Spring Means New Life

I don't know about you, but for those in the UK do you feel a change in the weather?  Have you felt how warm the sun's rays are?  Have you panicked at the weeds that have suddenly made an appearance and how quick the seedlings have burst out of the soil?  Dare I whisper it?  Has spring finally arrived?  Judging from the blossom that has appeared on my plum tree, I have a feeling it has.  

Now to those lovely people who read my blog regularly you may notice something a little different.  I've had a little bit of a spring clean on my blog.  This is mainly due to the beautiful weather we have been currently having, the blossom that has now burst on the trees, the seeds germinating and the smell of freshly mown lawn once again.  So the header banner has a more springy feel and I have tidied up bits and pieces.

Also I haven't had a chance to go out on a rambling tour this week.  Mainly because I have been working at home due to the office re-decoration, but also because I now have the dreaded 'lurgy'!  How I would love to just curl up at this moment.  So a tour of the garden will have to suffice this week!

Before I start I must really say thank you all so much for your wonderful comments last week about my friend's passing.  She was incredibly special and I have been smiling with the memories that she has left me.  She was a rare individual and so positive about everything around her.  I am blessed to have known her.  This also made me think that life is for living and was very naughty and treated myself to a new camera!  I have mentioned a few times before that I wasn't exactly happy with my last one so after the last difficult couple of weeks I thought, yes, be selfish, buy something for me, something to really cheer me up, something where I can record real images of life, let's capture it properly.  So here it is, a deep red Nikon Coolpix L810, 16mp, 26x zoom, and really easy to use.  I fell in love with it from the first shot!  So clear, so clever and no need for photo editing to put forward the shot I originally wanted.  I am happy with the world again!  Ideally I would have liked a DSLR but I have a film loading one and use this with a tripod for a specific 'patient' shot.  So, this one is ideal!

But hey, let's have some photos from my new 'baby'!  I didn't know what to call this camera (the Fujifilm was called Flo!), I was going to ask for suggestions, but my thoughts are that I bought it with Val's love for life, her love of colours relating to Betty Boop, so it is hereby christened 'Val'!  So come Val, let's go on a short tour of the spring garden.

So firstly, my blog title this week is Spring Means New Life, and today this chrysalis (which has been under the care of Mr Teenager) decided to do just that, spring into life.

I took the delicate, crumpled butterfly outside onto the kitchen window baskets (which have equally been bursting into life) and it turned to say thank you.

Once dry it turned out to be a Cabbage White, hopefully it will find another garden to wreak it's havoc on!

In the greenhouse, things are getting very busy.  Lettuces, tomatoes, radishes, cucumbers, peppers, spring onions, courgettes and runner beans are all racing away.  Here are my peppery lettuce leaves and the start of my tomato seeds (I have had to cheat a little by buying some established too!).

Then in amongst all this was this sleeping Hummingbird Bee (well, I think it is, glad for some advice here)!  We knew we had a couple from when we saw them hovering around the blossom but they are far to quick to capture.  This one was very photogenic though and slept through my daring close up shots!  (Isn't 'Val' amazing?!)

The Daffodils and the Narcissus are all doing well around the different parts of the garden.  These beauties were put in my kitchen window baskets all those months ago and I am surprised that they bloomed this year!

These are in my main raised border in the garden.

These are in my herb garden.

The typical trumpet types are everywhere!

And then tulips!  We were so worried that there wasn't going to be any this year.  The Spalding Flower Parade are really going to be hit for next week's event (which apparently is the last!) - more to come next week on this.  We have a wooded type area next to our garage where we let things naturalize and these certainly haven't let us down this year.

At the back of the house we have a couple in full bloom.  

You can even see the pollen!  This shot reminds me of vanilla pods and custard!

Then there are hyacinths!  But my favourites are the tiny grape hyacinths.  Again planted in my kitchen window sill baskets.  

But shall we take a break from the flowers for a moment while the birds have a feed?

Remember I told you that I will be an auntie very soon (next month!).  I have been very busy with a pram blanket which was harder as we don't know what they are having.  The inspiration was from Jan Eaton's 200 Crochet Blocks (Pattern 189 - Willow).

 I have done this in grey and white as this will fit in with most colour schemes and it has come out in a lovely lacy pattern.

The edging was done using triple stitches and bobble stitches.  All done, now waiting for the arrival.  So excited!!

 Now back to the garden.  This is the front of the house, very pitiful compared to the rest, however the weeping pear's blossom is coming through now and the greenery is starting to appear.  This will be my project this weekend to add some more colour and interest.

There are daisies in the lawn but I don't mind that at all.  More wildlife buzzing around that way, and what speaks of summer more.

And lastly, saying goodbye to the winter rose (helloborum).  This will soon be surrounded by peace lilies and gladioli.

