Monday 7 December 2020

Feeling Grateful

Hello Lovelies, I hope you all remain well.
How grateful I am to all the scientists who have worked tirelessly to create these vaccines which the NHS is about to start administering, this week! Though I'm guessing it will be many, many months until my turn comes around, I'm hopeful that, at 90, my mum won't have to wait too long. 
 Do you think we will be able to return to a more normal life by this time next year? I certainly hope so.

Day to day I'm honestly quite happy with my quiet routines. It's  the enforced separation and anxiety I won't miss.

Crafting is such a great way to calm the nerves I find. Especially if you are trying something new. Of course I have made paper snowflakes as a child and with the boys, but I really enjoyed snipping away to make these.
 

I found some great tips and patterns online. THESE worked really well...2 and 6 being my favourites.


 When the sun shines at this time of year I'm so grateful I can make the most of it. It seems so precious during these short, often dull cold days.

Winter sun is great walking weather. This deserted pub made a lovely photo, but I wonder if it will survive as a business? Such a terrible year for hospitality...here we are in tier 3 so pubs and restaurants are still  closed, except for takeaways.

Such a shame if this lovely beer garden is lost to the community. My boys loved it here when they were little


Here these impressive chimneys caught my eye.


But I'm happiest on a quiet footpath.


Especially one with such fine views.


Zooming in on a flock of unidentifiable birds.


And admiring the wintry landscape.


Time to wander down this quiet lane, between bare hedgerows.


"Don't be alarmed"...this is what a chap in my walking group says every time we come across a Llama 
It's a corny joke, but it's stuck with me. Probably because this was exactly the sort of joke my dear late Dad made. 


Anyway, they are not at all alarming are they? I quiet fancy one of those walking with Llamas experiences. Like THIS maybe.


The light was really fabulous last Tuesday. It highlighted this stone village sign I had never noticed before.


I also came across this Pinfold a little further on. This would once have been a place to keep stray animals, it's now been restored  and looked after by the community, as a small garden. I love features like this and marvel at my lack of observation in never noticing it before :0)


The bare trees were full of birds here. Such a welcome sight.


And this tree was full of Long Tailed Tits.  I tried and tried but I couldn't get a clear photo of this pretty bird.


Better stick to taking photos of trees.


Climbing stiles.


And dodging tractors...pheww, there's a lot of smelly muck spreading going on around here at the moment.


Here it was time to go through the sunlit tunnel....not many days when this happens.


And climb the steepest bit of hill around here.


before stopping to admire the view of much of my route from the top.


Back home now, my snowflakes make me smile.


As does this little bistro set, which I bought with money given to me by my work colleagues when I retired. I wanted something long lasting for the garden and I love it.


I couldn't resist a quick sit down in the sunshine, when out of the corner of my eye I noticed...


A long tailed tit!

That really made me smile.

Later in the week I was adding more decorations to our home. I love rediscovering handmade items, from many years ago. The snowflake pattern can be found HERE...I think mine need re-blocking :0)


Yay, I'm so happy I decided to do this over-door greenery again this year, having not bothered for the past year or two.

Around here there's noticeably more decorations than normal outside peoples' houses. I think we are all feeling it's needed, especially this December. A cheery end to a stressful year.

We did get a teeny bit of snow at the end of the week too. Oooh, the first snow is always so special around here, no matter how short lived.


To finish the week another milestone was celebrated... in a much quieter fashion than youngest would ideally have liked....but I think he still had a good 18th Birthday.

Love the snowflake shadows and suncatcher sparkles in this picture.

When I started writing this blog youngest will have been... 6 years old!.... now he's an adult. Gosh.


So much has changed, but at the same time, thankfully, so much remains constant....like flowers on my mantle.


Thank goodness for finding joy in small things....Thank goodness for home, health and family.

Jacquie x


21 comments:

  1. What a lovely post. I hope he had a good 18th, despite everything. The snowflakes look lovely on your window. I really love winter walking, the countryside is so beautiful in winter. Not everyone sees it, but something about it is just perfect. A bare, stripped-back beauty. And that lovely feeling of going home to somewhere warm and lit. CJ xx

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    1. I couldn't agree more CJ. Bare trees look especially beautiful to me, and hedgerows are full of colour if you really look.
      Thank you for your kind comment xx

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  2. Thank you for sharing your walk with us.Lovely photos.
    I remember when my son hit 18 it was a shock when he was rushed into hospital with a torn Achilles and he could sign his own consent form!!!!

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    1. Yes, they still seem like children to us don't they :0)
      Hope he's fine now x

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  3. Lovely post Jacquie and thoroughly enjoyed the walk and beautiful pictures too.

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    1. thank you Wendy. Great to hear from you x

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  4. I am very hopeful that by next year this time, likely much sooner, things will be much more normal. It will be so nice to be with friends and loved ones again. Your snowflakes are so pretty! I'd like to make some for our windows too. Your Christmas decorations are also very nice and festive!

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    1. Thank you so much Julia. I do hope normality can resume as soon as possible.
      Jacquie x

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  5. *H*A*P*P*Y* * *B*I*R*T*H*D*A*Y*!*!*!* to your son!! Thank you for taking us on the hike. Those chimneys were amazing! I put some snowflakes on my windows today too.. will have photos on my Wed blog.. I hope you pop by. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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    *H*A*P*P*Y* * *H*O*L*I*D*A*Y*S*!*!*!*
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    1. Oh lovely. I'll be sure to pop by.
      Jacquie x

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  6. Such lovely photos! I felt like I went out on a walk in the beautiful British countryside. Thank you for sharing! Greetings from Greece, Evi xx

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  8. happy birthday to your son, mine youngest was 22 this week so like you I am trying to get to grips with seeing him as a man and not a boy! Don't think I ever will :) your snowflakes are lovely and I think all your decorations are so pretty and homely, just what we are all focusing on right now - home and our families. We have lammas not too far from here but I have never been close to one, they have a lot of teeth! Glad you don't walk alone, I must find a walking group it's a great idea to get out safely. Have a lovely Christmas Betty x

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  9. Thank you so much for this friendly comment Betty. Hope you have a great Christmas too xx

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  10. What a lovely post. Happy birthday to your son! Lovely photos. Walking in the countryside ia beautiful and relaxing particularly in lockdown. Your Christmas decoration is also very nice. Greetings from Slovenia.

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    1. Thank you so much Margi in beautiful Slovenia x

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  11. I have enjoyed seeing all your lovely handmade Christmas decorations again this year Jacquie and I also think your bistro set has a bit of a seasonal snowflake feel too x

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    1. Thank you, I saw the snowflake similarity looking at these pictures too :0)
      Jacquie x

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  12. Such a lot of happiness. We have had wall to wall sunshine today and it really lifts the spirits. I like bare trees because you get such new views. Fingers crossed for your mum. Jo xxx

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    1. thank you Jo, sunshine in December is so welcome isn't it x

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