a few healthy summer things!

mean green juice

This is good! I've made a couple of these and have the ingredients for more in my fridge. I haven't done any juicing for a long time. This tastes zingy and healthy, and if I say here now that I will be drinking this later, I hope to stick to it! I found my way to this inspiring post from tales of ted and agnes, watched the film and found the recipe. If you want to try it follow this reciepe :-

                                      a bunch of kale,
                                      4 celery sticks,
                                      1 cucumber,
                                      2 granny smith apples,
                                      half a peeled lemon,
                                      ginger root.

Feels seriously healthy!

flowers from the garden

Remembering to pick flowers from the garden and bring them inside. It's all nice now, include some herbs if you can. I must try out some herbal teas, home made style. Yesterday I forwent my daily coffee. I have been feeling quite caffeined out in the last few days. Time to remember to drink some summer drinks instead of endless teas!

remember to breathe!

Yes, breathing is always a good thing.....especially after too much coffee....!
Oh and did I mention mercury has been retrograde for the last couple of weeks, please don't ask me to explain, because I don't think I can! but as the planet of communication, you may have found yourself talking utter codswallop. That should end and we will can all start making sense again!

thrifted sandals = happy toes

If you don't like toes, look away now!................

Thrifted sandals, love the little cross stitch. I'm very chuffed, almost new, my toes are very happy in these.

Happy little pink piggies........sorry!

   

homemade tick repellent

I have made a tick repellent. There really are a lot of these nasties around this year. Be careful walking through long grass, meadows and woodland. Cover up if you can or wear a repellent. There is a lot of talk of Lymes being spread, and this not a nice illness. It can be treated early if you notice a bite with a rash or white ring around it and have flu like symptoms with a course of anti-biotics. I found this natural tick repellent here. Apparently the ticks really dislike rose geranium. Thankfully I do like it and I have also added a few drops of lavender. I spray my legs before I go for a walk and also the dog. It makes a lovely feel good spray mist. Not for babies and cats though.

my view of the valley

I feel there may be some kind of pause here. The need to kick back and relax is there, as well as all the summer cleaning and maintenance chores which are calling. I've been having a little jig around here and would like to carry on straightening things up a bit, having a bit of tidy in all the places I seem to find myself, technology wise! I would also like to put more attention to my shop and grow this. There is only so long that is comfortable to be sitting in front of a screen in the summer I think. The need to move and stretch out a bit more is definitely calling.

I must tell you, this bag has become my summer outfit and I am really loving it. It's just adding that bit of summer brightness that I need. There may be no going back now. Homemade and handmade is the way forward. Dig out those vintage linens and create!

Hope you manage to kick back with some healthy moments, find a colourful rug and enjoy a summer view from somewhere,  drink long summer drinks. Breathe out. X

spring days and a give-away!

This weekend found me enjoying soft blue skies, a gentle breeze and sunshine. The earth feels like it's beginning to warm itself, the ground feels like it's softening. I walked along with a spring in my step. It's still blimmin freezing mind, but with the six or so different layers I'm wearing and some sunshine, it's really rather nice.

My mud encrusted boots have been exchanged for something soft and spring like, and so I really am springing along now. Feels good. The ground feels softer and more yielding.

On easter sunday I watched kites flying on the common. I think kite flying would make a great easter sunday tradition. If you have a breeze and hill you can't go wrong! That said, some of them were huge and looked like they needed a bit of mastery.....  

At home you can see that the easter hare (old and much loved) has brought chocolate and goodies.

The basket was for my teen, who of course also had a big chocolate egg. I must have done something right as I won myself a spontaneous hug! not bad for someone who's actually not that keen on chocolate! I think he realizes the easter basket is just humouring me. I found it in the attic. It's been washed although a little mouse has been nibbling at the ribbon I think!

Other march delights, cupcakes! Here's the proof I made them, all gone now.

***

And so we are into April. I starting my blogging journey last April, it's almost been a year now. I have been making spring garlands and I thought it would be nice to have a spring give-away. I wanted to say thank you for following me on my little adventures and creative endeavours! So if you would like a spring garland to decorate with, wherever you are in the world, leave me a message at the end of this post.

