A 2009 Review

I'm feeling nostalgic for the year just past (well, almost) and I feel the need for a brief review. Some of these pictures havn't been seen on here before, but I still think I should share them.

January

I have almost no pictures from last January, and certainly no properly attractive ones. That's a good start to my annual review! The best I could find was this one of Nigella Lawsons chocolate fruit cake. There are a couple from Pantomime, but they're not flattering of the people in question, and I wish to avoid the repercussions!

February

February brought the snow, made our feet and fingers glow. The day before the snow came in we went to Snowdrop Valley, near Wheddon Cross on Exmoor.

Lots of pretty snowdrops, and I think they're the native variety. There were the very first flakes of snow blowing in the wind. Snowdrop Valley is only open for one month - this year it's from the 30th January, til 28th February. Visit here for more information.. it's beautiful, and if you're in the area, I'd recommend it!

That night (or possibly the night after) we got our first PROPER snowfall that I'd ever seen. At midnight, or thereabouts, we built our snowman. The next morning....

we had a reasonable amount of snow! That was possibly the most exciting thing I'd ever seen.

March

March was a lovely month. We went on holiday!

How many March days have there been where one can eat a civilised breakfast on the patio? Not that many, I'll bet! The weather was unbelievably good. A perfect spring. You can tell it's March, the daffodils are in the hedge, and the hedge isn't green yet. A few more fabulous pictures from our Dorset holiday (please indulge me, this is one of my favourite parts of 2009)

Skies like that in March? Doesn't happen every year.

April

April we started National Trusting on a regular basis, we went to Knightshayes and Killerton.

Mostly photographed flowers, but one random arty shot of Dad in there for good measure. Not much else happened in April, that I can remember.. there must have been something, but I can't remember what!



May

In May, we went to Dunster Castle, and Blue Anchor, and several of my friends starred in a production of My Fair Lady.. this will be so much easier after I get to a point where I was blogging, and I have a point of reference. At this moment, I have no idea what else happened in May..

June

A far more interesting month! Lots happened in June.. firstly was My Dads 60th birthday. He wanted to go to Stourhead in Wiltshire, so that's where we went. Stourhead is beautiful, one of my favourite places.

A beautiful view across the lake.Umm.. A leaf.. I think it's copper beach, but it's so beautifully lit, and pink. Another view, of a different folly.. there are many.

And Dad, cutting his birthday cake. Date and walnut, if you're interested. Not a spectacular cake, especially for a 60th, but it's what he wanted.

Next thing that happened in June was my tax rebate. £1,500 of tax, returned to me. Part of that money paid for us to go away for a night to Cornwall. We stayed in Padstow, but went to Boscastle first, as I'd never been down to the harbour, and I wanted to see it. It's beautiful. The water really was that blue.

Now for two shots from Knightshayes, when we went back.

July

In July we did quite a lot of Pick Your Own-ing. We picked raspberries, blackcurrants, gooseberries and strawberries. I made strawberry jam for the first time, which we're still eating now.

I doubt Mum will thank me for that.. never mind. It's one of very few pictures I have from July!

Time for a new post I think, for August onwards.

Crumbs, how long has it been since I've posted!? Dear, Oh Dear! Losing my camera was what did it I think. It did turn up, but I was out of the habit by then.. excuses all, but it makes me feel better.

Have you had a lovely Christmas? Me too, very quiet and with its ups and downs. I never did half of what I intended to, but hey! It all goes back on the list for next year. I WILL make mince pies, probably halfway through January. The house is so utterly overstuffed with calories right now that it really doesn't need any more.

Anyhow, would you like to see some pictures? They are the lifeblood on which blogging is based. Lessee now, what have I got..

This one was taken on my Birthday, back in mid November. We went for a walk at Watersmeet, near Lynmouth.. it was extremely cold.

I'm afraid this is pure vanity.. I LOVE this picture, but I shall excuse it on the grounds of my scarf. I made that scarf, so I did. It's about the only project I've ever actually completed, and so I'm very proud. I should wear it more, it actually looks OK. From a distance. Just don't look too closely.

Ooh! Minor excitement from this day, we saw a heron! I do have photographic evidence, but it's not a good looking photo, so won't share it. The other thing that happened was I pulled a groin muscle straddling a ruddy huge log! More of a horizontal tree, really.

What else? oh yes, a little diversion of colour.. sort of.

Yep, a rainbow of shower gel. It's hardly beautiful flowers or stunning craft-age, but it amused me at the time that we have the entire colour spectrum of Original Source.

I have taken almost no Christmas photos I'm afraid, so have no festiveness to share.. they're all a bit boring, and have done zilch crafting. I did mean to photograph the Christmas cake, because that looked pretty darn snazzy, but I didn't get there in time, and it got hacked. It does taste good though. The other thing is, I've been spending a lot of my time lately Going Out. I'm afraid I've been lightly bitten by the clubbing bug. Never thought I would be, but it is so very good.. doesn't make for such good blogging though.

