Leaves In The Spring

Snapshots of Ely

2010-09-14T06:15:00.000-07:00

A few reasons Ely has made it onto my list of favourite places...

{The cathedral.}
{The cathedral.}
{Horses in the middle of the city.}
{Blue letterbox.}
{Peacocks Tearoom.}

Slipping

2010-09-08T00:06:00.000-07:00

Blogging has been slipping away from me recently. I get annoyed when people talk about how busy they are. The truth is you will find time for the things that are important to you. You will grab the moments to blog if that is what you love. And I have a confession. I like blogging. I don't love it.

I have been finding time for the things I love lately. Spending time with family, working hard at my jobs, trying new recipes. Spending time with T and our friends. Planning adventures and being creative.

I've also been finding time for the things that are important to us. I don't love them, but they matter to me. Looking for jobs and round houses are the main ones.

So I will be back every now and again, and maybe in a few days, weeks, months, I will want to find the time for blogging. But until then - I'm busy doing what I love. And I hope you are too.

Cornwall Round-Up

2010-08-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

We're heading off on holiday again this weekend so I decided it was time to round-up the last one. We spent a beautiful week on the gorgeous south coast of England.

{Deer park and gardens.}
{An old church.}
{A walk in the countryside.}

Cotton-iversary

2010-08-14T02:59:00.001-07:00

Can you guess what T gave me for our anniversary?

{Sewing fun.}
We had a lovely evening just the two of us. I made good use of my Good Food magazine and cooked pork chops with potato slices and caramelised carrots and onions. We ate with flowers on the table and the windowsil, and then snuggled down on the sofa with dessert and a film.

{Dessert, dinner, flowers.}
{Last year - Paper-iversary}.

Delayed

2010-08-13T06:19:00.000-07:00

We've been back from holiday almost a week now and I haven't written about it. It was our second anniversary on Monday...and I haven't written about it. I read three books while we were away, have new projects on the go, and none of it has made it to here. And that's not going to change today.

Things are busy here, everyone has deadlines looming, countdowns going and a million things to do. I remember when the summer holidays seemed to stretch ahead long and calm. Today they seem hectic and bursting - and in some ways September will be the calm after the whirlwind. It's a good whirlwind though. Some of the changes are a struggle at the moment but will be good when they come to fruition. We just have to be patient.

In another week we'll be on holiday again - this time with T's family. I'm hoping I will have caught up with myself a bit by then. But if not, everything will be fine anyway.

Book Review: Small Island

2010-08-05T00:50:00.000-07:00

I have been relishing this book for a few weeks now - it's a good, thick, well written one so although the story is compelling I didn't want to devour it too quickly. T chose it and gave it to me for my birthday. I love when he chooses books for me because they are almost always ones I would never have picked up myself but end up really enjoying them.

Small Island is by Andrea Levy, and is set just after the Second World War in England. It is narrated by different characters, each giving their own viewpoints in a series of events that both bring them together and also tear them apart. They also reflect back on their experiences during the war, which explain how they ended up knowing one another, and the complex relationships that have developed.

It is 1948, and Queenie Bligh takes in Jamaican lodgers. Her neighbours disapprove, but her husband Bernard is not back from the war, and she is alone. Gilbert Joseph, having fought in the RAF had high expectations of life as a civilian, as does his wife Hortense, who comes over from Jamaica to join him. However the reality is a long way from their dreams and they struggle to build a life together.

I found this book fascinating as it opened my eyes to the racism experienced by soldiers who had fought with the British throughout the war, and yet were looked upon with suspicion after it. It a long way removed from the society we live in now, where turning someone down for a job because of the colour of their skin would be a shocking and illegal action - yet Gilbert faces this problem repeatedly, and is expected to not only accept it but to understand it.

Small Island is funny, sad, well written and has real depth to its plot and themes. The characters are well developed, and because they each narrate the story, you are able to understand their actions and feelings, and empathise with them even when you may not agree with them. The prizes it has won (Whitbread Book of the Year, and Orange Prize for Fiction) are well deserved and I would not hesitate to recommend it. However, I do wonder if it would be as interesting to someone who is not either British or Jamaican - the story centres so much on the two countries that I would be interested to know if a reader from the US (for example) would enjoy it as much? Let me know if you have read it - I'd love to hear your thoughts.

25 Years

2010-08-03T00:26:00.000-07:00

Today in my parents' silver wedding anniversary. Twenty five years of marriage! Congratulations Mum and Dad!

{The card we will be giving them today.}

Summer Means Books

2010-07-30T00:58:00.000-07:00

For me, the start of summer is my birthday at the end of June. From there is it just a few more weeks until schools break up and holidays start. The weather is already warming, and one of my favourite things is to sit in the shade of a tree with a new book and a cool drink. My birthday also helps with this because I usually get a lovely stack of new books, which I delve into, and try to save for holidays. This year I was given a lovely stack...

{Top to bottom: FlashForward, The Legacy, Redeeming Love, Small Island, The Weight of Silence, Guide to Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly, The Postmistress.}
As we're off on holiday this weekend, for a week in Cornwall, I'm looking forward to getting stuck into my next couple of books, but I fear the stack will be severely diminished by the end of August when we go away again. Any recommendations to add to my summer stack?

Celebrations

2010-07-20T06:21:00.000-07:00

We've been kept occupied the last week with celebrations. T's PhD graduation on Thursday, at which my bag made its debut. We went to a lovely restaurant afterwards and spent the afternoon feeling full, sleepy and happy at his parents' home.

{Marching trumpeters on loan from the Queen for the graduation ceremonies.}
One of the girls I used to live with stayed the weekend which was wonderful, and we spent Saturday at Lulu's wedding, celebrating as she and her lovely new husband got married. The sun shone. Everyone smiled. We played with balloons and caught up with old friends. It was a very happy day.

{Clockwise from top left: Wedding feet, tables, bridesmaid's bouquet, cup of tea, name cards, roses in the courtyard.}

Revealed

2010-07-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

I surprised myself with how quickly this project came together once I got started. I bought the fabric a couple of months ago with this in mind - it caught my eye whilst I was rummaging through the remnants bin. It took me a bit longer to borrow Mum's sewing machine but once we got it home it only took me a couple of spare hours slotted in between jobs and...

I'm looking forward to it's first outing of the summer - T's PhD graduation in just under a week!

Birthday Weekend Photos

2010-07-07T09:01:00.000-07:00

A little late but here they are...

{A walk in the woods.}
{The beautiful garden.}
{A barbeque.}

It was a perfect way to spend my birthday weekend.

June in Pictures

2010-07-05T09:57:00.000-07:00

{Dragonfly on a walk, seagull in Wales, cygnet at Beaumaris castle, feet in the woods, sausages on the beach, wine in the garden, sand sun, Beaumaris castle staircase, sewing project, sunset on Anglesey, birthday tulips from T, raspberry muffins, butterfly, rose, sunset at home, Welsh flag, seahorse, Wales sunset, white rose, shadows pagoda.}

Sneak Peek

2010-06-30T06:21:00.000-07:00

I have a new project starting up. Just like the painting I embarked on at the end of last year, sewing has never really been my thing. But why say "I can't" when an idea has popped in to your head...?

Weekend Plans

2010-06-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

{Taken on a walk last weekend.}
We're going away this weekend to stay with my family. We have three birthdays to celebrate (including mine on Sunday!) and a whole weekend to spend together doing it.

Enjoy the weekend everyone!

Scenes from the Holiday Part 3

2010-06-20T02:19:00.000-07:00

DAY SIX
{A walk at Penrhos Country park - on the beach.}
{In the woods we found these vibrant fuchsia trees.}
{Sunset.}
DAY SEVEN
{A seagull we startled at the beginning of a coast walk.}
{South Stack lighthouse.}
{Anglesey sea is always a beautiful deep blue in the sunshine.}

Scenes from the Holiday Part 2

2010-06-18T05:06:00.000-07:00

DAY THREE
{I went horse riding with one of the girls so photography was a bit limited!}
DAY FOUR
{Waves coming in on the beach.}
{Skimming stones splashing into the water.}
{Blue railings round the local beach front.}
DAY FIVE
{We went to a sea life centre - starfish on the side of a tank.}
{Ray camoflaged in the sand.}
{Seahorse swimming.}
{A swooping ray and his reflection.}
{Fish egg cases - called mermaid's purses.}
Final part coming soon...

Scenes from the Holiday Part 1

2010-06-17T08:53:00.000-07:00

DAY ONE
{Sausages cooking on the beach.}
{The one crab we caught.}
DAY TWO
{Beaumaris castle which we visited.}
{Swans and gorgeous fluffy cygnets in the castle moat.}
{Red benches on the pier.}
{We finished off the day with scones, jam and cream.}

More to come...

