No nutcracker

Thanks so much for all your well wishes for my poor old husband trapped on a train for over 12 hours, he made it safely back home at 1.30 pm this afternoon.

But away from the chaos, I have had a lovely day. We got the coveted window seat in our favourite cafe as not many people had made the journey into town, had lovely warming meals and frothy cappuccinos, later we drank hot chocolate and shared a brownie before heading back out. With all the snow falling we embraced the season and did some christmas shopping then struggled home with our bags full of gift wrap and my best purchase of the day, a huge net of shiny mixed nuts in their shells. Slight problem. No nutcracker in the house.

Now the snow is really coming down but it looks perfect for a evening winter walk, I love the silence that the snow provides, so we are going to get out there to take advantage of our very own Narnia. While the snow is untouched. Stay safe x

Snow days

So I was going to move over to my new blog today, but with a husband missing for 14 hours trapped on a train in the snow in some far away town, we will all have to wait a few more days for the final tweaks to be completed. At least he is with a whole train full of people, may have even made some new friends? I do love to look at the snow but now I jus want him home. I have been house bound for a couple of days now so I will brave the outside to meet a friend and have a nice hot drink and a piece of cake in a nearby cafe whilst I await my favourite persons return. I hope you are all okay wherever you live x

Outdoors indoors

The things that made up my weekend.

Festively winter

I thought I would end today with the best dressed trees, aglow and twinkling with tiny white lights, I can't stop looking at these photographs by Irene Suchocki. Available in Irene's Etsy shop

Marrakech the colours

Ultramarine Blue, Fuschia pink, lime green, cinnamon, burnt orange, shimmering silver and gold all on a background of faded red.

Marrakech the streets

I reread one of my favourite books whilst away and it lasted from the first day right up until our plane touched down in London. In my mind the perfect memoir for any holiday where local people and the blistering heat take centre stage. Within the pages I found a passage that described the drama unfolding on the narrow city streets of Marrakech perfectly. I am saddened to say I have no pictures of the hundreds of dusty sun tired Donkey's that we saw.

So from the the chapter The world in a wall, from 'My family and other animals' by author Gerald Durrell.

'It was a fascinating area, the cobbled streets crammed with stalls that were piled high with gaily-coloured bales of cloth, mountains of shining sweetmeats, ornaments of beaten silver, fruit, and vegetables. The streets were so narrow that you had to stand back against the wall to allow the donkeys to stagger past with their loads of merchandise. It was a rich colourful part of the town, full of noise and bustle, the screech of bargaining women, the cluck of hens and barking dogs, and the wailing cry of the men carrying great trays of fresh loaves on their heads.'

Seedlings

What I would like to do on my Wednesday. If I had a garden, right now I would be sewing some seeds and then sitting back drinking a cup of sweet tea to admire my little pots of soil.

Seeds packets from Cath Kidston.

changing spaces

I love the wonder on the faces of the train passengers as they get off the train at Carlisle station after one of Homebase's guerilla makeovers. How fun would it be to randomly do one of these makeovers in your neighbourhood? Maybe I will take on a park bench or bus shelter of my own when warmer weather finally arrives.

Bathed in flowers

Was just searching for the perfect maxi dress to take on my holiday when I took a wrong but good turn and found the spring collection from Cabbages and Roses. I stayed too long and fell in love, I may have to buy the Cotton Delilah Tunic. I think it would look great over a pair of white churidar from toast. Perfect for lounging on floral cushions and eiderdowns on a sun drenched Summer lawn.

All images Cabbages and Roses.

Irish Winter

With winter scenes like this picture my sister took I am wishing I was over in southern Ireland with my mum and sister. It is just stunning on the rivers edge where we often walk the dogs when I am visiting. Hope to get there soon, maybe for my birthday, if the snow stops long enough for a plane trip.

Silk velvet

The soft white snow has drawn in around my house like a silk velvet blanket, quieting footsteps and stopping all traffic. A white peacefulness has descended and if I open my window the quiet it beautiful.

My husband should have arrived in Honolulu just about now, to opposite weather.

Grapefruit and Jasmine

It's snowing and icy out, and I am tucked up in bed for a second day with tonsillitis and a splitting headache, so with my screen brightness turned down and before I fall asleep again, I thought I would tell you about Parks Candles.
A while ago a sweet girl named Amy asked me to review a new product line, I get quite a few messages in my inbox about the promotion of various things and normally decide against it, but as I love scented candles and have them in most of my rooms I gladly accepted Amy's offer.
I was not disappointed, the Parks range of 100% natural wax candles are fragranced with organic essential oils which filled my rooms with a gorgeous lasting aroma of Grapefruit and Jasmine a lovely crisp fresh scent that seemed a more than appropriate start to the new year.
Other fragrances include Rosemary and bergamot, Camomile, violet, orris and honey and Lemongrass and mint. I love how scenting a room can add an extra layer, change your mood, soothe and calm, or just chase away the memory of what you have been cooking in the kitchen, and who doesn't find the gentle flicker of candle light welcoming and restorative all at once. I have the candle next to my bed now and even though it is not lit I can smell the divinely refreshing scent of grapefruit.

Such a nice gift to give or receive, plus these candles are also on sale at the moment too at Debenhams so I think I will stock up.

Just a lil old lean to

and a wonderfully disheveled house. Today I have been on an interiors hunt and via Lynne's lovely pages, I halted at this great interior/exterior.

Richmond road is just swell also.

All images 1st-option.com

A stollen a day

I have been out taking photos for an article about my town. On my travels I discovered one of the coffee shops had delicious mini stollen cakes for sale. Needless to say I have returned day after day this week to buy some to accompany my coffee. I also found this great recipe that looks very close to what I tasted so I am going to give it a whirl later today.
Do you have any favourite festive recipes to share? I have been gathering magazine pages for so long about christmas recipes, decorating, entertaining and gifts, I really must to knuckle down and finish collating them all in a book.

This lovely

Back home now, and oh I do love our sweet little flat, but I would trade up and move to the remote cottage in the black mountains tomorrow.

So peaceful with nature all around. There was so much I loved . . . .

A blue-tit perched on my windowsill in the morning
Stunning views of Autumn all around
Baking potatoes in the fire
The swish of the river outside
Carving a pumpkin
Finding all the houses dotted around the mountains
and choosing which ones I would like to live in, all of them.
Meeting a farmer and his horse on the road
Not watching television
Rain on the roof at night
Playing scrabble

I am counting the days until we can have another holiday this lovely. For any of you who would love to spend a few days away from an overpopulated town and in a rural cottage Under the thatch is such a great company and where we rented this cottage (Pont Esgob) from.