I still havn't done anything with that nice wool I bought months ago. Am too scared I'll muck it up. Nor have I actually done anything about learning embroidery. I've got the book, but nothing else.. I promise I will, and you'll know when I do.

Right.. I need to hoover the floor again. The christmas tree is shedding effectively.. Lovage! x

A Minor Pothole On The Road To Progress

(with Thanks to Mr Terry Pratchett for the quote)

I have misplaced my camera, which is a decided pain in my attempt to actually photograph blogable stuffs.

It means that once again today I will be sharing an image from the past. Today, an image from last Christmas.

It's my Smudge-mog. Smudge is her proper name, but she is more commonly known as Smog (due to being thick and grey). Please excuse the vast amounts of mess and horribleness in the background, this looks to have been taken in the middle of a tidy-up. That green thing is the broom, if nothing else! Oh, and Smudge is every bit as evil and superior as she looks.

On the other hand, my basket does look quite splendid, particularly with its tinsel trim. I'll do that again this year, I think. I do sometimes take my basket shopping in town, particularly when I'm buying lots of veggies. They look so rustic and fabulous in there!

This choice of photo is a symptom of my obsession with Christmas. I'm getting far too excited, far too early. I think it comes from working in retail, particularly as I work quite a lot with toys. The Ideal Home Complete Guide To Christmas is feeding my obsession, as is the knowledge that Country Homes and Interiors Christmas Issue is out on Thursday!! *Eee!*

How Long Ago?!!

I can't believe how long it's been since my last post! I'm afraid I really have nothing to say, which is probably why it's been so long. I've done no crochet, I havn't started my embroidery.. I don't think I've even baked a cake! Work is consuming me.. not much fun, I can tell you!

As I've been doing almost nothing of interest, I'll share an old photo..

It's a tree monster! I think it was created naturally. Can you see him? I think this picture comes from The Lost Gardens Of Heligan, but I'm not certain! Actually, I would have something to share, but I don't know where my camera is.. maybe if I find it I'll share on Tuesday! There's something for you to look forward to!

Tea, anyone?

We were here a few days ago. Unfortunately they were closed.

It's my favourite brand of tea. I will go back when it's open, I swear.

It's in Porlock.. I can't remember if I mentioned our stop there

on my post about Arlington Court.. after coming down Porlock Hill

our brakes STUNK (if you know the hill, you'll know why!)

We stopped for about 30 minutes (I was also a tad travel sick)

and found a fabulous cheese shop.. they had Stinking Bishop

and all sorts! I was very tempted, but a little skint, and put

off by the travel sickness!

Walkies!

Did you know that Sloe gin and orange juice mixed together comes out the most disgusting colour? Me neither, until now.

I can't believe how long it's been since my last post! Especially as I had last week off work, I hardly posted at all.

Anyway.. I cooked a lovely meal tonight (if I do say so myself!), following a recipe from Attic24. It's from October 2008, so you might have to rummage around a little to find it, but it's exceedingly yummy!

It's all cheesy and lentil-y and vegetabley, and exceedingly healthy! The colours are fantastic, see?

Earlier today I did something I've been meaning to do for a long time.. I walked to the Garden Centre. It's quite a long walk, which is why I didn't do it before, but the weather today was beautiful and I need some more daffodil bulbs and preferably some autumn bedding plants. Unfortunately payday is tomorrow, and I have NO money left, so didn't actually buy anything. I will do tomorrow, but I have to work.. maybe I'll go again on Sunday.. will see what the weather does! It was a beautiful walk.. but I don't reccomend walking on narrow pavements along the side of the A38! Occasionally scary. Would you like to see some of my pictures?

This is Wellingtons very own Balamory street.. there's a lilac one that you can't see, coz it's behind me. I know the lady who lives in the orange one.. apparently it's Etruscan Sunset. Myself, I think she's been Tangoed.

Fabulously crunchy, kickable leaves. I swore I saw a driver laughing at me as he passed, but that could have been because I nearly fell over trying to take this picture.

There's an aviary at the garden centre.

Now that is a budgie with attitude. That's some serious evils he's giving me.

Oh, and they have a cat there..

Ten Things About Me..

I've been tagged! I feel honoured. I was tagged by Vonnie at Adventures Of A Lady In Training

So, here we go.. 10 things about me..

1. I'm chronically untidy, which upsets me. I wish I could be a true Domestic Goddess, but it's beyond me.

2. I have never been abroad. This amazes other people far more than it bothers me.

3. My favourite chocolate is DARK. I like 70% cocoa. I also really love Curly Wurlies, Fudge, Milky Way,.. yeah OK, I just like chocolate.

4. I'm trying to learn to crochet, embroider AND knit, all at the same time. It's not going too well!

5. When I was a small child, I wanted to be an Insect Inventor.

6. I'm a serious shopaholic. A terminal case! I am finding that I'm buying different things at the moment though. Fewer clothes, more homewares!

