January offerings

January....it's seemed quite a long month; the build up to Christmas and over indigence of rich foods now a distant memory.

I've not posted on here recently. Life has just meandered along at a rather relaxed pace, it's been so lovely that I haven't wanted to 'pop' my little bubble.

Small Boy and the Little Lady thought they'd embrace fitness for the New Year in pursuit of a six-pack. One sessions was enough!

Look closely. Can you spot him??

Rather sad really. Two beautiful big beech trees blown over in the wind. Great for climbing on though :-)

I haven't had any particularly wild adventures of late but what I  have been able to do is have time to think and do my own things - it's been lovely, truly it has. I've slept in when I've wanted, pottered about at home and enjoyed my immediate surroundings. The children and I have had time to sit and read and play games, plus I've actually had the opportunity to finish a few creative projects.

I'm most proud of this one...

When it comes to following patterns, I'm not great - it's the same with recipes, I just like to find my own way and put my signature on my work. So when Lucy at attic 24 inspired the crochet nation with her harmony blanket, I decided it might be a rather 'jolly Winter project'.
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed creating this blanket. It's made up of a total of 126 squares all in rather scrumptiously harmonising colours. The pack arrived from the Wool Warehouse in one large  see-through bag - how exciting to have a bag filled with beautiful colours and a new project to start.

I started way back in October when the children and I took off for a few days in Yorkshire. What was handy about this project was how easy it was to transport around. I worked just one colour at a time so at most I had to carry around nine little squares, a ball of yarn and my crochet hook.  I completed each square one teeny section at a time - so all the centres, all the second row and so forth. That way I didn't have to keep track of too many different stitch combinations and could literally whip my little squares out and hook them together at speed. When you're working on the larger stripy blankets, you have to carry the whole darn thing around. It's not too much of a problem in the early stages but later on, it does become pretty heavy!
So here it is, my finished blanket and mostly all completed according to the pattern. I did re-arrange the squares just a tad when I sewed them together :-) and I omitted the final row of the border - the final colour brings the blanket together and I rather fell for the sage green.
Unlike the ripple blanket I made last year, this one has turned out well and is symmetrical! :-)

We've spent quite a considerable amount of time messing around outdoors. Hasn't the weather been mild! The snowdrops are already in full bloom in the garden and a few daffodils are dancing in the wind too!

These guys were thrilled to have their remote controlled speed boat returned after dad had taken it off to 'check it out' some four years ago. Poor dad was rather fed up with the constant pestering in the finish so gave in and returned it. Small Boy was convinced he had taken it to play with it himself! (he probably had!)...anyway, despite being told he was too young for such a super powerful toy, Small Boy made it his mission to prove everyone wrong and like a duck to water sailed and controlled that boat perfectly both on the flood on the field and in the stream :-)

Early in January Miss P had to attend a workshop at the Science Museum in London. It's hard working going to London with three children in tow and it I'm being honest I didn't really look forwards to the journey. However, in true positive spirit I made it my mission to prepare for the event and enjoy it at all costs. We took the Oxford Tube up and leisurely strolled across Hyde park instead of using the city transport system. What a pleasant decision that was.

The Princess Diana memorial fountain

The mild temperatures have also seen us venture outside for some Spring garden clearing. Firstly the wood shed needed a little re-organising in order to get to the dry wood that was stacked at the back. Then it was all change and the wet stuff (that remains wet) was stacked at the back for next Winter. You have to think ahead when you live a simple life :-)

Small boy took it upon himself to chop up some kindling. He's quite capable in his use of axes and saws and happily told be (when I reminded him to be careful when using the bill hook), that he's fine and has been using one since his was in my belly! That explains a lot!

The water meadow in Wootton

Loving the light for taking photos.

Hope your January has been filled with love and laughter too XXX

Stress free living

It seems like forever since I returned from our recent break in Italy; it is in fact only four weeks ago. It has occurred to me recently that I have simply been living life in the fast lane and somehow (not sure how??) I've managed to get into that state of affairs whereby you have so much packed into each wonderful day that you don't enjoy any of it. Life just becomes a whirr!
IT'S STRESSFUL......
What I have come to realise is, that when life is in this stage you merely exist in order to get through one activity and on to the next, there just isn't time to stop and ponder and wonder, no time to absorb and appreciate.

Hmmmmmm!!!!

This cannot go on.......life is a very precious gift that we have been lucky enough to have been granted and it is here for us to enjoy. Dashing from one experience to the next does not allow us to assimilate the experiences, it barely gives the senses the opportunity to be turned on.
At the beginning of the week I made up my mind that I have to slow down and do the things that I like to do. I also have to learn to say 'no'. This is my life, I need to be in control.

Whilst sitting for an hour or so (child free) at the beginning of the week, soaking up the wonderful rays of vitamin D, I found a rather lovely exercise in a book I've borrowed from a friend; it's a daily ritual encouraging the individual to wake up and focus on the wonderful things and people in you life. Ten minutes each day just lying in bed, thinking about the day ahead. I'm also trying to focus on the positives in life. Mostly I am a very positive person but every so often, I have to realign and remind myself. It's easy to allow the negatives to take hold, they creep in very slowly, but once they take hold life takes a rather dull outlook. Not something I want to be part of my life.

