Sweetbriar Dreams

So where shall we go on our journey today?

Saturday 8 June 2013

The Simple Pleasures


Yes, simple pleasures were running through my mind as I wrote this post looking out on my garden which had been basically left to look after itself over the half term break.  In particular the beautiful daisies that I have been nurturing between the inevitable lawn mowing.  Such dainty, simple flowers that instill so much joy to me.  I know most people regard them as a weed, and they are spreading slightly, but these cheery little flowers always makes me smile.
Now, back to my post properly, I can always tell if Mr and Miss Teenager have had a good half term break from school from the amount of fighting disagreements they have.  After all these years I think I have found the formula, don't tell them what they will be doing each day...just pile them in the car and do it.  They are then in the frame of mind of "where is she taking us", "well, actually, this looks interesting", "let's go and see".  Their half term break took them to Chelmsford in Essex to see their new cousin, Burghley House in Stamford for a fantastic country fair (post here), London (post here), and little pockets of local visits.  By the time Saturday came I had the last trip planned, to the seaside.  I was practically crawling by this stage as I had not had a break at all, in fact I was quite looking forward to going back to work to sit at my desk!  Being in my mid 40's my age is finally catching up with me!  The weather in 'Sunny Hunny' - Hunstanton, was not great, but pleasant enough for a walk on the beach, fish and chips and a play on the 2p machines.  But as I was hobbling walking along, my mind was only on reflecting on things around me, the simple pleasures.

The rocks on the beach.
The sea breaks.
The waves coming in to shore and that sound it makes as it hisses on the pebbles.
The ponies waiting to exercise their legs on the massaging sand.
The seagulls riding the breeze.
My two teenagers together...nicely!
After that, it was 'ME' time.  I HAD to rest...SERIOUSLY!  My simple pleasure was to just take stock of what was going on in the garden.  I had nearly failed to see the ringed dove building her nest in the cherry blossom.
I had nearly failed to see the new blackbird chick who had now seen our garden as a happy, safe haven.
I had almost failed to see the first rose.
There are many more to come.
I had nearly failed to see the new colours that were now appearing in my patch of a garden.  The aquilegia...
 ...French Lavender with it's beautiful purple butterfly wings dancing in the breeze...
...the grape vine unfolding it's flavoursome leaves, ready for me and Miss Teenager to eat later in the year as Dolmades...
 ...my herb bed is growing so quickly, ready for me to keep cutting and filling up jugs of herbs in my kitchen...
 ...the mustard flowers ready for a salad...
 ...the beautiful stems of pink penstemon...
 ...blue flowers amongst the ivy with a little eight legged visitor...
...strawberry flowers are popping up everywhere!
...sweet rocket...
...the colours are all beginning to come through the luscious green...how long we have waited!
 Spider's are having to renew their webs with the abundance of insects for their larders. 
My feet were sore, my legs ached from all the walking during the half term, my mind just wanted to drift off and think of...nothing.  But, in my garden the plants and wildlife were gradually developing into a simple pleasure that was patiently waiting for me to capture.  A simple pleasure that was quite happily bobbing along without too much interaction from me, just waiting for me to finally sit down and take it all in.
So thank you little daisies for bringing me back to enjoying the simple pleasures again.
I hope you have enjoyed my little trip this week, a bit closer to home this time.  I hope you are enjoying your own simple pleasures...and I have a simple pleasure for you...a lovely chocolate muffin...

Now before I disappear for this week and catch up on my blog reading, I have a little request from Miss Teenager.  She LOVES drawing characters and needs names for a couple of these...
She is looking for a name for the boy on the left and the girl on the right - these need to be very original (in her words "not Paul, Dave etc but something really individual" - remember she is 13 going on 18).   Now, I have a blog anniversary coming up on the 22 June!  Yes, I have been blogging for coming up to one year!  So, I'm going to do a couple of little giveaways to mark the occasion and the names of the boy and girl picked by Miss Teenager will be the winners!  You can either comment below, leave a tweet over at Twitter or use my new email form on the left of my blog.  We are really excited to hear the names that are put forward.