7. I was a member of St John Ambulance from the age of 5 til 19ish. I want to go back, but the time never seems right.

8. I'm an awful snob. I wouldn't say I'm proud of it, but I accept it as an aspect of myself. I judge people on class far too readily, but I'm always open to revise my opinion!

9. I want children. Now. Well, in nine months maybe. However, short of an immaculate conception, it's not looking likely.

10. I'm a dwarf in our local pantomime this year. Which is interesting, as I'm about 4 inches taller than our Snow White!

I would like to tag Kate, at Greedy For Colour and Lucy at Little Blue Door. I can't be sure that either of these people will read this, and therefore may not get this tag! Oh well.

A Grand Day Out..

Not to the moon, unfortunately. And there was very little cheese involved.

We went to Arlington Court, near Barnstaple in Devon. It's a regency house, also housing the National Carriage Collection.

Can you see the Michaelmas daisies in the above picture? Aren't they pretty?

At least, I think they're Michaelmas daisies.. not entirely sure! They were covered in beebugs and flutterbugs. There's only one bee in there, and you can't really see him, but there's a fuzzy bumble-bum in there somewhere.

Next model for my photographic attentions was a beautiful Red Admiral. He did a lovely job of holding still for me, and didn't fly off even when I got very close indeed.

I was very impressed by the Walled Kitchen Garden - just about the best one I've seen at a National Trust garden, helped (I'm sure) by the Hedgehog Houses.

I was rather envious of their pumpkin patch.

I was coveting the hydrangeas as well.. Someone described hydrangea flowers as having a 'vintage phase' .. I love that, it fits so well!

Finally, my photographs of our afternoon tea yielded some interesting results. You can see me and my daddy reflected in the tea pots. Was good tea as well, I had three cups!

The day was rounded off very nicely by a beautiful sunset, which didn't photograph too well from inside the car, but I did try!

Did I mention this a while back? I bought myself a crysanthemum plant a week or two back.. I love the colour, and it looks so nice in my metal bucket, by the back door. I might take the occasional cut flower from it.. actually, I might do that this afternoon. They'd look really pretty by the bed.

My Fabulous Parcel.

I've got a parcel. It's a very beautiful and welcome parcel.

For starters, I am very fond of brown paper, and the handwriting is beautiful. I'm afraid I've blanked that.. don't really want my name and address (or that of my sender) out there on the World Wide Web!

It's a blog give-away winners parcel, no less!

I won a givaway over at Surfer Rosa on Tuesday, and my parcel arrived today. It brought much excitement with it, when my parents bought it with them to pick me up from work. The above picture was taken in the car, as I very first saw it! BTW, do you like the dress? Is one of my favourite Charity Shop finds.

I got my parcel home, and tore into it with abandon.

Beautiful wrapping paper, and a generally exciting mystery. I knew one parcel contained a crocheted cake (a cherry bakewell) but the rest was a surprise! A very welcome one.

My cake is in the middle, looking very cute. I also have some pins, to complement it, some sewing needles - how did you know I needed some? Some cake cases, which are the same as some I have previously oggled, a bar of Green & Blacks (never wrong) and, possibly my favourite, a litle stitched heart in what looks like a Cath Kidston fabric. I'm going to put some lavender oil on this and hang it by my bed.

I must confess, the chocolate was gone within an hour or two. I did share it! But not much..

The pins now decorate my cake, and look very very fetching! Like hundreds & thousands.

I LOVE my parcel. I'm going to make fairy cakes tomorrow to celebrate the loveliness. Thank you SO much Louise.. it's made my weekend, if not my week. Far better than any retail therapy. It's all so perfectly ME.

Moving on, I finished a very good book today, and I would reccomend it to all. Life Of Pi is a thought provoking novel that's well worth the thought. I picked my copy up at my fave charity shop. If you see it, grab it.

Thats all for tonight, is past my bedtime. TTFN. x

My First Wool

I've been shopping. (again)

Would you like to see what I've bought? There's always something so promising about a plain brown paper bag. Who knows what it contains, could be absolutely anything, but it's likely to be a little classy!

Yes, it's wool! Proper wool yarn as well, I've only ever worked with acrylic before. It's going to be for my first proper project, once I'm feeling ready for it.. a Granny Square Blanket, of course! I'm going to have a few more practice runs with my acrylic yarns first.. the proper stuff is far too nice for me to muck it up!

I've got six colours, of Rowan Pure Wool 4-ply. I've got navy blue, a bright mustard yellow, a rich holly berry red, Granny Smith Green, a maroony burgundy (almost exactly the colour of my primary school uniform!) and a mid blue, which is almost exactly the same as Joules Ensign Blue, from A/W 08! I can tell because I'm sat here in an Ensign Blue Polo! That in itself is quite exciting to me. The colours are all pretty true, except the green. It's really washed out in this picture. I love the combination of colours, it's really autumnal but rich and bright. I've only got these six balls, because I'm not vastly well endowed with cash, and I'm not overly worried about dye batches for a blanket.. clothing would be different. I'm very excited about my first proper project! I'm going to do some practice squares now. :)