Sunset

2010-06-11T00:06:00.000-07:00

{One of my favourite sunsets ever. This was also taken on the boating holiday with my family.}
I hope you have all enjoyed the photos this week. I'm back tomorrow, so this is the last one!

Sunlight

2010-06-10T00:06:00.000-07:00

{A few years ago we went boating with my family. On the last morning we were moored up and I took my tea outside. Across the canal were these horses frolicking in the sunlight.}
I have very fond memories of this holiday - it was when T asked my Dad's permission to ask me to marry him.

The Bluest Blue

2010-06-09T00:05:00.000-07:00

{Last summer, for our anniversary T and I took a picnic and went off on a cliff top walk. We sat down for our lunch and watched the waves come crashing in, and the boats bobbing around in the bay. It was just perfect, and isn't the colour of that sea gorgeous?}.

High as a Kite

2010-06-08T00:05:00.000-07:00

{Another Cornwall photo. We climbed a hill and flew our kite one blustery day last summer. The views were amazing.}

Crabbing

2010-06-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

{People catching crabs off Beaumaris pier. The crabs swarm to this area for the food on the lines - they've obviously learnt that being kept in a bucket for an hour or so is worth it!}

Stepping Stones

2010-06-06T00:01:00.000-07:00

{Last summer we visited Cornwall with my family and found this fantastic stepping stones across a river. The river was tidal so we had to be quick to get across before some of the stones were submerged!}

Lighthouse

2010-06-05T00:06:00.000-07:00

{Lighthouse near Puffin Island.}

Sea, sand...maybe some sun?

2010-06-04T03:05:00.000-07:00

Last year we spent a lovely relaxed week on a boat with some friends. We saw ducklings, herons, herons eating ducklings (that one was traumatic), villages, towns, sun, rain...all as we drifted by. It was a great week.

{Scenes from past last year.}
In fact, it was so good, we're going away with them again. We survived being cooped up together in a boat, so tonight we will be setting off for Anglesey. This year we even have a house. It is so beautiful and I am so excited that tomorrow morning I will be waking up there...

{Scenes from past Wales holidays.}

Have a good week everyone! While I'm away I've set up a few of my favourite holiday photos to appear, so you can all enjoy some beautiful sea, sand and sun too!

Our May in Pictures

2010-06-01T07:39:00.000-07:00

{Sky, feet on a road trip, reflected sky, lily, rose, lemon drizzle cake, dim sum, turtle, clown fish, orange fish, blue fish, terrapin, lots of fish, zebra fish, spaghetti, wine, fish and chips, chopsticks, my Big Blog Card Swap card, herbs, feet, birthday cards, dinner cooking, flowers, fruit smoothies.}

It's been a good month. Hello June...

Catching Up

2010-05-25T08:56:00.000-07:00

The weekend by the sea was just wonderful. It wasn't even a whole weekend, we drove down to Eastbourne on Friday evening. The weather had been sizzling all day, and even the evening as we sat and drank wine, ate dinner and caught up on the last few months of life the heat was still hanging heavily in the air. We got to bed late, and slept til about nine in the morning.

We were visiting E and B. E didn't quite live with me at university but it was close. We always say that she was our almost housemate. She and B got married just before last Christmas. E took us out on the South Downs in the morning for a walk along the cliffs, and then we all met up for a lunch in a pub garden. Then we carried on for another walk along the seafront with ice creams. B had to go, so the three of us wandered along at a leisurely pace before heading back to the flat.

We had dinner and watched Hancock, which if you haven't seen it is really quite funny and a good film. It appeals to boys and girls, and in my book that's a winner. We went home late Saturday, sunburned, tired and happy. The icing on the day was that we drove off into the sunset which was gorgeous and not too blinding for driving. Just perfect.

You may have noticed the lack of photos. I charged the camera battery and then left it at home at the last minute. It's been a long time since I was in a new (oh so pretty place) without my camera. On the one hand it was lovely - I just enjoyed the weekend in the moment, spending time relaxing. On the other hand - I'm a little sad not to have photos of the weekend, and to have missed the chance to take them - no shells, no sand, no waves, no windswept hair, no happy faces. I'll just have to look back on those things in my memory. Until the next time we visit them of course.

This week is busy. After the relaxed weekend (we stayed home on Sunday and listened to the church service online - I have to admit that the sunburn was a little painful!) this week is just go go go. Busy days and evenings, until Friday when we are taking another trip to spend the long weekend with my family. Can't wait!

Sandy Plans

2010-05-21T01:23:00.000-07:00

Today - packing, shopping and tidying. We're heading off to the seaside this weekend to visit some friends, and I can't wait!

Big Blog Card Swap Show and Tell!

2010-05-19T00:22:00.000-07:00

The Big Blog Card Swap is finished now, and hopefully everyone has received and sent their cards! Here are some of the cards people have received, thank you for blogging about them ladies...

Hannelore from Paper, Beads and Inspiration sent this card to Sketchstitch who posted about it here.

{I love the perfect folding of the paper. It's simply lovely.}
Hannelore herself received this sweet card from Hilary at Molly Moo designs.

{That owl is adorable, and it is a lovely touch to include a sticker to seal the envelope.}
Pam received this card from Sarah at DottyDaisies:

{Sarah has used so much recyled stuff in this card - recycled card, sheep poo paper and old catalogues!}
Pam sent one to Myfanwy:

{I love how the flower picture tones with the card, so pretty.}
Sarah, my co-organiser received this card from Helen and posted about it here:

{So creative to mix media and use embroidery in a card design, thanks for the inspiration Helen!}
Kellie sent me this card:

{I love the matching gift tag with this, and that Kellie has used a card which has two flaps opening in the front, so unusual.}
I sent Vicky this card which she posted about here:

{Glad she liked it, I had fun making it!}
Vicky sent Kellie this card:

{This design is from Vicky's anonymity range, I love her style!}

Marice posted about the card she received from Mary at Quite Contrary Crafts here:

{I love that the simplicity of the colours, without embellishments makes the cutout the centre of Mary's designs, it's beautiful.}
Marice also posted about the card she sent Jenny:

{Those buttons are great, I love how the colours tone in this one.}
Jenny and her daughter Dakota get special mentions for being our furthest away participants, they live in New Zealand!

Thank you to everyone who took part and Sarah for being my lovely partner in this. We've had a few requests for another swap so keep your eyes open...!

Squishy, Nemo and the Big Blue

2010-05-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

I met up with some school friends this weekend in London which was great. I'm so terrible at keeping in touch with people so to actually see these girls was fantastic. Although there were a couple of "have we not seen each other since your wedding" moments, it was actually Christmas 2008 the last time I saw some of them. Which is still way too long ago. But anyway, we caught up and it was fun. Five years since our school days. We ate way too much chinese food, giggled our way round the London Aquarium (looking out for the pretty and the weird fish), and then ate five donuts and a huge bag of candyfloss between us while reminiscing about sports day ice creams, Paris and reunions.

The cameras were out in full force in the aquarium so here are some of my favourite fishies...

The jellyfish tanks were lit up with pretty colour changing lights which really made them look lovely. Their movement is so smooth and elegant, they're quite hypnotic to watch...

The sting rays were fun to watch, they would come right to the edges of the tanks so you could see their mouths right under their bodies. I have no idea why this frog was in a sea life centre but his colours and pattern were so bright I couldn't resist including him. Also, he was tiny, about the size of a 50p coin. Assorted other creatures...

{Sting ray, hammerhead shark, fish and light, starfish, spiky fish, seahorse, frog, tank, ray.}
My favourite of all were the two green sea turtles swooping around the main tank. At one point they touched noses as if kissing, and then swished off again to carry on swimming...

They were hard subjects to take photos of - let alone the fact that they're fast, darting here and there, and a lot of the pretty fish are quite small, the lighting was also dim, and the sides of the tanks were sometimes scratched. But it was fun, and I was pleased to get a few good shots - this kind of thing is where being able to take two hundred photos is fantastic. You end up with maybe twenty you love but it is worth it in the end.

RSVP

2010-05-14T00:35:00.000-07:00

We got two wedding invitations in the post last week and so I spent some time on Friday making RSVP cards. I decided to make little cards and used some with apertures that Mum had passed on to me months ago. I trimmed them down a little so they would fit in some small square envelopes (which happened to be left over from the RSVP cards and envelopes we sent out with our invitations!).

I tried to match each one to the wedding invitation and theme. With one that was easy, I know plenty about the wedding, it has a green theme, the invitations had hearts on. Easy peasy.

