Better Late Than Never...

I started writing a post just after Christmas but got side tracked and then forgot. So here is a random peek at a birthday and a winter walk.

SmallerBean turned seven three days after Christmas. Yes. Rubbish timing but at least her bestie shares the same date. Seven years to change from this mighty, nine and a half pound chubster to this funny, articulate and colt-legged gorgeous girl. (No, she doesn't get the legs from me...)

Much cake was eaten

and a trip to the panto was made.

We went a couple of frosty walks (this one is at Eversden Woods) cracking the icy fields and skimming shards of ice across them for what seemed like miles.

In the shade the frost was incredible.

 And in the sunlight the lichen shone like gold.

Happy Belated New Year!

 

Thoughts and Sights

I have been blog dodging.

But in my dodginess, I have been thinking and looking.

Taking in the fabulous colours of gathered autumn treasure,

thinking how delicious it will be getting into my freshly made bed with crisp and clean sheets and not setting the alarm for the morning,

thinking that beef stew will be very tasty with some mashed spud and cabbage (and a glass or two of wine...),

wondering when I will ba able to recycle this owl(?) without it being missed,

thinking that I really must make the effort to photograph some new jewellery makes for my etsy shop,

and smiling whenever I look out the back door at these.

Happy weekend.

Repurposing

All BigBean's shirts are blue.

  Well, 99% of them are.

 Which makes reusing them as cushion covers very easy as they all compliment each other very well.

I am now rummaging through the ironing basket in the hope that there are more shirts with frayed collars or are on the small side, as making these is addictive. He'd better watch his back...

City Wildlife

Recent visitors to our central city garden include baby hedgehogs, bats and massive dragonflies. Goldfinch flocks, long-tailed tits and a family of great tits.
Shield bugs. A jay. Naughty little mice.
Photos taken of visiting friends- zero.

So here is a random photo of a boy in a box. City wildlife of a different kind.

Today

 ... hoping that the Mr will be able to fix the washing machine this weekend. The dirty laundry mountain on the landing grows daily and I have had to start using the neighbours machines.

 (The basket waits patiently for another trip next-door-but-one...)

 ... making no knead 12 hour bread.

 ... looking at the mess in SmallBean's room. I love the eclectic reading matter but despair of the organisation. Books mixed with gadgets mixed with lego mixed with dust. Not to mention the elastic bands, nerf stuff, scraps of paper and sweet wrappers.

 ... trying to get the enthusiam and courage to make an Edward VI costume. It needs to be at school tomorrow. I still need gold ribbon, some charity shop bling and some tassels for the hose. I may be handing my homework in late.

 ... thinking how lucky SmallBean was yesterday. I never remember school trips being this fun. Here is the Tudor pauper before his trip to Kentwell Hall yesterday.

... sitting at the computer not getting much else done.

Have a happy Thursday.

The Week of Gorse. And Some Bits Without Gorse

Can you make out the totally black bunny in this photo? Bit of luck there was no snow...

   

It was the week of gorse. 

Cheering us at the start when the mist rolled in and then filling our noses with it's tropical scent when the sun beat down on it. 

Yes. It was a discovery of the most important kind. Gorse smells like coconut. 

I went from not really liking it very much to being in love in just one sniff. 

I could not get enough of the acidic yellow stuff when out and about. 

It was ever-present on walks, dam building, battles and outside mealtimes.

Our seven day stay on the side of a steep hill in Dumfriesshire was just what we all needed and the sun shone quite a bit too.

 Much den building, hiding and damming was done by the SmallBeans. 'Who goes there?'

 Stick Man came for a surprise visit one afternoon.

And the SmallBeans sailed off alone(ish) into the middle of Loch Ken. I sat on the shore with my heart in my mouth but also feeling that it might just burst with love for them.

Smile Makers

Little nodding hellebores tucked away in the garden,

the front door in the sunshine making

these gorgeous colours on the wall.

Washing drying in the sun and breeze.

 

 

And the SmallBeans playing a huge and happy game of Playgo (playmobil and lego mixed up...)

What is making you smile today?