Have a wonderful week.

Take care.







This week I am sharing with:

73 comments:

  1. Wow, you have been busy. I love the beach shots. Very pretty place. Your roses and gardens are lovely. I have a twenty yr old son and remember all the times he was wishing he could stay home rather then travel with Mom & Dad. Love the cute drawing, my names would be Henry & Henrietta. Beautiful post!! Have a great weekend!

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    1. Thank you Eileen and thanks for the names. Miss Teenager is going to choose on the 22nd. xx

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  2. Your penstemons are ahead of ours. But hopefully soon.


    As for names - that's difficult without knowing the characters but following from your daisy theme I'm opting for the girl Bellis and the boy a bit more butch Chrysanth or Chrys for short :)

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    1. Thanks for the gardening names Sue, Miss Teenager will choose soon. x

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  3. I love your daisies. They look so fresh and pretty. I like reading about the things you do with your teenagers because I'll be you in approximately 10 years; mine are even the same, the boy older than the girl (I'm assuming, since he's so much taller than she is in your photos). I wish to offer the names Sam and Ruby, please. :)

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    1. Thanks for the names Jennifer. Mr Teenager is 15 and Miss Teenager is 13, never a quiet moment! xx

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  4. what a great post - hope to see it linking at "Open House"!

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  5. I am glad your teenagers got on well this half term - my little ones have been the opposite. Thank goodness for school on Monday! Your garden is AMAZING! I am working hard at getting our garden "established" - it's such hard work, especially when the weather isn't always kind to us. Names, I would like to suggest: Harriet Moonbeam for the girl Reuben Firefly for the boy. :)

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    1. Thanks for the names, Miss Teenager will choose the winners on the 22nd. The garden has been quite easy so far as there has been enough rain to water! xx

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  6. I love your pictures, it is always such a joy.
    As far as the picture goes, I would name the girl on the right, Pouting Penelope Petunia, and the boy I would name, Super Sonic Sam the man.

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    1. Thanks for the names and your kind comment. Take care. x

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  7. Your rock sculpture photo drew me in .. I'm a sucker for stacking rocks! I even have a couple of tiny stacks on my dining table centerpiece right now, that we collected along the Great Lakes last month.
    Beautiful photos, all of them! Simple pleasures are the best.

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    1. A secret...someone had stacked them before I got there! An even more simple pleasure! xx

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  8. now I want to visit that little spot!

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  9. My children love to create river art like that

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  10. Your photos are absolutely stunning. The little fat bird is just wonderful. I love the single lavender bloom the best.

    Judith

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  11. Wow, you have a lot going on in blogland :)

    My parents never explained much about vacations, wherever we went was fine--I didn't need to know details like parents tell kids today (and even change things if the kids don't agree. They are kids. They will enjoy it. Period!

    All your photos have their own beauty--love them all!

    I'm sure the 'right' names will come to her!

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  12. How gorgeous everything is and so interesting to me. We have like, no rocks here at all, so I'm always drawn to those images. Your garden and backyard are amazing Chel. Lots of hard work I'm sure to get it to look so lovely.

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    1. Thanks Nancy, actually being a bit lazy due to the weather and have left it to just do its thing. It's a bit wild out there now so will try and tidy up this weekend! xx

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  13. I have certainly enjoyed my tour, to the seashore but even more through your garden. And somehow I believe that you didn't need those sweet daisies to teach you to appreciate simple pleasures. I think you have that gift already. Thank you for sharing it with us. And believe me, in your mid-forties you are still a young thing! I can't think of a name worthy of your daughter's creation, mine would be too old-fogey, but I bet someone will come up with a perfect one.

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  14. Your photography is absolutely breathtaking - each photo left my speechless!
    Thank you for sharing.

    Hugs to you!

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  15. Wonderful series! Your photos put a smile on my face. Have a great day!

