Happy Stuff

I love my gloves / mittens. I love the colours and the way they work with my vintage jacket. I like how they work with my favourite scarf without being the same. The colours are similar tones.

I've just resurrected my green jacket, I changed the buttons for these military style ones and it's rejuvinated my love of it. I bought it originally in my favourite charity shop. I don't know how old it is, but it's M&S.

(I need a haircut though.. look at it!)

The scarf was bought in a shop at one of my local National Trust houses.
It's so incredibly diverse, it works with almost everything I own.

Oh, and I was right about my other hyacinth.. it is indeed white, but the pink one isn't doing anything, and I don't know what's wrong with it, but it looks to have dried up or something. It still has plenty of water, so it's not that. If it doesn't do anything in the next day or two I'm going to get proper worried.

Can you see the snow as well? We've still got quite a bit lurking around in places. :)

My biggest thing to report today.. I've been a little naughty ;-)

I've bought a book.

A book of fabulousness and joy and inspiration and eye candy.

I've bought Cath Kidstons Sew! and it's fabulous. So far I've made a card, and I have plans to decorate a purple fleece blanket I've had for ages with flowers, or possibly birdies.. haven't decided yet. I'll show you as soon as I do.

Things That Made Me Smile, and Resolutions for 2010

Hello all.

In my renewed enthusiasm for my blog, I have decided to ensure I post at least once each week. This is 2010 resolution Numero Uno.

Resolution Two is the big one.

I will learn to drive.

At the age of 24 it's high time I had independence of movement. Plus, it will greatly facilitate me (eventually) moving out of home. These are currently my only resolutions for this year. I have other things I'd like to do, but they're not resolutions, as I don't want to set myself up for failure.

So.. the things that are making me smile at the moment..

Pretty pink hyacinth.. looks very vibrant. I'm hoping it retains that level of pinkness, and doesn't fade as it opens. There's another one sat beside it on the windowsill, slightly behind in terms of development. I can't remember what colour it is.. I think it might be white. I'll find out soon enough!

The next thing to make me smile is this Muppets videoclip. The bit I really love is at the very end. There are many many more, but it was this one I stumbled across first.

The thing that I'm expecting to make me smile shortly is the blackcurrant crumble that is currently in the oven, to be eaten with custard, and a great big smile... Ooh, I hear the oven timer.. must dash!! x

*Edited to add - yep, the crumble was indeed worth a smile or two.. very tasty indeed, with a good dollop of Ambrosia!*

2009 continued..

August

Now we come to the month of August in my review of 2009.. possibly the month I know most about, as it was in August that I re-started blogging. How else would I know that I made cookies and tiffin, both from Attic24 recipes!? Other things that happened.. the garden bloomed, along with the wildlife that lives in it.

A bean.. grown by us.. we never actually got around to eating them, but I did eventually collect them, and have got them to plant this coming year.

August was also the month of Donyatt Flower Festival.. really wish I could do photo mosaics, that would be very helpful here.. if anyone can help with that, please send me a message!

I suppose the biggest happening of August was mine and Mums day trip to St Ives. It was to celebrate (or possibly commiserate) my Mother going back into full time work since before I was born.

We had an absolutely brilliant day.. have a few snippits in picture form.

The other thing of much excitement which happened in August was my first attempts in crochet! Not particularly good (and I havn't got much better yet) but I was very, very proud at the time.

Oh, and the bank Holiday Weekend, we went to Tyntesfield.


September


I can't believe I've got around to September already!

Not so much happened in September, but I do at least know what it was. The main thing was The Mayors Musical Extravaganza, a show of song and dance.

I was very proud of this show, particularly the younger cast members.

Nextly, was my first purchase of proper expensive wool (as opposed to acrylic).. I havn't done anything with it yet. I'm still too scared!

In September I also won a blog giveaway from Surfer Rosa! A gorgeous parcel of loveliness arrived, making me very happy indeed.

pins, crocheted pincushion, chocolate, needles, cake cases and a stitched heart decoration. I love them all.. obviously I don't have the chocolate any more!

Lastly, another National Trust visit.. this time to Arlington Court near Barnstaple.

(How Country Homes & Interiors is the wheelbarrow photo!?)

October

October is the month for Carnival! Technically they start in September, but I didn't take photos until October. We always watch Wellington (last Saturday in September) and Ilminster (first saturday in October). The above float was the most incredible tableau (not sure on spelling) of Robin Hood.. it was HUGE. Apparently it didn't age well, and was looking a bit ropey by the end of the circuit.

My best photos of the month came from a walk to the Garden Centre. The most amazingly blue sky helped!

Also in October, I planted many many bulbs.. you'll probably see them in another month or two! (The indoor ones were hideously mis-treated, and may be dead)

November

Finally, toward the end of November the weather decided to become Autumny. Overnight, it got proper cold.

