Spring time

Spring has truly sprung, my dears, and oh, how wonderful it is. Frosty mornings and big blue sky days, such bliss. Why, the male guardian and I have been able to enjoy a cup of fine English tea in the garden on return from our professional toil, much to our delight. Linen has flapped in abundance on the washing line and perfumed our home with that fresh, clean smell so evocative of the great outdoors. How it does lift the spirits so. The blossom on the cherry and plum trees are abound and so very pretty. Growth is everywhere and the acid green of spring that I so love is to the fore. There is nought so truly delightful than the variety of the seasons. 

The garden has been receiving our administrations in an attempts to review, repurpose and reinvigorate. 'Tis a slow process but one that I am sure will bear fruit in due course. The birdlife have been most attentive whilst we are in the garden for they realise their opportunity to appropriate worms and grubs when our backs are turned. 

Early this year in my professional capacity, I was the recipient of a beautiful small white orchid. My dears, one was afeared for its life span as the male guardian and I tend to keep our small home at a temperature that is below the average home  which, of course, is not always conducive to houseplants. To my great delight this little gem is standing as tall and proud as the day it arrived. I have to say, I am inordinately fond of it and from whence it came and do so hope it lasts a very long time. Such a delicate yet hardy thing, surviving against the odds, very much close to the reason I was gifted it and evocative of my keenness to nurture it. 

My love of growing things in nature and humanity has once more come to the fore after a rather bleak few years and I have found renewed vigour for growth that is pushing forward the gardening and professional fronts anew. Nature and humanity, such fickle bed fellows, both requiring a steady hand at the helm to guide it through choppy waters, as storms rage and heat blazes then subside. Patience and perseverance is the name of the game. Yes, it means changes, adaptations, repurposing, new growth and direction but, as long as the hand that guides it is steady, the good wins out. Life's rich tapestry, my dears; older, wiser but still here, enjoying life is all one can ask, for we are here but once, something I see in my professional capacity every day. Live every day like there is no tomorrow, my renewed motto for life, and one I fully intend to embrace, my dears, most definitely.

Fleeting February

Well hello, my dears. I know, I know, one has been a little tardy of late in posting but, my goodness, where has the month gone. 'Tas been a mighty busy month with one's professional toil plus the weather turned unbelievably balmy and ensured the eye became aware of the outdoor space. Well, dear souls, from that a revamping project has begun; cutting back, dividing, removing, repositioning and generally appraising the design and structure of the garden is now well underway, weather permitting. I do so love a project and being a country girl, I am inordinately fond of our outdoor spaces. It is a "work in progress", as always with any garden project. As we work we can appreciate the changing season with a backdrop of acid green euphorbia wulfenii, tête-à-tête daffodils, primroses, snowdrops, hellebores  and more. Such a beautiful backdrop.

As we move into the season of spring, one's mind has turned to replenishing the log store and time over the next month will be spent replenishing said store from the large, ever growing stock of seasoned wood we have stored for this purpose. We do so enjoy this work; physical and satisfying to know one already has next year's logs stored and are preparing for the year after. The rotation process we have for our store allows for wood to season for a minimum of a year before use, thus ensuring a good burn. 

Further days with my sewing bee friends have produced some very desirable garment additions to the wardrobe, much to my delight. My next project in the making is for the male guardian; some "baggies" as he calls them, or I do believe they are called "lounge pants" or "lounge wear " by others. We have purchased a rather lovely medium weight fabric of his choice and will make a pair that fit him in both waist and leg measurement for ''tis rather difficult to obtain them commercially in such a slim, long legged sizing. 

The making of the woollen garments continues in the background, with a further cardigan on the needles for one of my friends, as well as using some of the wool stash to make a bundle of simple fishermans beanies that will be making the journey across the seas at some point,  bound for the antipodes for someone who rather enjoys the warmth. Yes, I know, dear reader, I, too, am amused  by this thought but I am reassured that the temperature can, and does, drop dramatically at times, just not to the depths we are used to but, 'tis all relative. Warmth is warmth and most appreciated when one is cold wherever one resides in the world. 

The building and updating work has been completed on the upper floor of our small home with all finery in place and oh, how lovely it all does look. Such a satisfying feeling. 

As I end this post there are weather warnings for stormy weather and one is grateful that the male guardian is homeward bound. A quiet day awaits us, methinks for there is nought so joyous, snug in one's home, with those we love, do you not agree.