Welcoming Autumn

Firstly I must begin again by thanking you for your lovely comments and well wishes for my parents. I'm happy to report that they are now settled back in at home and dad, although still very thin, is looking so much better and feeling much more like his usual self. This type of operation takes around 3 months to recover from, so hopefully by Christmas dad will be feeling much better.

Here in the northern hemisphere, we're welcoming autumn in with open arms after a rather hot and sticky summer. I love the changes in season, adoring them all for their different attributes. We started off by giving the garden a good old tidy up. Emptying and cleaning some of the tubs, weeding and lots of sweeping up. There was a bit of a bargain to be snatched up in our local garden centre with their Cyclamen, just the thing to brighten up the garden.

 I put some in the back and a pot in the front to bring some colour.

Some of the other flowers are still going strong, a second Foxglove appeared from nowhere, which we were quite thrilled about. It makes me wonder about what will spring up next year!

Lots of deadheading and weeding helped show off some of the summer's marigolds and geraniums that are still looking quite vibrant.

Some heather and violas dotted about

The physalis is at it's best this time of year, I love the bright orange lanterns

Honey, Alfie and Gary sat outside with us enjoying the September sunshine, but just couldn't be persuaded to pose for photographs. I think this was the best with Gary (in the middle)

Honey in the middle here

this isn't too bad of Honey and Alfie, but Gary wasn't having any of it that time!

After sorting the garden out, I thought it time to update the mantelpiece too. Brought out the Halloween globes so we get the benefit of them for a little while.

I think this little chap may be my current favourite, I don't tend to use him as a time piece as my slowly ageing eyes need to get quite close to him to make it out, but he does carry the correct time.

 Hope you're enjoying your seasonal changes wherever you are.

Take care
xxx

A Catch Up

Thank you for all your lovely comments on my last post. I've been a bit sporadic with my posting this year, so do really appreciate you all hanging on in there.

Half way through April already, it amazes me, but at least the better weather appears to be coming... I'm so ready for the summer, I hope we have a lovely, long summer this year (not too hot though) and can spend lots of time outside in the garden and at the park.

We've been a bit slow on the garden side of things this year, mainly because of the weather. Andrew went out the other day and used the jet washer on the patio after getting rid of all the bits of grass and weeds that grow between the slabs. He also found this plant growing in one of our containers. We didn't plant it, but it seems to be thriving.

I tried putting the photo into a reverse picture finder and it identified it as Impatiens even though it didn't actually look like the pictures it showed. I know a lot of you have beautiful green thumbs so if anyone can give me any information about it, I would love to know.

My boy has had a birthday since I last blogged. Big year for birthdays this year, Adam and I have had our big ones (Adam turned 30) and Imogen will be turning sweet 16 a week on Friday, then little Zackary will have his very first birthday in August.

Not impressed with Daddy's birthday

I didn't get to see my boy on his actual birthday as he went on a 24 hour fishing trip with a group of friends. He had lovely time even though it was very muddy.

I haven't done as much baking as I planned to, but did use up some left over bananas to make our favourite banana cake the other day.

I treated myself to a couple of new eggcups the other week, I think they're rather cute.

I recently read this book by C.L. Taylor, The Fear. I thoroughly enjoyed it and found myself picking it up whenever I had a spare moment. A good, pacey thriller, I recommend it.

I thought it'd be nice to round off with the flowers on my mantelpiece that my lovely Andrew brought home from the shops today.

It's quite late, so I'm off to bed and will make a start on catching up with everyone else's news.


Take care
xxx

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Is it Nearly Christmas?

I can't believe we're just a few days away from Christmas, I just don't seem able to find my Christmas Spirit this year. I've been quite organised, cards were written and posted early on, presents are always bought over a few months, but they've all been wrapped for a while. Normally the tree and decorations go up at the beginning of December, but this year we waited a bit, not feeling the excitement we used to. I wonder if it's because Imogen is 15 now, no more putting reindeer food out or excitedly writing lists to Father Christmas?

