Old and new

Out with the old began today..with a loft raid..why do we keep so much old stuff in our lives? Is it the fear of letting go...memories...a tangible connection to the past, to happier times perhaps? What would actually happen if you did let go? You still have your memories in your head and heart. There's a lot of guilt surrounding clutter...guilt for having it, guilt for the waste, guilt for not reusing it...we seem to also inherit stuff which we don't necessarily want either..and the person giving it is passing on the responsibility, passing the buck and because I'm not very good at saying no I accept which is why we have collections of other family member's china and furniture which we will never actually use. I aspire to having a minimal loft space worth of stuff...just Christmas decs and the odd toy....not sure when that will ever happen...I mean it took my parents 40 years to finally sort their's out..much of which we inherited I might add!. And whatever he says, it's not just me that hoards...Why did I think it was important to keep dozens of pairs of children's shoes (in boxes I might add) for children we'll never have to never wear, cos I'd have bought new ones anyway if we had had any! Bags and bags of their clothes that I just couldn't bear to let go and toys OMG so many it's like a depot for Toys R Us!!! Well the declutter has begun..it's now taking up space in the dining room awaiting removal to the charity shop. There are of course things I will hold onto...the cot bed and moses basket and baby bath. Lots of pictures (no Van Goghs unforch) and there are boxes of old drawings and sketchbooks awaiting discovery not to mention old correspondence which will make interesting reading. Happily there were no spiders or mice about up there and no sign of bats or wasps...mind I didn't look too closely....I don't mind bats and I can cope with mice..but spiders and other creepy-crawlies.....AAAGHH!!!

Robin

What a cheery sight a little red-breasted robin is on this freezing morning. He was hopping amongst the rambling rose in front of the kitchen window. I haven't seen the Wren yet this year, plenty of blackbirds and house sparrows in the ivy at the front of the house though. Disappointing use of the bird table...probably due to the many cats around here I should think.

Full moon and mars

It's a full moon tonight and just to the left of it you can see Mars shining very brightly.

Moon.

I see the full moon, ghostly

celestial body, alluring orb

out of reach, pinned to

the curtain of the night-

a shady gulf of bygone

episodes. I am moonstruck,

knowing a silver strand is

tied to the tide,

pulling the waves.

If I can see it, then

so can he.....

If I release the thread

he may catch it at the

other side of the moon,

and in some way be

ultimately connected.

Favourite mug.

I'm often to be found nursing a cup of tea in my favourite mug of course....it's funny how you can be very particular about a mug! Aw but how cute is he? How could you resist that little upturned snout and pink ears.....

Love hearts and handbags

I finished sewing the medallions I brought back from Paris onto my black sateen handbag. I'm very fond of customising accessories...my tartan bag came ready customised but of course there's room to add more when I find some I like...buttons and brooches and so on. I love the buttons on the black bag they're very special...the tiny one reminds me of the sea...

What sort of person would take the time and trouble to make at least 30 laminated red paper hearts declaring his love for someone and tie them all on her route (approx a 2 mile stretch)?

I LOVE YOU EM it read in various forms all the way tied to every lamp post...how romantic. I wonder who they are and what she made of it? I hope there's a happy ending there.

Moon phases

CURRENT MOON

moon phase info

Brigit's cross

Here's my Brigit's cross made from reeds I picked in the garden....I'll be putting it on my Imbolc altar to welcome in the new season.

King Edwards

Well I am astounded! Expecting the earth to be soggy and our beautiful King Edwards to be rotten after we forgot to lift them I began digging....wow! Lots and lots of jewels awaiting picking...the same thrill as searching in a bran tub for an elusive prize...completely rewarding..I only dug about a quarter of the patch and got a huge colander full! I managed in the process to break 2 prongs on my new fork (well it's only had minimum usage since purchase last year) perhaps the cold weather has weakened the steel? Anyway his lordship has kindly offered to take it back to the garden centre....so hopefully they'll replace it. So we'll be having buttered spuds at tea time...yummy!

The garlic's on its way up again!

And this gorgeous purple primrose was hiding beneath the lavender bush.

Fair maids of February are quite my favourite....I love their hardiness and resilient nature....

The blue-green-greyness is a joy to see pushing up through the cold earth. A reminder indeed that spring is only around the corner and we have not been forgotten.

Primrose

How beautiful....pale, buttermilk petals and green leaves unfurling..a little crushed by the heavy snow, but perfect all the same.

Green shoots

The sun brought a glimmer of warmth this morning....looking forward to welcoming Imbolc on February 1st...tiny little green shoots are daring to emerge if you look carefully around you'll see the first stirrings after a hard winter. There are a few tender clumps of snowdrops braving to show in my spring border...and a beautiful pale yellow primrose. This new world of blogging also seems like a sprouting area in my life. I think Spring is my favourite season....I love the feeling of newness, hope for the coming year and promise of fruitfulness. I need to make more of an effort with the vegetable beds this year being somewhat disheartened by the bad weather last year and devestation by the slugs and snails of everything we planted! Being away for 3 weeks at a crucial time didn't help either as nothing got watered and was left to survive or not....mainly not! We never got round to harvesting the King Edwards either so I will have to have a look and see if any kept ok or if they all rotted...if they didn't they'll be whoppers I should think by now!

Orchid

Jambalaya

ooh made Jambalaya it was yummy.

onion

garlic

chicken

sausage

pepper

sweetcorn

peas

rice

thyme

parsley

tomato

chicken stock

pepper sauce

what a great way to use up left overs and very tasty!

Fondant fancies

Ooh la la -

you’re sure to be spoilt for choice!

Shiny, sugar sweetheart sparkles;

cute, candy-coloured cake cubes.

An array of dancing, dainty delights

so adorably delectable.

Arresting rose-pink, luscious lemon

and charming, cheeky chocolate

pastel pops presented so prettily.

Tantalisingly, toothsome temptations;

who could resist?

First post

Well this is different (for me I mean) hmmmm now what do I write? Wednesday...wet, cold, windy...a waiting sort of day.