Busy

Me again! And 'hello' to my new followers - it's good to have you on board. As well as going on day trips in the last week and a half, I've been busy here at home during our Easter holidays-with-no-Easter-in-them. We've had relatives to stay and visit which has been fun, and J came home from university for a few days. It was good to have him back and see my three grown up children together. I have to pinch myself as they are all young people now and yet it seems not that long ago that I was busy entertaining them in the holidays when they were little. Instead I've grabbed some time to myself.
Here's what I've been up to lately:

* Crocheting.

I've begun a spring version of Lucy's bag at Attic 24 (after I'd started it I realised I haven't quite followed her pattern). I've made a few of these now, and they are addictive. I know, I didn't finish my late-summer one last year, did I? But this is a different season and I haven't got a soft, pastelly, vintagey one yet. I just can't help myself.



The yarn I'm using is, from left to right: Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere (now discontinued)
 and Rico Creative Cotton Aran in Violet, Smokey Berry, Sand, Aquamarine and Patina. These pretty colours remind me of a sweet shop and have a faded, romantic feel to them.                        



It's coming along nicely - maybe I'll finish it before I go back to work next week.

I also made a blue and cream mandala to my own, make-it-up as you go pattern to use as a table mat under my daffodil jug.

And I crocheted some little anenomes from Heather's pattern at Pink Milk. They're easy to make and really pretty.

* Enjoying the advance of spring.

The new fern fronds are noticeably ready to start unfurling, curled up tightly in the centre of the plant like tiny monsters.

This shiny ladybird is one of the first I've seen this year.

The swollen apple buds are opening into leaves. Apple blossom soon - hooray!

*Sitting in the sun.

Bliss.

*Picking and cooking with wild garlic.

For the first time ever we managed to pick it before it bloomed, as foragers advise, in our usual spot.

Aaaahh the smell - yum. First I made parmesan and wild garlic muffins; then cheese, tomato and wild garlic flan; next vegetable and bean stew with wild garlic; and finally lots of pesto. On entering the house one of our offspring commented that the "whole house stinks of garlic". It was true - it did, but it's only once a year.

* Making a little spring container garden

After visiting The Walled Garden at Mells and seeing this enamel container full of spring bulbs we saw a similar enamel bowl for sale in someone's garden in the village.

 I snapped it up and made my own spring container at home full of cowslips, fritillaries and violas. I think it might be a bit of a bog after all the rain. Not sure the cowslips will like that.

* Buying pretty vintage china. 

Only 50p each, I was thrilled to find these sweet little saucers painted with pink roses, violets and pastel sweet peas - what a bargain!

I also found this delicate little teacup for another 50p. 

I was delighted because it's a bigger version of the cups in the coffee set which my dad bought in the 1950s and gave to me for our dresser (the coffee cup's on the left).

This set has always been close to my heart with its dainty little primroses and pale yellow colour.

* Enjoying the sight of rich soil in the newly-dug fields around where we live.

The earth is coming to life again.

See you soon x