These Foolish Things....

Summer afternoon.....

 

According to Henry James"summer afternoon.....are the two most beautiful words in the English language" and who am I to argue? indeed,this time of year is my absolute favourite,these are the days,where no matter how busy,tired or stressed life can be,I can find bliss,tiny little moments in between work,family,shopping and housework,I can take a deep breath,let the sun shine on my face...and say "yes....life is good,I can do this" even the summer rain fall soothes me,tell me is there a better feeling than awaking on a hot sultry night,and hearing the cool rain falling outside of your bedroom window? not for me.So here as a totally self indulgent exercise,is a list of all the little things about English summertime,which I find totally thrilling....how about you?

1.Childrens bare feet on freshly cut grass....I will never ever cease to find the beauty in this.

2.The light nights,how I adore not having to close the curtains and put the lights on at evening fall.

3.Flip flops! strappy sandals! painted toe nails!

4.Iced cranberry juice,tomato sandwiches and strawberries!

5.Big brother.sorry.

6. Afternoon tea in the garden,in china cups,linen napkins,victoria sandwich cake and scones.

7.The albertine roses that adorn the archway in my garden,the very essence of summertime.

8.The beach,walking the length of our beautiful coastline and feeling the breeze against my skin.

9.Water,ice cold water,a squeeze of lemon or lime and a handful of ice,I feel good just thinking about it!

10.The school hols...yes really!!!! being with my girls all day,every day.....the very best kind of bliss!

Around the home and garden...............

A Portrait

 

A Portrait

Because my love is quick to come and go- A little here, and then a little there- What use are any words of mine to swear My heart is stubborn, and my spirit slow Of weathering the drip and drive of woe? What is my oath, when you have but to bare My little, easy loves; and I can dare Only to shrug, and answer, "They are so"? You do not know how heavy a heart it is That hangs about my neck- a clumsy stone Cut with a birth, a death, a bridal-day. Each time I love, I find it still my own, Who take it, now to that lad, now to this, Seeking to give the wretched thing away. Dorothy Parker

Welcome to my world.....

Enchantment.......

Sometimes i feel that the one thing I could not live without,aside from the obvious,my children,family etc. is a plot of earth in which to grow something.It is for me,simply magical,always has been,the first thing I do every day is look out at our back garden and marvel at the ongoing story,as something dies another little miracle breaks through the soil and begins to live,just like life really.And so as many of you will remember,after waiting patiently on a waiting list,last year I eventually was offered an allotment which of course I accepted gratefully! this is my first season of fruit and vegetable growing,its early in the season,but so far so good! I took these pictures early yesterday morning,when I popped along for a little while,it was blissfully peaceful,as I wandered around checking on my new crops,i realised that there is something almost spiritual about gardening,for me anyway...it is pure enchantment.

  

Guilty pleasures.......

 

So its another dull rainy afternoon here and all of my good intentions for my day off have flew out of the window,(this seems to be a reoccuring theme on a Tuesday doesnt it?) and whilst I was mooching around the kitchen looking for anything that remotely resembles chocolate,but sadly not finding it,it occured to me that I am a naughty person! infact,I am very naughty,here for your perusal and because I am still avoiding the ironing basket and would rather whitter on here,are a list of my very own little guilty pleasures,any familiar ones? Hmm? come on stand up and be counted girls!

1.Chocolate.obviously.I have actually locked myself in the bathroom with a big bar of wholenut so I didnt have to share it.

2.Underwear.Yep cant resist lovely sexy undies,even if I am wearing jeans and a t-shirt,I like to feel pretty underneath.

3.Glossy magazines.I buy far too many magazines! its wrong,wrong,wrong! and its mostly rubbish! who cares what Jordan is doing?

4.Shoes.you must have seen that one coming! I buy ridiculous amounts of shoes,mainly heels that I cant walk that far in,and I feel at total peace with myself when I walk out of the shop with them.until the visa bill arrives.

5.Marmite.anything flavoured with it,especially the crackers,I also have been known to stick my finger in the jar and lick it.I know,I know...I disgust myself at times.

