Welcome to my site

Just a few jottings - - Random ramblings, crafty creations & nature notes included. Trying to "Design a life I love" - succeeding I think -----.

Thursday, 5 November 2009

Bonfire Night - -

- - November 5th - 

Me  -"What's for tea?"

Mummy - "A Bonfire".

Me - “What are we having to eat?? Is Granny here? Is daddy home?? Where’s Grandad??”

Me - “Where’s daddy??”

Mummy – “In the garden - - Lighting the fire”

Me - “What are we having to eat??”

Mummy - “Hash, Black peas, Jacket Potatoes – get the salt, pepper & vinegar – put them on the kitchen table”

mmm Jacket Potatoes baked in the embers of the bonfire - - - al blackened skins, smoky tasting- and unbelievably hot!!! Parkin, Treacle Toffee - and fireworks! Oh the magic - - I love fireworks - - I do - - I find them truly magical - - I loved them when I was a child when we only had a small display in the garden - - and I love them still - - even  though now almost everywhere there is an official display – so much safer I am sure - - but I do miss that impromptu “bonfire  for tea” moment!

Tuesday, 27 October 2009

A change in the weather - -

- - so much milder - but wet today - the kind of weather the Irish call "soft". Fine rain which wets everything through yet makes everywhere look glossy and polished. The ivy leaves are a deep, deep green and the bracken the most wonderful warm hazelnut colour. I wish I could paint to capture it but I am not at all artistic - I can't even copy a picture to male it look like the original!
Hopefully it will brighten later and I might get out for my constitutional! I can hope anyway.

Thanks for stopping by

Monday, 26 October 2009

Autumn - -

-- today was one of those quiet days which we sometimes get in autumn. Everything was very still - there was little or no wind and not a lot of brightness to the sky - yet the autumn colours on the hillside were clear and fresh looking in spite of the muted skies. It was incredibly mild for the time of year - I guess I could even call it warm.
Did a bit of playing with pretty papers to cover this little box

- it is the perfect size to store the free clear stamps I get with my Craft Stamper so I am being organised a well as creative!!
We also got the first tips from Shimelle on her new online class - Blogging for Scrapbookers. I am a Shimelle Junkie I'm afraid as I can't resist her classes - and even when I think - no don't think I'll bother with this one - I succumb anyway!!

Sunday, 25 October 2009

A new class

with Shimelle - so I hope I can get my blogging Mojo back with her inspiration and help!

Tuesday, 8 September 2009

Another wet day - -

- - its truly dreadful weather today - for people that is! The rain is hammering on the skylight in my office and I am just waiting for it to start raining in - I know it will, so I have the bucket already in position!!
Today is the last day before the students return to school - then it will be manic for days!! I do love my job! Seriously I do - it is so rewarding seeing our students turn into young adults to be proud of - and there are so many more of those kind of students than the "more challenging" ones I promise you! I am glad I am not a teacher though - I don't think I could handle the constant testing all the time!!

It is the end of an era for me this term - as it is the first time I will have no child at the school - my youngest has now left and is off to University. I think it might be strange for a while with no 6th Former popping her head through the door saying "mum - I need - - -". I am going to miss her so much.But hey ho - life goes on doesn't it?
Thanks for stopping by.

Friday, 4 September 2009

Wild weather


- - seems to have battered our shore this last week - and we seem to have had every season in one day on some days!!
I know that my island home is known to be windy - but we have never (since I came to live here anyway) had such RAIN.
The downpours have been frightening in their intensity! Water has been hammering on the skylights, both at home & at work, so hard that I was afraid the glass would shatter!
Yet it blows away as if he has never been - and we are again blessed with beautiful blue skies and scudding puffs of white fluff as the clouds skim across the blue.
The wind is shaking the tree tops and the leaves are falling in their droves - it seem autumn is already upon us and yet it feels like we have had no summer.
I am participating in Shimelle's Learn Something - - class again this year so here is one of the pages.
TFL

Monday, 31 August 2009

Bank Holiday Washout

Nice weather today here on my island - - for ducks!! I don't think it has stopped raining at all today. A wet bank holiday Monday – no surprise there then! I woke to the sound of the rain pattering on to the skylight - and it has rained all day.
Good excuse to play with crafty stuff – and I might even get to upload a few creations - but don't hold your breath!
Even in the rain my island has a special beauty - all the leaves shine as if they have been polished with Pledge. There is a definite feeling of autumn in the air now -the leaves are falling and everywhere there are berries to be seen. The hillsides are purple and gold with the heather & the gorse - their colours intensified by the rain and though I have not been further than my garden today it has been a good day.