A few of my favourite things...

Rain drops on roses...

whiskers on kittens...

strawberries and knitting!

One of my daughter's friends had seen this gorgeous tea cosy in a magazine and wondered if I could knit one for her. It just so happens that I was drawn to Nicki Trench's book Homemade Gifts a few months ago by this very pattern!

I didn't mean to be away from here for so long, but sometimes life has a habit of getting in the way of things like blogging. It's good to be back!

Rx

A garden coffee break

Whenever possible I like to have one of these in the garden:
and take time to look around at what's happening and enjoy things,

like the fragrant wisteria blooms that are almost coming to end.

I like to see how plants are coming along, like this bay, which is a new addition to the garden. I shall be keeping a close eye on this one as we've never had any success with growing bay, but love to have it around as we use it so often in the kitchen. Hopefully, this one will survive!

I'm also excitedly checking the new raised beds daily for any signs of activity from all the seed planting that went on a few weeks ago. So far we have spinach, various salad leaves, including rocket, which is a real favourite of mine, spring onions, beetroot and, I think, a glimpse of a carrot seedling or two. Oh, the anticipation...I am so looking forward to abandoning the supermarket salad leaves and picking my own fresh from the garden again.
I also check up on the various plants and pots that are being taken in and out at the moment so as to avoid any sneaky overnight frosts. Can you see a glimpse of a yellow bean?
These seedlings are doing very well...

and, if they continue to do so, the garden will be full of these, which is no bad thing as we love tomatoes! After all, who can resist a plate of gorgeous homegrown tomatoes with basil and mozzarella drizzled with delicious extra virgin olive oil served with some crusty bread!

As I sit, or wander around, I am not alone...Audrey, or Audrey Hepburn as she is known when she is misbehaving, is at my feet. Here she is, having one of her funny moments, hence the blurriness: She has been a great addition to the household and has brought smiles and laughter to some very unhappy times this year.

When my 7 year old niece was staying with us in February, she could not get to grips with the name Audrey and kept calling her 'Ordinary'! She certainly is no 'ordinary' cat...I've never known one to lay like this:

Here she is beside me while I work...oh, what a life!

Bye for now,

Rebecca

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Distracted

I didn't mean to be away for so long, but I have been distracted...

by Audrey Hepburn, my daughter's new kitten, who likes to be at the centre of all that we do;

knitting and crocheting for rebeccamaryjane's

and making and creating with the children at my after school art and craft clubs.

It's been a busy time.

It has also been a very stressful and emotional time: my husband's brother has cancer and it has shaken us all to the very core. He is battling hard...and we are all trying to carry on as best we can.

Back soon,

Rebecca

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