This moment....

 

Linking with Soulemama and sharing cherished moments



A cold and gray day

No sign of blue in the sky

 Nothing for it but a walk in the forest

And of course a cuppa afterwards

 

 Wishing you a weekend of rest

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength"

~Corrie ten Boom~

I must go down to the sea.....

The coast is good for my soul. There is something about the wind and sounds that refresh me and move me on. The isle of Anglesey is a special place for us and we try to take breaks there throughout the year. For overseas friends and family:
The Isle of Anglesey (Ynys Môn in Welsh) is situated off the north-west coast of Wales near the beautiful Snowdonia mountain range. It is separated from the mainland by the Menai Strait. Anglesey was known as Mam Cymru ('Mother of Wales') during the middle ages because its fertile fields formed the breadbasket for the north of Wales. http://www.anglesey-history.co.uk/
Only daughter was due to run a coastal race in Anglesey, so what a good excuse for the family to take a weekend off and join her. Newborough forest is one of our favourite spots because pup loves to run off lead their. My favourite because on one side you have the forest and the other side you have the sea

We had fun walking, playing, painting, and discovering

On the way home we decided to drive via Snowdonia, definitely need to spend some more quality time there over the summer.

Snowdonia

Behold the sweeping valleys

Where the heathered slopes do lie,
With rugged peaks that reach
                                      Unto the ever-changing sky.... Andrew Blakemore 

A foggy day....

Boxing day is a relaxing, recharging day for us.  However,  we always start the day with a walk in the Lickey hills. This morning was a foggy day with the air crisp and fresh. 

Take a walk with me

 

        The Tearoom is in sight 



 

Ah, that welcome cuppa

 

Advent Calender ~ Day 10

Well today was supposed to be our tree picking day, but we have run out of time.  It's a slow, enjoyable task, choosing our christmas tree.  It will always be a Norwegian Spruce and we take our time enjoying the music and having fun around the trees.  Tomorrow will be our day for tree picking.
Today's Advent calender gives you a view of a family tradition and the humour of my man and twenty something children :-)



Advent calendar ~ Day 5

 

Not a recent photo but I do like this little group of snowmen

Advent calendar ~ Day 4

 

Another corner in my home

I guess you are beginnning to gather I like small groups arranged in little corners ;)

The  snowman has been with me since childhood, which brings back many memories each year of fun and family time at christmas.



Advent calendar ~ Day 3

 

 

 

A little corner of my home

Advent Calender ~ Day 1

At last the 1st December has arrived, we have been holding on with bated breath for this exciting day.
Christmas carols playing....check
Decoration boxes ready for unpacking....check
Fun times ahead....

Song of the weather.....

It all seems rather dull and gray when the snow has melted. It is that time of year when England is very dull and it often creeps its way into our own moods. This is a time of year when I struggle living in England.  South African winters have blue skies and sunshine!  Who am I kidding; the east coast of South Africa does not have winter, it just has cooler weather during the months from June to August!
However, this is my home and has been now for a decade, so it is over to theWinter's of England: I tend to want to hibernate at this time, but somehow we get through it. A lot of complaining will be heard, but afterall this is England. The English talk about the weather!
 

           January brings the snow
           Makes your feet and fingers glow

On those rare occasions when the snow settles and transforms everywhere into a little Narnia, then we can enjoy the outdoors again.  This year we had a bonus with snow staying around for more than a week. I mean lovely white snow that you could enjoy walking, or playing in.

Our dog enjoys racing around in the snow,

then cuddles up swaddled in warmth

                                             
February's Ice and sleet
                                          Freeze the toes right off your feet

                                  
Of course, eventually the rain came and now the cold.
Yes for England it is cold! 
But it is not for long, already the forced daffodils are in the shops, the snowdrops in our village have appeared and there are a couple of glimpses of primrose.





The snowdrops have appeared.

We have now moved into March.  I would like to think it will be getting better, after all there is the promise of spring all around us.  Even the birds seem to have increased their singing in the mornings.

However, I think the poet speaks from experience; when checking my Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady, nothing seems to have changed. However I hope we don't have as much rain as Edith Holden had back in March of the 19th Century.
                                   Welcome March with wintry wind
                                     Would thou wer't not so unkind
There will be sunshine this month but still many mornings of hard frost and a wind that can chill the bones.

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

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



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

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."