Just another Monday.

Or is it? **note to self.....stop watching the Mighty Boosh!

An early start meant all the chores were done by 9.30am - dusting, hoovering, ironing etc.

So I retired to the kitchen whipped up a batch of homemade dog bikkis and an egg, bacon and tomato flan for tonights dinner.....yummy with salad and new potatoes. Followed by a batch of home made cheese scones for lunch....all done by 11.00am. Blimey, I'm on fire.

Have taken the dogs for a wonderful walk across the South Downs behind Woodingdean as it was cool enough with the sea breeze to be out in the middle of the day. Plenty of sniffs and adventures for them with the grass hoppers and the sheep. Plus Fergus loves to chase butterflies - there were loads of Chalkland Blues about.

Now a Homity pie for tomorrows dinner is underway - I like it best the day after it's baked- served cold. Going to add spinach to it - yummy.

It is only 2.05pm......might even squeeze in some knitting :o)

p.s only downside so far, a burn on my left ring finger.....who put that hot ceramic hob there? And a cut between my index and middle finger on my right hand from Lottie's extending lead.....ouch!

Beanbags & blue fings

"I am telling you Fergus this beanbag throne is not big enough for two fat terrier arses, so go away."

"Nope my arse is staying....fuzzball. Now shhhhhh I am trying to sleep and if you don't leave me alone I will make your blue fing squeal!"

"Ugh how common.....squabbling terriers.....yuck."

Radio 4

I love it. From womens hour with DIY and Mum blogging to butterflies and chimps with Jane Goodall. Brilliant stuff.

End of the holiday.

A few more from the lovely Sheffield Park.

Loved this view from the stone bridge. Right below were loads of little fish and coins.

It would be wonderful to have a garden like this.....along with all the gardeners to maintain it!

Back to normal for us today. Week 2 was busy but quiet - we had stuff to do etc, we fitted in other stuff like playdates for J, cinema for us (Eclipse was brilliant) but a lot of the time we relaxed as a family. J and I started devouring the books M got out of the attic for us - we're reading the Belgariad series by David Eddings, J is on book 1, I'm on book 3. M finished the drum he was making along with a couple of other pieces of pottery. It was a lovely relaxing week.

A place that is a perfect just to.....

be still and marvel.

I'm not really a garden person much but there is, sometimes, just a need to go somewhere like this and drink it in. Sheffield Park is almost too lovely in places. There is so much colour and texture - though I don't think all of us felt like that about it.....

Can't blame him really I would have felt the same at his age!

Loads of ducks but only two ducklings, they and their Mum where so people friendly. This, I think, was the only bit that J liked.

Most of the rhododendrons for which this garden is famed are over but there still a few stunners out. This burst of colour was at the edge of a shadowy grove and almost jumped out of the dark green surround. I love greens and pinks in nature.

I have loads more wonderful shots taken by M but I'll save them for another time.

Have a joyful weekend.

I know this is a little strange.......

but this photo was taken by my boys especially for me.Why? Because since about the age of 13 I have been obsessed by Komodo Dragons. I saw a picture in a wildlife book of a Dragon eating a Calf and I couldn't believe there were lizards that big. I read everything I could lay my hands on, have watched every TV programme about them and even went to Chester Zoo (with my boys) so I could see them in real life. Fluffy kittens they are not!

They also took the picture below (on their jolly jaunt to Nodnol yesterday). I think it is such a cool picture. The Ammonite in the picture is hip height! Just a little one then.

From the bedroom window.

A lilac in full bloom.

Using the zoom - Rottingdean windmill with the sea in the background - on the route of our favourite early morning dog walk. Across a field full of skylarks and wild grasses. I love that we can see this from home. Sometimes you need a reminder of just how much wonderful stuff you have right on your doorstep.

Lottie asks......

"What is best for getting the taste of frog off your tongue?"

Sweetums....,

is on a frog hunt - the blurred tail is a good sign he might have found one.

