Peppermint

Notes from the weekend: Peppermint bark and peppermint candy canes set me off making peppermint creams but they weren't as easy to make look good as the books say. Edible but not very pretty looking. A few sneaky Christmas decorations are appearing and sparkly lights at the front door. The Salvation Army were having their Christmas fair and I found a lovely hand stitched advent calendar for just £1. 'Winter Wonderland' plays from my revolving musical biscuit tin. I made a blog button too for my festive mood - it's in my sidebar.

Folksy

An unused corner of my home has become all folksy with the addition of a red painted shelf (a £3 car boot special), owls and toadstools. I've also added all of our wildlife guides here so that when we go out for walks it is easy to grab one. One day I hope Little Bird will be able to name all of our beautiful trees, it's a skill that I really admire. And then there's fungi, grasses, wild flowers....

At weekend I went to a sale of babies & children's second hand but great quality items - it was amazing! An extremely popular event with the queue to get in snaking around the building and upon entering you are issued with a huge holdall to gather all your goodies in. Inside the hall it was chaotic with mums and dads busily sorting through toys,books, clothes and equipment. I found a lot of amazing books and some great wooden toys that I'll use to add to Little Bird's Christmas present sack - a great way to manage the budget. Despite having eight tills, the queue to pay was extraordinary, my hands are still sore from straps digging into my palms for so long. Regardless of my pain, I can't wait for the next sale but I'll make sure I get there earlier!

Homeward I just had to go past the local garden centre where the Christmas grotto had just opened that weekend. Chaos! My small town seemed so busy that it was peculiar. I had a lovely look around at all the decorations and lights which was a treat since my tot often causes a rumpus when I attempt to do some shopping. He was with DB playing all sorts of fun speech therapy games and having a great time. Finally home I slumped into the sofa and then realised that Little Bird was busy ferreting around in the shopping bags - they catch on quick don't they? I had to let him have a board puzzle early in order to sneak the rest of the goods off into the top of the wardrobe! 

Happy Birthday Nan

It is my dear Nan's birthday today - she's 88  but shhhh, she would go mad if she knew I'd told you! She's such a trendy, cool Nan who always makes me giggle. A great story teller and good fun to be around.

Little Bird is one of her 8 Great Grandchildren! This is them last year. On Monday we visited her for a few hours and it was lovely sat in her cosy sitting room laughing at awful television like Jeremy Kyle! My Nan loves it though, she likes the scandal and the drama of it all. Her house is immaculate and the garden is amazing, all looked after by herself. Nan is a determined lady and is always getting caught out doing things that she shouldn't really do like climbing ladders or spending hours pruning in the garden. We all tell her to take it easy but she has other ideas. It keeps her young at heart.
Happy Birthday Nan and thanks for having such a great influence on my life. We love you very much xxx

Italian Sugary Delights

Sorry cupcakes but I have moved on, I am now officially in love with Italian pastries. I know of Cannoli but no others. Do you know any of the other names of the gorgeous pastries in the pictures above? Please let a poor sweet toothed me know. An Italian market was held in my town's square and I cannot wait for it to return. Perhaps some of the Christmas markets will have some Italian treats - I hope so. We bought a small bag full and they were delicious.

Cold Mornings

This week I have seen the season start to turn again with a sharp bite to the air and the light so distinctly wintery. The air has been still and there was a lovely morning with a fine veil of mist enveloping the view from Little Bird's bedroom. Out in the garden everything is more or less yellowed and retreating back into the earth for a few months. Red berries were sharply picked out against the cream shed where the bike somebody was giving away outside their house sits - a lovely vintage Raleigh that I decorate with flowers in the warmer months. Now she stands waiting.

One day we woke up to a chilly morning and as my fresh out of bed warm toes hit the cold air I felt a little bit excited about looking out of the window. There it was! Crunchy frost.

Beautiful white frost decorating leaves, seed heads and grass. Ice in buckets, glazing trugs and forgotten plant tubs. Which reminds me, I still need a further garden tidy as I have been putting it off until the last orange Nasturtium bloom had gone. They have gone - sigh.

I retreated inside to the warmth of my house, a cup of coffee and a sit down to defrost my fingers. The addition of some fairy lights to a glass bowl is serving as a little lamp in the corner of my main room, slowly sneaking a bit of winter in and making me feel warmer just looking at them. Lights to me signify winter as opposed to just the festivities, in fact lights are great all year around, twinkling and cheering me up. Some of my blog friends are very organised, Sadie at Cotton Rose has put her outdoor fairy lights up and lovely they look too. I am going to do the same just to be organised  - honest. Ten pounds says I'll be switching them on and smiling come weekend.

A Homely Bonfire Night

I've had a few days absence from the blog as Little Bird is a bit poorly with a cough that has prevented him from sleeping much so he's been very niggly as a result. We stayed in for Guy Fawkes/Bonfire Night - we had intended to do so anyway as I didn't think Little Bird was quite ready for the hustle and bustle of the town park's firework display. The dogs benefited from us being at home and we all cosied up in the sitting room with plenty of treats. Doggy fretting due to the loud bangs was therefore minimal this year as they were patted and pampered on the sofa.

I did enter the mood at home though by making treacle toffee, chilli and other treats and sneaking off to the loft room to see town's display (about a mile away) from the comfort of my skylight window. It was actually lovely looking out and seeing lots of little bonfire parties and hearing cheery people setting off colourful rockets. I know some people loathe them and I can see why but I do enjoy this time of year and the traditions. 

Off to put another damp towel on the radiator now to try and stop some night time coughing and spluttering....... x

Home Anniversary

I needed a break today after all the Halloween planning, partying and decorating. Perhaps a chance to put my feet up, have a coffee and a cake. However, my thoughts already turn to tidying and organising before Christmas!! I know, onto the next festival overkill, I have always been the same! I did take a few minutes though to observe and photograph some Starlings that were in my next door neighbours tree.

Cheeky, noisy birds that I think are very beautiful and most definitely full of character. I must make sure that the bird bath is replenished with water and the feeders are full of fat balls and seed. 

Whilst staring at these speckled jewel feathered birdies I remembered that Halloween had been an anniversary of sorts to me and I dashed up to the loft room to dig out some papers. There it was on solicitors papers, the date I got my first house in this town, which is not my home town, October 31st 2002- I always forget how many years and have to check. A whole 9 years living here. Am I a local now? Does this even feel like home? How did all that time happen? So much has happened too in those years as I suppose it does for anybody. Still blows my mind though thinking about how weird time can be and how fate directs you a certain way.

Later that day, looking to the front of the house I saw an amazing rainbow saying Happy Home Anniversary. Well, that's what I told myself anyway.

Happy November & bring on the cold weather xx