{Doubling up the hearts adds a bit more interest.}
The other one was slightly harder. It was just a thick sheet of paper with the words printed on. Very simple and classy, giving nothing away before the big day. So I came up with a simple design to use on both, and for the second one just used neutral colours and wedding papers.

{The hearts are punched from a wedding favour box I saved from one of the weddings we went to in December. I love the black and gold together.}

Five Things I am Enjoying Today

2010-05-12T03:46:00.000-07:00

*Collating Big Blog Card Swap posts and photos. It's so exciting and inspiring seeing everyone's handiwork.

*Reading God Is Closer Than You Think by John Ortberg. I'm only one chapter in but I'm loving it already. Yesterday I read these words, "He sends messages through storms and rainbows and earthquakes, he whispers in a still small voice. He speaks...in ordinary things like cooking and small talk, through storytelling...through sports, music, and books, raising kids - all the places where the gravy soaks in and grace shines through." With them in mind every moment, every day, every task, every step is exciting. Reminds me of this verse:

Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
*Flowers on our windowsil. T bought me a bunch on Sunday, pink roses, and orchids which are still opening, and yesterday on a whim we got some reduced price irises to go with them. They go together beautifully.

*Anticipation. I'm looking forward to seeing some school friends this weekend. We have fun things and lots of catching up planned. I am hoping to share colourful photos next week... We have plans for our weekends until halfway through June - seeing family, friends and going on holiday. This is all so exciting (although it does make organising house viewings challenging).

*Chocolate. We are still working our way through our Easter eggs. That's really all there is to say about that. Oh, and dinner guests have been very generous recently bringing boxes of fancy chocolates with them.

What five things are you enjoying today?

Vegetarian? Me?

2010-05-08T00:25:00.000-07:00

Normally, no. I like my meat. So does T. But then I noticed this recipe and it looked so good I had to give it a go. And as I adapted it a little, and remembered to take photos as I went, I'm sharing it. It is simple, cheap, quite quick and very tasty.
Ingredients
{A few torn basil leaves, spaghetti, a clove of garlic, parmesan cheese, tin of chopped tomatoes, a red onion and a small aubergine. Also - olive oil, salt and pepper.}
Step 1
{Chop aubergine into small sticks and fry until soft and golden.}
Step 2: When the aubergine is done put it aside on a plate and season with salt and pepper.

Step 3:
{Chop the onion and garlic, and fry until soft.}
Step 4: Add the tomatoes and simmer for ten minutes. Then add the aubergine back in.

Step 5:
{Serve with spaghetti, sprinkle with grated parmesan and enjoy!}

I Am

2010-05-07T03:24:00.000-07:00

*Waiting waiting waiting. To hear about my course, to see houses, for lunchtime, for holidays, for a result in my country's election. My waiting is active, patient, impatient, trusting and hopeful.

*Making and crafting. I have been working on a couple of cards that will be shared next week. I'm enjoying a couple of new punches I picked up from Tescos. Their craft section is basic but well worth checking out for bargains.

*Cold. And resisting putting the heating on. I am wearing slippers and a thick jumper and I can do without it.

*Reading. For fun I am reading Remember Me by Melvyn Bragg. A friend also lent me God on Mute and God Is Closer Than You Think. I am tentatively dipping my toes into the world of Christian writing and so far I am loving it.

*Looking Forward. To weekend plans with T. The theatre, dinner out, a house viewing, church and seeing friends. Wondering what you wear to the theatre?

{White flowers by the river.}
*Loving. Life, adventures, newness, change, growth, the challenges ahead.

Birthday Round Up

2010-05-03T02:43:00.000-07:00

We're relaxing today after a great weekend of celebrations and fun. We started on Friday with dinner with T's parents. I had made birthday cake, and cooked duck legs for dinner which were lovely. It was a new recipe but it's one we're already looking forward to having again, and it has gone in my book.

{Dinner table, flowers, banner, balloons and cards, wine, present opening, champagne, candles, cake.}
We saw friends on Saturday and went out for dinner for a joint birthday celebration - a lovely meal at a chinese restaurant. Then cake and a walk home in the rain which was more fun than it sounds. Sunday meant church, lunch with just the two of us and then more games and fun with our friends (and some holiday planning thrown in for good measure).

Today we are enjoying our extra day of weekend. The sun is working hard to break through the clouds. Here goes May...

Birthday Blue for my Boy

2010-04-30T00:08:00.000-07:00

{Love you!}

A Splash of Colour

2010-04-29T08:20:00.000-07:00

{From a walk in the park the other day.}

Birthdays and Busy

2010-04-28T01:54:00.000-07:00

This is a week of fun and planning and celebration for us. Friday is T's birthday and we are looking forward to a long weekend (thank you bank holidays!) of family, friends and fun. The party starts when he gets home on Friday.

Before then I have a few secrets to organise, surprises to arrange and a fair bit of shopping. My week got off to a fantastic start with tea and elevenses shared with my Grandad who dropped by on his way home. (Hello, Grandad!)

Our (non birthday) evenings are filled with church business this week, meetings and study groups, prayer sessions and planning. I'm working on the basis that quick and light is best for dinner, especially with the weather warming up. In come the salads, tarts, smoothies and milkshakes that make summer so tasty. This was Monday's dinner, adapted from this recipe with a few mushrooms and a bit of bacon:

It's Wednesday and this week is flying by. What have you been up to?

Book Review: Born Under a Million Shadows

2010-04-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Born Under A Million Shadows is Andrea Busfield's first novel. It is set in Kabul, Afghanistan after the Taliban have withdrawn, and follows a young boy, Fawad and his mother, Mariya. They begin a new life when Mariya gets a housekeeping job for a Western woman, Georgie, and her friends James and May. The book traces the characters as they each seek happiness, and adjust to life together. Although the Taliban no longer rule the streets the shadows of their regime remain, and threaten the lives and freedom of Fawad's friends.

I found this book really interesting. Although it is not as serious or gripping as I was expecting (after reading other books set in Afghanistan), it is full of conversations and events that made me think. From Fawad trying to understand the ways of the Western women, to the adult relationships that he always finds slightly baffling, the loyalty to their country and faith shown by the Afghan characters and the message of hope and renewal that comes through the novel as a whole - it all adds up to a very interesting read.

One of my favourite things about the book is the way that Fawad's religious views come across. He is Muslim, as are all the Afghan characters, and the way that Busfield has made this such a major part of his character, his thoughts constantly turning to it, his efforts to act in line with his beliefs, is very well done. I liked that it wasn't just thrown in as an afterthought - it was clear that the author understood the impact the faith has on a person's life.

I also liked the juxtaposition of the Western and Afghan characters. The story is narrated soley by Fawad so they Westerners are often viewed with a certain amount of trepidation and bemusement - but I like the relationships that develop. Although Fawad struggles to understand them at times, this is not allowed to stand in the way of friendship.

Born Under A Million Shadows is a perfect book to take on holiday, for when you have the time to savour it, but don't want your mood dragged down by something too heavy. It's light reading but has depth to it as well. I'm sure I will read it again, and in paperback it is even light enough to stick in your bag for a picnic in the park or a day on the beach.

{Note: Macmillan US sent me a free review copy of this book but this has had no impact on the content of this review - except to say thank you to them!}

Painting - A Castle in the Sky

2010-04-26T02:03:00.000-07:00

I'm really enjoying painting at the moment. Every now and again an idea starts to appear in my mind and it's fun making it appear in real life. Of course sometimes it doesn't work out quite how I picture it - I have one abandoned painting on top of the bookcase that I really should get back to and fix sometime soon. And I had originally started painting some flowers on this canvas, but they weren't working so I started again.

{A castle in the sky.}
The sky/sea in the background is a bit lumpy from the first painting I started and then abandoned but overall I was happy with how it came out.

Sunshine Saturday

2010-04-25T02:12:00.000-07:00

Waffles for breakfast. A long walk.

{Huge mossy tree stump.}
{Bluebells and tree stump.}
{Bluebell stem.}
{Padlock on gate post.}
{Cherry tree blossom.}
{Twisty branch silohetted against the sky.}
{Flowers by the river.}
Back home for phone calls to family. Snuggling on the sofa all evening.

Book Review: Night Train to Lisbon

2010-04-23T02:08:00.000-07:00

Night Train to Lisbon is the third novel of Pascal Mercier, and was originally written in German. Sometimes you can tell when reading a book in translation that it is not in the language it was created for - with The Elegance of the Hedgehog, I could tell from the first chapter. However, in Night Train to Lisbon I didn't notice that it was a translation until the end, meaning that this doesn't distract from the novel at all.

