Salzburg

I may have found a city to rival Florence as my favourite!

This is my first trip to Salzburg and I'm utterly charmed. Birthplace of Mozart, Sound of Music land, and on the edge of the Austrian Lake District, it's steeped in history and totally delightful.

More pictures to follow....

You Have My Heart

A heart to cheer your Tuesday!

P.S. By the way, if you're one of the folk who's been having problems subscribing to Dixon Hill, there's good news. My super-clever husband has been doing whizzy behind the scenes stuff that means subscribing should now be possible via all browsers. Just hit the little button in the sidebar to the right and posts should come streaming your way. If you run into any further problems, please let me know!

The Nature Table: October

Most of the leaves have fallen now.  Last month’s brief Indian summer gave way to weeks of relentless rain and drizzle which filled the reservoirs to overflowing.  The rain was followed by the first frosts of the season and ice edged the puddles on the moor.

Now the weather has turned mild again but the landscape has lost its colour.  A few late-blooming flowers defy the odds and brighten the gardens.  And, of course, the ivy comes into its own around now, putting forth flowers as everything else is shutting up shop.  I love it for that.

There are still a few straggly elderberries to be had; and the odd blackberry.  But the abundance has vanished along with the light evenings; and the land is slipping towards hibernation.

Still spoils enough for our nature table, though.

Girl At The Gate

Short days, long shadows….

Kiva

This month, Kiva celebrates its sixth birthday.  I’m a huge fan; so, in case you haven’t yet come across this amazing organisation, I want to spread the word.

Kiva is a non–profit that works to provide loans to people who have no access to traditional banking systems.  What that means is that, unlike a ‘normal’ charity, you don’t give money to Kiva, you lend it.  You lend to a specific individual or to a small group of people, who require the money to further their small businesses.

Kiva keeps you updated on the progress of your loan as it’s gradually repaid; and, once the money has been paid back in full, you can withdraw it or lend it all over again to someone else.

I like Kiva so much because:

- it’s about empowering people to help themselves

- it’s personal

- I can support businesses I believe in

- it’s people power at its best

Kiva is helping people in some of the poorest countries of the world to get on their feet and to do so with dignity.  And, in the process, it’s connecting people across the globe; knitting us into one big family.

Go take a look and see what you can become part of for a loan of just $25.