So I'm taking things easy and so far things are looking good this week as a result.
I've had time to spend outside pottering about in the garden. It's working out really well. I'm so pleased I set my thoughts into actions and got myself motivated on the garden project.
The salad bed that I built at the beginning of the Summer, is looking fabulous and LOOK! My first Sweet Peas have started to flower. Simple things hey but really lovely. There is something really special and totally romantic about having freshly picked flowers on the table and Sweet Peas are some of my 'all time favourites'. I tried to grow them in this same patch last year; dreaming that they would grow up the window and I could admire them from inside and out, but it was not to be. I planted them too late and only picked a single flower before they were claimed by the first frost. This year I cheated and bought the plants and popped them into my newly created salad garden nice and early. It seems to be paying off :-)

The nasturtiums have rather taken over my salad garden and seem to be inhibiting the growth of the salad. As they are so delicious and peppery themselves I don't mind too much. Might have to re-think slightly next year though so that I get the best of both worlds, salad and nasturtiums :-)...the flowers are out on them now too and have added vibrancy to the bed.

Sweet Peas. This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago and like the nasturtiums the flowers on these have become more abundant.

The field is looking amazing too! Last year I tried very hard to get something going in our communal garden but there wasn't much enthusiasm for my cause. This year however....well this year I had a better set of plans and somehow I have managed to inspire my lovely neighbours too. It really is truly amazing what can be achieved when you work as a team. I reported on the improvements made by my lovely friend with a mini digger but now there is more to report. We now have four vegetable beds established and (get this) vegetables planted AND....the war against the rabbits seems to be working. So far they have been deterred by out fencing efforts and have left our immature offerings alone. Yeah!!!!!
Next year we plan to extend the four beds and dig a further four but for now the area is covered to keep the light out and hopefully to keep the weeds down.

Thanks to the lovely Angela, we have some vegetables growing :-)

Yesterday I tackled the weekly grass issue and set to work with the mower and strimmer. I DO now understand the excitement chaps that is involved in using a strimmer! There is something highly satisfying about blitzing ( occasionally entirely decimating) an area. Fear not! I am a lover of wild areas too and have left many of them to just flourish in their own little ways. It's rather lovely having the mix of 'manicured' and 'wild'.
Two other little projects that we have been working on are firstly establishing a fire circle (it has long been my dream to have a fire circle to share with friends), it's there in place. Just needs to be utilised!
Secondly, I've been working on encouraging the children to build a really cool den.
I once heard a programme on Radio 4 about the importance of the den in a child's development. The building and emerging from the den stage was likened to the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly. My boy is definitely still in this stage....he doesn't stop so he must be a caterpillar!
So, I've pointed out a whole stack of long lengths of wood that were small sucker trees until last Autumn and the gazebo that has been feasted on by hungry rodents in the garage; which I thought might make a jolly decent covering and I've left them to it in the hope that they will create something to enjoy. Will see what happens!
Other than that, my lovely grandma came to stay last weekend and she (much to my initial horror) set to work clearing the weeds from my front garden. Nobody understands that I actually quite like the weed coverage of my flower borders. Some of the weeds are edible!! Okay, so I came around. Weeds are prolific so I can pick them somewhere else. The garden was rather choked with ground elder (not a good weed really - it does have a tendency to suffocate everything else). Whilst in 'clear out' mode, the dog rose by the front gate disappeared too! I have to admit that as I drive up towards the house it does look better now that the rather large mass of spiky untidiness has gone. My attention is now drawn to the rather pretty red rose that was hidden amongst the ivy and dog rose ramble :-)

Today I was rather excited by my latest mini project. I have honestly NEVER been a fan of geraniums, but last year they caught my eye as I popped into the Coop one day and I bought a pack of six baby plants. I never actually got around to planting the poor little darlings into any kind of pot and although they survived remarkably well and I enjoyed their loveliness as I emerged through my back door. Like almost every other plant I have ever owned, unfortunately they were only to see one season! I was rather taken again this year by their vibrant colours and I was so tempted to buy them, however, I resisted the urge until today......today the local market had them on special offer and so I bought twenty or so baby plants in a variety of shades. Geraniums were everywhere in Italy in bright terracotta pots and they looked so amazing against the red brick buildings. I've had a collection of pots stored in the garden for years just waiting for this moment. Today their moment of use came to fruition.

Don't they look pretty!
*Must just remember to water them!!

I've been working on a new Summer blanket....this one started to take shape at the beginning of Spring when colour started to emerge once again after the sleepiness of Winter had passed. The shop lighting wasn't great; I realise in hindsight, I am aware of that now when I take this little passion out and about. It's such a stark contrast from my muted ripple blanket. I'm not actually sure that I like it!

What do you think? It is rather bright! Not sure whether to carry on or to quit and make my creation into a cushion??!!
Now thinking I should have opted for greens with a hint of colour........oh well, the joys of colour selection!!