It centres around a German teacher called Raimund Gregorius, living in Bern, Switzerland. Gregorius' life is repetitive, and safe, and yet a chance encounter with a Portuguese woman shakes him out of his monotonous life. He walks out of his class, and ends up in a bookshop where he finds a book of essays by a Portuguese author, Amadeu de Prado. Setting off on an impulsive trip to Lisbon to find out more about the writer and his life, he meets a number of people connected to Prado and gradually finds out more and more about his life - as a doctor, brother, friend, resistance worker and philosopher. Delving into the past he looks back on his own life, the choices he has made, the relationships he has forged and lost, and wonders at what a man's potential really is.

I found this book hard work at first. Gregorius seems a dry, rather unemotional character, and it was hard to get attached to him. My overwhelming feeling towards him was pity, that his life seemed so joyless and empty. However, his interactions with the people in Lisbon, those who knew and clung to Amadeu de Prado, his compassion for them, makes him a far more likeable figure. He has the distance of an outsider, and releases them from the past by listening and asking, and finally, seeing what they cannot.

Amadeu de Prado is much easier to be interested in. He is fiery, passionate, pursues ideas with all he has, and engages in complex lifelong relationships with others. The contrast between Prado, and the man obsessed with his life, is one of the most fascinating aspects of the novel.

Part of the reason I found Night Train to Lisbon hard work was that it is narrated by Gregorius the whole way through. He is a thoughtful, considering figure, not an action hero. I could feel the distance between him and the other characters and needed to leave the book every few chapters to be in a more lively world. It's not a light beach read or even one to cosy up with in bed. It takes thought and effort. However, it is worth persevering with, and it is rewarding when you finish it.

Overall I would recommend this to someone looking for a thought-provoking book. I can certainly see myself going back to it as I'm sure there is more to it than I got from the first read. This book has depth, and is well worth your time, just don't expect it to be easy.

Let the Card Making Commence!

2010-04-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

The Big Blog Card Swap is now closed! Thank you to everyone who signed up, we will be drawing partners soon and will let you know asap! Cards should be sent by Thursday the 6th of May - that is two weeks from now. So get creating!

This Week

2010-04-21T04:35:00.001-07:00

- We had pancakes to start Lazy Saturday. Maple syrup or lemon and sugar?

{Pancakes English style.}
- Then we scrapped Lazy Saturday in favour of Long Walk in the Sun Saturday. The world is beautiful.

{Blossom close up, blossom on tree, orange stems, tree and blue sky, leaves and sunlight, daffodils.}
- We ate our first ice creams of the year.

{Ninety-nine.}
- The sun dazzled me into thinking flip flips were a good choice for work. They were. Leaving my cardigan at home was not a good choice. Summer hasn't quite arrived yet.

{Bare feet.}
- The spring leaves are bursting out in the trees by our house.

- I have been trampolining, walking, laughing, painting, cleaning, making cards and reading. I have been planning holidays, dinners, birthdays, days out and house visits. This week will be great.

Birthday Sparkles

2010-04-18T00:38:00.000-07:00

I was so excited last week when one of my school friends came to stay. And it was so lovely to spend two days talking and laughing and catching up.

I remember giggling through lessons, trying our hands at volunteering. Playing cards in study sessions. Snowball fights. A group of us travelled to Paris after school finished. We met up throughout university, took in the sights of London and threw sweets around. She was a bridesmaid at our wedding. And today is her birthday!

{Paris trip.}
Happy Birthday Shiv! Thanks for coming to visit and for all the fun!

Postal Joy

2010-04-17T07:21:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, a lovely lady from the US Macmillan office sent me an email. She was offering me a review copy of a new book they have out - Born Under A Million Shadows by Andrea Busfield.

Of course I jumped at the chance. And about a week ago, it arrived. Now I am currently absorbed in Night Train to Lisbon by Pascal Mercier (review coming) so I haven't even started it yet.

But on first glance - the blurb looks interesting, the cover is pretty and I love that the title is in all those colours. Having recently read A Thousand Splendid Suns, I'm looking forward to another book set in Afghanistan - and I think the "crackling wit" promised on the back cover will be very welcome.

Check back for my review coming in the next month!

Carrot Cake

2010-04-15T06:54:00.000-07:00

Carrot cake is something I've wanted to try making for a long time, and when I saw this recipe from the Pioneer Woman, I had to give it a go. She includes a lot of pretty pictures of the process, but I ran into a bit of trouble as it's all in "american" - cups, sticks of butter, all-purpose flour. However - T gave me some measuring cups for Christmas, and I had google to back me up so I was good to go.

I've even "translated" it for my UK readers. Because, trust me - this recipe is worth making...

For the cake:
400g white caster sugar
225g vegetable oil
4 eggs
255g plain flour
½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 medium sized carrots, grated

Mix the sugar, oil and eggs together. When the mixture is smooth add
the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix well and then add the
carrot.

Heat the oven to 175 degrees centigrade. Grease and line a baking
tray. Pour the mixture in and bake for about 25 minutes.

Let it cool for about ten minutes, then run a knife round the edge of
the tin. Tip the cake out on to a wire rack. Ice when cooled.

For the topping:
100g butter (softened)
200g cream cheese
400g icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
100g pecans

Blend all the ingredients together and spread on top of the cake.

Cut into squares and enjoy!

Side note: whilst making this, I was chatting online to a school friend. When you add the carrot the batter goes pink rather than orange and I wanted to show her via my laptop webcam. I very nearly poured cake mixture all over the keyboard of the laptop. Please, please don't be like me. Keep the computer at a safe distance from the cake mix, ok?

Simple Sunday

2010-04-12T02:34:00.000-07:00

T made waffles and apple juice for breakfast, which we followed up with church. For lunch we tried out a new recipe. We made enough for two meals and froze the leftovers for another day. I love doing that, it feels so organised.

After church and lunch we went for a walk in the sunshine. Look at this beautiful world.

{Cherry blossom, wall and daffodils, daffodils, snowdrops.}
If you missed it, click through to the Big Blog Card Swap post - and please join us! Even if you don't think you're very crafty, it's always good to challenge yourself with something new! I had a question from roy - she asked, "Do you put a mesage in the card or leave it blank?" My idea was that you should leave the card blank so that the recipient can enjoy it and then send it on to someone else to enjoy. But it would be lovely to include a note from yourself too - maybe with the link to your own blog?

Today: crafting for a church community event, tidying the house, booking a house viewing and getting set for a busy week. Let's fly!

Introducing...

2010-04-08T00:02:00.000-07:00

The Big Blog Card Swap!
Over the last week I have been chatting and emailing with Sarah from Wrapped Up With String. She posted a mini review of Craftrak and it got us thinking - why not organise our own bloggers card swap?

If you make cards, or want to - we'd love for you to join us. All you have to do is send your name and address to bigblogcardswap@gmail.com by midday (GMT) on Thursday the 22nd of April. Then we will draw the names and will email you the name and address of someone else. You make a card. You send it to them (by Thursday 6th May). They send one to someone else and someone else sends one to you. It's like a big card sending circle of bloggers.

The idea is to share inspiration and ideas so hopefully at the end we'll be able to collate some pictures or posts of different people's cards.

So - if you want to get involved, please email us! If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments here. If you want to share this with your own readers, please post the info on your own blog, linking back to here or Sarah's blog.

Finally, we totally promise not to give your info out to anyone outside the Big Blog Card Swap. That would be rude. And we're not rude, we're lovely. So join in!

Four Days

2010-04-07T03:25:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely weekend with my parents and sisters. The two extra days made it feel like a proper holiday - golf, tea, chocolate, church, Doctor Who, chats in our pyjamas, murder mysteries, computer games - and these highlights...

We had fun at home:

{Croissants and pain au chocolat, board games, birthday cake and craft.}
We walked around the garden:

{Flowers.}
We went out for a birthday lunch:

{Cheesecake, duck salad, creme brulee, fish and chips, sea view, lamb shank.}
We visited a ruined castle:

{Castle fun.}

Cheep Cheep

2010-04-04T00:07:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter everyone! Have a wonderful weekend!

Living Room Date

2010-03-31T03:30:00.000-07:00

{Vegetables, chicken, gravy, wine, empty plates, candles.}

Happy Birthday Dad!

2010-03-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

It's my Dad's 50th birthday today, and although we're not with him, we'll be celebrating at the weekend. (Oh, and although he's 50 - he was still being mistaken for my "older brother" at our wedding a year and a half ago. Not bad, Dad!)

