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      Spring and and not so much crafting

      14th January
      
      Blue skies in Winter are natures gift I feel.

      After the twinkly Christmas lights that brighten up the dark winter months, January feels dark and drab and with our mad weather at the moment, more rain than in Noah's time it feels, one could be forgiven for feeling down in the dumps. BUT, here and there there are signs of a new season round the corner and every time I catch a sign my hearts leaps for joy. I am not a great gardener, though I admire beautiful gardens and brightly coloured plants and try my best to make something of our own little patch, but I cannot help but feel anything other than HOPE when a new shoot or bud appears.  Something about nurturing and expectations for the future, are you the same?

      So far we have had indoor forced hyacinths, which have now finished.
      Such colour in these bulbs at this time of year, really warms me

      Every year, I buy a couple of three bulbs and have them indoors and when they are finished I plant them in the garden where they flower year on year in around March time.  I must have about 40 or so hyacinth bulbs from doing this for many years, double joy for inside and out! 





      Then there is the pussy willow that has begun outside. On a beautiful but sodden day last week, I took myself off for a welly walk and came across the first of the pussy willow. Both the name and the look of this plant make me smile, does it do that for you too?   I could not resist but take a bit to have indoors in the study, I will enjoy it coming out fully little by little each day.


       


      This week end, we travelled to the Peak district as my sister was having her emigrating party, a great time was had by all with tears and laughter. My family even had a sweep stake as to how often and when I would cry.  At different times during the evening, someone would come up and say sad things to me to see if they could manage to extract my tears, so that they could win the sweep stake!  I tell you families...  My sister and partner had put on a British dinner for everyone followed by American desserts, can you guess where they are emigrating too?
      But the following day on our short walk, I even spied snowdrops beginning to flower how can you stay sad when you spot your first snowdrop?  How magical is that to see the first drops of the year, just love it.  We even were shown a dusting of snow on the hills in the distance, snow drops and snow...


      After our walk we ended up in a lovely pub tucked away in the hills, where we had a delicious roast dinner in an oak panelled room with a roaring log fire, what more could you want?


      My starter was more continental and tasty too, baked Camembert and was presented in such a lovely way...




      And finally in my own garden Spring is trying to emerge, the primroses too are trying to flower, each day little by little Spring is trying to push away the winter.  We are not out of the woods yet, but there is hope and a freshness in the air...


      As I was finishing this post, there was a knock on the door and I was handed these, saying that as my sister had emigrated today, perhaps I needed some sunshine...


      ♥Friendship♥


      

      8 comments:

      1. So nice photoz! And hyacinths are really really nice. I love them so much but could never plant anything from the bulb at home :( keeping them in dark place in a fridge and then when its time to move them on light cant find place with a suitable temperature (too warm in the rooms and too cold on the balcony)

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      2. Oh no! that is a shame. I have not ever put them in the fridge though, is it still too warm on the window sill next to the window? Don't give up ♥

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      3. Your hyacinths are beautiful and I am so glad someone reached out to you today. N x

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        Replies
        1. Thank you Nicki, it was a lovley surprise to see two happy faces on my door step last night, as we know with each other, friendship is so strong and a powerful thing ♥ and WE are blessed x

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      4. Those daffodils really were a thoughtful gift - you have some good friends over there :-) I love snowdrops too! Along with tulips they're probably my favourite flower. I remember when Anthony used to have a little pot of them outside the Peck front door :-)

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        Replies
        1. Ahhh, forgot about the Peck snowdrops! Think my order of favourite flowers are: tulips, sunflowers then snowdrops. Very similar tastes!

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      5. Lovely images of signs of spring. :-) I keep worrying that proper winter is yet to hit us and all those poor bulbs and buds and creatures that dare to venture out will be hit with some proper cold soon. Love your hyacinths.

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        Replies
        1. I share your worries, mamma left for Norway today to be greeted by a winter snow blizzard, it is not unknown for us to have snow here in Feb, I keep wondering...

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      I will always read all comments and will try to reply but it may take me a couple of days, do please pop back and lets get a conversation going...