Wednesday 15 April 2015

Pottering

Well who would have believed it? Just look at us enjoying some fine Spring weather - blue skies and everything! With L back at uni revising for finals, E and I have been pottering around at home and enjoying time in the garden. 
Here are a few photos to sum up our week:
Washing my quilt for the first time - I was so worried that it was going to shrink or that the colours would run, but it all turned out fine and feels so soft and lovely.
 Hanging a wooden Ladybird postcard that I bought in Blackwell's bookshop; there were some lovely ones and I had difficulty choosing from so many much loved and well remembered books - the duckling won the day though. The hearts were part of my Christmas hamper made by the girls a couple of years ago.
 This week's library books. The Hummingbird Bakery one has been well used ....
The buttermilk pancakes were delicious - I'm not sure who tested the recipe though - it made far more than the stated 8!
We also enjoyed our first cream tea of the year. Sadly, R had polished off the strawberry jam, so we had to make do with apricot. Somehow we coped!
 Making mandalas. 
I'm a bit late coming to the mandala party - not unusually for me - but I really enjoyed making these with some left over yarn. I made 2 .......
 ..... one will be for under a vase of flowers but is currently under E's bowl of tadpoles:
The other is cushioning my clock radio. It tends to have a very faint 'hum' which, when you tune into it in the wee small hours, can be rather annoying.  The mandala helps.
 Other happies include:
Tulips in the front garden: 

 E having a little wander on the island with my camera:
 There are birds nesting in this fissure:




 Our ex-bat girls coming to see me watering the greenhouse - their feathers are now starting to grow back in earnest: 
 My favourite combination - blue sky and blossom:

 E revising in the garden:
 Me keeping her company with a  few knitting blocks:
 Dusting off the hammock when it got a little too hot - yes, April and I'm talking about it being too hot!
 Bees enjoying the Forsythia:
 Me enjoying listening to the baby blue tits in the nest box:
 Finally, brushing the cobwebs off my bike to cycle to the library:
 I cycled all the way there before realizing that L had borrowed my padlock over the holiday, so had to ride home again to collect it!
Anyway, that was my week. How was yours? I hope that the sun is shining for you too. I'm just off to Planet Penny's Happy Friday to see what everyone else has been up to.
Toodle Pip for now. x

19 comments:

  1. Your garden is looking utterly delicious, and baby blue tits too, lucky you. Your cream tea looks delicious, haven't had apricot jam for ages, you've reminded me how much I love it. Lovely to see your ex-battery hens doing so well. I have a dream to have some one day. Plenty of sunshine here too, wonderful isn't it. CJ xx

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  2. It looks as if you have had a lovely week pooling around at home. The weather has been unbelievable hasn't it, more like the middle of summer. Your garden is looking beautiful, I love to see Spring flowers and blossom. Your mandalas look lovely too. xx

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  3. I meant to add on my previous comment that I hope you enjoy 'Walking Home'. Clare hails from my home village so I really enjoyed this and her previous book, especially the bits about familiar territory to me. xx

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  4. What a lovely happy week. Just the sort of week I enjoy, full of domestic details, crafting, cooking, reading, pretty flowers.
    Amalia
    xo

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  5. What lovely pics! the weather has just been fantastic this week hasn't it? Makes revising slightly more bearable if it can be done outside - my son is under the revision cosh also but only for A/S level. Hard to keep going with it though whatever stage it applies to. Your quilt is beautiful - glad it washed OK - bet it smells wonderful after drying in the April sunshine. Very intrigued by your wooden postcard and as I am going into Blackwells today, I shall have a look out for them! Did you get it at Blackwells Art shop or the main bookshop? I'm probably going to both anyway. E x

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    1. Hello! The postcard was from the main bookshop. There's a carousel thingy (!) on the ground floor near the stairs. I do love Blackwells; a browse through the lovely books and a coffee in the cafe are a must for any trip to Oxford. Have fun today. x

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  6. Your quilt is sooo gorgeous! All that detail, it must have taken you ages. I especially love the big flower :)

    Its so nice to be able to get out and enjoy the sunshine isn't it, especially with a delicious cream tea! :)

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  7. How lovely the garden is looking....I may pop round and nick that gorgeous quilt from your washing line.....hasn't it come out well. Your chucks are looking happy as Larry!xxx

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  8. Lovely photos. Your garden looks beautiful and that quilt is just stunning. Have never made a mandala - one for the to do list maybe?? Have a good weekend :)

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  9. Great photos yet again! You can't beat a bit of blue sky and blossom - and I love your pink bike!!

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  10. OMG! Thinking the same thing. You have an awesome bicycle!! Your flow of pictures is appreciated. I do enjoy seeing where others spend their lives, and what they see in their neck of the woods. You have a great blog here, and I just loove your sign off!

    Julie @ Pink Doxies

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  11. Veggie Mummy, would you please send me your email? I keep getting you as No Reply Blogger. Sorry.

    Julie

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  12. Hey you!! So sorry I am visiting late...my beans have been so sick. Your post came at the perfect time! So much beauty and inspiration here buddy! Look at your gorgeous quilt!!!! It is amazing! And you are so right...blooms set against blue blue skies are magical! Looks like you are soaking in all the good! Wishing more of the same tomorrow!!! And LOVED your blooms! Nicole xoxo

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  13. What a lot of gorgeous pics - I love the spring flowers and your mandalas are lovely. Envious of your sewing skills!!!!! xxx Kathryn

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  14. What a wonderful selection of photo's, I'm so glad that summer is on it's way.
    Your quilt looks beautiful, it looks so squidgy and comfy :)

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  15. Oh, make me homesick, lol! Love the pictures. Diary of a Provincial Lady....one of my favourite go back to books of all time.

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  16. Such a lovely post full of happies! Looks like you have had beautiful weather. The mandala is gorgeous. Love that duckling Ladybird picture :)

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  17. Bumper happies!! Sam is revising madly at the moment. He comes downstairs every now and again with a frightening stack of flash cards, and wanders around with them. I'm so glad it's not me!
    Leanne xx

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  18. What a lovely springtime post! My favourite time of year x

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