I just wanted to tell you how great he is. When I was five he read me The Hobbit as a bedtime story for months and months. And he did all the voices. My sense of humour comes straight from him. He makes fantastic cups of tea, and he has inspired me to invest time and energy in plants and gardening. He grew these:

Flowers from the garden.
Between them, he and Mum have given me a wonderful example of being best friends in a marriage. They taught me about God, and always made me feel good about my achievements. He taught me to ride a bike, to swim, and took me hiking (or riding his motorbike) up hills to watch the sunrise.

Up a hill, watching the sunrise.
Happy Birthday, Dad. You're awesome. Love you, see you soon.

New Week, New Look

2010-03-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

We had a good weekend here. Nothing much planned except time together and relaxing, which led to a bit of team work sorting out the new look. Hope you like.

Have a bright and happy Monday everyone!

Book Review: The Elegance of the Hedgehog

2010-03-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

I actually finished this about a week ago but have been putting off writing my review because I couldn't quite work out my thoughts. However, as a few people have specifically requested a review, I am finally giving myself a kick and here it is. Oh, and yes, I did pick it purely because the title is lovely.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog is written by Muriel Barbary, orginally in French. As my French skills are basic (which is being generous), I read it in the English translation by Alison Anderson. The novel is jointly narrated by Renee, a concierge in a Paris apartment building filled with rich people, and Paloma, a twelve year old girl, living with her family in one of these apartments. They are both highly intelligent - Renee hides her intellectual capabilities behind the facade of being a "typical concierge", and Paloma, scornful of the shallowness she sees in her family and neighbours, plans to commit suicide and burn down her parents' apartment on her thirteenth birthday. A new inhabitant, Monsieur Ozu sees right through Renee's mask, and the two begin a friendship based on great appreciation for art and literature. Simultaneously, both get to know Paloma better and the three become friends.

I found the beginning of the novel extremely dull - I struggled through the first third of the book before all of a sudden it became fascinating and I couldn't put it down. At first I thought this was frustrating and badly done - the reader is made to work so hard to get through the first section, which is full of pontificating and pretension. Then I realised that the book reflects the lives of Renne and Paloma - at first they are trudging through, desperately looking for moments of beauty and profundity. It is only when Monsieur Ozu arrives in their lives (and in the book) that action is forced, there suddenly seems to be light and life in everything. So, frustrating as it was to have to struggle though the beginning (and I wouldn't blame anyone for giving up on the book) - it is worth it.

The main characters I found to be a little odd, but somehow their developing relationships made them understandable and likeable. However I thought the secondary characters were characatures, and not very believable. On the other hand, maybe that was deliberate - they are shallow, and have no depth, and that is reflected in how they are described and portrayed. I haven't read many books set in Paris, and found that aspect of it interesting.

The ending (which I won't give away), I thought was unnecessary and I was a little disappointed by it - but you'll have to read it yourself and let me know your thoughts.

In conclusion - I do think this is worth reading, but it's not one of my favourite books of all time. It's the kind of book that is stuffed full of essay material - I can appreciate it, coming from an English Lit degree, but it might not be everyone's cup of tea. If you're looking for an easy read, this isn't for you - if you're wanting something a bit challenging in writing style, this could be it.

Comings, Goings and Changes

2010-03-25T09:54:00.000-07:00

New things are starting everywhere I look, friends are having babies, getting engaged and moving house. One (relatively new) friend left to go home to Italy today, which meant a joyously tearful and laughter filled goodbye lunch at work. Afterwards, as I walked up the hill to my other work, I started thinking about comings and goings and new beginnings (timely, as Easter is just around the corner).

Spring is well and truly arriving around here, and is sweeping winter into yesterday. We had days too warm and sunny to even carry a coat, which tricked me in to not taking a coat to work today - cue grey clouds and heavy downpour. The daffodils are blooming and the bulbs by our front door are growing fast.

This year feels like the beginning of so many things - we may buy our own home, I will be starting a new course, and my sister will be starting university. At the moment there is a lot of uncertainty, especially for her - not knowing where she will be spending the next few years. I remember that feeling. If you're anything like me (and she is), you like to think ahead, prepare yourself and plan - and right now, she's only able to do that in the broadest way. It's a time to both cling to what you have, savouring the moments, and also to take a deep breath to step out into the next stage. She'll do fine. It's in these times of unsteadiness, where everything in the world feels flimsy and out of reach, that we learn to depend on God the most.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens" Ecclesiastes 3 v.1

Life Update

2010-03-21T11:35:00.000-07:00

We've been lucky enough to share quite a few dinners with friends and family recently. Some of them are people we see almost every week at church and yet never really catch up with, and we've really been appreciating the time to spend together. Today we had friends over and even managed to get out after lunch for a walk in the sunshine and a long chat which was lovely.

We've been making plans for the future as well. Looking at various houses, thinking about buying our own place. It's such an exciting idea, and something we'd both love to do. Our current place has been perfect, but we would love to get started on decorating and furnishing our own place - somewhere with a garden and room for our little family to grow. It's a daunting prospect - whichever house we decide to commit to won't be perfect and there will be things that we can't change about it. Equally, it's such an exciting adventure to be starting out on.

I've been offered a place on a masters course next year, which I'm really excited about. It's great to have a plan. The only possible hitch is that it is quite a small course so I'm just praying they will have enough people signed up to run it.

I'm loving my childminding job - I've been looking after three children for a family from church. They are wonderful kids and so much fun. I've had some lovely conversations with them, especially when reading with the littlest one. And the older two make fantastic hot chocolates.

I have so many dreams in my mind at the moment - houses and decorating, craft and painting, dates and trips, studying and business. I also have a lot to look forward to and be excited about.

Life is good and it is exciting to think about what is coming. I feel like we're rounding a corner and bits and pieces of the future are coming into view. It might all change, and that's fine but sometimes the glimpses are reassuring and tantalising.

Castles in the Air

2010-03-19T03:49:00.000-07:00

As part of my art/book project last week I wanted to do some painting. And it kind of hijacked the project, meaning that it took me about ten days instead of five, and I only actually produced two bits of art. I finally finished the painting last night and now it's time to share again.

The book is Little Women, an old favourite I rediscovered last summer, and these two pages are where the girls are discussing their dreams, and how they want their lives to turn out - what they call their "castles in the air". Some of them change what they are aiming for, others achieve what they hope for. And as I painted, I came up with my own castle. Just a little one. But one day I would like our own house. And in that house I'm dreaming of a wall of bookshelves. A little like this one:

Only more full of books. But like in this picture, it will also have photo frames, and vases, and sections that will break it up and make it look pretty. And in one of those sections, I'm going to put my painting. And that, lovely readers, is my castle in the air.

Book Review: Handle With Care

2010-03-16T00:23:00.000-07:00

Handle With Care is Jodi Picoult's 16th novel, and follows her usual themes of family, relationships and making difficult choices. I choose to take a break from the more challenging The Elegance of the Hedgehog while we were away in Devon so took this one with me instead. Jodi Picoult's books do centre around challenging dilemmas and issues which is why I often find them so interesting, but in writing style it is a lot simpler than Muriel Barbary's work, so it was a bit more relaxing to read.

Handle With Care focuses on a family whose five year old daughter (Willow) has brittle bone disease. The medical bills are getting too much for them to cope with but they are offered a way of paying for her care and providing for her future by suing their OB for "wrongful birth". The idea is that Willow's condition should have been diagnosed earlier and her mother, Charlotte, would then have had the option of aborting the pregnancy earlier. The case is complicated by the fact that the OB in question is Charlotte's best friend (Piper), and that Willow's father, Sean, doesn't support the lawsuit. Throughout the case, the two families go through ups and downs, get pulled apart and fight to work out what the "right choice" is.

Although I did enjoy the book and found it interesting, I don't think it is one of Picoult's best. I've read quite a few of her others - Mercy, Plain Truth, Perfect Match, My Sister's Keeper, Vanishing Acts, Nineteen Minutes and Change of Heart - and I was a little disappointed by this one. It is still readable and interesting, and I still like the way you get the story told from so many different characters' viewpoints, you see how each person is dealing with the situation. However, I don't think it was that compelling a dilemma. The book twisted the ideas to make Charlotte's choice it appear more awful than it actually should have been. I think the ending was obvious but with a twist that seemed just there for the sake of being a twist, just to shock the reader. If you've never read Picoult before, I wouldn't start with this book - try My Sister's Keeper or Plain Truth instead. If you are a fan of Picoult, you might like to try this one for yourself anyway.

Smile Saturday

2010-03-13T01:48:00.000-08:00

These flowers have been making me smile for a few days now. Yellow roses and purple tulips make this girl feel very sparkly. Happy weekend everyone!

