It was lovely to see sunshine and blue skies here on Sunday and we made the most of it by spending some much needed time in the garden.  All of the shrubs seem to have rocketed sky high with the all the water they've been getting, but the vegetable beds are not thriving as they should be.  I admit we were a little late with some of our planting, but we were picking peas, beans and carrots from the garden at this time last year. The peas have not come through at all,the beans look very sorry specimensand the green, feathery carrot tops are only just nudging up slowly from their rain-soaked bed.

Poor borlotti beans, but lovely looking lettuces

A clump of parsley has bolted, but I have to say I rather like the flowers! I will collect the seeds from them when they are ready as this variety has done really well in our garden and survived all through a Yorkshire winter!

The rhubarb has loved all the rain so I was able to cut quite a lot on Sunday to try out Nigella's recipe for rhubarb fool and to make a batch of rhubarb and vanilla jam, which is our absolute favourite rhubarb jam recipe!

Here it is releasing all its lovely juices into the sugar and taking on the flavour of the vanilla pod and seeds.  Old-fashioned I know, but I do love making jam!

I've been blocking some of my granny squares...yes, I am slowly, but surely, making a blanket for home.  An old foam seat cushion covered with a beach towel has made a perfect blocking board for my little 4" squares and, in a sunny bay window,it seems that it makes the perfect cat bed too!

Cheeky cat!

I needn't worry about the lack of peas for the time being...look what the boys brought back from rugby last night:

a huge box of full of peas from our kind farmer friends

 Delicious!

Rebecca

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Goodies from France

When my daughter's boyfriend asked if there was anything that I would like him to bring back from France, I couldn't resist asking for a copy of Marie Claire Idées, which is always inspirational, and some soap...I love French soap, particularly the handmade lavender variety!

The shea butter soap (at the bottom of the picture) is in the bathroom at the moment and it smells gorgeous! I have had a quick flick through the magazine, but I'm saving a proper look in the hope that, by doing so, I can hang on to 'été' a little longer! Despite today's blue sky and sunshine, there's certainly been an autumnal feel to the last couple of days, particularly the evenings, which have found us reaching for our blankets to keep our flip-flop feet warm as we relax on the sofa!

Bye for now,

Rebecca
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Summer

One of the things I love about summer is watching the garden come alive with colour. I love the vibrant shades of orange of this gorgeous lily that has come into bloom this week. It was gift from a good friend of mine some years ago and I am always amazed when it bursts back to life from its seemingly empty, weathered terracotta pot that stands on the patio all through winter. This winter its pot was even piled high with snow and ice for days on end, but it's still grown back...the wonders of nature!

Another thing that I love about summer is being able to have breakfast in the garden...I sit on the bench and just watch for while...bliss! Ooh, and another thing I love about summer...the fruit: the other morning I had muesli with yoghurt and nectarine, which was delicious! I know you can buy so many summer fruits all year round now, but I tend not to: I prefer to keep to the seasons. It might be all in my mind, but I think the fruit just tastes better that way!


I do hope the summer weather continues as I shall be at Hooton Pagnell Summer Fete on Sunday and I've been soaked there too many times before! Hooton Pagnell is a gorgeous South Yorkshire village with a fascinating history and the Fete is always good fun...even in the rain!

I've lots to do to get ready so I had better go...

Back soon,

Rebecca
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Where's the sunshine?

As there a is distinct lack of sunshine outside today, I thought I would post a couple of sunshiney, yellow photos to brighten things up a little! After lots of delicious purple sprouting broccoli, we have enjoyed these pretty yellow broccoli flowers, which are almost at an end now:

The bees have loved them, but I think any remaining flowers will be gone by the end of today because it's so windy...and it's chilly too! However, that's not a bad thing, as it means that we shall be able to pull up the rather large broccoli plants to make way for some more salad, which seems to be coming along nicely now in other parts of our small veg plot.

I shall definitely be planting some more rocket, which we've used lots of this week in salads... and I love it in an egg mayo sandwich as an alternative to watercress!

Time for lunch...

Back soon,

Rebecca
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Time

Blue sky...such a welcome sight after so many cold, dark, wintry days!

On Sunday, I decided to move the garden bench into the sunshine and sit for a while with a cup of coffee and a piece of flapjack...and just enjoy! Oooh, it was so lovely to feel the warmth of the sun on my face - the last time was so long ago! It was not sunbathing weather by any means as I was wearing my thick cardi and fleece for warmth elsewhere, but it lifted my spirits no end!

It was lovely to see signs of spring around the garden, to watch the birds come and go, and hear them twittering from the tree tops. It reminded me of one of my favourite poems, 'Leisure' by William Henry Davies (1871-1940):

What is this life if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs

And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,

Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,

Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,

And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can

Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,

We have no time to stand and stare.

I am so looking forward to spring and more opportunities to sit and stare...it didn't take long and made me feel very happy indeed!

