Lavender Basket

The Changing Seasons..........

2010-10-22T04:36:00.000-07:00

I seems like it was just yesterday that we discovered a new walk along the towpaths during the summer,and here we are well into autumn....that wonderful "season of mists and mellow fruitfulness....."

So I'll take a walk down memory lane of the past three months...........

And then there where blackberries beginning to form, I love this side of English countryside, where berries can be picked while out walking.

Puppy gets introduced to blackberries, and she doesn't need much pursuading to help herself to sweet morsels. She seems to know which are the ripe, sweet ones to eat :)

There were numerous flowers galore and one of my favourites,the little orange flower, is a scarlet pimpernel.

Soon there were more berries and then the wet weather brought on the mushrooms and toadstools. I've yet to master the art of mushroom identification which my sister and young niece are so good at.

I love this shot of the fallen oak leaves and enjoyed collecting fallen branches to decorate the entrance at home for the fall season.

The pumpkin idea is thanks to a friend who suggested them on her blog and gives a good tutorial here http://ohiofarmgirl.blogspot.com/

For everything under Heaven

There is a time and season

Given by God with a purpose

As well as a simple reason.

Summer time - London cont....

2010-09-13T02:45:00.000-07:00

Of course the best part about D being in London meant A & myself could have a leisurely two days in the city. It was a really special time for us browsing, discovering, laughing and making special memories. We visited the Modern Tate art gallery, took in a show at the theatre, watched street performances and enjoyed the culture that is London.

watching the changing of the guard

Popping into the new Apple store, which is quite something with its spectacular glass staircase.

Just as we left the store Amy received a call to say she had just got a job with Apple :)

Covent Gardens market, and stopping off for coffee

Chasing the tardis around London at the end of the weekend, getting stuck in London's traffic and at last finding it. For those of you who are not familiar with "Dr. Who" a British series, the tardis is a sight all fans can't miss.

The end to a perfect weekend away

Summer time - London

2010-09-12T09:33:00.000-07:00

I was able to spend a couple of days in London with A & D. D is very into Parkour and was in London for a 2 day workshop with many of the founders of Parkour. He had a very busy and challenging time but thoroughly enjoyed himself and got to work with Sebastian Foucon.

They seem a great group of young men and women who follow this discipline and it's another great excuse to visit London

It's great to see young people promoting healthy lifestyles and using the surrounds in the city to develop fitness and self discipline.

"Obstacles are found everywhere, and in overcoming them we nourish ourselves." -David Belle

Summer time - Lynmouth cont......

2010-09-10T04:21:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy summer and we seem to have done a fair amount of being out and about.

I can't really say I have a favourite as there have been special memories for each.

We had a good family holiday with all of us together in a riverside house. Hubby, daughter and son,Nana and of course the dog :)

How apt to stay in a home filled with lavender.

Skye (the dog ) had great fun with A & D

Mmmm family fun, lots of walking and morning Cuppachino

Lovely Lynmouth

2010-08-09T07:13:00.000-07:00

The Victorians were very fond of seaside holidays and the many walks through Lynmouth, North Devon, England have them to thank for their existence. How thankful I am too be able to walk the same paths cut out 100's of years ago.

Lynmouth is a delightful village set on the coast and linked by cliff rail to the town of Lynmouth.

There is a wonderful walk following the river to a National Trust Tea Garden at Watersmeet where you can have a scrumptious cream tea. It rained the day we walked but normally you can sit in the garden and have the Robins join your table for sweet morsels.

Where the waters meet........

What have I been up to......

2010-07-01T12:42:00.001-07:00

The past 6 weeks have been an exciting and busy time for me which culminated in a performance at the above venue......the Birmingham Symphony Hall. But I'm moving ahead of myself; it all began with a phone call from a past employer asking me to stage direct a production being put on by the local music services. A grant had been awarded by the arts council and a commission given for a musical to be written. My job was to recruit the actors and direct the play which incidently linked the entire performance of a 500 strong children's choir, three children's dance groups, an orchestra and group of 8 actors. The script was in serious need of editing so the choreographer and I spent a morning together rewriting and adapting the original script. Actors were recruited from the participating schools and I was able to obtain emploment for two of my ex-students.

Rehearsals were sparce and disjointed, but it all came together with

a full rehearsal last Friday.

This was the first opportunity all the different departments would be seeing each other. Staff and students alike were so committed to the project and worked very well together. We then met again on Monday with the full company at the Symphony hall.

The amazing thing was the children were not at all daunted by the sheer size of this magnificant hall, they just took it all in their stride and carried on regardless. We spent a few hours rehearsing in the morning, had a dress rehearsal in the afternoon and performed the world premiere of The Voice Thief in the evening.

My little band of actors were a delightful group to work with and didn't take long to bond. One of the choir masters was recruited to play the villain. Jake was such an invaluable team member as he helped coach the actors who would also be singing.

What a previlege it was to be a part of this production; to be doing something I love and to be paid for it. God is good.

The sounds and smells of Africa....

2010-05-29T09:57:00.000-07:00

What a surprise to find a garden centre full of the sounds and sights of Africa right in the Midlands of England. That's just what we discovered and it was a wonderful time of remembering when it was home.

The life size animal are brought over from Kenya and made by artists there using scrap metals.There were also the usual African curios which I will remember to invest in some other day.
Lunch was served outside and we ate in one of the many eating areas tucked away in amongst the vegetation. The weather was glorious as the skies were clear and the sun shone down making us really feel we were back ina land much loved.

Nkosi sikeleli Afrika

God bless Africa

A trip down memory lane.....