We do have our first grandchild, which is the most wonderful thing to happen, but at 4 months old, he doesn't know it's Christmas! I'm hoping we'll be spending some time tomorrow with Zackary and Izzy, Izzy is 8 so a lovely age, full of excitement and I'm hoping some will rub off on me.

The tree in the dining room

Imogen has finished school today for the Christmas holiday so that's rather lovely. We're planning to do some baking together tomorrow and I'm sure we'll play some festive music at the same time.

I've finished Zack's quilt. It's very soft and will be just the thing to have under him when he lays on the floor.

The background is brushed cotton, so feels really nice against the skin.

If all that isn't enough to put me in a Christmas mood, I do have this beautiful photo my son sent me... a real life little Christmas elf...

Have a wonderful, safe, happy and healthy Christmas

Take care
xxx

Settling in for Autumn

Summer feels a long while ago (I think it may have been a couple of weeks in June) and it's definitely feeling a bit more chilly. I for one am welcoming it with open arms, as much as I couldn't wait for Spring earlier in the year, I now feel ready to fully embrace the autumn and all that comes with it.

The school term has started and we have all slipped easily into the routine that has been part of my life for the last 25 years (that's what happens when you have a large age gap between your children). I started off with the changes on the mantelpiece.

I've put our Halloween globes out, I like to display them from September otherwise it feels like they're only around for such a short time. The dancing skeletons are musical and I do think they're rather beautiful.

The 3 little houses each have a tea light in and give a lovely glow in the evenings as the nights draw in.

Settling down in the evening to watch a bit of TV (I do like the dramas that BBC and ITV show, the second series of Doctor Foster is one of my favourites right now), it's good to have something in my hands to keep me busy. I've started crocheting a jumper for Imogen, just a bit of rib so far.

I love the colour, its a marble chunky from James C. Brett. I picked it upon Hobbycraft as it was a special offer (all the different shades were on offer). Just the right sort of colour to be using in Autumn!

While I settle in to my crochet, Mitzi was busy settling into my craft storage, it looks like she was making a nest to keep warm through Autumn too.

Take care
xxx

Little Robin Red Breast

Thank you for all your lovely comments. I can understand why Hyacinths would give some of you a migraine, it is a very heady smell. I take them out of the living room when my son comes with his pregnant girlfriend. She's been having such rough time with sickness that I certainly don't want to risk making it any worse with the scent from such strong flowers. Poor thing is having quite a bit of pain too on either side other growing bump, she 's putting it down to growing pains and had a similar experience with her other pregnancy. Second scan in a couple of weeks, they're hoping to find out the babies gender too. I must admit to being quite excited to know if I'm going to have a grandson or granddaughter!

This is a little felting kit I've had put away for a while

It's a sweet little Robin like Kirsty Allsopp made in one of her crafting programmes. Everything was included, perhaps enough to make 2 birds even.

I stabbed away, using the white wool then building the colour over the top.

I found the hardest, and most fiddly, part to be the beak. I need beak practise!

He is a cute little fellow though and will look good with a little cotton loop through his head so I can hang him on this years Christmas tree.

After the beautiful white Hyacinth, I had to pick up this blue one, it's so pretty

and these lovely Daffodils, though they are a bit tall and floppy!

I've changed the mantle for spring, there's rather a lot on it, but I never really was one for minimalism and it does look rather nice with bunnies and sheep bounding about

The house has candles that are lit in an evening, looking very cosy.

I so need spring to arrive this year. I think we've had quite a mild winter really, but I'm yearning for some warmth and better weather, daydreaming about sitting in the garden surrounded by flowers, doing some crochet or reading a book with the sun warming me. I keep seeing signs here in peoples lovely blogs and on IG, lots of Snowdrops and Crocuses.

Have a lovely weekend
Take care
xxx