So, VERY happy with 'Val' and my new spring like blog posts.  Hopefully back to normal 'tour' business next week with the Spalding Flower Parade.  I'll try and get a good position for you.

Now off to my sick bed and sleep!

Have a wonderful weekend and I look forward to catching up with your posts.

P.S.  Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin before the 'deadline', and I'll also be updating my Facebook page a bit more to include other photos throughout the weeks.

Take care.

This week I am sharing with:

The Home Acre Hop

Share Your Cup Thursday

Rurality Blog Hop
Simple and Sweet Friday
Weekend Flowers
Cottage Style Party
Home Sweet Home
Say G'Day Saturday
A Favorite Thing
Sunny Simple Sunday
Weekly Top Shot
Camera Critters
Macro Monday

A Bit of Blue Sky Thinking

Today we saw the first signs of a blue sky.  It seemed so strange first thing in the morning looking out of the window as the sun shone on the snowy rooftops.  It made me realise just how monochrome the world had been for the last couple of weeks.  It had snowed again in the night leaving a lighter dusting on top of what remained of last week's pounding, but thankfully this didn't last too long.

The lanes around here are never gritted so to get to my parents, we took the long way round onto the main roads, however we did have to go past Moulton Mill as it's sails were turning.  We couldn't miss that!

The fields were still white, but again the blue sky was peeping through.

After a lovely visit to my parents, we headed down to Baytree (the local garden centre).  Now, one of my projects this year is to revamp my kitchen window baskets.  They are bare...I mean REALLY bare!  The birds last year used all my coir lining for nests and subsequently everything fell out, plants died and with the one day of summer we had, I thought better than to waste time trying to do anything with them.  Don't they look awful?

So, with my order for coco fibre lining arriving I just needed some compost.  Well, am I glad we went!  They had a bulb sale, and not just a little bit off...a whole load off!  Bags of bulbs for 40p, and £1.00!!  Just look at my bargains...£4.20 for the lot!

I know that I won't see their cheery faces until next year, but I am determined to be totally prepared this year.

Also, I have a Ta Dah moment!!  The baby girl pram blanket has been finished.  I'm ok with it, I just think it may be a little too pink.  What do you think?  The brighter shots were taken outside (remember I said there was blue sky?!).

I've now put away the pink and bought some gorgeous stony toned wool to make a more 'grown up' blanket which I'll post on my progress when it really gets going.

But, I will leave you with a couple of photos I took in the garden today with my new camera (I was at last able to play a little with it).  It was nice to see the snow melting, but also lovely to see the last bits of ice that had settled on the trees.

And as winter starts to turn a corner to head into spring it was beautiful to see that Mother Nature was still in control with the bulb shoots peeking out through the snow.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend and thank you so much to my new followers and lovely people that leave me comments.  You all brighten my day.

Take care.

Today I'm linking up with:

Sunny Simple Sunday Linky Party
Sunlit Sunday
Market Yourself Monday

Charcoal Trees and Beautiful Ice

I'm sorry for another monochrome post but I just couldn't resist.  The long difficult journey into work, the sense of achievement I felt when driving under the Cathedral barrier...I was here, I had arrived, I hadn't had any scrapes along the way.  Yes because I love my job, but also because of the visual delights that awaited me.  I knew the Cathedral and grounds were going to be spectacular and they didn't disappoint.  I promise this will the last of these majestic building photos for a while, but I just had to share the winter wonderland with you.

The trees were so magical, it felt as though an artist had made a charcoal drawing with the trunks and branches and nature had done the rest.

My walk continued around, along with other people taking advantage of the fresh snow and untouched look to take as many images as possible.  All commenting on how beautiful it all looked.

Narnia was well and truly here!

I took so many photos until my fingers couldn't feel the shutter anymore.  They were frozen through!

When I got home that afternoon, Mr Teenager was really excited about something he had found in the waterbutt in the garden.  Now, I was a bit trepidacious (is that a word?) following him outside, he does like to shock me with spiders and such like but this time I was very impressed.  Look at what had formed inside the edge...

Aren't they amazing!

Now then, no more monochrome, let's have some colour starting with my gorgeous Coco by day and by night.  During the day she has been surveying the garden, eating bits and pieces left out for the birds (really annoying!) and getting suitably mudded up!  By night, well, butter wouldn't melt would it (I can you hear you...'ahhhh') as she cosies up in her bed and snores  sleeps to her hearts content.

My wrist warmers are now finished!!  Ta Dah! So warm, so cosy, so practical...so don't want to take them off!  The pattern is here.  Have a go...they took me a couple of days and I am a novice at crochet.

The pink baby ripple blanket is almost there.  In fact I think tonight is the night of the bobble stitch around the outside and it will be another 'Ta Dah' moment.

Did you catch it?  Yes, a shot of pink in this very plain post!  Here's another pink moment for you.  Whilst composing this post there is a heavy scent in the air from one of my hyacinths.  I leave this beauty with you and I hope the rest of your week goes well.

