Instagram Autumn

As the light leaves us earlier everyday now I've been looking back through my Instagram feed at my favourite autumnal moments:

:: I love the blazing beeches along the lane I take from town to home. Full of jays, pheasants scuttling in the undergrowth and acrobatic squirrels, it's a breathtaking place that's very precious to me.

:: potting up tulips and narcissi for a spring show. There's a lovely atmosphere in the garden late in the year; the scent of damp compost, leaf litter and woodsmoke takes me back to busy garden days with my parents when I was little. 

:: I've had some lovely autumnal runs this season. The canal side was especially beautiful in our mild October.

:: my last #weekendposy of the year. Every weekend I've gathered a few blooms from the garden and gathered them together on Instagram with this hashtag. I'll be starting again in the spring and it would be great if you'd like to join in!

:: fun in the woods. We joined the lovely Nina and her smashing family  (www.ninanixon.blogspot.co.uk) for a haunting afternoon of spookiness, scavenging, potion making and campfire fun. It was a fantastic, gloriously muddy afternoon - thanks so much! 

And now winter is creeping in and I'm enjoying every moment. The air turns colder, sparkle and twinkle lights the night sky and we're making preparations for celebrations to come. Thank you autumn for another glorious season, see you next year. 

A Bit of a Do

Thanks ever so much for all the wonderful support and comments on mine and Archie's little run the other weekend.

When this running lark started I had in the back of my mind that I definitely wanted to be in better shape by the time I was 40.

Well the weekend before last, just after Bonfire Night, I hit that landmark feeling so much better about all sorts things in life. 

I hadn't ever thought I'd have a party but once we thought about it, it seemed just the best thing to do. So we gathered together the loveliest bunch of family and friends at the Foxlowe Arts Centre in town, turned on the fairy lights, ate hearty food and let off fireworks and danced into the night.

What a fantastic time. I laughed and

and talked so much I went hoarse and only took a few quick snaps on my phone. 

It was so lovely to have everyone there who helped us to have such fun. I feel really lucky to be here, at 40, with a fantastic family and smashing friends. Life is very good so here's to the next decade! Xx

Running up that hill - or hills!

I crossed the rubicon a couple of weeks ago and did something I never thought I could ever do. I was in a race! Well race in the loosest sense, more of an amble with a thousand other people - and I didn't actually come last!

Our littlest man is growing to love running so we looked for a cross country thing he might be able to do and a friend suggested the Dovedale Dash, just over the hills from home. But the thing is, there is an adults race too, all around the beautiful dale and the pretty estate village of Ilam. 

Before I knew what I was doing I could hear myself saying I would do it too to give Archie some encouragement and support. Blimey how things have changed! 

Look at his face! He absolutely cantered around, hurtling up the hellish ascent that is Lin Dale to the finish as pleased as punch. I was totally overcome with emotion for him, it's a hard run and I was just bursting with pride.

My run? Well I chickened out of splashing through the freezing River Dove (bit worried I might lose a shoe in the first 1/2 mile!) and took the stepping stones instead. 

Our course plodded along the riverside, over steep, rutty fields then through the village, back over fields, through the thickest mud I HAVE EVER SEEN, skittered back along the river below Thorpe Cloud and eventually back up the ridiculous Lin Dale  (admittedly I walked most of that).

4 & 3/4 strenuous Peak District miles I will never forget. I got a lovely certificate, a pounding head and eventually a very nice feeling of proving myself wrong. 

Here's a shocking picture (excuse the spare tyre - ugh Lycra) but proof I did it and showed my boys that their mum can move, something last year they may have questioned. And that change is enough for me x