Butterflies

Thank you for all your lovely comments about little Zackary. I'm getting lots of nanny cuddles in and have been left to babysit while Adam and Holly have viewed a couple of houses. I can't believe quite how beautiful he is and it still feels a bit surreal to think I'm a nanny. I've found it rather interesting how it's made me think about my place in the scheme of things, about my own lovely grandparents who have been gone a long time now and generations before them, about future generations too.

We popped to one of our local garden centres the other day, just for a mosey around and a cup of tea, we're lucky that we have a few in the area to choose from. The only butterflies we seem to have in our garden are the cabbage whites after our vegetables, so I was thrilled to see these beauties fluttering around.

Beautiful Peacock butterflies on the Buddleja, there were quite a few flying around and settling on the flowers.

Also a Red Admiral, I don't remember the last time I saw one of these gorgeous specimens.

We were quite taken with them and spent a while walking around the flowers and just watching the butterflies. It made me wonder if we should grow some Buddleja to try and attract some butterflies, though I suppose it's no guarantee.

Do you get many butterflies in your area? Do you recommend planting anything in particular to encourage butterflies to come and visit us?


Take care
xxx

Baking and Baby Photos and a mini Video

I can't believe we're so far through the summer holidays already they always seem to go by in a flash and this year has been no exception. I think the holidays have felt shorter than usual because of waiting for little Zachary to be born at the beginning, then illness (which I found very frustrating as it seemed to linger) and Imogen is older now and makes lots of plans with friends too.

It's already feeling a bit autumnal, the nights are slowly drawing in, there's been a chill in the air and summer seems to have left us early. It feels that the best of summer this year was back in May and June, it was an early summer and I'm so glad that we made the most of the garden back then, spending lots of time outside.

I've been baking some of my son Adam's favourite treats. I always make them 2 batches as Holly is a vegetarian and Adam loves his meat. Ham and cheese (just cheese for Holly) pastry bites, so simple to make and tasty to eat, whenever I make some for Adam I always make some for Andy too.

I started with some puff pastry and covered it with cheese (grated cheese goes further) and a nice smoked ham. Lots of seasoning, some oregano and garlic salt.

Roll it up, carefully so you don't lose the filling, lengthways so it makes a long roll. With a sharp knife, slice every couple of inches.

Pop in a lightly greased baking tray and brush with a little egg before sprinkling with poppy seeds.

They only take about 15 minutes (or cook until a lovely golden brown), oozing cheese, delicious.

They are so popular with Adam and Holly that I was sent a video when I was ill with Zack (and the help of daddy's finger on his chin) asking me to bring some to them, he even specifies, meat and veggie ones please! Took me a while to figure out how to upload this, but thrilled I managed it, you will have to turn the volume high though.

Here are some pictures of my gorgeous boys taken yesterday

I think this may be my favourite as little Zack here is the image of his father as a baby, the only difference being hair colour and size (Adam was a tiny little thing with dark hair). It makes me want to put my finger into the photo and stroke his little cheek... I am totally besotted!

Take care
xxx

Pompom Rug

Thank you so much for all your lovely comments regarding our beautiful new grandson. I have a picture of him on my phone home screen and find myself turning my phone on just to look at him.

After the fevered activity at the beginning of last week with the birth of Zackary and my mum being rushed to hospital, everything has quietened down now, thank goodness. My mum has had her appendix removed and is in hospital recuperating (though I'm sure she'll be home in a day or so) while one of her sisters stays with my dad. Little Zachary is thriving and I've had daily updates, but have been unable to see him as I've been ill myself. I had a bit of a tummy bug the other week and it came back on Thursday evening, knocking me off my feet. I was a bit disappointed as it was Izzy's 8th birthday on Sunday and I was looking forward to them all piling round and making a birthday tea with all the trimmings for her. Izzy still had a wonderful birthday and Imogen went to the birthday tea and even dressed up in one of her outfits from work as a surprise for Izzy.

