February - A Hygge month

Embracing all things 'Hygge'

New buds on the lilac

Snowdrops

Early birthday pressie - a new hand knitted blankie

In February I have:

- Learnt the meaning of the Danish concept of Hygge (pronounced 'hoo-guh').  It (loosely) translates as the ritual of enjoying life's simple pleasures.  As Denmark can have up to 17 hours of darkness in winter with temperatures hardly exceeding zero degrees C, Hygge can help to make the most of the gloom.  So..... I have worn woolly jumpers, eaten by candlelight, snuggled under cosy blankets and warmed my feet in front of the fire with a hot mug of tea.  Nothing new there then.

- I have visited the Sea Life Aquarium in London this month.

Sea Life do a lot of conservation and education work.  They also have breeding programmes for endangered species.

Jellyfish

Did you know - sharks have lived in our oceans for more than 420 million years!  The Sand tiger sharks at the aquarium look ferocious with their mouths full of teeth but aren't dangerous to humans. Don't think I'll test that though.

The two male sharks are called Bungle and Zippy

There were originally two female Cuban crocodiles at London Aquarium - Sugar and Spice.  Cuban crocodiles are one of the most intelligent and most endangered species of crocodile in the world. Their brightly coloured skin is highly sought after to make bags.  The two lady crocodiles at Sea Life had grown up together and got on really well until one day Spice got a bit territorial and ate Sugar!

(Scary) Spice, the naughty Cuban crocodile

Turtles

A lesser spotted Esme on the underground

As we have just finished watching our 'Mr Selfridge' box set, we thought we would make a quick trip to the shop whist in London.

In 1931 Selfridges unveiled the Queen of Time clock on the front of the building.  It was described at the time as 'London's newest meeting place'.  Now, most shoppers pass beneath and barely notice it.

Queen of Time clock

'Dolly's' art deco inspired cafe is named after the Dolly Sisters, a pair of glamorous identical twins who performed in the 1920's and entranced Harry Selfridge.

Looking down on to Dolly's Tea Rooms

The original dark wood revolving doors at the entrance of Selfridges

We enjoyed (despite the icy cold weather) delicious chocolate and salted caramel sundaes with a hot chocolate at Carluccios on Waterloo station.

Esme and Maisie at Carluccios

- We have ventured back in to the garden 

Could spring really be on its way?

My grandfather's primroses are up in the cold frame

Frank, on a rare outing outside

Crocuses in the greenhouse

The amarylis is showing signs of life

I look at my rather pathetic tiny cacti and dream of Spain and the sun......

Tulips on the dining room table

- We have relaxed in front of the fire

Feeling Hygge with my new blankie

- We have baked and souped

Cheese and bacon loaf in the belly

Dipped in to curried lentil soup

February has not been the best of months as we had to have one of our rescue dogs put down. We only had Sophie 3 months but she was an adorable girl and we are heartbroken.

Sophie understood the 'no pets on the furniture' rule

We are so glad that we have Eddie and he is enjoying the extra fuss!

Eddie seems to enjoy sitting in the car, even if you don't go anywhere!

Training is ongoing

Well, I've had enough Hygge, inertia, darkness, cold, eating heavy food and wearing heavy clothing this winter. What I want now is sunshine, open doors and windows, birds, bees, flowers, weeds, dirty knees and coffee outside....  Bring it on!

Evening walk around the village

"......perhaps the chiefest attraction of a garden is that occupation can always be found there.  No idle people are happy, but with mind and fingers busy cares are soonest forgotten."

- Alicia Amherst 1902 (from The Virago book of Women Gardeners)

Dark November.....

This month I have been mostly staggering around the lanes in the dark, pretending to be brave.

Summer seems a distant memory

I am by no means scared of the dark or of walking on my own in the middle of nowhere but even I find it hard not to be spooked when walking the dog in COMPLETE darkness with rustling sounds all around me! For some strange reason the 6.30am dark walk never seems as spooky as the 5.00pm dark walk.  May be it is the feeling that people are waking up, lights are coming on in the valley and the knowledge that the sky will gradually get lighter.

