Wednesday 28 March 2012

Things are looking up!


Look what the postman bought this morning!




Some beautiful vintage sheet fat quarters from scenic Switzerland!




She makes the most bright and lovely quilts and patchwork, as well as selling gorgeous vintage fabrics and quilts, so do pop over to her blog My Rose Valley if you haven't already visited!



Thanks Annette, you have made my day!




Thank you all for your positive comments on my last post - they certainly cheered me up.

The part for the car has arrived today and should be fitted tomorrow, so

Hooray for that!!!


And the sun is shining yet again today - spring has finally sprung.

But the good weather has a side effect which brings out the worst in me - I feel full of energy and plans for both the house and garden and it makes me want to PAINT!

So yes, yet another project has been started (to add to all the other WIPs!) which I will hopefully be able to reveal in a few posts time!

Enjoy this lovely weather!

Edited to add: sorry folks I've a feeling you can't see any of the photos as my little Picasa symbol is missing!
Bear with me whilst I rectify that!


Monday 26 March 2012

Garden Snippets


 
Pieris 

 
scillas

 
scillas (flowering) and lupins (palm leaved type foliage not yet flowering)

 
cowslip


Hi everybody, thanks for your lovely comments on my last few posts.


 
muscari


 
daffodils and white leucojum (like large snowdrops)


After what turned out to be an unsettling week last week, with both my car and the washing machine out of action, I am quite glad to start a new week.


 
pink hyacinths

 
soon to be flowering miniature azalea (smaller leafed plant has the buds)



Being in the countryside 30 minutes walk from the nearest bus stop I am totally reliant on my car, especially for getting my daughter to and from school.



 
rhubarb! Yum!


 

 
white primula

On the same day that the washing machine decided to give up the ghost, the main drive belt in my car started going which means until the new part arrives from Japan ( hopefully today so it can be fitted tomorrow ) I have been advised not to drive it as I would risk causing several thousand pounds worth of damage to the engine.

 
white primula

 
pieris

It is costing us £27 a day to get our daughter to and from school, and how we now wish we had upgraded one more level on our rescue package which would have given us a courtesy car!


 
dark pink camellia

 
But things are looking up - as I type, my new washing machine, delivered yesterday, is quietly swishing away, so much quieter than my last machine - and for the price of a couple of supermarket shops I am back in action, with lots of new programmes to play with including eco washes using cold water - that should be interesting!

 

 
Anyway, as I didn't think you'd be particularly thrilled at seeing photos of my new washing machine, or my poor car, I thought I'd share a few photos of the garden, taken early(ish) this morning as the sun was breaking through the mist, and the dew was still on the grass.

 

 

 
ribes through the window!




Hope last week was more successful for you!


camellia in all its faded beauty

muscari

Edited Tuesday 27 March to add plant names by request - sorry I omitted them!!






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Tuesday 20 March 2012

A Sneaky Peek

 
It's no good


 
I can't resist




 I can't keep this springy, cheerful colourfulness to myself


 
I just have to show you this cushion


 
the latest of a series of linen and vintage fabric cushions
that I have made for my Folksy shop


 
from natural linen with vintage trims

 
and a gorgeous orange and white floral 70s fabric on the reverse



 
soon to be in my shop


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Monday 19 March 2012

Let's take a walk



and burn off some of those calories from all the
feasting and chocolate eating of Mother's Day yesterday!




For those who celebrated Mother's Day yesterday,
I hope you had a lovely day and got thoroughly spoilt by your loved ones!




We had a houseful here for Sunday lunch



and to make sure that I too could enjoy the day without too much work,
I kept the food simple and made it the day before.


I made several lasagnes (both meat and vegetarian) and a fresh raspberry bakewell tart, asked my family to bring other desserts, and so all I had to do yesterday was the salads and baked potatoes.




Ok, let's go then.
And let's take my new pedometer with us and see how far we go.

Better put your wellies on as it'll be a bit muddy after yesterdays rain.


Ready?





Down the lane then

 
and over the stile at the end of the lane and through the gates


 
 into the track that leads down to the fishing lakes


 
lovely views but its a bit nippy still this early


 
no sheep in this field today but you can see where they've been!


 
now over another stile and along the narrow path past the fishing ponds


 
no geese there at the moment, but it's a favourite spot of theirs and we hear them take off at dusk as they head over our house to where ever they settle for the night





up the track past the corner where the pigs were last year




and down into the woods



it's going to be a lovely day
 
past the stream on the right

 
then up to the crossroads - which way shall we go this morning?


 
Let's go right past the bracken

 


 

as its the quickest way to Logan's favourite part of the walk




the orchards!

 
Logan loves it here - the long wet grass, the scent of rabbits .....


 
I love it because of the views and the openness - can you spot the church in the distance?
It's a bit misty but you can just see it.

 
the beautiful neat rows of apple trees


 
the buds are starting  to appear



and on some trees the remains of last years crop is rotting on the branches



round the orchard then


a huge bonfire that's been here for months - wonder when they'll light it?





round the top between orchards, along Brambly Hedge where the little woodland creatures live


who lives in a house like this?



Detached





semi-detached


and apartments



the penthouse suite


and now down the other side of the orchard we go


lots of moss under the trees


the trees to the side of the orchard are full of catkins





then back into the woods, still thickly carpeted with the dead leaves of autumn


but signs of life are peeking through - there will be a sea of bluebells in a few weeks time



back through the woods along a different path this time


past lots of green broom that will soon be covered in yellow flowers






bramble leaves red in the morning sunlight


a busy bee


back to the crossroads in the woods - and Logan has decided which way we are going back





up the steep hill, puff puff!

Come on slow coach, Logan's look says it all!


Phew, nearly there, I can see the gate ahead


Nearly home now


back along the lane


here we are



mind we don't step on the pretty little scillas coming up through the gravel in the drive


Well, we did just under two miles this morning.

Not bad eh?




And surely I must have walked off some of that chocolate trifle?





Enjoy your day!

Edited Tuesday to add:
On the subject of walking, I meant to mention that Annette over at My Rose Valley is encouraging people to walk their way to a healthier fitter life with her "Come Walk With Me" mission!




It is a great idea of Annette's and she has put a lot of time and effort into giving advice, guidelines and lots of encouragement! It is not a competition but a way of getting into good regular personal walking habits.


Do pop over to her blog and see for yourself, and get walking! 


Walking is free! 
It's easy to just get out there wherever you live whether it be town, city or countryside 
You can walk whatever the weather
You can do it whenever you can fit it into your schedule wherever you are (lunchtime at work?)
You can walk for as little (even 5 mins brisk walk is good!) or as much as you can manage timewise
You feel so good afterwards, both physically and mentally !
And the more you do, the better you'll feel 


Go take a walk!




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