This gorgeous reddish coral colored camellia bush that I visit on my walk to school, is in full bloom. I couldn’t help but take a photo of it yesterday even though it was pouring with rain. Even in the rain it is worth stopping to see the beauty in this world.
It feels like Spring is starting to arrive to little ole England. We have had a few days this week where you can feel it coming. The light is brighter the shadows are changing, bringing a small taste of what is to come.
But colder weather is returning again this weekend, you can feel it already. The cottage was very chilly this morning. Yesterday the sun was streaming down, this morning the sky is dark and a stormy powdered steel. It has been raining steadily since very early this morning. The back and forth of the weather isn’t giving the plants a lot if chances, they all seem a bit confused.
I walk by this tree every day and it has had blooms on it all through Christmas and is still blooming now.
Its branches are dotted with miniature cotton candy pink starry shaped blooms. They are so delicate. I shot this with my IPhone and I liked the fact that I wasn’t tall enough to get the blossoms in full focus, it kept putting the branches in the background in focus, it gives it almost an ethereal appearance.
I love this tree! It’s these little things along the way that make you smile, drops of beauty scattered throughout your day, if you look for them.
We have been quiet the past two days, just catching up on sleep. Today I am going to attack the house with a vengeance, so I can spend the rest of the week relaxing and doing a few projects I want to do around the house, which will be easier to accomplish with the house organised.
To start the ball rolling for breakfast we had rye bread with cream cheese and cucumber and avocado toppings. It was really delicious. Mr. Michie added some fresh chillies to his avocados, I am not that adventurous in the morning to have done that!
Yesterday we went grocery shopping, while picking up some potatoes, I spotted these:
a little taste of home, I couldn’t believe it! They are going on the menu this week, we are going to make baked sweet potatoes with something heavenly to go alongside it. After shopping we grabbed a sandwich for lunch and then took a long stroll. We headed over to the pond, but the baby ducklings must have been napping, because they weren’t out and about and their mamas were staying near the reeds keeping a close eye.
We sat on one of the benches and felt the sun on us, what a glorious treat that was, as it was supposed to rain all weekend.
We strolled across the common and through the woods to our other pond and watched the ducks swim around the lilies. After awhile we started walking again, through the woods, across the road and into the other side of the forest.
Heading down one little path, I heard some noise and stopped. I was extra quiet and for the next 15 minutes or so, I watched a little family of baby wood mice run around a rotting tree that had fallen into the woods. They were so cute and fat and furry. They ran in and out of the little holes chasing one another then running through the leaves. It was just the cutest thing.
We were greeted by robins and blue tits and wood pigeons. The sunlight dappled the path, it was just magic. I love sunny days where we walk in our woods, where life is all around if you just take a moment to stop and listen. It is pure and simple happiness.
We picked up some ice cream on the way home and had hot fudge sundaes with salted pecans, whipped cream and fresh raspberries. It was wonderful, the tastes of Summer wrapped up in a bowl!
We went for a long walk yesterday morning. Our first real walk of the Spring season and we meandered down to one of the ponds.
We sat on a bench and watched the heron, picking his way through the water. The male ducks came to greet us “Good Morning” in a gentlemanly fashion, quacking away at us, hoping we had some bread.
The mama ducks slowly paddled out from behind the reeds, with little brown and yellow fuzzy ducklings in tow. They were adorable to watch, some trying to keep up, others full of adventure were heading in the opposite direction of their mama, until she quacked for them to come back.
One little adventuresome spirit decided to stroll up and see us. He was just too cute! I wanted so badly to brush his tender little feathers. It was pure and simple happiness on a Sunday morning.
As it seems is always the way, we have come to the end of our week off and I am now finally starting to wind down and fully relax and tomorrow we go back to work, you just have to have a sense of humor about these things.
It was snowing when I woke up yesterday morning and after getting showered and dressed we walked the long way round to the grocery store. We bundled up and just took our time. It was beautiful and quiet as the snow fell around us. We even got to see a train rumble along below us as we stood on the bridge. I love trains.
We made homemade macaroni and cheese for lunch yesterday and just stayed cozy with blankets, copious amounts of tea and candles lit here and there. We each read and did a little work. I decided on the first tiny stuffed animal I am going to make for a special little person and so I washed my fabric in preparation for that.
It was just a nice mellow day. We ate leftover homemade pizza from dinner on Friday night. I made that wonderful crust again from Annie’s Eats and Mr. Michie made his wonderful pesto again (the one he made for me on Valentine’s) and he smeared that on our crust, with diced tomatoes and cheese, it was delicious. We also watched Star Wars, so Mr. Michie was very happy!
We went for a walk today, we needed a few things for Sunday dinner. It has been snowing steadily since 8 this morning. It is beautiful.
We have our twinkle lights on, we have made a fresh pasta sauce, baked and iced homemade oatmeal cookies, I have listened to some Christmas tunes while laying in bed this morning watching the snow fall from the window. It has been wonderful.
I will share more of our day soon, for now, this is just a peek.
I’m afraid I have no images to share with you today, just words. I spent yesterday wandering around London and doing a little Christmas shopping. It is early to do that I know, but some things I have to get done dearly, so they can be mailed out in plenty of time to arrive at their destinations amongst all the other flurry of Christmas post the mailmen and mail-ladies are busily sorting, stacking, bundling and delivering.
I didn’t do my Christmas window walk yet, but I have heard tell that Harrod’s theme this year is Fairytales, so I can’t wait to see that.
I walked along Marylebone High Street, it is one of my favorite places to shop! I picked up a few things at Emma Bridgewater and Cath Kidston, popped into Daunt Books and the wonderful Oxfam Book Store. I stopped into Rococo to pick up a little chocolate for a friend and was very kindly given one of my favorites, a chili chocolate truffle by the lovely girl helping me!
As I walked out the brisk air, quickly took the scent of chocolate out of my nostrils, but it came back again the moment, I popped that chili truffle into my mouth, mmmm, heaven sent! I was greedy, I popped the whole thing in at once!
I didn’t make it to Liberty’s, so that is a trip for next time. I wanted to look at some fabric and to go to their Christmas floor, which is always a delight. I did make it to Anthropologie, always a store of happiness, their window was adorably, filled with owls.
I saw the most beautiful sunset yesterday. It was unreal. I wanted to snap a picture for you, but I didn’t bring my camera yesterday and my phone refused to cooperate with me, but I can tell you, if any of you who read me were walking around in London yesterday afternoon and happened to look up, you will know what I am talking about. The buildings were almost black, the sky was violet, pumpkin orange, watermelon pink, daisy yellow, it took my breath away.
Today, we are relaxing, as the next two weeks of school are going to be extremely hectic. I am going to make that butternut squash chili again, Mr. Michie will be working on creating his out of this world guacamole and grading papers in between.
I hope you are well and happy wherever you may be today.
Cabbage roses in Whole Foods Market.
A pumpkin cake in the window of Candy Cakes, it looked too cute to eat!
We found him on the street as we were walking to dinner, so Mr. Michie snapped a picture.
Have a wonderful weekend!