Five on Friday - Autumn's Here

And so September is here!  I wait the whole year for this month and the welcome changes it brings with such anticipation.  It's an organising month for me, the month that my creative juices start to flow in abundance.  So with a happy heart, I am now well into the rhythm of blogging once more and it has been so uplifting to hear from you with your comments and emails, you have made my return so happy, and yes, I have missed you too!!  Today I am joining the lovely Amy at Love Made My Home's Five on Friday which has also restarted.  If you haven't joined this link up party before, I highly recommend you do and meet other bloggers doing the same thing.

What five little treasures have appeared on my camera card this week? ...

1.  The changing colours of hydrangeas.  Oh my goodness, I LOVE this shrub.  The colours, the differences in seasons, just beautiful.  I've started picking them to adorn my house during the autumn and winter months.  They are adorable as they dry out.

2.  Harvest time.  We have enjoyed an early harvest round my way which meant that the pesky corn flies made an appearance for one week and then were carted off.  Phew!  My picture frames and laptop screen were safe!  In a way I am a little sad that this happened so early and that the sunsets won't be bouncing off the hay stacks, but it has been such a good year for the farmers around here so can understand.

3.  Grape Vine.  Our vine has slowly spread over my pergola over the years and now, with a bit of training, the green fruits and luscious leaves have worked their way over to the house and along the wall.  We usually leave the grapes for the birds and use the leaves in Dolmades (a family favourite).  However, I may just have a go at making some wine, or grape juice this year as they look too good to waste (back off sparrows!!).

4.  The Great British Bake Off.  It's back!!  Straight away I visited Amazon and bought the book so there may be some experiments on here over the next few weeks.  Remember the Spanish Windtorte last year?  My post is here, enjoy mocking me!!

5.  Gardening.  It was a bank holiday here last weekend and time to re-design the front garden.  The joy of going into a garden centre when there is about to be a change of season warms my heart.  Beautiful heathers, red and white roses, lavender, hebes and, yes, more hydrangeas were going to replace the overgrown herbs and conifers.  Hard work but I am bringing a touch of Scotland into my Lincolnshire garden (bringing the dream of one day living there a little bit closer!).

So that's my five for this week.  Please go along to Amy's blog (here) to visit, and maybe join along too.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Sharing  with:

Love Made My Home Five on Friday

Five on Friday - Through the Lens

1.  Looking through the camera card this week, I was desperate for colour to jump out and dance in front of me.  The rain has been relentless and even for a rain lover such as me, I am even getting tired of it.  The Summer Solstice is upon us and I'll soon be preparing for Christmas, so a little sunshine would be nice to break up the summer months!  But, as you can see above, the Mall leading up to Buckingham Palace with its red tarmac and crisp flags blowing in the breeze before the business of a certain Majesty's 90th birthday street party, was full of colour.

The celebrations were going to be very merry!  This ship made me laugh with the alcohol stacked up on a separate boat.

Don't you love the simplicity of Love locks?  The stories that each one could tell always sends my mind racing.  These are on Westminster Bridge with the Eye nearby.  Simple flashes of colour with memories and wishes locked away.

Buckingham Palace looking quiet beyond the trees at Green Park.  The trees all in full leaf with the different greens catching any light left to give.

2.  Back at Peterborough the view from the office window differs each day beyond the Cathedral stonework.  The sky changes with every hour but when the blue is caught it makes the stone shine out.  Welcome colour indeed.

3. On the Fen in Lincolnshire the bees busy themselves on any dry flowers in between the rain storms, taking absolutely no notice of cameras in close proximity.

The wheat fills the brown fields once again with its green stalks waiting to ripen and turn the fields gold.

4. The rain has watered my garden so there hasn't been the need for hosepipes as yet.  The most beautiful thing happened on little Tia's anniversary of us meeting her - our beautiful Coco's rose bloomed in her memorial garden.  A lovely touch to a special day.

I sat with Tia on the door step as the rain came down again, watching the droplets of water dance off the petals.  A special moment indeed.  And then, I couldn't resist the beauty of the Nigella plant that had seeded itself next to us.  So beautiful with the rain acting like a cardigan on its skeleton.

5.  So a busy week at work, Miss Teen's exams finishing and school ending, Mr Teen's first car being sold and him moving on to his second car, Tia's first anniversary of joining our family, some very enjoyable catching up with very dear friends and, a fourth blog anniversary next Wednesday (yes, four whole years!).  I just need to...

So that's my five for another Five on Friday with Amy at Love Made My Home.  Pop along and join the party!

Have a wonderful end of week and even better weekend.

