The second week of the Easter holidays has been another busy one, I've had both Oliver and Bonnie for three days and they have both slept over too.  

On Tuesday we went for a lovely walk around Haden Hill park again, the house was closed this time and the ducks must have been fed a lot because they just weren't interested in our offerings at all but, the weather was better there was lovely blossom on the trees, an abundance of garlic and we heard a woodpecker, although we couldn't spot it.

The trees are starting to fill out with leaves, I took a photo from this spot about three weeks ago and you can really see the difference.

On Wednesday we went to Bewdley and took a picnic to eat by the river, we also had a browse around the charity shops and came home with a few books for the little kids and one for me, there was nothing that took Olivers fancy this time.

More blossom, I do love to see all the blossom on the trees this time of year, this is in the little park in the town where there is an orchard.

We sat and ate our picnic by the pond, it's such a pleasant place to sit and just watch the world go by.

Yesterday we had a slow start, well as slow as you can with small people.  We needed to make a birthday cake for my youngest daughter, Stevie-Leigh, she was 28 yesterday.  Wow those years have gone so quickly, it's hard to believe that my youngest child is 28, in my head she is still a teenager, lol

It's become a tradition that I make the girls a cake on their birthday, Stevie had tagged me in a post on fb with a photo of a (professionally made) Battenburg cake a few weeks ago, saying 'this years birthday cake'  Well, I had to have a go at making a copy cat one when the challenge was made!

I think she was pleased with my effort, it tasted good anyway :-)

I put the house back in order last night after the little people had gone home so that I could get up today and have a day for myself, I've caught up with some podcasts and watched a couple episodes of Life after Life on BBC iplayer whilst knitting, it's been lovely after a full on week.

Mark will be back soon and we are taking Stevie and Darren out for a birthday curry later, It's been ages since we went out for a curry, I'm looking forward to it.

Hope you have a lovely weekend

-X-

Half term week

Last week was half term here and as Joanne was at work I looked after Bonnie and arranged for us to do a few activities during the week.  On Tuesday we had a day out to Blist Hill Ironbridge Gorge museums.  Blist Hill is a Victorian Town living museum, similar to The Blackcounty living museum I've blogged about before Here.  I think I preferred it, there were people in each of the shops and all were friendly and very knowledgeable about the era.  

On Thursday I managed to get us tickets for the pantomime, Snow White, at the local Town Hall.  Panto's usually happen around Christmas time and into January but I think this one, which raises money for a local hospise, usually happens at the February half term, we were at the last show.  As you can see from the last photo we ended up with balcony seats, it's not a huge venue so that's not really a problem, and Bonnie could see because there were children in front of her seat, but, I had a giant of a woman in front of me!  This is the view I had of the stage if I sat straight in my chair, yeah, not good, I spent the whole time leaning towards Bonnie's chair so I could see.

On Friday I took Bonnie and Arty to a local garden centre where they decorated a teracotta pot in which they then planted some sunflower seeds.  Arty was so pleased with his, of course he had to draw a slug and a worm on there too, ha ha.

-X-

Only mad dogs and English men

We've been spoilt with all the sunshine these last few weeks and, it was certainly welcome after all the rain and cold of the previous couple of months.  But, because we are in the UK we have to make the most of it because as we know, it can drastically change overnight.  

According to Alexa tonight we have a flood warning, I suppose there is a storm coming our way pretty soon so it will be all change.

Monday's outing was to Baggeridge Country Park.  For some reason I have never been here before, don't know why because it is only a 20minute drive away.  We spent almost all day there, the weather was perfect, not too hot for walking and not too sunny for Bonnie, (because she is just a hot sweaty mess in the heat and being a red head cannot be out in the sun without being plastered from head to toe in factor 50)

We had a great time and plan on going back again over the summer.

We walked right to the top to see the amazing view and this little bean didn't complain once, it was quite a hike too.

There is a great children's playground there too with a sand pit, Bonnie would have been quite happy sitting in that sand all day.

To make the most of the weather when I collected Oliver from school today we went a ride down to Bewdley and had an ice cream, a nice river walk and a fish and chip tea sitting by the river.

I hope you have been making the most of the weather too.

-X-

Another Jolly July catch up and a couple of days out

For the second week of Jolly July I had said I wanted to have another three or four new starts. 

That didn't happen.  Instead I had one new start and three finishes.  It suited me much better to finish the small starts than add to a pile of stitching.  So here they are.