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  16. wonderful pics! thanx for sharing with weekend flowers :)

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  17. Hi Chel! I am so glad you finally got to rest a little bit at the end of the holidays. I think we mothers feel we need to fill school-free days with tons of fun for the kids, but forget that down-time is just as important. My oldest is always begging to do something exciting - luckily my younger 2 prefer to be home so we get a balance, thankfully. Your garden has som many beautiful flowers. I recently planted some pink aquilegia but I'd love to find some purple like yours! We are not as far into the growing season here in Canada. In fact, the last of my tulips just died a few days ago. By the way, my youngest says to call the tallest character in the picture "Squidgee."

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    1. Thanks Bronwyn. I try to fill the days so there are less arguments! Thank your youngest and the winner will be announced on the 22nd! xx

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  18. Good for you for taking the time to enjoy simple pleasures that are all around.

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  19. Your garden is absolutely beautiful, thanks for sharing.

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  20. Hi Chel, wow you always have a great blog post! I love all your photos, they are amazing! I can't believe that you have been blogging for only a year. It seems as though you have been doing this for a long time! You did so much with your kids on their school break that I am amazed and you must be exhausted! I love the drawing your daughter made! My daughter and I are going to think of some good names for the characters your daughter drew. Have a great week and take care.
    Julie from julieslifestyle.blogspot.com

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    1. I'm looking forward to hearing the names you both come up with. xx

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  22. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and I have loved visiting yours....your photo's are wonderful and that chocolate muffin looks pretty good too 😊

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    1. Thank you Lindsey! Yes it was very yummy if I do say so myself! x

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  23. Lovely collection. Hunstanton is on my list of places to visit. In desperation to see the sea we went to Skegness and Mablethorpe last week for a couple of days :). Almost drove home via Stamford (thanks to your great photos). It is on the list too.

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  24. Your photos are fabulous. Chel. I hope you've had a restful weekend after your hard week!

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  25. Wow, if those daisy's are weeds in my yard I'd never cut my grass. Your flowers are wonderful.

    As for the names I am going to go with my first instincts and say Temple for the girl and Ren for the boy.

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  26. I so enjoy looking at your photos....so beautiful! The beach photos, the birds, and the flowers are all so beautiful! Your garden is absolutely spectacular! What a lovely view when sitting in your swing! Your daughter is quite the artist....I love her drawing. I am going to pick some unusual names....Zayden for the boy and Ember for the girl. Have a wonderful week my friend...:)
    Blessings, Vicky
    Life On Willie Mae Lane

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    1. Thanks Vicky, I hope the cruise goes well! xx

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  27. You have such a gift for capturing such stunning shots!!! I am totally in love with your pics! I esp love the bird!!

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    1. Thanks Angela, I nearly trod on it as it was so tame! x

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  28. The photos are incredibly beautiful...I am partial to daisies. :-)

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  29. Your garden is lovely and a perfect place to relax after a week with 2 teenagers! I can sympathise with that, although it's been a while since I have had teenagers. Your beach is very pretty and I can 'hear' the water hissing on the rocks, as you so wonderfully describe. The chocolate muffin is making me very hungry. How talented your daughter is with her drawing. The names that come to mind for me are silly: 'mophead' and 'sulky'.
    Hope you have a nice, quiet week and get to spend more time in the garden contemplating your beautiful birds and blooms! Hugs, xoxo

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    1. Thanks for the names Karen. I have only been able to contemplate the rain and the puddles this week! xx

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  30. Your garden is really beautiful. I would call the little girl Tristana, since she seems to be crying. "Nolan" would be an idea for the boy as it means something like "champion" (it's a Briton versionof a Welsh name, how that for originality?).

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    1. And we have some welsh blood in our family! I wonder if I should have her drawing psycho analysed?

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  31. Your garden of flowers is stunning! Great photos of your trip to the sea and your flowers. Wendy

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  32. Your beaches are so gorgeous and colorful. We were just at the coast this weekend but very black rocks from old volcanic activity. Lots of wonderful tide pools.