These three are all from my Birthday outing to Watersmeet, about the only thing that really got done in November.

Oh, and this was my birthday cake, a very yummy chocolatey one.

December

We've come nearly full circle now, but I have almost no photos from this December.

The few I do have are unexciting.. anyway. I was doing my Christmas Wrapping, and I was so proud of this parcel, I photographed it! I never wrap something that well! Obviously this wasn't the full effect, it also had some gold glitter paper and red paper raffia added.. my parcels looked so good this year! :)

That just about completes my 2009.. there was so much more that I've forgotten, or didn't photograph. It wasn't the best year, but it was far from being the worst. I'm now looking forward to 2010, and all it may bring. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

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.

Flowers and Veggies

Do you remember I showed you that sunflower in the council flowerbed the other day? Well, it's flowered in spectacular fashion.. beautiful. It makes me smile every time I walk past it. The other flowers are largely over now, so it adds a lot of colour to the road.

I got my vegbox today. I Love getting these boxes.. the veggies are so fresh.. look, the mud is still damp on the carrots!

Other than carrots I've got a bag of rainbow chard (so pretty) french beans, calabrese, two leeks, red peppers, onions and salad spuddies. What shall I cook for tea tonight? I dunno. Shall update you later.

Flower Festival II

I loved these teacups... the mis-matchedness appeals to me. Should have photographed the cakes as well. It's not a great picture, I know, but I was in a bit of a hurry. I'm slowly building a collection like this, but different.

As I posted yesterday, while Mum had a cuppa, Dad and I went for a walk. It's a small village, and the church is slightly on the edge. We walked out of the village, across the bridge over the river. Was a very pretty river, and if you look upstream from the bridge, you can see the back of my Great Aunt Hildas garden.. see? That white plastic garden set? She doesn't live there any more, she died about 20 years ago. Which is a good reason for her not to live there.

Just over the river is the old train line. It's not a train line anymore, it's a brand new footpath, just been done up - the grass hasn't even grown back yet. It'll be far prettier next summer. The old station is still there, complete with a statue of an evacuee. Doreen, her name is. Not the man with the growing bald spot - that's my Daddy. The station was called Donyatt Halt, and Dad remembers catching the train at this station, which is quite an amazing thought to me.

The last thing I really want to share is this.. the signpost. Ilminster is 1 1/4 miles away.. in three different directions. I can get how Ilminster is accessible from three different directions.. but the same distance?? That's odd. You can just see the church in the background too.

It was a very good day all round. A couple of blackberries, eaten fresh from the hedge. Butterflies and bees all over the place. And pretty flowers.

Lillies

Just wanted to share these beauties with you. I bought them on Thursday, two bunches at 75p each. They've flowered beautifully. One on the mantle piece, and one on the windowsill. Thank you Somerfield!

Other than that, the tiffin is delicious.. thoroughly recommend that recipe! The crochet is coming on slowly. I so nearly succeeded in making the centre of a Granny Square.. but not quite. Dammit. Another try tomorrow.

Snowdrop Valley

This is another post from the past.. I'm bored, y'see. This is from Snowdrop Valley on Exmoor (Wheddon Cross, I think). It was back in early February. There were little bits of snow blowing round in the wind, so it really was cold.. hence the stylish hats. Couldn't find my glubs anywhere though. Had very cold hands that day. After our very nice walk (you can see Dad, and a little of me here) we went to the village hall where we had some very welcome hot vegetable soup, and I bought a jar of chutney (pear and walnut) from the WI there. The flowers were beautiful, and prolific. Am definitely going back this year.

Hi all,

Once again, I went out to pick the sweetpeas. And once again, I found wildlife. Today, it was a caterpillar. I think Norbert suits him, so Norbert he shall be.

Next item of note.. my fingers are green. They got a little dyed while cleaning the art easel at work. Some delightful child (or ten) had scribbled all over it in felt pen. Cleaning it was effective, but messy.

Finally, having been inspired by other peoples fabulous creations of fabulousness I am learning to crochet! It's not going overly well. I've more or less got the hang of chain stitch, but am struggling with double crochet. Any hints or tips would be greatfully appreciated!

I just went out to pick the sweetpeas, as I said I would, and I found this little chappie. Thought you might like to see him.

Sunny Day and Pretty Flowers

I bought some sweet pea plants from Stourhead, on the aforementioned outing. They didn't do much for ages.. I have finally got flowers! Will pick them later. Love sweet peas. They smell beautiful :)

A few years ago, we bought some lillies. We had three varieties, five of each. They did fantastically well the first year, moderately the second, and have been decidedly mediocre since then. This year I have ONE flower. On the plus side, I think it's rather a beauty.

Last year they were decimated by Scarlet Lilly Beetle, as I didn't recognise what the problem was. Havn't seen hide or hair of any this year. Probably because I only have one lily left.