Yep but this little froggy is a smart little froggy and has quickly got back into the pond away from the naughty Sweetums!

Come on ickle froggy, come back out of the pond so we can play games together. I promise not to hurt you....much.

If you are wondering why Fergus is now known as Sweetums an explaination can be found here and a picture here

"Sweetums eat froggy, froggy!"

More from the garden

The garden has some lovely flowers at the moment. It is very pleasant to sit up by the pond watching the Damsel flies dance with each other. We've had red, blue and green ones this year. The fat little taddies are eating lavae and now have the beginnings of their back legs. We have lots of birds, butterflies and some wonderfully fat Slow Worms. I love this kind of weather - warm enough to sit out in but not so hot it's unbearable.

I've been taking my knitting out after lunch. The dogs rootle about in the undergrowth - Fergus in particular likes to hunt frogs, Lottie lays under the bench. It makes for a peaceful half an hour. It is also helping me get outdoors- been having some problems with that again but am starting to feel much better now.

Red hot pokers

From the garden again. Weird flowers but I kind of like them.

Foxgloves

I had a headache this morning and as it felt sunny but fresh I took myself away to the garden with some knitting and a big glass of water. I thought these were stunning so got M to photograph them for me.

What do you think?

The Solitary Shore

On the solitary shore I stand and watch
tides and winds move as I am still.
The pebbles roll caressed by waves and
foaming salty bubbles dance,
I blink and breathe but stay entranced.
I can taste the salt upon my lips,
can feel the spray upon my face
but the horizon wide and spread afar
holds me in this place.
Time moves too chasing the sun,
gulls wheel and they call
But I'm still here, I cannot leave
the scene holds me in its thrall.

Colour, texture and depth

Those three things really float my boat. I get caught up in them and totally loose track of time. Whether it is something I'm working on IRL or just musing over in my head. I love art galleries and museums, coffee table books full of illustrations, childrens picture books - all of these draw me and absorb my attention.


I get lost in words and music too. My mind is absorbed by the pictures in my head made by sounds - I think these also have colour, texture and depth. Combine them all together and I'm in heaven. That's todays happiness plan - to get absorbed and loose track of time.

Yesterday

Was not quite the success I was hoping for. Obviously there are some things that can't be left or ignored completely. J was great, settled down to what I asked him to do and was quietly absorbed for most of the day, Sadly, Ma was unsettled by events (not big serious ones - little niggly ones) in her life and needed an ear for a large proportion of the day. She's my Ma, so I obliged but by the evening I had had enough.

I did manage about 14 rows of a sock, 2 chapters of a book, listened to some lovely music and washed some yarn that I'd finally finished spinning. I also gave the dogs some exercise, got the house in order (I needed to do that) and decided to give M a break from cooking so made dinner. I caught up with some TV on the Skybox that we'd taped and did a batch of ironing. A productive day but not really a happy one - as in my posted 'definition' of a happy day.
Today I will try again - there is mundane stuff - laundry, dog walking, chores and getting J happliy absorbed before he's off out this afternoon -but there should be time for me too. Like right now....Womens Hour on R4 beckons....or maybe the Classical Selection on R3......or catching up with Sticks and String - any of them is a good start.

A week to be happy.

Most weeks my mood swings about from high to low. But it is often controlled by what I think I 'should' do with my time as opposed to what I'd 'like' to do. The grown up, sensible, responsible things....eat healthily, do plenty of exercise (the size of my arse may refute these two but I do try every week to do both these things and normally do), fill my time with jobs that need doing, read something mind expanding etc, etc. Some of this stuff is good and I enjoy it, other bits of it I 'make' myself do for my own good - you understand?

This week I am hormonal and I have ricked my neck quite badly.....not a good start.

So I have decided to have a week to be happy. I am not going to do what I 'ought' but what I feel will make me have a happier week. As of now....no fretting, no worrying, no forcing myself to do stuff I really would rather not - just do what feels right at that given moment. I'll let you know how I get on.