Midnight Feast Ramblings

There have been a few unsettled nights in the Homebird household this week. I have been unsettled, worrying about one thing or another and Little Bird had a midnight screaming episode. Maybe it was a nightmare or maybe it was tummy ache - there was a fair bit of ahem - parping going on!

On nightmare/parping night we all headed downstairs for a Baby TV late night classical interlude - an instant soother for a very upset Little Bird.  Bleary eyed on the sofa, we all sat watching colourful characters play a Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and goldfish swimming around on the screen. 

Feeling a bit peckish, the doughnut temptation in the kitchen was too much to bear as was my photo opportunity of the current full moon. Hanging out of the front door late at night to photograph luna was hopefully not seen by my neighbours. Although this is nothing new to them as we are frequently out looking for the International Space Station (ISS) of an evening, as I found myself explaining to next door in my pink spotty pyjamas well past 10pm one night.

As we sat tucking into our Halloween style doughnuts with a sound asleep Little Bird on my knee our thoughts turned to all things celestial after an awe inspiring view of the moon. We would love a telescope and to learn more about the constellations, it is on 'The List!' Many a time we have looked out of our loft room skylight window and seen satellites whizzing across the night sky and meteor showers too. Every time we see the ISS we still get the same thrill as it's white light suddenly appears, gliding across, amazing us that people are actually on it right now. We stand silently watching it.  If you want to see the ISS, have a look at Heavens Above to see the times that it is visible or the NASA  search which you can search from your exact location. Have you seen it too? Humbling hey?

Halloween Preparations

I have started preparing this weekend for Halloween because we have the party hosted by the amazingly creative A Fanciful Twist and of course for the actual night itself three weeks today. It's just not enough for me to celebrate it on one night. I know, slightly batty.......*groan* I have a combination of Autumn decoration intermingled with an early spooky infusion going on in the house at the moment. I have a love of the supernatural and of titivating so I am buzzing around happy.

We also spent some time at my parents house over the weekend. My mum was upset as one of the rabbits died suddenly overnight so just one bunny is left and feeling a bit lonely. I have a feeling that they will be trying to find another friend for him early this week.

Daddy Bird did an allotment run and came back with lots of beans, some small squashes, courgette and tomatoes. I feel extremely pleased with how we have done this year although I realise we have lots of improvements to make next year. It will be nice to have a bit of time off, well sort of, there will be soil preparation and structural work to do for next Spring. The shed also need ridding of spiders before I will set foot it in and make a cup of tea.

The dish above is my harvest dish. I found it at a late Summer car boot sale for a pound - it's Villeroy and Boch too! I have been trying to look up the pattern but no success. I like to know these things out of interest as I used to buy goods from auction and resell them on ebay etc. I haven't done this for ages as it became too bothersome with people not receiving items or missing the courier and on and on....

The gourds have gone yellower and yellower and are now sat at the front door and in baskets too. I'm so glad I grew these despite my dad's insistence that they are pointless and wasted growing space - pah!

I think they are wonderful decorations and you have certainly not seen the last of them yet. Next year I'd like to try some of the other varieties such as the ones with the long curvy handles or extreme wartiness. 

Are you having any Halloween parties? Or a Halloween Blog special? I can't wait to see some of the creativeness and lovely stories that you will all no doubt produce. 

Oh how I love Blog Land.

The Walrus Said Bargh-Wargh!

This week has been Children's Book Week  run by the Booktrust - the website has lots of lovely resources, so it's really worth checking out particularly if you have Primary School age children. There are activities, posters and of course suggestions of great books to read.

As all parents are encouraged to do, from our children being babies, we regularly read and look at books with Little Bird. Both Daddy Bird and I love books, so this is a joy for us. We have books all over the house.

Little Bird has a growing collection of books: ones for now that end up chewed and dropped in his dinner and for when he is older. They are on shelves, in boxes, stacked in piles, in reading nooks, upstairs, downstairs and even in the bath.

They are collected from car boot sales, charity shops, library sales (20p each!), local shops, gifts from family and some are mine from when I was a child.

Some contain adventures that as yet my Little Bird cannot possibly imagine; magic trees, lands faraway or in the wardrobe or even through the looking glass, finding golden tickets, befriending cavemen or escaping scary pirates and their bungling sidekicks.

We love Eric Carle, Julian Donaldson, Rod Campbell, Beatrix Potter and Raymond Briggs - it is hard to choose a favourite. We probably have a new choice every week. 

Stories that rhyme, tons of pictures and funny animal noises that Little Bird giggles at -'Bargh-Wargh!'

Little Bird has great enthusiasm for the books with sound buttons and I like the pop up books for their sheer brilliance - we are delicate with them though.

I have some potty training books too for next year, complete with flushing toilet button. Chuckle.

We all head to the library every weekend and choose a selection of picture books. We have now nearly completed the Book Start Book Crawl, 8 out of 10 lovely certificates and a bear that can join my mum's sparkly knitted bear below.

I hope we pass on our love of books to Little Bird. That would make me so happy.

{Our favourite book this week is Jack's Tractor by Thomas Taylor. A really fun mix of animal noises and mayhem.}

Halloween Emporium

With my own preparations for Halloween underway, I thought I'd show you the pick of what I've found whilst scouring the web. Not all of them are strictly Halloween but they are items that would work well for the spooky and scary season.

1. Sleepy Hollow Tote Bag at Cafe Press  £13.99
2. Halloween Bunting at John Lewis  £6
3. Nightmare Before Christmas Dinner Set at The Disney Store £15
4. Tea Rex Tea Towel at To Dry For £9.95
5. Halloween Pumpkin Pint Mug at Emma Bridgewater  £17.95
6. Handmade Mini Boo Halloween Cushion at ilovehearts £19.99
7. Swirly Spider Lollipops at Pawz & Ribbon £3.60 for 2
8. Happy Halloween Cards at Not on the High Street £8 for a pack of 25
9. Fairy Tale Shadow Story Pack at Berry Red £12.50
10. Halloween Cake Stand at Party Pieces £9.99
11. Inkadinkadoo Happy Halloween Stamp at RUCraft £10.99
12. Handmade Felt Decorations at The Big Forest £19
13. Happy Halloween Print at Belle & Boo £31.00
14. Handmade Knitted Pumpkin Rattle at Not on the High Street £5.50

Perfect Pansies

The Autumn organising and prettifying continues.....Over the last few days we have spent a fair amount of time outside clearing up the fallen leaves to turn into leaf mould, staking rampant flowers, planting up containers and hanging baskets, repairing the poor lawn and of course preparing for Spring colour.

The garden still has lots of colour, mainly from a yellow patch of Helianthus, pink Rambling Roses and the orange Nasturtiums climbing up into a Jasmine. It's pretty even though it's looking slightly overgrown. I don't like to clear too much up as there are still bees humming around enjoying the nectar and frogs leaping out of corners so it is good to be a bit untidy.

I planted Tulip bulbs called Peach Blossom into some pots with the intention of moving around the garden as desired come Spring. The Daffodils and the purple starry Alliums went mostly straight into the ground, a mixed lot so it will be a surprise. 

A few trays of cheery Violas and Pansies were bought from the local market to update the hanging baskets and pots and will hopefully last a few months with a little care. I do this each season as I like the front of the house looking tidy and welcoming. 

There's the allotment to shape up next but it is still ticking along at the moment so it can wait a couple of weeks at least as I have some Halloween preparation to do....