6.ripping up unpaid bills,I am not advising you do this,but yes I am a fully paid up member of sweeping trouble under the carpet club.

7.Body lotions,oils,anti ageing products etc. anything that is advertised in the afore mentioned glossy magazines and costs an arm and a leg,gotta have it.

8.Aromatherapy massages,havent been for one for a while,but hey,an hour in the salon totally zoned out does it for me.

9.Facebooking,twittering,blogging,googling......far too much time spent on my laptop!

10.Chilled white wine,strong cheese,chorizio sausage,sun dried tomatoes,all of which I hoard away incase of a famine.

What do you think? should I really feel guilty?

Early one morning........

 

I crept downstairs whilst the house was sleeping....

I opened the french windows and basked in the nothingness of the moment,the garden,for a short while was bathed in a lemon glow and I could not see the fence on the other side which,cruelly beaten by fierce winds last week,lay injured and helpless.But I did see signs of new life,where a month ago I saw none,the lipstick red tulips were bowing their heads,but the peony roses are ready to bloom,as one door closes a window does open.Not for the first time,nature was teaching me a lesson.

It was,you see,that moment,the one I usually experience when I am not quite awake,and nothingreally matters,it is to soon for my weary mind to register the ongoing 'to do' list,or for my abysmal worrying nature to kick in,I was not even contemplating the long tiresome day ahead,nor the 101 chores I should be getting on with,my heart had not yet sunk to the bottom of my shoes at the thought of another round of disappointments,nor was I willing bedtime to draw nearer in order to soothe my body in lavender scented sheets and my mind in a good book.

Because you see,in good old Scarlett O'Hara style,I do indeed believe that 'Tomorrow is another day' anything is possible,after every storm there is a period of calm and eventually the sun will shine.

Bring on the sunscreen.....I am ready!

 

Our new Poet Laureate....

 

Valentine

Not a red rose or a satin heart.

I give you an onion.
It is a moon wrapped in brown paper.
It promises light
like the careful undressing of love.

Here.
It will blind you with tears
like a lover.
It will make your reflection
a wobbling photo of grief.

I am trying to be truthful.

Not a cute card or a kissogram.

I give you an onion.
Its fierce kiss will stay on your lips,
possessive and faithful
as we are,
for as long as we are.

Take it.
Its platinum loops shrink to a wedding-ring,
if you like.

Lethal.
Its scent will cling to your fingers,
cling to your knife. 
 

Carol Anne Duffy.

Restless Tuesday.....

 

How fickle I am....Today I have been restless,or as my Mother would say,I know not whether to hick nor jig!(dont ask) It has rained all day,normally,the rain signals a day of indoor activity,baking,housekeeping,lighting candles and Ella Fitzgerald.Not today.I am lost,I have wandered from room to room,no motivation,I have missed my children and have waited eagerly all day for them to come home.It has not been boredom,I have 101 chores to attend to,I have taken a sneaky look at the unpaid bills and ignored them,I glanced sheepishly at the humongous pile of ironing and walked past it.I spent an hour at the library,which usually soothes my restless soul,but found nothing of real interest,I smiled wanely at the school gates and blethered with the mummys and finally felt comfort in holding my child close to me.I did not even feel my usually receptive senses aroused by the spinach and sundried tomato pasta dish I prepared for tea,It simply has been a very odd day! How I would love to be the type of woman who writes in her blog of all the amazing things she is capable of,truly I wish I could make something amazing and arty,cook up a storm in the kitchen and thank God for my blessings,not today.I do keep a grattitude journal,yes I read simple abundance and I know I have so much to be thankful for....but sometimes? well sometimes...I just dont know.

Its the rain.Perhaps the sun will come out tomorrow. 

You wake up in the morning.....

 

You Wake Up In The Morning.....

You wake up in the morning, and lo! your purse is magically filled,with twenty four hours

of the magic tissue of the universe of your life.

No one can take it from you.No one receives either more or less than you receive.

Waste your infinitely precious commodity as much as you will,and the supply will never be held from you.

Moreover,you cannot draw on the future.Impossible to get into debt.

You can only waste the passing moment.You cannot waste tomorrow;it is kept for you.

Arnold Bennett.