2013:: A year in Flowers

Hello lovelies,

I hope you all had a good Christmas. Now we are speeding towards the end of 2013 I've been looking back through my photos taken this year and I'd like to share some of the images again with you . I'd like do some "review" posts, like I did at the end of last year. Shall we begin with flowers? 

This is a long, very picture heavy post, but how lovely it's been gazing at photos of beautiful flowers, remembering how much joy they have continued to bring me this year.

I love this quote

Yes, flowers are joyful things for sure and the world is a much nicer place with them in it.

Here are some of the diverse array of floral beauties that have brightened my year, month after month.........

January 
This cold dark month was brightened by a stunning bright red Amaryllis.........

 February

Was all about the joy of spotting the first bulbs, sunny yellow Crocuses .........

and sweet little snowdrops.........

 March
How I love Daffodils, a pound spent on some tightly closed buds was rewarded by the happiest of displays, on the mantle.........

The kitchen window sill ...........

And then my dresser...

They are perfect to cheer a month that looked like this............

 April
saw me delighted by the return of lovely wild flowers like these cow slips............

And colour in my own garden inspired my first monthly flower mosaic............

On one of my walks I was delighted to spy wild primroses, they are so delicate and perfectly pretty.......

and everything looked so fresh and full of promise in my own front garden......

 May
Ahhhhhhhh Tulips , these were particularly lovely this spring.........

And the blossom trees were stunning...........

my second mosaic featured my much loved Dicentra or " Bleeding Heart" flowers in the centre..........

and right at the end of the month my Oriental Poppies burst into flower..........

 June
in June the evening sun illuminated my foxgloves beautifully..........

and I was really in love with my garden, distracting my self from worrying times by digging in my spotty wellies............

it was lovely to capture a bumble bee to feature in the centre of this months mosaic.........

The fields were a beautiful mass of Buttercups, Daisies and Clover..........

and we enjoyed nosing around other peoples gardens at one of the many " Open Gardens" events that were held this month..........

they were all stunning but this Rose "Masquerade" really wowed me...........

As did the wild roses...........

And the local park looked lovely when we visited to enjoy an open air concert in perfect weather.........

 July
the great weather continued and the fields of poppies were simply stunning ............

I had plenty of Roses in my own garden to pick for indoors...........

and my Sweet Peas finally began to flower.......they kept flowering until November!............

The cheery annuals looked their best this month...........

 Sparkle, our Rabbit had the best summer , roaming around the garden......

and the Peacock butterflies had the best time feeding from my Buddlia..........

August

This month we were blessed with two sunny holidays. I loved this display in Porth, Cornwall..........

and later in the month these Gladioli were making our holiday cottage in Norfolk feel more homely.........

I still need to share this holiday.........I'm saving it for a dark winter week as I know it will cheer me up to remember these sunny days and share them with you. The flowers at  Mundesley were a delight to behold............

Here's my August mosaic, featuring more lovely butterflies...........

 September
The sunflowers in our garden reached an amazing twelve feet tall, and when high winds were forecast I enjoyed bringing a huge bunch inside to enjoy close up...........

Summer was fading and berries replaced many flowers.........

But the Dahlias were at their very best............

 October
A few sunflowers still bloomed and cheered up my kitchen windowsill...........

and I was surprised to still have enough flowers in my garden to make a final mosaic.........

November

The weather continued to be kind and a final small posy was picked from the garden...........

and I was truly amazed to be able to make another... final,final... mosaic...........

 December
Just a few Roses still bloomed , sparkling with melting frost in the sunshine.........

and old favourites , with their gorgeous scent , returned once more to cheer up the short days...........

There is such a gentle reassurance in the rhythm of the seasons and in 2013 we were blessed with an exceptional year for beautiful blooms.
I hope you have enjoyed this year of flowers.

Tomorrow I'd like to share some  my drawings once more, and include a few I haven't posted about before.
Jacquie x

♥52 Weeks of Happy♥ 52/52

 Hello Lovelies,
I've reached the final week of my "happy" posts . Some weeks it's been harder than others to feel happy, but concentrating on the positives and the little things that made me smile has been a good thing.
Here are my simple pleasures from this Christmas week

1. Christmas Eve sparkle. This photo was taken in the early hours of the 25th. After all our guests had gone home and just the fairy lights remained on. Everything looked twinkly and for the first time in that busy day I had time to  stop and relish that special feeling of anticipation.....before collapsing into bed exhausted.....

2. Home made gifts. The stripes I shared a few  weeks ago turned onto a hot water bottle cover for one of my boys. I had hoped to make three of these , but in the end I only had time to make one this year.........

3. Christmas day fresh air.
A sunny walk with my eldest late morning .......

There was still a little frost in the shadows but the sun was quite warm .........

I loved the greenery in the church porch............

4. Christmas day with family. Once again my brother and sister in law ( helped by my mum in law) produced a wonderful dinner , this year seventeen of us sat down together. We so appreciate all their hard work and and I love all the handmade touches, like the place cards made by my niece..........

It was a simply lovely day and it seems the perfect ending to these posts.

I do hope you have enjoyed them and thank you for all the comments you have left me throughout the year.They are a very happy thing in my days.

I'm looking forward to another year of blogging in 2014 , but before we get there I'm going to share some of the best bits of 2013 again .
Looking back through my photos taken this year, and choosing the nicest,  has been most enjoyable .
 First up tomorrow  is " a year of flowers". I do hope you will pop back and join me in some floral admiration.
Jacquie x