope that the new year is a step up and improvement over the last one.
For me, I have no plans except to stay up as I do every year and have a glass of whiskey at 12.00 to celebrate. I hope that next year I am with my future wife and my daughter to enjoy the moment together. For many around the world, the extremes are worlds apart and as diverse as it gets, from pure wealth of enjoyment on a private yacht drinking champagne to trying to keep warm inside a cardboard box that is called home. Sometimes, I think the world is so crazy with it's wealth when there is always enough to go round. In this day and age, there is no justifiable reason why people should not have a home or place to call home, where they live in safety and peace. Lets all wish for a better 2018 in which to learn from the mistakes made in 2017 and if we all just do one good deed for someone else in 2018, in our hearts we can feel some sense of kindness and fulfillment that will last our whole lives through.
I will be enjoying 2 New Years this year as I did in 2016/17 when I shared the moment with someone special who is 8 hours ahead of me and will be celebrating 12.00 at my 16.00 and the noise I get from that hour on the phone is amazing as they go quite crazy in that part of the world. Later, they link back up with me and share my New Year which is their morning 8.00 am and we both enjoy two special moments that is so precious to us both. For now, I will leave it quite simply that I wish you all a very safe night wherever you are in the world and sending you all my very best wishes for the New Year ahead and hoping that all of your dreams come true.

The Storm Has Passed At The Gates Of Heaven

2nd February 2017

Today is a short message but on the which I truly feel is an important one for those who are fighting there own demons and voices in the dark and wish they would simply go silent or fade away into the dark.

I am so often asked "How do you find the strength to carry on after what you went through" and my reply is a simple one. "It's because so many people are so loving and so supporting with words of kindness and encouragement to keep going" and for that reason alone, I keep going because I do not want to give them a reason to feel let down. If me keeping going gives them an ounce of strength to deal with there lives, affairs and gremlins, I will somehow find that extra bit of strength that they gave to me to keep myself going and them the encouragement to follow my path, even if I don't have any map or instruction to the road I'm on.

If I were to offer one piece of my life and some may say wisdom, it would be to say that if you believe in yourself and have faith in something, be prepared for all the criticism and prepare for the glory when that day finally arrives. Everything is possible if you have the drive and determination to make it happen. I wasn't brought up with money, good education or family connections. What I have today is through my own efforts, hard work and self belief. Never loos sight of who you are, where you started and who you met along the way. Not all people are good and not all people are bad, we are a mixture of good and bad, it's your job to work out who not to be involved in. The good are very good and the bad are very bad but the big problem is the good never say they are good and the bad pretend to be good and that is the major difficulty. The bad will tell you the good are bad and the good will say nothing about the bad as wisdom gave them the great gift of allowing you to find out for yourself and as such they kept silent throughout.

 The gift of life is something that if you are reading this is something that many people wished they still had as there time ended yesterday and as such we should all be grateful for the ability to enjoy the smell of fresh air. Never aspire to be something you are not and don't judge others by race, creed or colour but only by who they truly are. I always say "if the root to all Evil is money", "why does the church always ask for money". Call me cynical if you wish, you are entitled to your own opinion. I am well known for my great faith and deep belief but only in humanity, in people and in kindness but not always religion in it's recognised form. I hope people don't judge me for those words, they are not meant to offend but simply to offer my personal view of how I see life from my side of the fence.

I was asked recently "How do you manage to climb these great mountains of achievement with no safety net or rope". I will try to explain that in my own way of expecting nothing in return. I learned very early on that my problem was self confidence which many would not agree but deep inside I feel very lonely and sad. I always reach out to hold someones hand which is more in support than friendship but what I have learned is that the mountain I am climbing whilst holding someones hand is getting harder by each step. This is because I am not getting support but in fact carrying too much wasted baggage and it just makes the journey much longer, harder and with the only reward to be shared by the person to whom's hand I'm carrying. 2016 made the change in my pathway which signified no looking back. I have one person in my life to whom will come with me to the gates of heaven and with no looking back. This person is not baggage but a breath of fresh air who has fought there own demons along the way and provided me with the gift of love to which there is no price to pay. If you find one good person in your life, you are truly blessed as there is no feeling like this in the world and my world is complete in the knowing it took a long time to feel this way but I finally feel love, compassion and comfort through this one person whom I truly miss today and every day until they are here with me which is very soon.

