A Bountiful Day

Wow - well I bet a shot of a red bucket filled with crab apples has seriously got your interest. This is where it all started yesterday. I got fed up with the darned things falling on our heads while we ate underneath the crab apple tree, so I pulled some off. There are still masses and I have no desire whatsoever to make jelly, so I'll put the bucket outside and hope someone takes them away.

After that the Bun's and I had a look at the greengages and we were so excited to find that we had got to them before the wasps this year.

The greengage tree was a Mother's day present from Woolies (so a tree of historical significance now too). It moved with us from our old house and seems to like it here too.



I planted it a few days before little Bun was born so they're the same age.

The other tree that is as old and moved with us is her apple tree. We planted that for little Bun when she was born. Eldest Bun has a beautiful Rose. For probably quite obvious reasons.

While we were picking the greengages our neighbour popped over with the smallest sweetest tomatoes. Starting to see chutney developing before our eyes I got the urge to go fruit picking. The nursery we go to is a slice of heaven for us, so a great afternoon is guaranteed. I love ramshackle places with animals running everywhere as do the Bun's. We all have a dream to live somewhere like the Darling Buds of May one day.

Before fruit picking I thought a mystery tour for a picnic venue would be just the thing. Picnic packed and off we went.

Once we drove past one of the many windmills that are dotted around the Norfolk Broads, the Bun's guessed where we were headed.

A ride on the chain ferry to picnic on the other side. We could eat here, but that's not as much fun is it.

While we sat on the embankment munching merrily we saw this fabulous yacht go by. The sails were full of wind so it whipped by at quite a speed. It reminded me of the boat GR-J sailed on the Broads on Sunday (if any of you caught that great rivers programme). My earliest years were spent messing about on the water as my dad had a boatyard on the Broads. My strongest memory is of the eccentric community who lived on houseboats there. I loved visiting them and having squash and cake with them while my parents worked at the yard.

For a moment we thought they might collide.



Picnic eaten and one return journey back to the car on the other side and off we go to find

The Bun's were thrilled that Mr Cottonslippers (their name for this elusive feather footed gent) was around. He dashed off each time I got the camera near him though.

Then we saw this sign and knew we were in for a treat. You never know where you might find them as there are so many places for them to hide.

This hen actually had fifteen chicks around her. I'm sure she must have been chicksitting.



So beautiful this lady.

That's only a few of the hens and chicks we saw as they were also amongst the bushes with us as we ate (picked I meant). Little Bun gave the game away completely as she was covered in purple juice with a big splodge on her cheek.

Look at all the jewels we came home with, plus the tomatoes from earlier. I've never paid to pick blackberries before, but they're so disappointing on our hedges at the moment and these were delicious. There are sloes though and with a spot of gin and a long wait I might try to rustle up something for those winter months ahead.

I really must say a big thankyou to all of you who are following my blog and who leave me such lovely comments. They are truly appreciated and mean that I keep finding loads more fantastic blogs to visit too. Even when I'm slow in getting round to say hello I do get there in the end. One of the newest blogs to me lately Maminka Girl had a great quote which I'll share with you.
'You will never find time for anything. If you want time you must make it.' (Charles Buxton). Sums up a day really, constantly chasing my tail and trying to squeeze that little bit extra out of it before the sun goes down. See you in a day or two.

I have officially made it summer

The runner beans and the radish are coming along nicely. As you can see I've done a bit of re-organising around here and got rid of winter.

I couldn't take it any more. Mud is everywhere. It's on our clothes, the floor, the animals, the buns, everywhere. I had enough, so I spoke with the organiser of weather and they said nothing they could do at present, therefore I've taken it into my own hands. So for today it is officially British Summertime in my burrow.

Mr Bun and Mr Blue are enjoying a lazy chat in the garden.

The little buns are eating icecreams in their jammies.

Hilda and Hennypenny are scratching in the lovely dry earth

And me - oh I'm swanning around in my bare feet. Might make a jug of Pimms up in a minute and join everyone outside.

Off we go....

Hello, I thought it was about time I entered into blogland as I have been waiting in the wings and reading all of yours for far too long now. First off, before I start rambling about me, I thought I'd show you a few pictures of my favourite things. They are all things that I like looking at and just make me feel happy with their associated memories. These lovelies are on top of the fridge:

In the middle is half of my cabinet of glassware and bits. Then when I wash up I have this cheeky chappie cuddling his eggs grinning at me.

Today the little buns are at their grandparents and so it's fairly quiet around here. Apart from just bathing a very muddy little Pug and trying to find where the chickens have hidden themselves. So I thought today's the day. The ideas of how I wanted my blog to be have buzzed about my head for too long. So off we go .....I've always made things. My earliest memory is making one of my baby dresses into an owl and then sticking a couple of cup cake tins on for eyes and stuffing my mum's old tights inside. So no wonder that I have two little hoarder/crafters in my home.

I went to art college straight from school, but ended up doing a multitude of other things. Having the little buns brought me back to making again. I learnt to knit when I was pregnant the second time round so that I would sit down and it's been a good addiction ever since. I started designing and making toys, bags and blankets and whatever else I fancied for my girls and then I got asked by others if I would make them one too. So my passion for making has grown and grown. I keep wanting to learn new skills so I taught myself to crochet and embroider. I want to give felting a go next. For christmas I made the little buns a knitted doll each from a lovely book called Dream Toys by Clare Garland and also bits for their new sewing boxes. Smaller bun has called her mermaid Melodie:

Bigger little bun has called her fairy Daisy and styled and shot this photo of her with her other favourite present.

My other addiction is basically old stuff (which you have probably guessed by now). As a student all I wore was vintage and recyled. Now I'm older (just hit 40 this week) I adore car boots, auctions, fleamarkets, junk shops - you name it. So as our cottage is small and I needed a job when the buns went to school I decided to start selling my vintage homeware and my vintage inspired accessories. It's taken a while, but I'm getting into some good fairs and fleamarkets now so fingers crossed. I don't think I'll ever be running a multinational company, but this suits all of us and I can just about juggle it making sure all the little ones human and furry are looked after. At the end of all this I sometimes get a bit of time with my lovely husband.

I think I'd better introduce you now to one of the furry and four of the feathered friends. First up are Hilda, Mabel, Betty and Hennypenny:



I'm cheating with these pictures of the ladies and their home as it was in the summer, they're still out and about, but it's a muddy quagmire there now. Next Mr Alfie Blue and a bit of male knee:

Alfie's tongue permanently hangs out as it's a wee bit too long for him. All adds up to making him that bit more adorable to us. Poor boy wants the hens to play with him, but they don't understand his rules. Now they have taken to bullying him and wouldn't let him in the house yesterday so I had to rescue him.

Well I think I have exhausted myself working this all out, but I have just been told off as I forgot to include my little bun's cat Molly. So here she is saying goodbye until next time.