I am soooo loving having some time just to be. Midsummer has already passed. I'm going to enjoy the second half :-) XXXX

Can you spot kitty? She's been sunbathing almost non-stop for the past two weeks :-)

Spring enthusiasm

Well here we are again; Spring!
When I look back through my posts at what we were doing this time last year, it only seems like yesterday. How fast time passes.
It will be three years tomorrow that I have been in my current little abode, living the dream by myself with three 'not so' little people, Jenny dog, Lily Loola and a stick (insect). Spring for me is always a time of high inspiration when finally I feel able to emerge from my little chrysalis and venture out into the wide world once more after my long Winter sleep....I'm sure you know what I mean!
So this year enthusiasm on full throttle, I'm all out and raring to go with plans for this years attempt at the vege garden.
Last year, you may remember or perhaps not if my blog remained in my head and didn't make it to the stages of publishing....last year I progressed from the failed container vegetable growing idea of the previous year, to a miniature vegetable patch in a large space. That space (the field behind my house) longs to be utilised every year, it calls to the gardener in me to transform it into something productive. I call back 'hang on a minute, I'm busy doing a hundred and one other things'....I voice my ideas but rarely do they materialise. This time last year my lovely brother in law and I dug two very minuscule beds in which I tried to grow food for myself and the children. It was the first little step onto the ladder in my mind, the first step forwards in my plan to transform the space. I try. I try very hard....every year I try and every year I plan to do better the next.

Last year I did manage to grow a few things, a boiling of delicious broad beans, about five sweet pea flowers, some very small onions and that was about it! I did plant some healthy looking sweetcorn plants and some leeks given by a friend, but would you believe it something (??????) ate them in their early stages of growth. The cheek of it!!
This year I am out on a personal war against bunnies and deer and slugs and am once again determined that this year I'm going to have more luck and success.
I have big plans for this space :-), well in my dreams I do......in the Autumn last year, my neighbour and I cut down a whole load of sucker trees that were crowding one corner, (I shall use the slim trunks to make stakes to secure my anti bunny/deer netting around my main vege area). I've also had an offer of a mini digger help to level off some of the ground, remove the tree stumps and to generally tidy the place up. I've got plans to make the vege patch at least twice the size of last years efforts.

And.....I've built myself a salad garden :-)...I'm quite excited about the prospect of having delicious leaves and flowers pretty much on my doorstep for picking as needed. The back of my house doesn't get much sun once the lovely walnut tree that shadows it comes into leaf. I can't complain as the tree produces an amazing crop which I collect, dry and store every year for all year round consumption. The front of the house does get the sun but the flower boarders are already planted with shrubs and there's no room for vegetable growing. I decided this year to create my own salad garden, so I've made a raised bed :-)

Do you see those Sweet peas at the back? I'm hoping they will grow right up the meeting against the wall and up the windows :-), the salad has already come up after just a few days.

It wasn't all that difficult. I had some lovely planks of wood that I'd been saving to create rustic shelves but hadn't actually got around to using them so they have been put to good use and made into the raised bed.
I was planning to be on the scrounge for some soil to fill the bed but then it was pointed out to me by a good friend that I had a good supply right under my nose at the bottom of our communal compost heap. Sure enough when I cleared away the top clutter, there it was. Gorgeous rich soil, perfect for the job!
I enlisted the help of one Small Boy who was keen to get his hands dirty and help shovel the muck and soil and barrow it to the front of the house. So there we have it, one raised bed and all planted too!
Oooh and a piece of corrugated plastic sheeting makes the perfect lid to ensure moisture stays in and heat is trapped; the perfect combination for germination. Now it has become a waiting game. '21 days' the packet suggests until I should have some edible delights :-)

I am soo grateful to my lovely friend Kat who gave me her petrol powered lawn mower that wasn't working. In my previous life when mowing the lawn wasn't my job. My lovely husband used to use a petrol mower. I learnt all about the engines and the cut width, those things were all important to a man who valued his tools. When I moved to the little cottage with the tiny lawns, I gave away my old beast of a mower, Tim was the only person who could start the thing and besides with two lawns the size of postage stamps I figured I could cut them using scissors!
Fortunately the person who I gave my old mower to kindly gave me a little electric number in exchange. It worked quite well although it was a pain to keep moving the electric cable around the house and the wheel kept falling off so you had to hold it with force to enable it to cut properly!
It's funny, every time I used that mower I imagined Tim looking down at me and laughing, he wouldn't have been seen dead using such a thing! The second Summer I invested in a push along mower which wasn't much cop either and tended to flatten the blades of grass rather than cut them. So this year having finally progressed to a super posh petrol mower that now works thanks to my lovely dad, I feel I have some lawn cred. I got so carried away today at the excitement at actually managing to start the thing that I cut a good part of the field, the green in front of our house, the alley next to the house AND my neighbours lawns :-)....no, I didn't do my own. I'll stick to the push along mower for them, I don't fly round the corners!!

Now thinking willow arch, fire circle, straw bale shelter/den, tree house............