2010-05-14T02:38:00.000-07:00

When visiting a friends blog she had a delightful photo of her grand daughter playing in the mud. They had such fun the two of them chomping about in their wellies.
It reminded me of how my girl loved the mud when she was little. Her older cousin was very available to make mud cakes and have a squishy, muddy time.

Mud
Mud is very nice to feel

All squishy-squashy between the toes.

I'd rather wade in wiggly mud,

Than smell a yellow rose.
Nobody else but the rosebud knows

How nice mud feelsBetween the toes.

Things I love

2010-05-08T03:08:00.000-07:00

Lemon Meringue pie must be one of my favourite desserts. I think I could eat half a pie all to myself. Unfortunately we all love lemon meringue in this household so I normally settle for a quarter.

My newest favourite drink I think is Mocha. My daughter introduced this drink to me and the deliciously looking cuppa mocha is prepared at Matthews, a really upbeat restuarant at the Custard factory. A is my "theatre buddy" and we enjoyed a drink here inbetween shows. We will take the boys one day and share our discovery.

The Robin is everything that is England. They can be quite brave especially when there is a regular supply of food. This little chap was very friendly while we ate hot apple pie and clotted cream for afternoon tea at the national trust tea garden in WatersMeet.

Of course I love all things summery, but there is something special about a flipflop tan on feet.

Secluded benches are always an inviting stopover for me. This bench was underneath a pear tree in someone's garden.
The bench in my small garden is more rustic and homemade. My niece, while visiting from New Zealand went rummaging in the field next door and came home with two tree stumps and some wood from a broken gate..I think.

It has served us well and both cats enjoy it too.

"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

2010-05-03T06:08:00.000-07:00

Well, we made a bluebell walk. Not as spectacular as Yew Tree farm in Wootten Wowen, but still a very pleasant walk

The view from the top

Quite a group had got

together from some of our church congregation

Our Waterways

2010-05-01T04:48:00.000-07:00

I love the Waterways of England and here in the West Midlands we have many canals. It is a slow and peaceful existence and often think Greg and I should retire to a canal boat one day

A short way from home we have canals to walk alongside. The waterways here are quiet at the moment with the weather still warming up.

It is a peaceful walk with green pastures and the odd spinny along the way.

Often we see pathways cut into the undergrowth and wonder who or what makes the path worn.

The first photo looks narrow enough to be a fox's pathway. The second looks so inviting, you want to jump the fence and become a part of the undergrowth.

Spring is here in it's many forms: The birds chirped and sang their songs as we walked I saw the bluebells are beginning to show.

Perhaps we'll go on a bluebell walk this coming Bank holiday, as

there is nothing like walking through an ocean of bluebells.

More than anything, these walks are special to me as they are the memories that bind us together as a family.

Memories of a snowy England........

2010-01-24T08:01:00.000-08:00

Hubby captured these pics out by the canal. I've never seen the canals frozen over in the 7 years we've lived here

The birds didn't seem perturbed by the snow and ice.

In fact they were the only ones able to brave the iced canal.

There is a lesson to be learned through God's birds and how they will adapt
to their ever changing circumstances.

There is a lesson here for me: to be flexible and adapt to the ever changing circumstances
I find myself in and trust God.

One of my favourite scriptures encouraging me to trust God is Philipians 4:6&7

"Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God that transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

The snow has arrived..........

2010-01-15T12:11:00.000-08:00

At last we have some snow worth writing about. It's fallen down south, it's fallen up north, but we in the Midlands kept getting a sprinkling.

And then the snow came and it stayed

Our regular walk along the footpaths through fields

My village road

The early boy catches the fox .........

2010-01-15T11:14:00.000-08:00

The fox who live nextdoor are very elusive. We hear them at night but rarely see them. What a treat if you get to meet them early in the morning, while making snowmen.

Unfortunately I was not the eager beaver it was my son who can spend hours outside snapping pics.

These fury neighbours are quite used to the goings on of humans in our village, so are not bothered when you are near by.

The fact that a human was building with snow was no concern as he snuffled and shuffled about sniffing for only he knew.

Time to move on........

And then the fox was gone.......

I would be remiss in leaving out a photo (or two) of the snowman, because it was through him the fox was seen. The first picture reminds me of Anthony Gormley's "Angel of the North". Granted not as large, but *D* would loved to have had the time to make him larger

Thank you darling*D* for letting me share your photographs.

Encouragement........

2010-01-14T08:54:00.000-08:00

I've been pondering on the William Barclay quote I have on the top of the page. Being an encourager is very important to me and there is so little of it today. Are we sometimes too busy to notice the need to encourage.

I'm reminded of the reason for choosing a lavender basket as my blog name. The scent is heavenly and has such therapeutic properties. But have you thought how the scent is given off? You have to rub up against it. You have to bruise it and sometimes strip it.

I think sometimes as encouragers this is what we do, we get bruised, but what a pleasure if the aroma coming from me is as heavenly as that from the lavender bush.

1Thessalonians5:11 "Encourage one another and build each other up"

re:Blessings

2010-01-07T07:49:00.000-08:00

This blog was begun in 2007 and has seen no growth. What a joy to have a daughter who finds this easy and has taken me by the hand in adding a bit of substance to my blog. Amy you'e a real sweetpea. Thanks for uploading the pics to my blog. Now I have to learn to do this on my own.

A Daughter brings sunshineTo brighten your day

A Daughter brings joyThrough her loving ways

A Daughter is a blessingThat comes from above,

A special and beautiful treasure to love.