Happier Outside

Every now and again I crack. When all the bits of things I'm trying to juggle come crashing down and I don't know how to pick them all up again. What's most ridiculous (and I've given myself a good talking to about it) is that these things aren't life threatening or damaging. Just stressful. I'm not very good with stress.

And with me it's always work stress that brings things crashing down and it did for me again this week. Working fewer hours (not through choice), with more and more demands and yet again lots more change, has proved rather too much.

I find it hard to switch off and keep thinking of what there is to do and how to do it. Again, not through choice. I'm not a workaholic or a career mad type. I just want to do a good job. When I'm there.

There have been tears and sleepless nights this week but I've had enough of that. Other people have real problems, at least I've still got a job, or part of one. So today I'm at home with my precious boys and I knew just what would help. Getting out. I wanted to feel the wind blow, kick leaves about and hear them laugh.

Bless them. It never fails. How can you be distracted by anything else when you have such joyful, funny inquisitive souls for company.

We laughed, visited the pigs who live in the wood, found colourful leaves and played see saws on fallen logs.

And when we came home we brought a little of the outside in and made leaf bunting and some lovely stained glass leaves for the windows, inspired by Lou.

As usual improvisation was the name of the day (I never seem to have the right crafty things at the right time) but it turned out that colouring in waxed discs for jam pots works pretty well instead of tissue paper. Not sure where my boys have seen pink and purple leaves but I think they're pretty marvellous.

So I'm feeling much better, calmer and rational. It's only work. I can only do my best. Onwards and upwards as they say. Tomorrow is another day and it's autumn after all. So I will smile x

Last and First

This is usually the week when the first autumn frost blackens the foliage of tender plants in my garden. Even though the sun shone the air was sharp this morning and my breath rose in clouds as I pottered about with the hens.

Almost time for the garden to go to sleep. Each time I look at the borders there are more gaps and more brown stems as it fades away.

Picking my final bunch of flowers for the house has become an annual ritual, a marker of the seasons that I have come to love. I don't feel sad, thankful rather to my little garden that has given so much through spring, summer and early autumn and it jolly well deserves a rest.

This is my final hurrah posy that celebrates another colourful growing season. There are a few odd blooms left but gradually everything is fading and I'll leave those last ones in place for the bees and insects to enjoy while they can.

Our garden falls away from the house and as the season moves on and the leaves fall from the hedge and trees, the view across the valley really opens up so we get to enjoy the hills and the visiting wildlife while the garden slumbers under the frost and snow.

Inside, the lamps go on earlier and I love to close the curtains and light the house as the sun goes down sooner and sooner each evening. This little corner of the kitchen is a favourite cosy spot and I'm enjoying what I suppose are the last bunch of dahlias from the greengrocer this year too.

Chrysanthamums are still going strong of course. Mine are almost, almost ready so I'm bringing them into the greenhouse to keep Jack Frost's nippy fingers off them.

So these are the last but what is the first?

Well, today was the fist time I got that flippy, excited tummy feeling when I cast my mind to thinking of what I might be preparing and cooking at Christmas.

Too early to plan I know - but never too early to imagine!

P.S. Thank you, thank you so very much for all your wonderful messages of support for my little vintage venture. Every word of good wishes and encouragement has been really, really appreciated this week. And to everyone who has purchased thank you so much again. I've certainly kept the village post office busy this week! More lovely things coming soon. Xxxx

A Little Vintage Venture

Well I've been meaning to do this for a long time and finally I've conquered (sort of) the technology and I have a little vintage web shop open for business.

Curlew Vintage is a small virtual shop stocking treasures that I find on my travels and haven't space at home to display or imagine someone else may want to give a home to. From 1940s Christmas decorations to crochet blankets for cosying up with, there's plenty to choose from.

My aim is to keep things affordable as anything vintage seems to have rocketed through the roof recently but things are becoming harder to find.

I'll be adding a new selection every few weeks so keep checking back and I'll put up reminders on the blog.

I hope you enjoy having a browse and if you notice any problems or things that need fixing please let me know! This just a little hobby for me, not a big business but I promise to make sure I'm top notch for service and will get anything to you as quick as a flash.

So here goes... Curlew Vintage is online!