The Silence Is Finally Broken

21st January 2017

I was out walking today when I suddenly noticed and change in the air and a break in the silence that suggested that Spring was just around the corner. I am a great believer that we can all learn a lot by watching and observing nature and despite the fact that it is all around us for most of the time, for most people, they are blind to the obvious signs of change and for me, the first one I noticed was the sound of the birds all making it clear they were around and ready for action. Bird's by default do not make noise unnecessary as it can make them vulnerable to being lunch for a bigger bird, so the only reason they take such a risk is to attract the right kind of attention and not the wrong and the reward is to find a mate. It also is a signal that spring is near and nest building time is close. If you step outside in the next few days and are in the northern hemisphere, enjoy the broken silence of the bird songs while you can as they soon go silent again.

I would like to give a little mention to the new President of the USA Mr D Trump whom set forth his task to the American nation and of which I do not chose to debate but prefer to accept democracy and allow opportunity and fate to take it's role but I do want to remind Mr Trump that it is better to build a bridge than it is to build a wall and and to the right is the reward on offer in the Southern borders to which you may be cutting your nose to spite your face. I do wish Mr Trump every success and only time will tell if it is good or bad for america but he won fair and square under the USA system and I do feel that people should refrain from the protest and verbal abuse and allow a new opportunity to take place and not predict the outcome. For those who are so violently protesting, I feel that you demonstrate in every aspect why democracy is the only way as in reality, your way of rejection, dictatorship and self appointment is truly an unfair option to the majority who voted for the change. I for one would say you only prove that you do not accept democracy and simply reject the will of the people and "Shame on you".

In order to balance up the scales a little, I would like to also comment on the speech to which our Prime Minister made this week which was at least an attempt to be inspirational and only your own point of view or opinion will interpret that as an individual. My own view was that it was very late coming and almost said in anger as an acceptance of rejection from the EU to make and real progress. On a personal note, I also felt it was too obvious that it was going to happen as our last PM also tried to bang the heads of the un-elected EU officials who also reject democracy and without any success. Then what say our new attempt when the last one failed in such style. Move on and step forward, not backward and at least lets start planning for a new venture in an open not closed market place.

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The Countdown Starts Now and Launch Is Closer Than Ever.

30th December 2016

This is a typical view over the Yorkshire & Derbyshire moorland in the middle of winter. The sky was quite blue and the sun was dropping to the west.

Its getting quite late in the afternoon and as you can clearly see, the Sun is settling down for the night in the distance.

These guys were super curios in the end and drowned out the silence with there constant Ba ba baaaa but it was quite funny as they looked liked they knew what each one was saying. The light was good for photography and I wish I had brought my camera, as it was, I just had my phone with me to at least capture a record of the moment.

Looking west and down the valley toward the distant rolling hillside of the Derbyshire border. In the bottom of the valley is Dam Flask of which is a great sight to see when the sun goes down as it creates a very dark looking stretch of calm water that is very mystical.

Above, the sheep had just been provided with there daily feed and it was clearly gratefully received as it's going to be dark in about 2 hours and very cold tonight

Looking down upon Dam Flask provides a view and impresion of just how low the lake itself is. The water always looks so black because of the shadows created my the hills as the sun drops in the distant background.

Looking back across the lake at the start of dusk provided the lake with so many features of colours to which I now regret not bringing my camera with me. However, my phone captured the moment admirably and I can't complain.

The sound of silence is only broken by the deafening sound of extreme silence. This time of day always creates such a spectacle of colour over the lake with the clouds appearing to be pink in the reflection of the lake..