Sweetbriar Dreams

So where shall we go on our journey today?

Friday, 16 September 2016

The Indian Summer


Isn't a jewelled web a thing of beauty? (Even though the creator isn't in my eyes).  A similar photo was taken last year in November (here), but on a much colder and foggier morning.  I was so pleased that the hot humid air was lifting after experiencing the hottest September days that anyone could remember.  Standing here under an acorn tree on a telling misty morning, I knew the heat would come again later on today but I would be savouring every moment of the coolness while I could.

Summer has been been wrapping itself around my beloved love of Autumnal September and I think it's time for the wire cutters to let Autumn have its glory (well, in my eyes anyway!).


On the hottest day I took myself down to the river to catch any cool air I could.  I was happily rewarded with the sound of birds, lapping water licking at the banks and drying grasses rustling around me.


The rickety bench that someone had placed voluntarily at one clearing had been replaced with a more hand made version.  Clearly there for long term use, and for those who just wanted to sit awhile to do exactly what I was doing right now.


The heat was intense and the white brush strokes in the blue sky showed that this heat was going to get harder to deal with even with the breeze making the changing leaves dance above me.


Occasionally the thump of wing on water broke the symphony around me.  A feathered friend cooling its body while taking a dip in the water.


Seed heads still clinging on, waiting for that extra special gust of wind to carry them away to their permanent home.


Some seed heads providing short respite to the summer bugs.


In the distance my favourite tree was providing welcome shade for anything that cared to sit beneath it now that the harvest had been brought in, but this was a fair walk away and one that I needed to be near as the heat was getting more and more intense.


How I wanted to to just dip into that Fenland Drain, but it was time to be sensible and get into a cooked car to get home for a cool shower and plenty of water!


Summer, it's time to go and sleep until next year!  Please let Autumn have its dance and showcase the colours that you have carefully put in place.


The good news for this Autumn loving blogger is that the heat is dissipating from this evening and into the weekend.  My Autumn clean up in the house can continue, sleep can be caught up on without trying to keep cool and breathing will be easier.  THANK GOODNESS!

So, without further ado and with the hope of a happy and less oppressive weekend, I bid you a wonderful Friday and a fantastic weekend ahead!  Thank you so much for your comments, emails and Instagram messages, I really do appreciate the time you take to make contact.  I feel a weekend of catching up with everyone coming on!

Wednesday, 14 September 2016

Wordless Wednesday - Hot Enough for a Picnic


We are experiencing very high temperatures in England.  These two are having a late summer picnic on the fallen apples.

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Sunday, 28 August 2016

Postcards of Summer


Hellooooo everyone!  I hope you have all had a good summer (and winter for those in the Southern Hemisphere).  It's the end of August... HaPpY sKiPpY dAnCe as I say to my good friends!

The lead up into September and then stepping into my favourite month is my time to come out of the doldrums and embrace each and every day of Autumn (I count 1 September as the beginning of my Autumn).  The trees start to turn, the conkers start to fall, the nights draw in, the shops are full of delicious orange from pumpkins and trick or treat goodies and I can start to enjoy the early evening sunsets once more.  A happy month indeed.

The trouble with having a blog break, and one that has been so long, is where do you start?  The organisation of a blog post and editing photos become a little out of sync.  You forget just how long it takes to post something, the nerves of "is anyone going to read this?" as you hover over the publish button and hoping that the content is true to you.  Well, after days of unbelievable humidity and me in the grumpiest of grumpy moods as a result of it, I now type this with thunder and lightning performing an amazing show outside, the air is cooler with a very welcome freshness and, I've just noticed, a welcome darkness outside (I do love a good storm).


So, what have I been up to during August?  ... Well, there's been trips to my London town...


... and the climbing of a very steep hill in Lincoln! ...


... a start of a new job (in the same place but different responsibilities).  The view is slightly different but still in a wonderful medieval setting ...


... catching up with family at the seaside ...


... and of course, walks with little Tia ...


... and enjoying capturing the growth and then the early harvest of the surrounding fields ...


... there's also been some creative crochet and I am sorry to say that I gave up on the CAL as the different patterns had different gauges from the variety of lovely ladies that wrote them.  I couldn't get on with it so had to frog all the squares I made and decided to use the colours in one of Attic 24's Cozy Striped Blanket patterns instead.  I do love these colours.


