Unwinding

Hooray, it's half term! It's been a busy term at work and at home (we've settled in to life without a kitchen), and I've had heel pain for a few weeks. There hasn't been time to rest it, so that's what I plan on doing this week. Usually I begin school holidays with a list of jobs that I intend to get done, but I have resisted that urge.

This morning the sun was shining, the birds were singing and the air was warm, so I decided to start as I mean to go on. I made the bench comfortable with cushions and a blanket and got out the magazines that I haven't had time to read lately. I can't tell you how good it felt to sit in the sunshine - bliss.

This bench is quite old but I paint it every year and it seems to keep going. I took a bit of crochet into the garden with me too. 

It's a quick little project - I'll show you what I'm making next time.

Above my head the rowan tree was blossoming.

D revised for her exams, and enjoyed one of her favourite treats, elderflower presse, and P read his newspaper. It was lovely to spend time together.

I enjoyed a bit of a read with a cup of tea, and thought about how precious days like this are. It truly was glorious, the kind that just makes you smile. It's a cliche to say it, but if only this sort of day could be bottled and reopened on a grim winter's day what a tonic it would be.

All around me the colours were singing and the season is moving along apace. The geranium phaeum is in full bloom and was being visited regularly by bees. The sound of buzzing filled my ears. I sat poised with my camera but not a single one came near. Sigh. I'm really not a wildlife photographer.

I love it when the sunlight shines through the spear-like iris leaves and creates a striped pattern of many shades of green. It's like green stained glass.

The aquilegias are so pretty and fairy-like - I love them so.

On the fig tree the leaves have opened. I grow it in a pot and look forward to fresh figs one day.

The redcurrants are swelling. I'm hoping to make redcurrant jelly or jam this summer.

The new centaurea plant has bloomed, a relative of the cornflower, and a wonderful blue.

Tiny fuzzy apples are already beginning to form where at the start of the month there were fragrant blossoms. 

Wild strawberry flowers are dotted around the garden like tiny stars against their background of pretty green leaves. They grow everywhere, given the chance, and need to be kept in check but I do look forward to enjoying their fruit on my breakfast cereal.

Every year I buy one of these little annuals. Brachycome is such a pretty little blue daisy-like flower, that if I didn't grow it in a pot or hanging basket I would miss it greatly,

This has been a lovely start to the break. Even if it pours with rain this week I won't mind at all, because I have creativity, a bit of pootling and gardening (not if it rains too much!) planned for the week ahead. 

I'll show you what I've been up to in my next post, and hope that you have time for a rest this week too x