Speaking of crochet flowers, have you seen this wonderful Brazilian lady Lidia Luz, who makes the most amazing bright crochet flowers and decorations. Her pictures are full of light and colour, in the most positive way. You can see her pictures here and also here. I love the way she uses real flowers and icons in her work, it does feel as though her mission is to bring love, peace and light through her work. 

I hope April brings you good things. Don't forget to leave a message if you would like to enter the give-away. I'll pick a name out the hat in a week or so.

  

until then, have a good week

Heather

X

just a little colourful something

just a little colourful something, a photo by my little red suitcase on Flickr.

I have a sweet lodger who unexpectedly gave me some get well soon flowers,

I crocheted a little something to go with them
and now my summer cold is much better!

summer flowers

as promised here is my short and sweet post!

I need a burst of summer colour after being in London.

these lovely colours were found in our local park.

this little project was begun on the train and is coming along super fast!

and these are all the colours I have in this merino wool,

it crochets a treat.

I just love the whole crochet as patchwork idea!

will show you more soon.

Have a good start to the week now!

  

determined to be summery!

after seeing the sun on sunday morning,

 I set out to walk the dog feeling determindly summery!

I wore my cotton dress, my sandals, some suncream on my face, with high hopes
 of summer sun.....

I also carried my brolly, and had my mac and wellies in the car!

.....after all,

this is the british summer we are talking about.

we are ready for anything!

I love the canal, there is something about walking by the water that's just instantly relaxing,

 and I seem to walk along yawning.

It tried to be sunny, but basically it was overcast.......

but it didn't matter.

I enjoy seeing the different boats and the colours and names they have been given.

Lots of boats going up and down.

.......it looks great fun.

this is my favourite "dutch barge"

all board!.....i wish.......

look the clogs, do you remember them?

they have flowers in them now!

stopping at a garden centre on the way home

I took some pictures and feeling frugal..... 

 decided the flowers were just for looking at!

I even went home and made my own coffee

sometimes home is best.......

this weekend I am off on an adventure,

 camping in kent.

kent weather says it's going to be......

sunny!

I am an optimist

I'll go with that.....

hope you are managing to grab your moments too!

enjoy the weekend,

Heather.

this blue jug

I just love this blue jug.

There's something about it.....

Something about its shape and the glaze,

 and the colour,

It says made in japan at the bottom.

It feels japanese......just a bit different.

perhaps the polka-dots are unusual for japan?

I like it a lot.

on the subject of blue,

I spied these flowers whilst walking the other day.

 amazing flowers growing in gardens,

luckily I had my camera .....

I have called them heavenly blues and purple wows!

not their real names of course!

it's doing quite well at being sunny today,

more blue skies please!

Heather
x

keeping me happy today

yes who can beat it, flowers and crochet, are cheering my life up at the moment! what with all this rain, I think they are really needed. Well we live in hope of the summer happening, again, after our brief encounters with it last month.

I am especially enjoying the rambling rose on the common. The grass is so long there now it is like one giant meadow to walk through. The cows are enjoying it too. During certain months of the year it is free land and the farmers allow their cows to roam. It's always entertaining when they decide to cross the road, on mass!

The flowers on my table this week. I love the feverfew? is that the name? The small white daisy like flowers. There is a mass of it looking pretty against my shed at the moment. I must go and get a picture....

.....well this week, life at my little red suitcase has found me visiting a new school as a possibilty for my son, who has spent the last year at home. oh boy, fingers crossed he will come back and visit it with me next week!

 He is 13 and found the first year of secondary school pretty difficult. This school is a drive away, but smaller, only 400, as opposed to 1500! at our local comprehensive.

 The headmaster was inspiring, realistic and willing to try and really seem to know all of the children there and their stories. So hopefully we will try there in september, otherwise it will be back to our version of home-schooling.....

hope the week goes well for you and the sun pops out to say hello, otherwise it's more muddy boots and a wet dog!

Heather