Sharing with:

Five on Friday at Love Made my Home

Five on Friday - Moments Captured

We've been walking back on the Fen again this week which has been a wonderful way to end each working/school day.  With GCSE's in full swing for Miss Teen it's been stressful so with each ending of the day just to walk along the quiet pathways, pass the time of day with friendly walkers and just listen to the wildlife surrounding us is sheer heaven.  The colourful crops sway in the breeze, not minding the winged birds and insects, enjoying their dance as the wind blows gently through the once neat rows where they now rebel against the uniformity of their prepared beds.

Wednesday night brought on a whole different conversation as we happily walked along one of our favourite pathways.  The air was still, geese flew low above our heads and then... we saw this...

It was an interesting conversation.  We were in the middle of the Fen next to water filled ditches and a copse of trees with a funnel cloud above us.  If the funnel touched the ground, things would be a lot different and a tad bit uncomfortable for us.  Mr Teen said he would go into the ditch but me and Miss Teen opted to try our luck in the copse of trees.  Thankfully within a few minutes the funnel slowed and the cloud separated scribbling  thin clouds in that part of the sky.  Phew!

Looking at the sparse trees around, the weather leaves its scars to make the normal look more interesting.

Sneeze makers surround us in abundance, but surprisingly the only sneezes come from our lovely Tia who is getting used to the night routine again of a longer walk in the light.

At the end of the walks we have our treat (to boost our energy of course!).  Chocolate and long quiet walks - a perfect end to the day!

 Sharing with the lovely Amy at Love Made My Home's Five on Friday.  Go along and see some lovely blogs sharing their five.

Have a great weekend lovely readers.

Sharing with:

Five on Friday at Love Made my Home

Five on Friday - Links in the Chain

1.  Each day this week has seemed like a link in a chain, each day binding with the next but so very different.

2. The weather, oh my goodness, we've had everything thrown at us.  Huffing and puffing just like the bad wolf in the story of the three little pigs!

3.  The clothes pegs are redundant.  The brief sunshine misleading us all with its icy bite.

 4.  Roof tops protect occupants from the swirling wintry weather. 

5.  Keeping everyone safe and warm in their beds (yes, this a very tired working horse).

This week's photos were taken at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, Birmingham.  Once again, I have taken far too many and it will take a little while to go through them - when will I ever learn?!  So, this is a little taster to share with the lovely Amy at Love Made My Home's Five on Friday.  Go along to see more lovely blogs joining in.

Thanks so much for your comments and visits for my last post.  I am so glad you enjoyed the London trip!!  I'm looking forward to a long weekend, catching up with blogs and Miss Teen's prom dress shopping (maybe not the latter!)

Sharing with:

Five on Friday at Love Made my Home

Five on Friday - Unwrapping

I am so glad it's Friday.  The cork in the wine bottle will be released this evening and sipping the contents will be very welcome.  This time of year flies by to the extent that I haven't even opened by lap top to read and see what is happening throughout the world in blogland.  I have so much catching up to do!  My camera battery also expired after Mothers Day and the charger wasn't working so I missed out on so many shots including the group of twenty swans flying overhead, what a beautiful sight and very windy!  However, the camera is back up and running and I will be out and about this weekend catching up with my technical 'friend'.

So, my five this week has to start with a lovely little package from Amy who hosts Five on Friday at Love Made My Home.  Unwrapping the tissue paper revealed her crocheted hearts which are a joy and now adorn my dresser that has so many things that make me smile.  Thanks so much Amy, they will be treasured.

  

Mothers Day was full of surprises, and this one was very specially received .  Now that my camera is working again I will go into detail at the weekend and show off this beautiful piece of machinery.

 The weather has been differing each day but I have to say we had a real pea souper last week with the fog.  The Cathedral looked as though I was viewing it through tissue paper.

 Earlier that morning as I waited for the bus, I felt very aware of the eerie stillness of the morning as the fog cloaked the graveyard near where I wait.

Unwrapping the contents of an envelope and my first trip to London for this year has been booked!  Oh I can't wait!  I feel like I have a bungee rope tied to me and London is pulling me so hard to get back.  Those who have been reading my little corner of blogland will know just how much I love to get back to my home town.  This trip will take me to the Shard so that I can breathe in the missed polluted air, listen to the sounds of the City and marvel at the high vantage views across my City - let's hope it's not foggy!!  Then off to Borough Market for a bit of shopping and anything else along the way that takes our fancy. 

Unwrapping the mind with the Lily Pond Blanket that I am currently putting together (Janie Crow's CAL project last year).  It has been a little frustrating, but persevering to focus my mind.  I am getting there, but have seen her latest CAL which begins soon.  Hmmmm, shall I just have the Lily Pond as a WiP in the basket??! 

  

So that's my five.  Now, let's grab the camera and take a closer look at the Singer!

Thanks so much for your comments over the last couple of weeks, and in fact all the comments and visits I have received over nearly four years.  You are all a great comfort and deeply appreciated by me.

