Monday 8 February 2016

February Begins

Hello Lovelies,
here I am with what seems to be becoming a regular weekly round up. I'd love to publish shorter posts more regularly but that's not happening for one reason or another. 

I'm smiling at this first picture as it's rather similar to the start of my previous post. Guess I just love sunlit winter woodland............


These images are from last Wednesday morning when we were blessed with blue skies..........


Though I think you could call the going "heavy" .......


It may be muddy out there, but there is blossom too............


Indoors the same day I was smiling at the Daffodils on my mantle...........


Then in the afternoon I was delighted to come across this wonderful "book bench" when mum and I visited a local art gallery...........


I had this edition as a child and it was one of my favourites...........

Ladybird books were a big part of my childhood and it's so nice to see them celebrated in this way, in the town where they were published. You can see more images of them HERE


On Thursday I was out with my lovely walking group again. This walk was being led by two ladies who haven't been leaders before. They did a great job, choosing an interesting route past a home that was once a windmill...........


and climbing up to look down upon the  raging wear.........


They even supplied yummy snacks to go with our morning coffee. This marmalade flapjack with sunflower seeds was so tasty.......


The group is full of kind and interesting people. They do  make me smile. I loved it when one of the older chaps started counting us using the traditional sheep counting rhyme...Yan tan tethera. His knowledge was impressive though he has never been a shepherd :0)

After a steep and slippery descent to river level, then a steep and tiring climb up again we were all happy to sit down by a pretty church and eat our picnics.............


Look where was a moss covered stone wall for me to dangle my legs over.........

excuse the mud :0)

It really was a delightful spot. The bulbs were just opening up in the churchyard......


and through the little cluster of charming old buildings you could just see the river..........

as another lady said, it really was a timeless spot.

I liked this weather vane very much..........


and it was appropriate as the only locals we saw were this friendly pair..........


On the way back we saw another converted windmill. Wouldn't it be nice to see them with sails...........


It was somewhat less scenic here....just acres of ploughed fields....this bit did remind me of chocolate though....

Milk or plain? :0)

And the farmer had helpfully made some tyre tracks for us to follow, otherwise it would have been rather treacherous.........


We have had quiet a lot of rain again too. On Saturday I never left the house. But I was enjoying more Ramblings podcasts on my phone...I got a little speaker, it's great...........


My Diary last week was telling me of Imbolc ( it's linked to Candlemass).... I loved the idea of celebrating the first stirrings of new life as the days begin to lengthen........


And I loved the colours in this wild flower Mandala.........


So I made a crochet version...........

It's THIS lovely pattern, with a slight twist

I think it looks pretty and seasonal, with it's snowdrop and crocus colours...........


It's making me smile despite the rain .

Jacquie x

16 comments:

  1. I always enjoy your posts and pics :)
    I will be in the area soon and was interested in the Ladybird exhibition...is it still at Charnwood museum? I couldn't see it on their website...also are they are benches in town still?
    Hope you don't mind me asking!
    Keep up the inspiring pics and crochet x

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  2. Hi, I'm not sure but the Cinderella bench was in the town hall ( along with the excellent Leicester Sketch Club exhibition). I'm sure the staff there would know where the other benches are now.
    Jacquie x

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  3. Jacquie, I really enjoyed reading your post, full of interesting photos. It has certainly been muddy out and about, thank goodness for hiking boots otherwise I would be slipping and sliding all over the place. Your group walk sounds great, sometimes it is good to mix with other people who enjoy the same type of thing and the people on your walks certainly sound an interesting bunch. I love your new mandala and it certainly shows your daffodils off to perfection. The red tulips are beautiful as well. xx

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  4. You are spending some great times with your mum. The gallery looks lovely. Jo x

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  5. lovely as always....i love your walks...and photographs...thank you for sharing!

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  6. Some beautiful photos. I celebrated Imbolc by going looking for Snowdrops last Tuesday and then attended the Imbolc Fire Festival over the weekend :) http://louises30dayswild.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/day-251.html

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  7. A lovely start to the month! Love your mandala! xx

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  8. Marmalade flapjack, YUM. And what gorgeous blossom and crocuses. It's certainly muddy everywhere isn't it. Looks like a lovely walk though, worth getting out and enjoying the fresh air. Have a good week Jacquie. CJ xx

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  9. What a lovely place you live in. I could feel the freshness in the air. Loved your lavender inspired mandala. Its pretty Jacquie

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  10. Thank you for another pretty virtual walk. When I was a child I was fascinated by weather vanes, and did, and still take photos of unusual ones
    Julie xxxxx

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  11. Another lovely post Jacquie. I want you to know you have inspired me to try and walk more this year. I am not going to get anywhere near your achievement of last year, but every little helps. I am so glad you found Ramblings by the way, I meant to mention it to you last year. When I retired in March I started working my way through all the older programmes and listened to them all over the place. I did a lot of clearing in our overgrown garden and quite a few episodes entertained me from my phone in a plastic bag stuck on the wire fence with a bulldog clip! Those marmalade flapjacks sound scrummy, I might have to try and find a recipe. I love your little spring mandala, what gorgeous colours! Have a good week. Elaine x

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  12. What fabulous sites to see on this walk, thanks Jacquie for sharing! Very much the same here, mud and more mud, although snow flurries today and very cold (My walking today will be done indoors!)lol. My daffodils are starting to bud in the garden and a few trees are blooming. I can hardly wait for spring! Wouldn't it be lovely to see inside those windmill converted houses?! I love the crochet mandala, just what these grey days of winter need, cheery wooly colors. Have a great day.x

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  13. A lovely post and I love your crocus and snowdrop mandala xx Joy xx

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  14. Jacquie, your walking group were brave to band together and take that walk through soggy areas, with the grand reward to seeing beautiful, interesting views like those converted windmills.

    Bravo on the pretty mandala that definitely captures springtime colors. xo

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