Take care.

I'm linking up with Weekly Top Shot

The Peterborough Christmas Fayre

I am being enveloped by all the different sensory experiences of Christmas.  The sights, sounds, tastes and smells of Christmas are all around now.  The busy, rushed appearance on everyone's faces as you go around the shopping centres, streets and small alleyways of shops.  The childrens faces as they are being pulled along with their loved ones trying to capture all the wonder and excitement around them.  It is a wonderful time of year.  The sense of expentancy of what is to come.  To make everything perfect.  And, as a mum, making sure everything is perfect!!

I absolutely love with all my heart the Victorian era.  Christmas as it should be I feel.  Not the materialistic frantic shopping and stress for one day.  Rather the looking forward to spending time with family, having 'time out' to reflect on those who are the most important to us and showing this with all our love and affection.  To raise a glass to those loved ones who are no longer with us and looking forward to spending time who have now come to join us. 

Usually on Christmas Eve when the shops have closed, the presents are wrapped, the food preparation for the next day is done, the children have settled down and a sense of calm is restored, I like to put anything to do with the Christmas Carol on the TV.  This year it will be the one with Jim Carrey in.  The detail in that film blew me away last year, and I will sit with some egg nog and start to think of my January/February crafting...namely the Old Curiosity Shop (my dolls house).  My thoughts are always very much into the Victorian era with that project.  I think I mainly do this project during the winter months because it is cold and dark and I feel with the dolls house this is how I want it to reflect.  It's personality is an old this and that shop set in the back streets of the Victorian East End of London.  It has to be a bit rough around the edges!

My hands (as I feel probably are yours) are sore from all the crafting I am doing along with gift wrapping, christmas card writing and tapping on the computer keyboard trying to find unusual gifts. So it was lovely to step out of my office and walk across the precincts to the Cathedral to see their wonderful Christmas fayre.  Such sights, sounds, smells and tastes. Yes, Christmas has finally arrived, and in a Medieval/Victorian theme!!  My camera could have burst with the amount of photos I took.  I wanted to capture every sight and smell and all I can think of is that you need to have a stick of cinnamon, a nutmeg and some star anise nearby  along with a log fire to try and capture the smell of this walk around (also some mulled wine and mulled cider of course!).

Where do I start?  Well let's start with day time.  The fair is being held over four days so I have started with the light of day and then how this looked at night.  The backdrop of the Cathedral is such a perfect and majestical setting.  I love this place and I am very privileged to be working in close proximity to this.

How can it be Christmas without the hot roast chestnuts...(this picture made me laugh when I put this on, it looks as though there is a tinsel adorned sack having a crafty cigarette!!)

The costumes were wonderful, and I was so pleased when I captured this marvelous jolly stall holder.  Isn't he FANTASTICl!

There were costumes everywhere!

This Victorian lady was lovely...

The blacksmiths were hard at work.

And different eras merged together.

This lady was extremely knowledgeable and had made real ginger bread from a bygone era.  It was very sticky and extremely yummy.  She also had quince jam which is like a clear jelly, but equally as good.

Next to her were two stew pots slowly bubbling away with some very appetising contents.

The items that were being sold were not your usual 'run of the mill' stock.  There were fantastic helmets...

And some very sinister swords...

Beautifully colourful masks...

Exquisite pots and jugs...

Harps...

and, look what I found...hearts...

As well as what was going on in the precincts was a Morrocan market.  Just look at the beautiful colours and array of goods.

This pot pourri bowl was probably the largest I have ever seen!!

Just by the side of Cathedral square was an angel statue.  Very very still until a child put money in her pot and then she would slowly blow them a kiss, beckon them over to have their picture taken by a very happy parent.

And then we go to night.  I love the Cathedral in the cold, dark evenings.  It is such as beautiful and comforting place, and looks so warm and welcoming compared to some Cathedrals that I have seen.

This very knowledgeable 'soldier' walked with me while I took in the lights, felt the warmth of the little fires and feasted my eyes on all the wares in the tents.  It turned out that he lives near where I used to live in Essex!  It's a small world!!

This was one of the tents at night with it's lovely welcoming fire outside and it's tent still containing an array or pots and jugs.

And then through the arch to the Cathedral Square where the Moroccon Market was still trading.  The lights above are spectacular.

So much information was taken in.  So many ideas and plans to make and get for next year.

So, why are my fingers so sore?...well here is my front door wreath creation.  It started with creating fabric parcels, crochet stars, hearts and flowers.  And to keep the wreath warm, a nice crocheted cover. I am so pleased with this but my hands really feel as though they have been tightened in a vice.  So a little breather over the festivities I think.

and, now in its place on my front door...

Ta dah!!

Have a lovely week everyone...don't get too stressed!! xx

Ooops...forgot the Carol Singers....