Art Challenge - Day 2

2010-03-11T12:27:00.000-08:00

A busy Thursday today, so I thought I'd share one of my favourite projects with you, in keeping with the book/art/making theme. This is my recipe book, started shortly after we got married.

Some of the recipes are from my Mum. This one is an old favourite that reminds me of home, and is in my opinion the best fruit cake recipe ever.

This one is from T's Mum, and is the only recipe in the book I've never actually made. I love this dessert when she makes it and I'm worried that if I make it sucessfully I'll eat it every week and end up too round to leave the house.

This one was discovered at university, passed from person to person in our church and friendship group.

Some are from friends. This one was made for us on a great holiday we took last year, and after tasting it I had to add it to the book.

Some are very short, and don't really need to be written down, but I like having them in there. It's not just a reminder of the ingredients, quantities and method, sometimes it's just good for inspiration.

A few of them have pictures. This recipe is from the internet, and one I've shared before.

So that's my BOOK for today - a growing collection of memories and inspiration. Do you have a recipe I should try out and maybe add to the book?

Art Challenge - BOOK

2010-03-11T00:00:00.000-08:00

Once again, my eye has been caught by one of Kal's arty challenges. This one is called Art 5 days - 5 ways. You pick a word - mine is BOOK. And then interpret it in a different arty way for the next 5 (week) days. If you were going to do the challenge (and please tell me if you do!), what would your word be?

Yesterday was Day 1 and as I found some chalk while tidying up I decided to make that the first medium. I'm not very good at drawing, and don't do it very often, but as the point of the challenge is trying things out I gave it a go anyway...

{The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, Red Lotus and Her Fearful Symmetry}

Devon Heaven

2010-03-10T02:00:00.000-08:00

We just spent a lovely long weekend in Devon, and had some beautiful sunshine, which meant lots and lots of photo taking. So here are some of my highlights of the weekend...

The sunrise on Saturday morning.

We went for a long walk along the coast. The hills were pretty steep but once you got to the top, the views were amazing. I love how the iron in the soil not only makes the cliffs look red, but the shallow water near their base looks pink.

Over the years, people have carved all sorts of names, dates, pictures and messages into the soft rock of the cliff. The earliest one we spotted was from 1946. This area is called the Jurassic coast, because the rocks and fossils found date it back that far.

There is so much history here, and I love that you can see the marks that people have made on the coastline too. I guess it could be called vandalism, but to me it looked much more like art.

Our cottage was a converted barn, and so lovely for two people. We had a kitchen with an aga (which was lovely to stand by when you got back from a chilly walk), a big living room on the second floor, and up a small flight of stairs from that was the bedroom with stargazing windows. It was so fun to lie in bed and let your eyes adjust to the darkness, gradually watching the stars appear. My favourite area though was this little nook, which came off the living room and faced over the valley.

On Sunday morning we took our breakfast there to eat, and it was just perfect, watching the birds swoop over the hills, with the sun streaming in the windows whilst eating croissants and drinking tea.

It was a perfect, beautiful weekend - and although it was just four days, it was so relaxing, and readied us both for some busy weeks to come.

Book Review: A Thousand Splendid Suns

2010-02-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Brief overview: A Thousand Splendid Suns is written by Khaled Hosseini and set in Afghanistan over a period of about thirty years. It focuses on two characters, Mariam, who is given away to marry a man thirty years older than her, and Laila whose life and hopes for the future are ripped apart by the war and turmoil in her country. The two women's lives converge, and they become close friends, before trying to take the future into their own hands, a dangerous goal in Taliban controlled Afghanistan where women must wear burqas and be accompanied by a male relative at all times.

I loved this book. I don't know a lot about Afghanistan, despite the media focus on it in the last decade, so from that point of view it was interesting. What I really liked was that it shows so many aspects of relationships and human interaction - the jealousy, rivalry and shame alongside loyalty, love, courage and compassion.

I'd wanted to read this since reading The Kite Runner and I wasn't disappointed. If anything, I liked it more - it was more open, less about pride and honour, more about love and friendship. It was less harrowing, more beautiful. It does still have difficult themes, but it's the struggle and the overcoming of obstacles that makes this story, that earns its ending. The fact that it is set in a real place, describing fictional characters enduring real events, that have probably been endured by real people is hard to read but it does reveal the human side of a very politicised conflict, making it all the more thought provoking.

In Process

2010-02-24T05:57:00.000-08:00

A Thousand Splendid Suns was mentioned by a few of you in the comments on my last post so I've started reading it. Thank you everyone who left some thoughts! I read The Kite Runner (also by Khaled Hosseini) a few months ago and thought it was really good - although very harrowing (exactly the right word Hannah!) and difficult to read. A great book but I'm not sure I could say I enjoyed reading it.

A review will come in the next week I think. The next one on the list is The Elegance of the Hedgehog, so I should be able to let you know my thoughts on that one soon Amy! In the meantime if you have any books to recommend, please let me know, I am always looking for new reads to fall in love with.

The Current Stack

2010-02-19T04:01:00.000-08:00

It's been book week around here lately. I just finished reading The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt. It was ok. In my list of all books I've ever read it comes below The Children's Book, a very long way below The Time Traveler's Wife, and far far above White Teeth.

It was interesting but not gripping. I didn't really care what happened in the end, and sometimes it was hard to follow - you'd read a conversation and then find out that one of the participants has been dead twenty years and it's all in the other person's head. It was a bit too pleased with being clever for my liking. Which makes it sounds awful and it wasn't at all. I did like the deatils of everyday life, the forays into the past and how the characters got to where they are. Those things gave it a bit of depth. So not great but not bad either. If you get a chance to read it and the blurb interests you, I'd say go for it - otherwise I wouldn't bother seeking it out.

Anyway, on to the main point of this post. This is my current stack of books to be read:

{Top to bottom: Night Train to Lisbon, The Piano Teacher, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Remember Me, A Most Wanted Man, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Her Fearful Symmetry.}
So my questions - which should I read next? Have you read any of them and what were your thoughts? Or do you have any recommendations to add to the stack?

Book Review: The Children's Book

2010-02-16T08:44:00.000-08:00

I liked The Children's Book (by A.S. Byatt) a lot. For a number of reasons...

1. It was so densely packed with characters and storylines - they all intermingled with the same level of complication you get in real life with real people. There was growing up, love, death, secrets, war, peace, pain, loss, birth, joy, art, history, writing, travel, girls, boys, the old and the young.

2. It's thick. It took me a couple of weeks to read. There was time to get to know the characters, and to get interested in their lives.

3. It's pretty. It's blue and gold and pretty.

4. It wasn't predictable. Again like life, some people did what you'd expect, others not at all. I didn't see the events unfolding before they'd started.

5. There is an undercurrent of bohemian artsy creativeness. There are writers, potters, jewellery makers and painters. But there are also bankers, feminists, doctors, teachers and maids. And they're all fascinating.

These are just a few of the reasons I'd recommend this book. Have you read it? Did you like it?

Tonight

2010-02-15T13:13:00.000-08:00

Chocolate, a blanket, this film and me.

Days of Love

2010-02-14T00:34:00.000-08:00

Did you know in Norfolk, a character called Jack Valentine knocks on the back door of houses and leaves sweets and presents for children? Or that in Sweden Valentine's Day is called Alla hjärtans dag which means All Hearts' Day?

And in Korea the 14th of every month marks a love-related day - Candle Day, Valentine's Day, White Day, Black Day, Rose Day, Kiss Day, Silver Day, Green Day, Music Day, Wine Day, Movie Day, and Hug Day.

Friday Flowers

2010-02-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

I've been neglecting things around here lately. For many reasons. And we're visiting family this weekend so I'm leaving you with some pretty flowers. T bought me a bouquet two weekends ago out of the blue and on Monday I decided that as some of them were fading a little I'd split them up around the house. So here they are!

Have a good weekend however you're spending it!

Sunday Sunrise

2010-02-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

Too beautiful not to share. All credit for this goes to T who woke up early enough to see it, and then woke me up to share.

Playing Catch Up

2010-02-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Oh Monday whirlwind! I'm trying to fit in more than there is time for today. I wanted to get my Green January photos posted -

I wanted to play along with Elise and Kal's second GoVenture - the prompt for today was WANDER. It reminded me of two poems - Wordsworth's I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud and Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken. I loved taking part in the challenges last year - but today was too busy. I threw on laundry before I left this morning, washed up our breakfast dishes, dashed out to Monday prayer meeting at work before the activity of the day set in. Tomorrow's prompt is INVISIBLE. Hoping that I will have something to show tomorrow though.

