My advent Calendar ♥ 20th, 21st, 22nd

Hello Lovelies,
life has suddenly got a bit rushed and so I'm playing catch up with my advent posts. Here are a few simple things that have made me smile amongst the busyness.

 Most of the windows are now open on my calendar, and I love the nature images,

 My amaryllis is getting taller by the day.

 There's a brave Robin who lives in the hedge at the end of our street. He poses so sweetly for pictures.

We dug our old snowman decoration out of the loft and put him in the front garden. His light has been broken for years but we couldn't throw in out. He must be 20 years old.
 Tasteful, no. Fun, yes :0)

And finally, I got some baubles for my little living Christmas tree.

Just silver and white. I like it.

I used the ribbon off the box , and THIS you tube video to make bows with a fork.

Quick and easy crafting, perfect.

I hope you are not feeling too pressured Lovelies.

Jacquie x

This post is part of the link up hosted by Julie HERE

My Advent Calendar ♥ 18th December

Hello Lovelies,

Today I bought a real Christmas tree.  It's only a tiny one, but I'm trying to make it feel bigger by surrounding it with even smaller trees and tiny houses :0)

 

It's rather bare at the moment, but I popped  it in a brightly coloured plant pot and added a ribbon. I also hung a tiny knitted fairy on top.

I may add some more decorations, but then again I think it looks rather sweet as it is.

I plan to plant my little tree in the front garden after Christmas. I hope it thrives and one year is big enough to string with lights.
Jacquie x

This post is part of the link up hosted by Julie HERE

My Advent Calendar ♥ 13th and 14th December

Hello Lovelies,
sorry I missed yesterday's "window". That happens doesn't it :0)
Here's a double helping to catch up.

Firstly the moon. I looked out of the kitchen window this evening and noticed the full moon shining through the bare branched trees.

 

 Such a wintry sight, slightly spooky but still beautiful.

 My camera even managed to capture a few stars.

When the days are so short there's plenty of chance to see the moon isn't there. It was only last year that I discovered the earliest sunset does not always coincide with the shortest day. Checking out the sunset times I can see we are at the point of the earliest sunset right now. Infact, in London the sunset will be a minute tomorrow than it was today. I know it's still not the shortest day, but at least we have turned one corner :0)

In my second window today we have some indoor cheer.

I managed to find these cute Eskimo dolls made by my late maternal grandmother. They have always sat at the base of our Christmas tree and they are such a sentimental sight for me.

A bonus of having a smaller tree this year is they are easier to see.

I'm nowhere near ready for Christmas yet and feeling a bit stressed at the moment. Tomorrow is the big day to try and finish the gift shopping. I'll be so happy when that is done.

I hope your preparations are going well.

Jacquie x

Weekend Moments

Hello Lovelies,

How are you? I seem to be struggling to post very often at the moment. Once again it's got to Sunday evening before I'm managing to write a post for this week.

My week was busy but thankfully there was chance to slow down this weekend. Saturday morning found my crocheting in my pyjamas. Who remembers when I made these PJ trousers from an old bed sheet? ( the blog post is HERE if you would like to see) 

I'm really enjoying making these colourful log cabin granny squares, and as they multiply I'm enjoying playing around with patterns..........

 I think you will have so stand back and squint a bit to see the design, but that's ok :0)

Sitting on my bottom crocheting was not getting me any miles towards this years 1000 mile challenge though, and the sun was shining....time to pull on my walking boots and get outside.......

I love to be alone and listen to the birdsong.  I always think of winter as the season of birds ( spring and summer are flowers, autumn is leaves ). The hedgerows were full of flocks of finches, Well I think they were finches...as soon as I got near they took flight..........

And went to perch in a tree further away.........

I spent quiet a lot of time watching where I was walking, Friday's rain had left the ground very muddy.........

But the sunshine was so pleasant and I did notice lots of textures the shadows enhanced.......

And bright reflections in the field puddles..........

Sheep grazed contentedly on the grassy undulations made way back in the middle ages. It's amazing to thing they still survive today......

I loved the sunlight streaming through the bare branched trees...........

And the cotton wool clouds.........

Back home I smiled at the Blue tit on my peanut feeder.........

