Sunday reflecting

The house has been full of voices the last couple of days with the boys and their girls joining us for our annual wreath making day - it was non existent in 2020 and this year it had been downsized to just a bare minimum of family and special friends; to be able to have a small part of our yearly tradition felt rather special.

With quite a few folk not joining us, I was busy making a number of wreaths - which I have to admit was rather hard to rustle up the enthusiasm I usually have - it seems I have made so many this year that the novelty has well and truly run its course... I also wanted this to be a lovely day because last year was .... well - last year didn't really happen, did it?

However after several mugs of tea, mince pies, gingerbread cake, gingerbread, lots of catching up and a constant background serenading of festive songs - I got there in the end!

Another very special part of this day is the arrival of a gingerbread chrimbly tree - where squeaks of delight and oohs and aahs of appreciation could be heard as it landed in the centre of the table with a flourish!

It is this plate of tasty sculpture that really makes me feel like the festive season has begun. And what makes it even more special is, it is part of my boys festive build up and and once they'd grown up and brought home their girlfriends - they delighted in sharing this tradition with them too. It also amazes me how quickly this plate of biscuits are scoffed - with the larger pieces being torn into large chunks and carried off triumphantly!

Nearly all of us had more that one wreath to make and if I have my calculations correct - I think, by the end of the day there were  15 or 16 made - so we were rather busy!

The pile of greenery both on the table and beneath it certainly looked impressive however I had to ask Himself to brave the dreadful weather outside and gather more as we soon depleted it.

The house smelt gorgeous - citrusy conifer, spicy ginger, mulled punch, mince pies, pizza, baked potatoes,  cinnamon sticks, crusty bread, quiche and nut roast.

In the evening, after all had gone, we sat quietly recovering around the fire, Youngest and his Girl quietly finishing off their wreaths, Eldest and his Girl reading on the settee and the weather howling around the house in a foul temper - I decided that despite this year's wreath day's build up being quite hard work - it was worth it - really worth it x 

Following on

 June has been fairly flaming hot - which is glorious - it warms me right through to my bones, although, I am still wearing heavy work trousers, T-shirt and lightweight fleece and boots daily - yes it is warm but it is delicious.

June is also my birth month and this year must have rated as the best birthday weekend I have had in a very long while.

It was filled with family and camping, sultry sunsets and mesmerising reflections, thoughtful gifts, delicious cake and wonderful walks.

Moss is an oddity - she feels the heat yet does not stop (the hard-wiring in a working collie brain won't let her - I am yet to find the 'off switch') so at work she has access to plenty of water and I have to make sure she takes a break.

Initially she took over a tray of water designed to soak freshly pricked out seedlings - it stays permanently full of water (and the occasional dog) in the lobby of the glasshouse. Then my boss bought her a paddling pool ..... I can see staff favouritism occurring here .... where's my pool?

Please note the snarky side eye as I snap yet another photograph .... 

I shall leave you with a small selection of photos from June - and we have only really just reached half way - still time to enjoy the long warm days it as we head to July.

You can also read my latest work post HERE

Oh what a beautiful blue

I've just a few minutes before setting off, I've got to make the most of a gloriously dry and frosty morning. Before I go, I thought I would waffle a bit whilst I finish off my huge mug of coffee as well as say hello to my new followers - welcome to my little corner of the world x

Following on with the success of the Halloween alternative of 'Chase the Pumpkins', the village organisers have gone straight into 'Spot the Poppy's...

 '.... and yes, I realise there is a completely incorrectly used, surplus apostrophe however, I am just typing it as it has been written by the organisers.  

Every time I read it, in my head it continues with .... 'Spot the Poppy's ..... spot the poppy's what?' sigh.

Any hoo, I am now in the process of making card 'poppy's '  - not 100% sure how I will display them, if I could be sure that we would get a spell of dry weather (the display has to be out from today until the 12th) then I would adorn the tree in the front with a cascade of them, however, this being a) November, b) the north of the UK and c) the north of the UK during November - you get my drift.... any way, best be off as I have work to do, can't be late :)

LATER

Well, I'm back for a quick lunch then off to the next job - it is such a gloriously beautiful day it truly blows the dreadful stuff out of the water. The sky is wrapped wall to wall in the most delicate clear blue, the sort of beautiful blue your eyes can see to forever and back. The occasional cloud drifts by in a soft gentle haze, gone are the angry vindictive storm clouds of the last few days. The trees - still and quiet, resting after their violent dancing are now bare and naked.