Last year's Monday prompt was "Green and Dizzy" which fits very well with my January photos.

Moments of Days

2010-01-29T03:48:00.000-08:00

As I walked to work yesterday the smell of woodsmoke hung in the air.

The sunlight was pale and gave the world a whitewashed glow.

T pointed out raindrops on bare tree branches that gave them the look of being covered in hundreds of tiny fairy lights.

Rain is dotting on my window panes. I got up to take a photo and saw a turquoise van parked outside. I snapped just fast enough.

Only minutes later the sun is out radiating warm light over the soaked ground.

A cup of tea and a chocolate muffin are my next stop before I start working on new creations and inventions.

January was made up of small moments. It was a gentle introduction to this year, which is already filling up with holidays and plans, beginnings and endings. The big things explode into our lives but sometimes it's the small moments that give life its magic and glitter. What moments have been making your days sparkle?

Double Chocolate Chip Muffins

2010-01-28T03:38:00.000-08:00

I made these muffins on Monday evening, and as we've been enjoying them so much it seemed only fair to share them with all of you...

Melt
- 110g of butter (1/2 cup or one stick)

Then add
- 75g of caster sugar (3/4 cup of superfine sugar)
- 2 eggs
- 225ml of milk
- 1tsp vanilla extract
and mix it all together.

Then add the dry ingredients
- 275g of plain flour (2 cups of all purpose flour)
- 4tbsp of cocoa powder (1/4 cup)
- 4 level tsp of baking powder
and stir everything together. It'll be quite lumpy but that's ok.

Then the best bit - throw in 100g of white chocolate chips (I think this is about one cup - of chocolate drops) and 100g of milk or plain chips.

{It's good to eat a few of the chocolate chips at this point.}
Then divide the mixture between about twelve muffin cases and bake at 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for about 25 minutes. Wait for them to cool a little and then enjoy!

{This picture is actually from last March, this time we were busy eating them.}

Something Old, Something Blue

2010-01-26T01:25:00.000-08:00

When we moved into our current house, it came unfurnished, and coming from student houses we didn't have much to fill it with. Which meant that when kind relatives offered us bits and pieces of furniture we weren't too picky. One of the items we ended up with was a very compact old set of drawers that had for years been in the Chemistry department where T's mum works. They were battered and worn, but functional and for about a year have been a good home to craft bits, stationery and table mats. But then I decided they needed a bit of attention so last weekend we spent some time in our garage, sanding, washing and painting our oldest piece of furniture. We were really pleased with the result so I thought I'd share the fruits of our labour with you!

{I forgot to take "before" photos so these are post sanding ones}

{Work in progress}

{The finished product!}
And the best bit? We now have the perfect place for that beautiful blue bowl to stand. I'm a happy lady today.

Colour Splash

2010-01-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love how flowers make a place feel homely? I picked up these tulips while out doing jobs the other day and every time I see them they make me feel cosy and happy.

What do you do to make your home beautiful and welcoming?

Green January

2010-01-19T00:14:00.000-08:00

Last night I was sorting and tagging some of my photos. And on a whim I went through and tagged some where a particular colour jumped out at me. And then I tried grouping them by colours and was struck by the range of shades and colours I'd found. So I thought, as a photographic project for this year I'd try to give each month a photo theme, something particular to try out or look for as I go. As January is half over, I'm going to give it an easy theme - Green. And I've collected together some of my greenest photos so far to show you what I'm going on about:

Green is new and fresh, perfect for a not-very-old-year. I'll post some more green pictures in a couple of weeks.

Who showed you how to work the needles?*

2010-01-16T13:04:00.000-08:00

In my current spirit of trying new things, I stopped by a charity shop on Friday and bought myself a new hobby. The lady behind the counter was very helpful and encouraging in the face of my cluelessness and I went away with a smile on my face, a bag of blue wool and a pair knitting needles. (I'm pretty sure real knitters don't put their new wool on the floor to take photos but I have years more photography than knitting behind me so I did.)

Next stop was this website to refresh my memory - the last time I tried to knit was when I was about six or seven. It took a few goes, but I'm getting the hang of the rhythm now. Poke, loop, hook, pull, slip, poke, loop, hook, pull, slip.

After a phone conversation with my mum this afternoon I have decided that after I learn casting off, I should try pearl stitch. Oh and that my sister also knits and is part way through a scarf. She can be my instructress if the website fails me on pearl-ing. So far I have learned not to make the stitches to tight as it makes it very hard when you get to the next row? Does anyone have any knitting tips for me?

*Kudos to anyone who can tell me which film the title of this post is a quotation from.

Look! A New Look...

2010-01-14T10:39:00.000-08:00

I didn't intend to give my blog a makeover this evening. It just kind of evolved. I'll just change this...and this...and this. And then T came home and helped me change all the things I wanted to but was struggling with. I will do some more tweaking over the next couple of weeks...so watch this space. But right now it's time to eat so I'm stopping. Let me know if you like it (or if you don't, try to be kind), or if you have any problems with it and I'll try and fix them.

I Can

2010-01-11T01:59:00.000-08:00

Last September I set myself a few goals, one of which was to start (and finish) a painting I'd had in my mind for a while. I love making and creating things but I'm not very good at finishing them - often they get put aside when life gets too busy, or another projects captures my imagination. Which is why it's taken me four months to finish a painting that admittedly is not complicated or very detailed. But this week I did finish it, and here it is:

These are some of the "work in progress" shots:

My main creative outlets are photography, cooking and collage-type books and cards. I wouldn't class myself as artistic - I definitely know my limits when it comes to drawing and painting skill. But last autumn I wanted to try to push those limits a little, and to not be afraid to try things I think I'm bad at. And I was pleased (four months later) when I did finally finish this project. So this year, I'm going to try to push my self-identified limits a little more, in all areas of life. And we'll see what happens.

Do you have areas of your life you impose restrictions on by saying "I can't"? Or have you said "I can" to something and surprised yourself?

The Big Freeze

2010-01-08T00:43:00.000-08:00

Over Christmas and into the New Year we had an unusual amount of snow for the south of England. As I mentioned, we have enjoyed it with walks and playing in the snow. I'm not sure these ducks we spotted just before Christmas would have been appreciating it quite as much though...

and I'm sure the birds in my in-laws' garden were pretty miffed when they discovered their bird bath frozen over...

New Year Holiday Memories

2010-01-07T04:12:00.000-08:00

It was so great to see my half of our family. We saw (almost) every aunt, uncle, grandparent and cousin I have which was quite an achievement and a testament to my Mum's fantastic organisational and hosting skills. We played games, talked and laughed and ate lots of cakes. On New Years Eve it was just the six of us, and in a break with family tradition (maybe to become a new tradition as it was so much fun) we stayed up, made colourful cocktails and gave it a bit of sparkle with some indoor fireworks. A perfect way to start 2010!

Holiday Memories

2010-01-06T03:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas for us started with T's grandma's chocolate birthday cake...

Then snow fell...

So we made a snowman, threw snowballs, stamped out a heart, made a snow angel and played frisbee with the frozen water from the bird bath. We drank hot tea, snuggled by the log fire, decorated the tree, iced a cake, played games, did crosswords, ate plenty, gave presents and went to church.

It was a Christmas of firsts for me - first turkey, first time away from my family, first snowy Christmas, first martini, first flaming pudding with coins in. This new part of my family have different traditions, different routines, and it was fun finding out a little about how T's childhood Christmasses would have gone.

We also went for a walk and ended up at this beautiful frozen lake, it was magical...

New Year round up coming up soon...

Black and White

2009-12-29T00:25:00.000-08:00

I spent some time a while ago experimenting with black and white on some of my photos. I love how moody it makes things look. One day I want to have a wall of our photos - friends, places, whatever - all in black and white in black frames.

Books of Oh Nine

2009-12-24T00:28:00.000-08:00

I love books. That's not a secret. I love that they are new worlds, make us think, introduce us to wonderful characters. I love that when a book is finished pieces of it stay with me and flash into my mind in the days, weeks, (if it's really good) months and years afterwards.

These are the books I loved this year:

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Schaffer - about friendship, love, loyalty and joy in the little things even when life is a struggle. Reviewed here.

The Grace Outpouring by Roy Godwin and Dave Roberts - a non-fiction book, stuffed with stories of God moving and working in a retreat centre in Wales. Totally inspirational.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott - an old favourite but my sister gave me a beautiful copy for my birthday. It has gold edged pages. I'm a sucker for a pretty book - I am a firm believer of judging books by their covers.