Back soon,

Rebecca

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Things that make me cheerful:

1. Making and creating with the children at my art and craft workshops

I had a lovely time with a small group during half term making fridge magnets out of old CDs, bottle top bugs and fish mobiles. This week I have been asked to run a twice weekly after school arts and crafts club at a primary school nearby, which is very exciting. I start on 8th March and I am so looking forward to it!

2. Vintage embroidery

I received this pretty embroidered table cloth in the post from my mum and it makes me feel very cheerful indeed! Such pretty colours to brighten these dull, damp and cold days that we've been having. Oh, how I am looking forward to Spring, its flowers and, hopefully, some sunshine - I'm sure that would make us all feel a lot more cheerful!

Hope you're having a lovely weekend (whatever the weather!).

Back soon,

Rebecca
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Warming up

The temperature has risen slightly here overnight, leading to a slow thaw of the thick blanket of snow that has had us all snuggled indoors for the last few days. I much prefer the snow to this cold and slushy Monday morning! However, looking on the bright side, it has meant that everyone has been able to carry on as normal this morning - hubby has gone to work and both children are at school, which has meant that I have had the house to myself for the first time since before the Christmas holidays.

I've made up patterns for these crocheted and knitted hearts, which are felting in the washing machine as I type. These will be part of a heart themed workshop at the end of this month.

It's been very quiet this morning and I've missed having everyone here! But, there's only a little of yesterday's homemade roasted carrot soup leftover...just enough for lunch for one with some of the bread that's just come out of the oven! Yummy!

Time to warm up the soup!

Back soon,

Rebecca

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Back to normal...or so I thought!

The decorations are down and the house looks so bare! This beautiful poinsettia is all the remains of the festivities.


I've never managed to keep a poinsettia alive from one Christmas to the next - how do you do it?

Back to school, back to work - everything would return to normal today after a very enjoyable festive break...or so I thought!

It started snowing at around 7am...and snowed...and snowed.....

I just love the way the snow has piled up on the garden table!

The bird table, looking more festive than Sunday's photo, and providing a much needed pitstop for these birds that scattered to the trees.

The children's school closed at around 11 o'clock and hubby made back home at about 12 o'clock, having spent 5 hours in the car!

We went for a walk in the snow this afternoon and everywhere looks so pretty, especially the trees.

The house might look bare, but things are looking very festive outside...and it's still snowing so I guess getting back to normal will have to wait!

Back soon,

Rebecca

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Blue skies...

I was awake bright and early on Saturday morning with lists of things to do whizzing around in my head! It was such a gorgeous morning!

Glorious blue skies at 5.30am while everybody else was sleeping !!

So, I took full advantage - I hung out the washing and then sat on the garden bench to look, listen and enjoy for a while! Just me, the birds and naughty cat no.2 licking the heavy dew from the grass!

For a while, there were only patches of blue in the sky at the village fete on Sunday morning...

...from the stall covering and our umbrella! Here's my daughter, still smiling despite being very wet and regretting the decision to wear her canvas pumps! Yes, the sky darkened, the wind got up and the rain bucketed down, causing quite a few problems for stallholders!! Lots of us got soaked through trying to re-secure tarpaulins, keeping stock dry and removing the water that was pooling fast on the stall coverings above us! Fortunately, it only lasted about 30 minutes or so and the weather turned out really nice for the rest of the day!

Once the sun returned, so did the visitors and a good time was had by all!

Bye for now,

Rebecca x

It's so dark...

Yes... summer could well be over here in Yorkshire! It's raining, about 10 degrees cooler than at this time yesterday and it's so dark that I need the light on to see my sewing this morning!!

Here's a little taster of some of things I've been making for the village fete I'm attending on Sunday:

A range of sewing accessories - with a bit of a patriotic theme!

Flower brooches...lots of them...all different!!

I had hoped to take some more photos today... hopefully, it will brighten up later!

For Sunday, I'm not asking much...just that it is DRY, please! Last year, the fete was ruined by heavy rain and the year before it was cancelled completely because of the floods.

Well...must go now to finish making, labelling, organising, as well as squeezing in a bit of baking (empty tins again!!) and general tidying before everyone comes home this afternoon!

Have a lovely weekend!

Rebecca
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After the rain...

We had thunderstorms and heavy rain here last night so this morning's sunshine is a very welcome sight! After hanging the washing on the line, I did my usual tour of the garden to see how things are coming along:

My poor, defenceless, little veg plants (mangetout, rocket and radishes) look a little flattened and sorry for themselves,

but I love the way the rain just sits, jewel-like, on the leaves of the broccoli plants - quite stunning, or I think so anyway!!

I am looking forward to these...

Purple basil seedlings have been joined by purple petals this morning!

and Mr Bee goes about his business so all's well!

Hope the sun is shining where you are!

Rebecca

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Carpe Diem!

Oh, how I love peonies ...

... and honeysuckle!

I am so glad I took every opportunity to work in the garden over the last few days! Today is much, much cooler and slightly grey so I am sewing indoors!

Rebecca

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