A walk in Middleton Down nature reserve today. Perfect weather. Red kites, ravens, wheatears and yellow hammers. Still plenty of wild flowers. 
Author: Stephen James
I think that the [problems with my blog and Netlify](https://strandlines.blog/2021/07/18/effort_vs_frustration/) are reaching critical mass. I’m finding that I am put off from posting because of the hassle to then get it to show on the blog.I’ve decided that the first thing to tackle is a rebuild of the Raspberry Pi. The version of Hugo I have on there is not the newest – I inadvertently downloaded the wrong one and haven’t got around to a delete and reinstall.There are also various things on there that I’m not using so another argument for a rebuild. First task is to [backup the whole SD image.](https://magpi.raspberrypi.org/articles/back-up-raspberry-pi)
Recently discovered a local nature reserve while exploring our area on bike. Can’t quite believe I’ve lived here for 14 years and didn’t know about this one. Alright, it’s just a small area and not well known, so I can let myself off the hook. Took my son and dog for a walk there this morning. Good bit of mixed woodland with some fine looking sweet chestnut trees. 
 Sitting out in the garden, I looked up. Above the gap between our trees a sparrow hawk appeared, at the same time as a buzzard, flying much higher. Sparrow hawk – the speck in the upper right. Buzzard – speck in the lower left.
Oh my, does it feel like autumn today.
I’ve been trying to implement some sort of mindfulness/Stoic contemplation practice in the mornings. The results have been mixed as my mind tends to be all over the place at that time of day.It *can* be a productive time for me as it is often then that I have ideas. But it is also a time when my mind is running over all the things that I need to do. Not a quiet time, mentally. This morning I tried something different. Before doing any contemplation I used the dictation feature on my phone to do a mind dump. Just free-wheeling through anything that was bouncing around in my head. Easier than writing as I often have trouble keeping up with the mental flitting.I think it actually helped.
Four nights camping in west Wales. The first proper break away from home in two years courtesy of The Pandemic. And the first chance to properly test the deluxe shower system.We’d bought this [12v portable shower](https://colapz.co.uk/collections/portable-showers/products/new-12v-portable-rechargeable-travel-shower) for a camping trip in 2019 that got cancelled. So it got its first testing in ‘the field’ this week. Combined with plenty of water heated on the wood burner and a pop-up shower tent, it worked a treat. With the solar panel and battery to run a chiller and lighting as well, this means we are fully independent and can camp in comfort on very basic sites. I had been looking forward to having a chance to think, read and write on our break. My brain has slowly come to a halt over the last few weeks. Blogging has all but dried up. In the end, I did very little of any of those. I just needed to stop. I read a little. I did the odd crossword. Stared into space. Enjoyed the scenery and *change* of scene. I feel much better for it.
[Sameer Vasta](https://www.inthemargins.ca/) has a particularly good list of [things he has learned over the last two months](https://www.inthemargins.ca/learned-in-june-july-2021).
Our dog had a seizure last night. Never happened before and distressing to see. Fortunately he seemed to have all his faculties in good order afterwards, other than being exhausted. The vet said the next 24hrs is the crucial period as if he has another it could leave him in a bad way or be fatal. So we are on watch. He has come through the night without anything further and seems to be his usual self. And the vet also said it could just be a one off.So fingers crossed.
Loved the BMX racing at the Olympics. They are all mad as a box of frogs. And two GB medals – Kye White and Bethany Shriever both did brilliantly.