What did you read this year that stayed with you? What made it so special?

Look Through the Window

2009-12-22T00:19:00.000-08:00

I noticed a bit of a trend in my photography this year. For some reason I seem to have a habit of photographing windows. Anyway, I thought I'd show you some of my favourites from the collection...

A leaf fluttered in through the window this morning, as if supported by the rays of the sun, a bird settled on the fire escape, joy in the task of coffee, joy accompanied me as I walked.
Anais Nin

While I'm Away...

2009-12-19T00:50:00.000-08:00

I'm going to be away from blogging for a couple of weeks - seeing family, eating plenty and playing hundreds of games will be taking over my days for a while. In the meantime, I'm going to set up some posts on different topics to appear. No particular theme, just a bit of this and that...

Happy Christmas and see you next year, lovelies.

Winding Down

2009-12-18T00:14:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday night we had our home group over for a Christmas party - food and games and much merriment ensued. We even made hot apple punch (inspired by some friends a couple of weekends ago) which went down very well.

Last night we went to T's work Christmas party - my first experience of the infamous do. And we enjoyed it. It was fun meeting some new people, talking about life, books and food. And when we walked out of the door it was into swirling whirling snow that was actually settling! It was so exciting. I should have taken some photos when we got home but by that stage we were so freezing we just wanted to get inside and curl up in bed, so here's a few from this morning as it melts.

Today: a squillion jobs to do before tomorrow. Packing, laundry, cooking, present wrapping, tidying, cleaning, organising, crafting. This morning so far has been mostly spent wrapping and ribboning to a background of the Little Women DVD. Which has resulted in a warm fuzzy feeling and blinking away tears at the really sad bits I'd forgotten. (I'm also rapidly running out of paper and ribbon, and have forgotten gift tags as usual so things are on track for a late night and busy Saturday morning!) Nevertheless - loving the prospect of Christmas holidays.

Have a good weekend lovelies.

Wedding Cards

2009-12-16T00:42:00.000-08:00

Now that our trio of winter weddings are over, I thought I'd share the wedding cards we gave them. I think people put so much of their own personality and how they want their wedding to feel into the invitation so it's great to use that as inspiration for the card if you're making one.

This is the first (invitation above, the card I made below):

I took the colours and the relaxed swirls of the invitation for my design too. The font they'd chosen was quite simple and modern so I echoed that in their initials.

The second wedding invitation stated that the ceremony would be followed by "dinner and ball". It was formal and traditional in the colours and fonts but they'd made it unusual by having four triangular "petals" that opened on the front (invitation to the left, card to the right):

Again, I used very simple, traditional colours, keeping the creativity in the textures and patterns. I used ribbon roses to make it extra special.

The third wedding, just gone. The bride and groom had clearly chosen red and gold as their wedding colours (invitation to left, card to right):

Again, I took similar colours and included their initials in a swirly, handwriting, similar to that on the invitation.

I would love this to be my job!

The Last Wedding

2009-12-13T11:17:00.000-08:00

This weekend saw us going to our fifth and final wedding of the year, and it was a wedding high. Although we only really know half the couple, it was such a special and fun day.

The food was amazing - after the church they served hot mulled wine (great for wrapping chilly fingers around) and mince pies fresh from the oven. For dinner, we'd decided to go for one of each option on the menu between us as it looked so good. Which meant that by sharing, we got to try starters of duck and salmon, mains of pork and guinea fowl (like chicken, but with a meatier, richer flavour), and for dessert white chocolate torte and the creamiest lemon cheesecake ever.

Aside from the food, seeing how happy and relaxed the bride and groom were, and how thankful to God - made it a totally wonderful day.

Warm and Twinkly

2009-12-11T02:18:00.000-08:00

I've had a sore throat for a couple of days but I've been distracting myself by enjoying lovely winter things. Like decorations going up in our house...

Christmas cards going in the post...

T coming home from work for a lunch of hot crumpets and tea...

And enjoying wintery drinks, and an evening on the sofa with T...

What's making you excited about winter and Christmas these days?

A Christmas Weekend

2009-12-08T08:44:00.000-08:00

Good friends. Mulled wine and mince pies. Walks. A pine tree hung with lights and shimmering decorations. Sitting on the floor to play games. Laughter and catching up. This all added up to a lovely weekend for us.

Aren't these word decorations (made by our lovely hostess) beautiful?

Christmas is on it's way...and I'm loving every day of the build up.

Documenting

2009-12-01T09:41:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite things to do this year has been to collect together photos, leaflets, papers and ribbons and make mini books documenting our adventures. I've decided to follow the example of a very creative lady and make one for the whole of December:

Mine is very low effort so far - just papers punched and tied with a ribbon. I went for Christmassy greens and creams with gold highlights as the theme. I think December will manage to fill and festivise it as we go...

November...

2009-11-30T12:09:00.001-08:00

...started and ended with a wedding.

...was rainy.

...meant time spent with friends.

...brought adventures - like this one.

...got me excited about Christmas and shopping and buying gifts.

...saw me wearing my new boots almost every day.

...introduced me to new ideas and plans for the future.

November was GOOD. So I'm off to enjoy the last few hours of it with T. See you all in December.

A Lovely Weekend II

2009-11-25T10:07:00.000-08:00

We spent last weekend with my parents and sisters. It was lovely, two (and a bit) days full of catching up and laughter.

We visited a garden near them where I was able to take a few photos of gorgeous autumn-ness...

Someone asked recently how I get my photos arranged like this. I use Picasa which is a basic photo editing programme made by Google. You can download it free here. When the photos are in the programme, you can select certain ones to make into collages.

It was a totally chilled out weekend, and so nice to just sit and talk for ages. This weekend will be a whirlwind of activity - a Saturday of stag/hen days, followed by a wedding on Sunday.

To all my lovely American readers (and anyone else celebrating), Happy Thanksgiving!

A Happy List

2009-11-20T09:10:00.000-08:00

~ A weekend with my parents and sisters starting tonight. ~

~ Wearing boots and jeans. ~

~ Lunchtime walks and eating outside, even when it's cold. ~

~ Christmas shopping and planning. ~

~ Black and white. ~

Learning

2009-11-11T03:51:00.000-08:00

Elysa at Gen Pink posted the Learn Something Every Day website recently. I love it - the random facts, the colours and the drawings.

Given that I'm currently spending my days at a primary school, I especially love the last one. That is why my head sometimes feels like it's spinning.

Starry Sky-ed Marquee

2009-11-10T00:11:00.000-08:00

A few words to describe the wedding at the weekend...

~ beautiful ~ sparkling ~ pink ~ quiet ~
~ holy ~ moving ~ emotional ~ funny ~ unique ~ heartfelt ~
~ blue ~ well-organised ~ joyful ~ thankful ~ sunny ~ light ~
~ loud ~ story-ful* ~ musical ~

*not a real word but I think weddings should totally be about the stories - the past, the journey, the stories that are to come.

Blue Door and Other Good Things

2009-11-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

I spent today in a nursery with three- and four-year olds talking about fireworks. It was good times. They get so happy and excited about little things. So here is a list of happy things...

...new boots, a lovely wedding, warm slippers and tea after a cold walk home, a letter on the doormat, happy friends, exciting plans, cuddling with T, fish and chips, a blue door snapped through the car window, my lovely smart little sisters, thoughtful texts, the idea of hot crumpets with butter, looking forward to Christmas, home-made chocolates, gloves and scarves, small pots of jam, and early morning sunshine.

Away in Conwy

2009-11-07T00:11:00.000-08:00

{This weekend we're going to a wedding. But I've been totally slack this week and not shared my photos from last weekend of pretty Welsh countryside. So here you go...}

Last Friday T's mum picked us up at lunchtime and we began the journey up to Conwy in North Wales. We were celebrating his grandma's 80th birthday, and the whole family were gathering for the weekend. By the time we got there it was dark and raining.

We had a meal together, and then went to bed. In the morning we woke to beautiful views of the countryside - hills, sheep, valleys. Gorgeous.

Breakfast in the conservatory, and then we headed off to look round Conwy. We visited the castle...

The view from the castle walls over the bay was beautiful...

So we went down into the town for a closer look...

{Clockwise from top left - seagull, lights in the high street, a tiny geocache, a bizarre tree}

We don't really know what the tree was about - I'm guessing it had been a harvest celebration. It was decorated with fruit and pasta. It was very strange but I kind of liked its quirkyness. We split up for shopping and T and I walked back to the inn. It was only a few miles and the views were beautiful.

We spent the evening in dinner and merriment until too tired to continue the party.

And on Sunday we came home for an evening of snuggling up on the sofa.