At the front door when I returned was a package, a book I had ordered a little while ago - from an alternative source (so not the omnipresent amazon), I am so looking forward to reading it. Leafing through the pages you can see this book has been definitely preloved and has probably been read by several different people which feels rather delicious - as if I am sharing in a secret book club and our collective readership is the bond.

Yesterday's deluge was time well spent. I had bid for (and won) a package of festive fat quarters and had sent the message out to the boys and their girls that festive face masks would be made. 

There was such a flurry of comments and choosing of fabrics. After what felt quite a 'bun fight' the decisions were finally agreed, I wrote down everyone's chosen colour combinations then I started cutting them out.

Each mask needs four pieces - the front, inside and two folded sections which one covers your nose and the other is beneath the chin. Then there is the little sleeve which holds the pipe cleaner to help shape the material over your nose making a closer fit.

Only one of the four requested two identical masks while the others requested various combinations of the fabrics. I am so glad I wrote down all their instructions.

Any hoo four were completed yesterday - minus the elastic and I just need to top-stitch the final four, then all eight masks can have elastic bands cut and I will then post the whole lot out. My boys and their girls might be out in the big wide world, but I can still do something for them to make their day a little easier. xx

July's words and photos

Good morning!

I am sitting writing this post here and now at 8.08am - yes, today ! This month seems to have been filled daily, hourly with things happening, things to do, dogs to walk, cakes to bake, birthdays to celebrate, sewing, gardening, socially distancing friends to see and work to do .... are these my excuses? No - they are my reality and although some times I wish for a spare moment - I am happy that I am who I am and what I do :)
Right - best stop waffling - here I go!

Something purple

My son and his lovely partner are about to move into their first home and it has a well kept little garden. Their landlords have given their blessing for them to garden the space as they see fit which has delighted them both, particularly Eldest. So over the last six or so weeks we have been collecting plants and potting them up ready for the big day. I had secretly potted up two large tubs with a selection of herbs, annuals and perennials for them and to the mix I chucked in a handful of poppy seed. And joy of joys the striking deep purple blooms have started to open!

Shades of green

My garden.  I have a love/hate relationship with it. I want 'Piet Oudolf' style planting. I have English woodland dry garden style planting. Which seems to specialise in green. Just green.... flowers.... pah who needs flowers.... Cue the grumps! (I do love my garden {mostly} promise!)

Starts with F

I could have chosen fluff (for the cats), feet (for the dog), food (been doing a lot of baking recently), facemasks (been sewing a lot too!), family (thanks to the CV19 lockdown I have had them around) but I am going with Flowers to continue the gardening theme - this rain drenched lovely is a calendula grown from seed saved from the walled garden two years ago :)

Still life

 Not quite what I had in mind when I put up this prompt, I was thinking more of an Old Master style with fruit and flowers etc, but when, whilst looking for the picture I wanted to use for My Own Choice, I chanced on this one from the same walk.  A small and perfectly formed dead baby shrew. It sadly seemed right.

Snapped at this moment

Moss - of course, winking as a biscuit flies towards her - please note the small bone shaped UFO between her ears... very shortly afterwards it bounced off her nose and hit the grass. Even more shortly after that it was scoffed. She can catch - and very well, she just needs a little bit of notice!!

My Own Choice

 Dear sweet Moss, waiting patiently (but very alert) at the Wensley Church door whilst we explored the cool, dark and musty interior.



Woop Woop! done it in record time (it is now 8.50am) seeing I was also sorting out the boys with their breakfast and getting them out the door in time for work.

Ok - have a lovely lovely weekend - we are promised good weather today so we are going to get out as best we can  staying within the new added lockdown restrictions imposed in our area over night. xxxx

What a tease

Ooh August you are a cheeky little number - what glorious blue skies after that torrential rain.

What a lovely walk we had on Wednesday, Youngest, Moss and I

The sounds and colours were wonderful.

Thursday proved to have a gentle warmth and despite the stiff breeze

was lovely to be out.

This time, Eldest and I were out with dog and camera. 

So very glad we were! 

My boys - now men - are a pleasure to have around!

Happy Friday 

and good weekend walking

xxxxxx