I try and make sure these feeders are never empty and I'm looking forward to taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch again this year. It's next Saturday or Sunday. Info HERE

Back indoors the winter sun was shining right into the living room...........

I love that there is one, solitary orange centred Daffodil, in this bunch I picked up on Thursday........

My mantle dolls seemed to be enjoying the sunlight too.......

Today was a grey affair. Hubby and I went for a walk in the city.........

The mighty river Trent was flowing quickly and the wind was pretty chilly.......

We stopped to watch this ...well I'm calling it a Grebe....I think that's what it was but I'm not sure............



In the remembrance gardens there was not much to see. Well it is January I suppose. I loved these tiny Cyclamen.........

And I really like this rockery. It was very overgrown at one time. Now you can see the lovely rocks and it looks tidy...but very bare. Wouldn't  it look amazing with some miniature spring bulbs and masses of those cyclamen ...........

The gardens are behind the imposing war memorial and on this colourless day the brightness to the ironwork really stood out. I love this shade of turquoise........

 There are information boards here, oh look the Rockery back in the 1920's looking so well cared for......

 Soon it was time to head home and make the Sunday dinner, but brightness late afternoon tempted us outside again...this time I wore my wellies :0)

  

The twilight was mild and still......

And the little church looked lovely in the fading light at 5pm.........

Back home my windowsill garden looked cheerful against the black background ........

Did you see the pussy willow branches? I don't think I have ever bought these before, but I love them. I picked them up in the supermarket ( Morrisons) and put them in a vase with water...is that right? I hope so as I'm very taken with gazing at these cute, fluffy pom poms ......

I hope you have a good week lovelies.
Jacquie x

A Slow start to the New Year

Hello Lovelies

How was your new year? Ours was quiet...just how I like it. We spent the very end of 2015 enjoying good food and pleasant company at my brother and sister in laws house. At midnight we watched the fireworks in London on the telly....what an impressive sight they are these days. Somewhat less impressive was our own attempt at pyrotechnics....

this says 2016....well that was the idea :0)

As the years go by and the children get older it seems more and more precious to all link arms and sing auld lang syne and welcome the new year together.

This morning I had time to make pancakes for breakfast.......

And later hubby and  I went for a walk up a hill.........

I love to see the geology of this area........

I have never seen Beacon Hill so busy, but there was still plenty of space...and a bench to sit and share a flask of coffee and a slice of my home made Lemon Drizzle together..........

It was a rather dark and dull day, but I was surprised by all the colour you could still see if you really looked..........

In the woodland further down the hill the Beech leaves are retuning to the earth..........

and horse riders enjoy the quiet paths.........

Today this wonderfully imaginative wood sculpture caught my eye. Many families were out enoying the open space here...some even having barbecues.........

In a corner of the car par there are bird feeders I like to stop and watch for a little while........

The Great Tits were enjoying the peanut feeders..........

And it was hard to spot Mr Robin on the ground below..........

Here he is.......

Back home, after lunch I had time to use up some over-ripe bananas that my sister in law had given me........

And I also had time to write out THIS favourite recipe in my the file I've been using for years.....

My handwriting and spelling are not the best but there is something nice about hand written things, don't you think?

It's one of the things that attracted me to this diary I have treated myself to this year.........

Look, lovely handwriting and line drawings..........

I happened upon this diary as I was feeling a bit sad that calendars these days rarely seem to have the moon phases on them. I'm not even really sure why I want to know the moon phases...but I do.

This one has them daily, and the significant days in the seasonal calendar that I like to notice.
Oh look...Spring equinox....my favourite :0)

These days I put important stuff  I need to remember in my phone, simply because my memory is bad and the phone flashes an alarm to remind me!

This will mainly be a place to record a few thoughts and things to be thankful for. A slow, nature centred, inspirational place. 

It's already making me smile........

It's ring bound and printed in the U.K.  too.........

This evening I'm slowly eating home made cake......

Smelling my lovely hyacinths.......

and chatting with you kind people. Here's to the simple, gentle things in life.

This little blog of mine has given me so much mindfulness and joy over the years. Of course it would not be anywhere near as enjoyable without being able to share with you lovelies. I'm always uplifted and touched by your thoughtfulness. Thank you.
I sincerely hope 2016 will be a good year for us all.
Jacquie x