Posy

The Last Couple of Days

Yesterday

Going to school..'the lanes way.'

Can you see the Cow Parsley starting to froth - just waiting for me to stop the car and pick it! And the Red Campion (which I still call Pink Campion) has just arrived too I noticed; it looks lovely with the bluebells dotted around it. Yes, Spring is here along with it's very changeable weather, sun, torrential rain, strong winds, all in the space of an hour.

Today

Charity Shop finds.

..the blanket, in case you're wondering!  It's not very big, and the squares are actually much smaller than they appear in the photo, but perfect for snuggling on the sofa. Might even try again to put it on Tom's bed though I don't hold out much hope!

And some 70's pillowcases. Very flea market. I'm starting a collection of those bright, floral 70's (?) pillowcases as Lucy actually showed a smidgen of interest in them. So these might grace her bed.

..and lastly a peep at my almost planted up garden.  After many months of neglect and lack of enthusiasm on my part I had a lovely weekend last week getting reacquainted. Let's hope the sun stays around for the next.

Smeaton's Tower

The other night Anth and I took Tom and a friend to a concert in Plymouth. As we had a few hours to fill before we picked them up we thought we would go for dinner somewhere. We used to live in Plymouth and couldn't believe that 15 years had passed since we did. It was lovely to get reacquainted with familiar places - we didn't have long as the sun was going down so we headed to the Hoe as I wanted to photograph the lighthouse er.. tower. I love this lighthouse/tower. It is called Smeaton's Tower and you can read all about it's history here and here if you are interested.

Looking towards Sutton Harbour.

I just loved the light of the setting sun bouncing off the red and white paintwork and the cute little windows. I hardly took any photos of anything else! Shame.. but so understandable!

Today

Devon awoke to a brilliant blue sky, a low bright sun, and nip in the air.  Perfect even though it was a Monday morning. I was late for school, the traffic horrendous so I decided to go 'the lanes way.'

Even though I was late, I did stop to take some photos...shh..but then my worst fear happened...I came face to face with another car..eek.  For a woman who can't reverse that is a nightmare. They reversed. Fortunately.

Then it was off to start my day which included P.E, with 29, 4 and 5 year olds.  Music, which included giving said 29 children, 29 musical instruments to all play at once (continuing our firework theme) and an assembly with a clown and a sausage machine (don't ask; the children needed to be scraped off the ceiling)The day ended with me going home with a headache.

But on a more positive note there was a certain comment from a little boy that made my day worth while.  I had taken him into the cloakroom to find his P.E kit which he had forgotten (again). As I was looking for it feeling slightly harassed he suddenly looked at me and quite out of the blue said, "I like your hair."  Just like that. Now he is one of our more challenging children and I was so surprised that he had even noticed. Dear of him.

Makes Monday mornings and headaches much more bearable.

Chillin'

We all did something out of the ordinary yesterday. I refused to cook dinner till we had gone for a drink at The Berry Head Hotel and sat on their wonderful terrace which has panoramic views of Torbay. It's something we don't do enough, especially in the summer evenings and last night we were just in time to watch the sun receding over the hills. Oh,that and eat a bowl of chips. It was also a celebration as I had finished the painting.

This is the 'new' dressing table (which is just a chest of drawers with a mirror on!) The mirror was found at my father's house, broken and in pieces - and just look at it now. Everyone moaned at me - you know the 'what do you really want with that old thing? and the 'we don't have room in the car' routine. Ha, even Lucy and Alice reluctantly say they 'quite like it.'

I'm still searching for fabric for their curtains - I'm finding it impossible to find a white based ticking - you know white/red or pink. Have been having thoughts about cutting up my pink candy striped sheets..ouch but it might be the only answer. Tomorrow we are heading to Ludlow for a few days so I'm hoping for some treasures to drop into my hot little hands and to catch up with family. I can't leave without saying a heartfelt thank you for all your kind words. In answer to some questions, I'm not sure if you can buy Artful Blogging here in the UK but you can go to their website here. I'm sorry that I can't give you all a copy and believe me when I say I would if I could as your kindness holds no bounds.

I hope you all find a special spot to do some chillin and sunset watching over the next few days - and maybe like me, you can be sneaky and get out of having to make dinner!

Daisy Love

Well I started this post telling you all about our trip to Dartington last Friday. I then moved onto my latest passion for ox-eyed daisies and got side tracked - so I've abandoned Dartington for the time being and think I should own up to the latest crazy thing I put my long suffering family through.

At this time of year, the verges of our busy ring road are a riot of these wonderful daisies. I can get easily distracted by them as I drive by and I have always wanted to stop and take some photos of the children sitting in them. This year I had a brainwave and thought I could sit in them to make another banner picture for my blog. I had thought it all through in my mind as to what I wanted and just needed a fine day and a willing person to take the photos.

Now, you must believe me when I tell you that this road is busy! Traffic thunders past at quite a speed, but not so fast that you wouldn't notice a crazy lady posing a few feet away. We managed to find a place to turn into a lay- by and parked up. The family were mortified. Infact, I was mortified! But the thought of that wonderful photograph spurred me on. (We were on our way to Dartington and had to do a detour for this..)

Well, there I sat only a few feet away from the speeding cars. Poor Anth was the one who 'volunteered' to take the photos (I had to prize his hands off the steering wheel - he didn't want to leave the car!) I tried sitting in the daisies, lying in the daisies, curling up in the daisies with all of Devon driving by!