Gingerbread House No. 3

Frosty Flakes

My First Christmas by Lizzie Kate

My First Christmas was my only start in week two, but I'm happy to have started and finished three ornaments.  You may have noticed that it says 2nd Christmas.  Well, this is for Jacob, he was supposed to make his arrival in the first week of January and this Christmas would have been his first, but as you know he arrived a few days before Christmas last year, with everything that was going on I didn't have time to make him an ornament, so we thought this would be a talking point in the years to come 😆

The year is supposed to be stitched over one, no way that was going to happen on 32 count!  The fabric is a light blue, which is not showing up on this terrible photo, but trust me, it looks cute.

Jenny's partner, James, is serving in Afghanistan now until the beginning of November so we are helping out with the boys to give Jenny a break at the weekend.  We took them, along with Bonnie on a woodland walk on Saturday.

Arty likes to collect things along the way, sticks, pebbles, flowers, he picks up things until he can hold no more.  He's dissecting a buttercup here!

The Saturday before we took them to Bewdley.  This lovely market town is about twenty minutes drive and makes a nice change for a walk but the river, oh, and they have Teddy Gray's ice cream so worth the drive 😉

The boys really need a hair cut but Jenny hasn't been able to get an appointment yet on a day she's not working.  70's throwback, lol

I went to Bewdley again last week, this time with Joanne, Bonnie and Jacob.  It was nice enough for us to sit and have our lunch in the park, and of course another ice cream later.

Can you see Bonnie has her gloves on?  It was really warm but she insisted on putting them on :-)

That's me all caught up with the happenings here for now.  I hope you are all still staying safe and well and enjoying a little more freedom, if you are able.

See you soon

-X-

A works in progress post

I don't have any finished things to show you this week so I thought I'd show you all the things I have on the go at the moment.

This baby sleeping bag has been on and off my needles for quite some time.  

I started it months ago and just couldn't get the pattern to stay in my head, even though it was basically moss stitch.  After picking it up and finding yet another mistake I decided I would ditch the pattern as written and do a similar stitch but something easier to remember.  I've worked almost 12 inches now in double moss stitch and, fingers crossed, no mistakes.

I want to get this one done by the end of September really so Bonnie will be all snug in her pram when the weather gets cooler.

A scarf for Oliver.  

He will be start Reception at school in a couple of weeks, and this will keep the chills off on the walk to and from school.  The grey was something I already had in my stash, the blue, (Sirdar Aran) was a bargain £1 a ball from the charity shop.

Another little cardigan in a new to me yarn.  Sirdar No1.  I'd never heard of it until I saw it last week.  It's knitting up really nice and is lovely and soft.

Stitching

Yes, I know, I haven't stitched for ages but I enjoyed working on this last night, (and a little more progress made this afternoon)

I've read lots of blog posts that have mentioned the change in the weather, and it's been no different here in the Midlands this week.  The afternoons have generally been ok and yesterday was quite sunny, but it does go chilly late afternoon, we have managed to resist putting the fire on just yet but that may change tonight, it's windy, raining and not very warm at all this afternoon.

Last Sunday couldn't have been more different.  We went to Bewdley for the day as they were having a fun day with stalls and street food along the river over the bank Holiday weekend.

Oliver in the middle shouting at the Punch & Judy show

And Spiderman kindly let him sit on his bike, lol

Despite the change in the weather some things in the garden are still ok, some are almost past their best and will need pulling out soon.  I put quite a few dahlias in this time, the slugs ate three  and two are yet to flower but two have produced the most amazing bloom, from this....

To this.....

One of the roses I bought a couple of months ago has decided to give some lovely flowers at last, the scent from these is gorgeous. 

If this rain and wind keep up though I doubt there will be much of anything left by next week.  

I bought a couple of packs a Autumn plants for some baskets this week that will replace the ones that will die off soon and I got a couple of pack of tulip bulbs too, we have loads of daffs in the spring but no tulips.   All in all I think my plants have done quite well this year, and I've been really happy with how my tubs and baskets have done.

I've got a couple of days off work this week, I haven't decided what to do yet, one of them I might set aside as a 'me' day.   On Saturday we are going to London again, for the weekend this time, we are using another voucher the girls got us for Christmas, this time Kensington Palace, breakfast at the Orangery and a walking tour.  Something to look forward too :-)

I hope you all have a lovely week and I will see you again soon

-X-