Poppy the Troll

So due to illness I haven't left the house or really done much the last few days. I've been able to drink a cup of tea today and keep it down, so hopefully I'm on the up again. I shall be keeping away from the little family though as I don't want to pass any nasties on to anyone.


I do have my pompom reveal though. I actually finished it before Zack arrived, but thought it far more important to announce his arrival into the world! It wasn't a project I wanted hanging around, so once I started, I wanted to continue until it was finished. I may never make another pompom though...

It started with one

Thank goodness I found these fingerless scissors

I had no idea how many to make, just that I would need rather a lot.

I used white, pinks and black to fit in with Imogen's bedroom colours.

I used a piece of canvas rug making fabric. I'm not sure what possessed me, but I decided to make it a meter diameter (about 3ft), I thought it might look a bit 'lost' in the room if it was smaller (not that the room's very large).

When I'd made about 40, I laid them on the fabric to get an idea of how many I needed... lots was the answer, lots and lots...

I haven't counted them, but there are definitely at least 150 pompoms snuggled together here. Each one lovingly (maybe not quite as lovingly after the first 50) made and individually tied through the fabric nice and securely.

I'm actually very pleased with it. It's thick, beautiful and colourful, just the thing for Imogen to sink her toes into when she gets out of bed in the mornings. It's a good size and looks lovely in Imogen's room, I can't see me making another one though!



Take care
xxx

Introducing our Beautiful New Grandson

Yes, the little bundle of gorgeousness has arrived! He came into the world on Tuesday morning weighing 8lbs 12oz. Let me introduce our first grandchild, Zackary Andrew David

Here's a photo of my baby holding his baby, father and son.

Look at this lovely head of hair. what a little firecracker, a head full of lovely red hair.

I'm quite smitten with this little man and I'm looking forward to getting to know him more and watch him grow up... I can't believe I'm a nanny, I'm this little boy's nanny.

Auntie Imogen couldn't wait to meet her nephew. We went to visit them at home yesterday, but didn't stay long as I think it's important not to overwhelm them all with visitors. We took baked goods so they wouldn't have to worry about cooking and left them to bond, the new little family.

Here is big sister Izzy, proudly holding her new little brother.

Unfortunately, as all this wonderful news is happening, my mum has been rushed into hospital, leaving my dad at home by himself. Dad is doing so much better since the cancer removal operation, but is waiting for heart surgery to replace his leaking heart valve, so is still very poorly. One of my aunts is going to stay with him until mum gets sorted, it's looking like she has a burst appendix. What a terrible year the two of them have had!

So thats my news for today.

Take care
xxx

Waiting and Reading

Today's the day our grandson is due to enter the world... I think he is quite comfortable where he is though, but hopefully will make his grand entrance soon. I've had a bit of a tummy bug so I don't mind that he hasn't arrived yet as I wouldn't want to visit in case I pass on any germs. Holly was due to get a 'stretch and sweep' yesterday, which may have started things off, but the little man had disengaged so it wasn't possible, understandably she's getting a bit fed up.

I've finished a couple of books so thought I'd drop in and tell you about them. First one was 'The Woman who went to Bed for a Year' by Sue Townsend.

It's about an ordinary housewife, Eva Beaver, unappreciated, put upon and taken for granted, who decides to just go to bed and stay there. We meet all sorts of weird and wonderful people and I found the book quite amusing. I thought the ending was a little rushed and left lots of things open, but I did enjoy it.

The next book was 'The Perfect Girl' by Gilly MacMillan.

I really enjoyed it, told in parts by 4 different people. The main character is 17 year old Zoe, a music prodigy who was involved in a devastating and life changing accident. We enter her story when she's part of her 'second chance family', trying to pretend the past hasn't happened, but what happens next destroys that.

I could work out as I read what was going to happen, or what had happened, but it was a page turner and I definitely recommend it.

That's me for today, still not feeling too well so I think I may go in the garden and get some sunshine and fresh air.

Take care
xxx