Sharing with:

Five on Friday at Love Made my Home

Five on Friday - Sunset on Another Week

Well, the sun sets on another week.  It's Friday again, where on earth do these weeks go?  Looking back over the week on my phone and camera card, it seems there have been plenty of things going on, and rather a lot of little treats.

  

1. We've had all seasons this week.  It's been cold, it's been warm, it's hailed, it's rained, it's been sunny.  No snow though, the one thing I would love!  I can never tire of this view from the office window looking over to Peterborough Cathedral.

2. A lovely gift in work for us all to enjoy.  The chocolates are from Brugge and when I picked the box up I just knew they were going to be good!  The weight was like picking up a brick.  Solid pieces of chocolate with decadent fillings.  Good job I didn't give up chocolate for Lent! 

 3. As so many of you know, I have been harping on about my feet for a little while now.  The good news is that the Consultant has discharged me and now I can just get on with "being sensible and know when to elevate them!".  No heels for a year and will be eventually a shoe size less than I was once the remaining swelling goes.  Apparently I am already 14mm shorter in the foot size than I was three months ago.  So, I'll stop boring you from now with my plates of meat (my family however will continue to get the moans and groans).  What I will say is if you are considering bunion surgery, yes it is painful for a few weeks afterwards and if you have the two done together it is frustrating and double trouble, but now that I am back at work and able to walk in a fashion (John Cleese would love my style!) and can now walk on the Fens and drive, the pain will be worth it my friends.  Other bloggers have kept my spirits up who have also had this done and I see their posts of them walking enormous distances.  Hope indeed.  So, that really is the last I will say.  This is a happy place and now a Foot Free Zone.  (love my socks though!).

 4. Oh my goodness.  This Lily Pond pattern is so lovely, but I have spent weekday evenings unpicking. 

Am I so tired that I have forgotten to count to 85?!

 I start off with the 86 chains, and then by the end of the straight lines, I am down to 82.  Has the crochet imp sat on my shoulder and made the other 3 vanish into thin air.  Determination will succeed this weekend!!

  

5. I can't not post about Stephanie at The Enchanting Rose's Teacup and Mug Exchange.  I have done this a couple of times and about to sign up again.  This is such an exciting exchange where you give to one person and receive from another.  The instructions are here, we might even be paired up!  This was the lovely Asia at Creative Spell Designs' beautiful box, cards and tea cup gift to me last year.  You can read more about it here.

Stephanie's link is in my side bar.  Come and join in!

Right, time to unpick some more crochet and then wrap a few bits and pieces up for Mumsy's Mothers Day pressies.

Have a wonderful weekend, and for those Mum's in Britain looking after those little ones and not so little ones, as well as our fur babies, Happy Mother's Day!

Sharing with:

Amy at Love Made My Home's Fire on Friday

Willy Nilly Five
Cath @ Home

Five on Friday - Back to Work

 Well this week has been a shock to the system.  I've managed a whole week after the phased return to work, and I am mighty tired.  The week has been one huge blur of catching up, and trying to keep smiling through each day with throbbing ankles and a right toe that swears blind it can tell me when it's going to rain with a huge stab.  But smile I have, carried on I have, fallen into my favourite chair at the end of the day I have.  A satisfying week.

So my Five, are what I am seeing each day (apart from the last one.  Now that was an unexpected treat!

 1. You will have seen the magnolia at the top of this post.  This sits outside one of our office windows and goodness knows how old this is.  Each year it gives the most stunning of displays with all visitors remarking how beautiful it is. 

2. After the Painted Roses Blanket completion, I was hungry for another project and settled on the Lily Pond Blanket from Janie Crow.  This was a CAL project last year but I really loved the look of the design.  With the Wool Warehouse being quick on the delivery again (I do love them!), I was able to start in the knowledge that the next CAL is about to begin.  I need to get a move on!

3. Until I feel more stable with the clutch pedal, I am taking the bus instead to work and loving it.  Sitting down on a warm bus being able to answer emails and let someone else have the stress of driving is a real treat.  However, waiting at a bus stop with no shelter from the freezing cold Fen is quite simply something else!

 With the sun rising as I wait, my body warms up and I see the frost melting.

4. Getting off the bus and a short walk to work follows.  When I see this view as I walk down the drive, I can't help but smile.  Beautiful, exquisite Peterborough Cathedral looks down once more to start another day.

 5. Oh my goodness!  Cake!  One of my work colleagues bought us cake from Patisserie Valerie this morning.  So half each of these enormous sinful cakes had to be consumed!  Extremely decadent, extremely delicious... oh boy what a sugar rush!

Have a Happy Friday!

Sharing with:

Five on Friday at Love Made My Home