Saturday 22 February 2014

Half Term

Hello Lovelies,
we have enjoyed a few days without the school routine ruling our days....always a lovely treat.
I worked on Monday but the rest of the week has been free time for my boys and I, it's been very pleasant.
In Tuesday we stayed indoors for most of the day, just venturing out on a little bike ride in the morning as I feel too guilty if we don't get a bit of exercise each day........... 


It's still relatively mild here but the countryside does look drab...........


I still need spring flowers indoors to cheer these late winter days.........


I loved waking up naturally to daylight this week . The alarm going off when it's still dark outside is one of things I find hardest to cope with in winter. It's been nice to enjoy leisurely breakfasts too..........



On Wednesday we went with my sister in law and nieces to our local "Family Theme park".
 We have been coming here since the boys were tiny. It's one of those places with lots of simple, self propelled, activities like pedal cars and zip wires. It does have a few bigger rides too.....but this log flume is about as scary as it gets.
I waited ages to photograph my nieces whizzing down it...........


And this is the photo I got :0)

Oooops , a second too late!

It was really busy at this popular place, but there's plenty of space so it didn't feel too crowded.
I loved the drifts of Snowdrops..........


And there were loads of these tiny Irises............


It always seems easier to photograph birds in this sort of place. I guess they are more used to people.............



It's the first time I've seen Peacocks displaying like this and it was quite impressive. Here this male was trying to assert his superiority over another male...........


And here he was doing a dance to impress the ladies............

They didn't look interested though :0)

Sadly I think it may have been out final visit to this place as the boys are a little old for most of the activities these days.

Thursday and Friday were very quiet and this gave youngest plenty of time to finally master the pogo stick he got for Christmas. It was lovely so see how thrilled he was with his new skill............


I've enjoyed pottering indoors, doing homely things and then getting out for some fresh air at sunset.........


A thank you card arrived. It's for the crochet hats I sent to  innocent smoothies back in October ..............


You can see the hats I made HERE, scroll down. I didn't expect a thank you so this was a lovely surprise.........


Sunshine on Friday made the first crocuses in my front garden glow..........


And the second stem on my Amaryllis is now flowering. It's a bit wonky so it has to rest against the wall in the porch, but isn't it stunning............

Thank you so much for the really wonderful comments you left me about my latest drawing....I was thrilled.

This half term has been just what we needed and today we managed a whole family trip to somewhere new....that deserves it's own post..........I'll be back soon.
Jacquie x

13 comments:

  1. I sure do like looking at the brightly colored flowers. Everything is grey and dead here, no green (CO, USA). I now am inspired to pull in some floral from our local nurseries.

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  2. Looks like you've had a wonderful week
    Clare xx

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  3. It looks and sounds like you have had a wonderful week, thank you for sharing your lovely photos especially the ones of the lovely Spring flowers. I too find getting up in the dark really hard and one of the worst things of winter so I'm really looking forward to the lighter mornings. Enjoy the final say of the break tomorrow
    Jackie x

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  4. Your photos are always nice to look at, I love the subjects you choose... I still haven't spotted any snowdrops out here, and crocuses are just beginning to grow their leaves - where they're not covered with snow anymore... :)

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  5. So many lovely things, it looks as though you have had a great half term!! xx

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  6. Hello there. I am just at this moment making some of your crochet owls. So thank you. I am glad you had such a good week.

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  7. I always try and get mine out for exercise every day too, otherwise there's trouble! The family park sounds wonderful, we love places like that too. How nice to receive that handwritten card from Innocent, all the nicer in this age of impersonal things. A beautiful sunset shot Jacquie. I hope you have a good Sunday.

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  8. Hello,
    I just want to tell you that i like your blog,i saw some country pictures and fell in love, i am a real Anglofiel.Love the Kentisch country very much!
    Hope to come here often.
    Greetings from Anita
    The Netherlands
    http://zeeuwsdna.blogspot.nl/

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  9. Another beautiful post filled with good things, colour and beauty. Glad you had a break this past week.
    Anne xx

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  10. Hasn't it been good to see the odd bit of blue sky this half-term.
    It's a bit sad when you realise you won't be going back to a park as they've outgrown it isn't it. Although maybe it's time for a new tradition to fill it's place.
    Hope the return to routine goes well this week - enjoy your Sunday first though!

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  11. It sounds like you've all had a good week. A local garden centre has a peacock which displays quite often. On our last visit they had a large collection of Guinea fowl which were huge fun to watch.

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  12. Looks like a fab half term and I agree that waking up at a more relaxing hour is always a bonus, although it can feel like half the day is gone when you are use to such early mornings lol. Those peacocks are stunning and all your bird pics!

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  13. Such gorgeous spring flowers - it's great to see so much colour after the greyness of winter. I also hate getting up in the dark - it's so much easier int he daylight. Glad you had such a great half term. XX

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