November:

- We have been decorating every weekend.  I completely missed autumn's final flourish and my walk in Grovely woods.  By the time the plasterer, builder, roofer, carpet layers etc had gone - so had the leaves......

- We visited the autumn book fair at the 'sausage roll church' (don't ask, it's a long story).  Found some bargains!  'The Spire' William Golding, several Agatha Christie and 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' - all for under a pound each.  Yes!

-  I sang Mozart's Requiem to a sold out audience - not on my own, I hasten to add.

- The ducks have gone to a better place - not heaven, the New Forest.

- Frank has ventured outside, briefly.  He has been institutionalised, living indoors for four years and finds the big world outside a bit scary.  He ducks every time a bird flies over, bless.

- Had lunch at Fisherton Mill gallery with my colleague and ex-colleague.  Had hummus, chickpea and olive open sandwich - yum.  I wanted cake too but didn't want to appear greedy.

- I watched a fabulous documentary on Sarah's kindle called 'Fabulous Fashionistas' that was originally shown on Channel Four.  So inspiring to see women in their 80's not giving in to age or stereotypes and wearing bright, mad, vibrant clothes.  I won't be watching anything else on the kindle as Sarah dropped it in the bath last night.  I say nothing.....

- I made chocolate chip muffins.  They didn't last long enough for a photo shoot.

- We booked two holidays for next year!

Going back to Halloween....

The pumpkin pie was nice - sort of custardy in flavour

There is still colour to be found if you look hard enough.

Spindle tree - it thrives on chalky soil 

Their wood is extremely hard and was once used for wool spindles.  I love the combination of bright pink fruit and orange seeds.

Colour in the front garden

I helped Sarah to make her mincemeat - home made mince pies, can't wait!

No more duckies....

I remember the day we brought the ducklings home - they were so cute

But we were struggling with the noise (Indian Runner ducks are supposed to be quiet!) and worrying about the neighbours.  They have gone to a friend of the roofer who has a two and a half acre plot in the New Forest where they can run and quack as much a they like, with lots of other animals to play with, including two Emu's!!

The garden is so quiet and their pen looks very empty.

The Mozart concert went well.  This is the symbol for 'full chest voice' - we have a mad choir master.

Rude

We have had the first hard frosts this month

Quick, get that vitamin D!

We've had our first fires 

Been warming the beer up at the local!! 

A rare visit to Salisbury to buy curtains and a pleasant walk -

 

The Greencroft in Salisbury 

It's hard to believe this was once used as a place of execution and a burial plot for plague victims in the 17th Century!

I saw lots of squirrels scrambling up and down the trees.

These gardens still hold some of the original city ramparts built around 1415.  

Bourne Hill House gardens

Sarah said that when she played here as a child this structure was always referred to as 'Devil's Gate'.  I'm still trying to find out what this is.....In 1791 the 15th century gothic porch from Salisbury Cathedral was erected in the parkland - could this be it?

Frank has ventured outside but not very far.

Before retiring back in to the warm and commandeering MY chair!

I am having a snooze......

The cows are nice and warm in the barn

The sun is so low this time of year

A walk to see the autumn colour at Hare Warren yesterday - alas, I'm about a week too late.  

So I kicked through the leaves instead

I found what I think could be honey fungus

The last few leaves, clinging on for dear life

The pigs were being fed.  They were very noisy. 

One fellow walker said it sounded like a dinosaur as she emerged from the woods!

Who said that?

Leaves from the Ribus in the front garden 

I have been studying shapes

And treating myself to a splash of colour   

I bought these in a gorgeous little craft shop in Wilton shopping village.  The home made, crafty looking items and woman painting in the window drew me in and I ended up buying some Christmas pressies - everything was made locally.

I was inspired to get my paints out when I got home!

I yearn for colour at the moment.  

I want to wear it, paint it, eat it (I can't stop eating Clementines).  

I'm looking forward to decorating the tree next month with my much loved decorations that I have been collecting over the years and from different countries (before Frank pulls it over) and surrounding myself with lots of sparkly lights, glitter and brightly coloured wrapping paper.....