21.6.14

a peaceful summer solstice







A peaceful summer solstice to you. As the sun reaches it's most expansive time, the longest day of year is here. The outward push of energy, growth and potential has been reached and the journey inwards will begin.

I find myself strangely calm this year. I have been known to find myself feeling quite ungrounded, in the midst of all this summer doing. Over-stimulated and worn-out. The fire energies burn brightly amongst us, sparks jumping between us, inspiring us towards our own highest potential.

I feel this, and yet this year I also feel a calmness. A calmness within all the doing. The need to hold a space for myself. Something in reserve. A new place.  A new awareness of what's right for me right now.

Perhaps it's being 45. It feels like a full expansion into the summer of my life. Or perhaps it's seeing a mentor, or attending a yoga class. Or the two hours a day of hard labor in the garden. Perhaps we are over the worst of our difficulties, or maybe we are learning to just hold some balance within it.

This is honoring what I need. The inspiration and the calmness is all here. I am happy to be holding this space for myself. In future years I may feel the call to solstice revelry and summer gatherings, but right now I am glad to be feeling peaceful.  Just taking each step at a time.

Happy solstice people!
make pretty flower mandalas, enjoy the sun and nature.
Be kind.

♥♥♥
   

14.6.14

summery makes part 1


After last nights three hour deluge of rain, thunder and lightning, following an extremely hot day, I think we can officially declare British summertime is here.

Not that anyone is complaining, it really was rather spendid and all that water on the plants after all that heat can only be a good thing.

So it's time for me to show the first of my new summer makes. I found a couple of vintage curtains to transform. The dark blue floral fabric is some lovely Sanderson fabric. A pretty table cloth and a serviette! I based the size on a bag I already have, made some lining, added a flap and a little pocket. I feel like the bag is a cross between Cath kidston and the lovely granny chic of dottie angel. I'm not sure how either of them would actually feel about that!


Lest that sound too easy, I can assure you I had a good wrestle with the lining fabric and strap! But it somehow all found it's place.


All I need now is a dusting of granny chic bravery as I step out wearing my transformed curtains, table cloth and serviette. What's that?......oh of course, that is the whole granny chic point!

Well I do love it so I shall be brave, and today's the day.


It was so nice to use up some of this fabric, I have been collecting madly. The cross stitch on the little handy pocket, inspired some more around the flap. This is a secret pocket/label for hiding secret lists in. Lists of adventurous and brave things. And maybe a shopping list too. So wish me luck as I step out with some hopeful granny chic bravery.


Oh and Miss Trissie was very happy about it too!

Have a lovely summery weekend.


2.6.14

a part of who we are......

I love the pink Hawthorne on the common
May was a lovely month wasn't it. So much green and growing. Warm and wet and some gorgeous sunny moments.....even the soft and gentle rain in may could be forgiven. I have been soaking up all the lovely nature around. I've needed it so much and I notice it so much more now I am no longer just a suburban girl. I have a dog and a garden and hills to roam, and it's wonderful to be able to anticipate what comes next as the year unfolds. This common has become a part of me. It has become my life blood. I can breathe in life up here.

new leaves and blue skies
The open, wide expanse of skies, new leaves against the blue, my favourite. Awesome. The Buttercup meadows, the Daises and the grasses beginning to grow in abundance.

blue skies and buttercup meadows
Of course May saw the arrival of others who also love the common!

the cows are out!
Yes the cows are out and there's a fair bit of jostling going here for a space under the cool shady trees! They are remembering their summer ground and the places they like to go. They are such big beautiful creatures with their big brown eyes. Mainly a little shy of the humans. Getting barked by the occassional passing dog. Everyone will have to make room for the new arrivals and find their place. There's room for everyone up here. 

having a scratch on the bench!
I found these funny pictures in the National Trust booklet!

keep little dogs under control!
We try and walk past carefully, not too close because I don't want little dog to be kicked by big hooves.

Daffodils are not good for cows.

Daffodils are poisonous for cows. I didn't know that. That would be why you only see wild flowers up here.

ancient grazing rights on the common
The grazing rights for the common go back to the days of William the Conqueror. I will look out for the horses and the donkey who follows them around.

lovely betty's bench
So here is our daily view. This bench says 'a lovely view for a lovely lady'. Her name was Betty. It's a top spot. We can sit awhile, take in the view out to the River Severn and across to the Black mountains and Wales. We can watch the Magpies and the Ravens circling in the warm currents and dream of the place where the river flows into the sea and the coast line and beaches and the ocean. All from the view on our hill top.

Hawthorne (dog-walkers christmas tree in may)

And here is the famous Hawthorne tree, which at christmas becomes this.

Well I've brought you up here with me many times now, I hope you don't mind. I've even bumped into two fellow dog-walkers/bloggers, which is strange because you kind of know them and you kind of don't!

pickings from the garden
 At home I have been picking a lovely supply of flowers from the garden.

blue spotted jug
and enjoying them in this blue spotted jug. I think it was a second, because of the misprint, but I love it and the glaze and the shape. Underneath it says made in Japan. 

I have a couple of creative makings to show you, but to be honest my energy levels feel quite low right now. I need to take some photos and share some little adventures from this half term. But I'm taking it pretty slowly right now. Just trying to recover some of that energy again. The last week seem to involve a lot of driving around dropping the teen off at his Dads for a few days and then back home to a couple of days of sanding and painting, touching up the teens room. I just want it to feel like a fresh space.

a  string of colourful bunting.
But oh go on. Just a little one then! A little project, inspired by Ingthings, I can't remember where on her blog I saw this. I still have to string it together, but it will make a little bunting for the summer.

Well dear people, that's it for now, can't wait to share my other projects, have a great week. Hope all is well. 

♥♥♥