What we must have looked like, goodness knows and to top it all off, the photos were a disaster (sorry Anth!). So no banner of me in the daisies though I later got some lovely buttercup photos which may be a new banner in due course.

Now, there is one more place that has a wonderful spread of 'unsquashed' daisies...only problem is it is right in the middle of a roundabout!

Does anyone fancy taking some photos..!?

Riding on the crest of the wave

I succumbed. I was going to start my own crocheted ripple blanket when I finished my granny blanket, but I was in need of a lift and a change so I started it over the weekend. Anth and I had another day out, this time to Slapton Sands. I sat in perfect harmony with the sea as I rode up and down each wave of my new blanket.

Slapton is a huge beach made up of tiny pebbles. As I sat rippling Anth read the paper.

There was a fresh breeze blowing but that didn't stop the first seasons wearing of the flip-flops or revealing my pale English legs.

Our journey to Slapton took us through some of the best places Devon has to offer. It was all pale blue skies and the freshest green. The beach above is one of South Devon's finest, Blackpool Sands.

Poor Anth kept having to stop the car for my photos.

After a few hours of rippling and gazing out to sea we headed home

for more rippling and gazing at the TV!

In the country

Ahh...I swapped my bed for a day out, on Friday, in the warm May sunshine with my husband. Without children! That still feels odd, but it's an odd I think I can deal with as they were at school. We now have time together during the day which is such a novelty. I woke feeling better and we went to Totnes for lunch and then we went deep into the countryside.

We stopped so I could stand in this field that stretched out for miles and feel small. There wasn't another soul around and the sun made the grass shimmer like the sea. It was perfect. Just the sound of birdsong. Another photo here. We then drove to through the tiny lanes to the village of Ashprington.

We stopped for tea (well, Anth had a cream tea..) under the wisteria.

Another photo here and here. Then it was back in the car, a leisurely gaze at the estuary

and then home all with the thought of laying my head that night, after a day in the fresh air, on my newly found (thanks Amanda) embroidered and striped pillowcases!

What could be nicer?

P.S Thank you to everyone who sent me good wishes. I did want to reply to you all but that hasn't been possible. I appreciate and am grateful for every comment, thank you.

A slow end

It has been a slow weekend to mark the end of the Easter holidays. The sun has shone and as I had already finished potting up most of my containers it meant that the only tool in my hand was my camera.

Have you ever seen a lilac bluebell?  Is it still called a bluebell? We went for a walk this afternoon at Occombe farm. It has a lovely nature trail.

But there was someone missing - Tom has gone to London today.

 

There was a lot of unfurling going on. I like unfurling - it's like magic. I also like curling up too, especially on the sofa.

So it's back to school tomorrow and that means watching even more unfurling...the unfurling of tiny minds. Now that is magic!

Refreshed & Renewed!

Anth and I had a rare day out together on Saturday. The sun shone and the birds sang. Spring was well and truly in the air. We drove to Hill House Nursery deep in the Devon countryside and spent a few hours just pottering and choosing plants. Oh, it was lovely. The nursery is next to a small church.

I breathe easier up there. The only sounds are the birds and the air is full of perfume from the various greenhouses. We stopped for a proper Devonshire cream tea.

Look at Anth reading the Times..I sat beside him and pretended that we actually were sitting in our own garden..just look,

wouldn't you want to pretend too?

I'm finally blogging on my laptop..yay, it arrived yesterday and it has exceeded my expectations. It has cost more than anything I have ever bought and was feeling a bit wobbly. I mean, just think of all the Cath K blankets and GreenGate goodness I could have bought. I take it all back now, I have a super duper widescreen that makes my photos look outstanding! And best of all I'm sitting in my corner as I type this. For those who are wondering, my mother is doing very well. She has struggled with a nasty urinary infection (pure hell) but hopefully that has gone now. Thank you for your kind wishes, she reads them and is very touched. I tell her that you can't beat the kindness of the blogging world.

So, time for just one more photo of the Devon countryside in the spring, empty fields and empty trees just waiting to be renewed.

No snow here..again!

We are being bombarded by the media of pictures of a snowbound Britain.  Schools have been closed and joyful children have spent all yesterday playing in the snow. Airports & roads have been shut and as usual Britain has slowly ground to a halt over a few inches of snow. Bah! How sad am I? How painful is each snowy, perfect picture to me? "Why, do we live by the sea?" I wailed for  most of yesterday.

Above is the lovely view (yes, I am grateful really for views like this..) from the village of Stoke Gabriel taken by Anth on one of his bike rides. But I do think it would look nicer covered in snow just once! Pleease!

How bleak it all looks with bare trees. It is very cold which is good. I was talking to friends this week about how I prefer the whole 'trying to keep warm' thing as opposed to the 'trying to cool down' thing. I like the rituals of keeping warm like collecting logs & kindling  for the fire, hot water bottles, layers of clothes, cups of tea, shutting out the cold etc. My ambition, which you might already know, is to be snowed in! So exciting, though I would want enough supplies of food/logs etc! Cheating I suppose!

 

Alfie shares my love of the fire...even crochet blankets! And that is what I'm off to do now. It's pouring with rain & I have no car; but I do have a fire, 2 episodes of Midsommer Murders, an unfinished crochet blanket, some podcasts to listen to and a plentiful supply of tea! Bliss..care to join me?