Boxing day walk..........

Well it maybe the season to eat many scrumptious delights so a walk on Boxing day is a good tradition to uphold.
England has been plagued with  much rain in the weeks leading up to Christmas, a spot of sunshine on Boxing day had us up and off early. Well just DD, pup and myself mind you, the boys remained in dreamland;)

Breakfast for me was a mince pie and the Lickey Hills ;)

   

Known simply as the Lickeys, it is a range of hills in Worcestershire.

                                                  

So many pathways for pup to race backwards and forwards.

 One satisfied Cocker spanielAnd a mother and daughter happy they had exercised themselves and the dog :)



Tis the season.....

We love the build up to Christmas and all the family traditions we have together, like:

Choosing our Christmas tree. The local christmas tree grower is a wonderfully christmas place to be. Songs play,children run around excited at the aniticipation of Santa's visit, and some of us just make fond memories. We like to choose a Norwegian spruce because of the pine scent.  I heardthe other day that the tree in Trafalgar square is a Norwegian spruce, speacially chosen and sent across to London.  It is normally 20 metres and about 50-60 years old. It is selected with great care from the forests surrounding Oslo ad is fondly described by the forresters as "the queen of the forest"
Deck the halls.....

Oh Christmas tree, oh christmas tree

Much pleasure thou canst give me

Next activity on the to do list is baking

Mince pies ~ a British tradition usually eaten at Christmas time.

Although I buy my fruit mixture, I still like to make my own pies

and this year added extra dried cranberries and slivered almonds.

They are scruptious eaten cold

or warm with a dollop of double thick cream.

DD's speciality is cupcakes, they are always light and fluffy

 And DS's speciality is

                                                            shortbread ~ cruchy and buttery

To finish off this gastronomical post here are two traditional English christmas desserts~

Trifle and Christmas pudding

Choosing life

God's time is now,

for the days fly fast,
And swiftly the seasons roll;

Today is yours,
It may be your last;

                                                         

Choose life for your precious soul. ~

Memories ~ Summer time - Exmouth........

And then it was time for hubby and I to go away. We spent a few days with friends at their caravan on the coast. This was a new experience for us staying in a caravan city;), but I was amazed how quiet and relaxing it was even though there were many holidaymakers.

We walked and talked and enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of the seaside

A train trip hugging the coastline took us to the town of Falmouth which was a strange little seaside resort well known for their resident black swans.

This picture is of the local sweeper who everyday sweeps an inspirational message along the walkway.

"The Dreams we had as children" ~ sweeper

Thank you T & D for sharing your time with us.

Catching up on myself...........

 I miss the opportunity of posting on my blog :( and yet I always encourage my children to not miss opportunities.  I think I need to practise what I preach ;)
I like to share my experiences with friends and families, but I want my blog to also be a record of the the places I go and the changing seasons around me.

I am not a "new year's resolution" person, but I'm going to endeavour in 2013 to catch up over the next few posts and get myself up to date with the pictures and thoughts of the past years.

 

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." ~John Muir

                                                 

Walking is one of the most enjoyable past times I have with my children, and the English countryside has a wealth of walking and "breathing" spaces. Although I do not live in a rural setting, it is semi rural and we are fortunate to have a few walks to take, walking in the snow is my favourite. England can be wet, rather wet and muddy, but when it snows not only is the ground a pleasure to walk on, but the normal winter dullness is turned into the most beautiful fairyland.

Only a light dusting but ever so pretty