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  33. It's so much fun seeing all of your photos of the past week's activities! The beach was so lovely! And I can see how you think your garden is a great pleasure to you! I also understand how easily we forget the SIMPLE pleasures, like Shasta Daisies! You have shown us some amazing photography, here!!
    Ann @ Cairn Cottage (http://cairncottage.blogspot.com/)

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    1. Thank you Ann. It was just nice to go along with the flow! x

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  34. Hello, I am you newest follower.... Love your blog, and your photos are gorgeous!! You have quite the talent!

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    1. Thank you and welcome aboard! I'm looking forward to catching up on your posts. xx

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  35. Beautiful photos, Chel - you are so right to take the time to enjoy your garden. Your flowers are stunning. Spending time with teenagers can be exhausting, but fun, too.
    I love the photo of the piled up beach rocks.

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    1. Thanks Lorrie, especially as the rocks were already piled up! :-)

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  37. I like Victor for the boy, because he looks victorious, and Miss Fitt for the girl, because she doesn't quite fit in with the happy picture :)

    Thanks for sharing your lovely photos on The HomeAcre Hop!

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  38. Glad you had time to enjoy the simple pleasures and the daisies looked so pretty.

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  39. Chel, Congrats! You'll be featured this week for this wonderful post at Simple & Sweet Fridays! Have a great weekend.

    Take Care,
    Jody

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    1. Thank you Jody, this is wonderful, another pleasure! xx

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  40. Gorgeous pictures. I love the bird pics the best. Thanks for sharing!

    Please join us again Thursday at:
    http://summersacres.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-homeacre-hop-23.html

    ~Ann

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    1. I just wanted to stop by and let you know that your post will be featured at tomorrow's The HomeAcre Hop. I will also tweet, like, and +1 your post. Please stop by and grab the featured button at:

      http://summersacres.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-homeacre-hop-23.html
      Congrats!
      ~Ann

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    2. Thank you so much Ann, I'm blushing! Chel x

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  41. Lovin' all your photographs especially the one of the dove nesting - beautifully captured. I hope your teenagers appreciate all the trips you arranged for them. What a good mum you are. How about Chip and Izzy

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    1. Thanks Elaine. Yes they do appreciate it and actually enjoyed them this time. I'm now planning the summer holidays and visiting the Beamish Museum in Newcastle and of course Greenwich in London (my favourite place!), amongst others. I'm enjoying the day trips more than going away completely. Thanks for the names, Miss Teenager is picking her favourites on the 22nd. xx

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  42. Aahh...I totally enjoyed your pics. You do a great job of capture nature. I'm visiting from the Home Acre Hop. Congrats on being featured.

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  43. You have a beautiful garden. I love daisies too. Thank you for joining Home Sweet Home.
    Sherry

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  44. Beautiful garden you have there. And the daisy pic is gorgeous :)

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  45. I missed this post for some reason and am glad you mentioned the giveaway in today's post. I love your photos of the trip to the beach and I remember the hissing sound of the water as it passed over the beach rocks. Your gardens are so beautiful and I hope you can take more time to enjoy them soon. Your daughter's drawing is very fun. I think the boy should be called Leo (the lion heart) and the girl should be Dottie (short for Dorothy). Congrats on your 1 year anniversary in blogging. Hugs, Pamela

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  46. Hello, I didn't get to the bottom of your post last week, so have now been back and had a look. The clues to the names are in the picture, she is May and he is Bean.
    Beautiful photos on your blog, a real pleasure to look through.
    Joy x x x

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  47. I read last weeks post, but somehow or other didn't get right to the end. I've now been back and read it, and left a comment, which I'll also write here.
    The clues for the names of the characters are in the picture. She is May and he is Bean.
    I love your photos,
    Joy x x x

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  48. What fun! I think they look like Terrible Teddy and Pouty Pearl! heehee! Love catching up with you and seeing your wonderful photos! Sweet hugs!

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Thank you so much for visiting, I love reading your comments and will answer either by email or on the blog. You can also email me privately in my side bar. Have a great day x

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