This summer holiday has felt different to ones of the past with me just having one week off and not being needed for the rest due to the Teens now older and having their own interests.  The new job has come at a good time as change is forefront in my life and I am embracing all that is new, so with the Teens doing their own thing, I am able to get my head around what I want to do.  (By the way, the GCSE results were magnificently positive for Miss Teen!!)

So, this has been my postcards of summer.  I know some of you will say, did we have one?!  Well, I certainly felt it and will be glad to start breathing cooler air on my dog walks with Tia and out and about with Big Bertha (the camera).

I have missed my little corner of Blogland and the connection with you all, I'm really glad to be back!

Autumn's nearly here and I am SOOOOO happy!!

Sunday, 17 July 2016

Time to Take a Summer Break


The end of July hovers on the horizon and those who have being reading my little corner of Blogland will know what's coming... my least favourite month of the year is about to start.  It is the time I call my S.A.D time (summer absolute dislike). My creativity and inspiration completely abandons me for the month of August due to...

 flies buzzing around, 
heat (which is NOT good at my age and time of life!!), 
flies buzzing around, 
humidity, 
flies buzzing around, 
teenagers saying they are bored and... you guessed it...
flies buzzing around!!!


Yes, I know that Britain has only had a taster of summer so far, but those pesky flies still survive!!



Yes Mr Frog, you need to be busy rather than basking by the pond!


And leave these ones alone!


Reading past posts at this time of year, I seem to be following a pattern (nearly to the day!) so it seems the perfect time to have a little blog break and occupy myself with a huge change in my life that begins in August.  I am changing my work role so I am going to focus on re-programming my mind and taking on new challenges.  I will be saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new.  New working relationships, new friendships, new challenges for my two teens and new hours that will free up time to let me be me, catch up on reading, re-focus on my writing and revamp Sweetbriar Dreams and its content.  


Of course, Big Bertha (the camera) will be with me to capture moments along the way and, once I have put all my 'ducks in a row', I will be back in September (the BEST of months!) for a summer catch up... without the flies!


I will be finding my dappled shade that greets me under the gazebo and enjoying the shadows it forms.


And the fragrance from my Grandma's lavender in my corner hidey hole.


Little snippets will appear on the Sweetbriar Dreams Facebook page and my favourite... Instagram, I won't be completely out of touch, so follow along and I can follow you too! (Just pop over to my side bar under "I'm over here too").


But for now my dear and faithful readers, have a wonderful Summer and I will see you in the most inspiring and uplifting season I know - Autumn! (which I class as the first sunrise of  September!!).


Have a happy and fly free Summer

Thursday, 14 July 2016

A Visit to Castle Howard - Part 2


Carrying on from last week's post showing you the beautiful interior of Castle Howard and the Flower Festival, as promised, here are some shots I took of the outside of this spectacular building.


So beautiful in its enormity and incredible grandeur in immaculate surroundings.



The fountain was equal in grand scale to the building that it looked upon.  The water incessant as it raised up in the air and fell to the pool below.



This is a capture that makes me smile.  A couple of photographers were waiting to take a beautiful shot of the house and fountain, the sun came out intermittently, another photographer comes along... and plants his tripod in mid shot!!  Oh how we laughed and joked!!!  NOT!!  Well, I thought of the positive (as I do) and decided that was life, there were no orange and red t-shirts worn and it gives a more human angle of this majestic setting.  So photos were taken and to be honest, it gives you the scale of this setting.  Thank you Mr Tripod photographer, all was good in the end!



Walking along the pathways of the gardens we came across a frame in the middle of a wildflower border.  What a great idea!


I preferred getting a little lower to look through the weeds wildflowers and onto the house.


Then looking through trees at the recognisable dome.


Onto the rose garden where the beautiful blooms were starting to face the ground, tired of their burst of fragrance and vibrant heavy petals.


Well manicured hedges and old brick walls surrounded this gorgeous haven.



The lily pond brightened my day with its cheery colours and was a fitting end to such an amazing visit to a house I have longed to look around for so long.


Castle Howard, another tick off the list, so many more stately homes to visit and Blenheim Palace will be the next in Autumn.

I hope you have had a good week and looking forward to a wonderful weekend.

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