Picnic Play

This moment, a Friday tradition, a time to cherish, to remember, to honour its importance.

To stop and give thanks, a time to feel blessed.

Inspired by SouleMama http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/

Sunflower Houses & 30 Days of Beauty : 29

Our new garden project has been inspired by the wonderful book Roots, Shoots, Buckets and Boots by Sharon Lovejoy, her lovely blog is here

http://sharonlovejoy.blogspot.com/ and spurred on further by this lovely bloggers post http://downinthemeadow.blogspot.com/2008/11/sunflower-house.html

A sunflower house for O, a secret place for summer days, to cool down, to play, a spot for lunch, a special place to be with friends.

We set pots out in a circle with a tepee of canes and cord for the plants to climb up.

Each pot has a sunflower and plenty of sweet peas.

We plan to add pots of runner beans to add cover and edible treats to hand.

The foundations are laid with rich compost for the plants to grow, now we hope with lots of love and care, plenty of help from Mother Nature and a good mix of both sun and rain, our Sunflower House will be blooming soon.

Moving in before it's finished.

Number 29 in my 30 Days of Beauty, our salad bed, nearly ready for a first picking.

Home Baked Challenge - Raw Courgette Pasta & Pesto

The theme for this month's challenge is Spring Greens.
I admit I was alittle behind with getting this done and then inspiration, 2 courgettes in the organic veg box and a recipe here http://toogoodtobetrue.typepad.com/ that I had mentally filed away to try.


I can't tell you how wonderful it tasted or how much my breath stinks of garlic after eating it ( luckily hubby had some too )

Click on the Home Baked Challenge button, in sidebar to find out more and how to join in next month.

Hammock Fun

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by Soulemama - http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/

30 Days of Beauty : 28

Blessings on the blossom,
Blessings on the fruit,

Blessings on the leaf and stem,
Blessings on the root.



Happy Earth Day to all.

Digging with Grandad

Happy days in the garden with Grandad.

Days of digging, collecting piles of stones, finding worms and much laughter.

A wheel-barrow each, side by side, this boy and his Grand, are joined at the hip.

Conversations, questions and answers, silliness.

Times to truly treasure.

Wonderful giveaway over at Eileen's
http://eileensplace.blogspot.com/2010/04/earth-day-giveaway-free-may-childcare.html

Be lucky x

Easter Bunny Gifts

To thank O for chasing round the garden, picking up all the chocolate eggs the Easter Bunny dropped, this box was left on the table, with 2 little ears peeking out.

Inside he found,

a horse and lamb,

2 geese,

the ears belonged to this little rabbit,

and the tiniest little lady birds on a leaf.

O was delighted and has played and played with them ever since.

Garden Visitors

To be part of the hive of activity going on in our garden, we need to stop, be still, wait and watch.
All of our senses are brought to life, sweet bird song, warm sun touching our faces, the most amazing floral perfume,sights of natural beauty and the tastes of Spring.



Our visitors are many and so varied, our garden is full of life, learning and love.

O is enjoying the ducks visiting our front garden, he quacks along with them.

Our nest found in the tree house http://abigsmile4.blogspot.com/2010/04/garden-treasures-inc-30-days-of-beauty.html is the home of a lovely pair of Robins.We have been watching them from a distance, busily preparing for their new arrivals.

We also have Blackbirds nesting in the hedges in the front and back gardens.

Thanks to 5 Orange Potatoes for this wonderful getting outdoors project and for making us
Outdoor Challenge Participant of the Day -
http://www.5orangepotatoes.com/blog/2010/04/15/repel-insects-strips-outdoor-challenge/

30 Days of Beauty : 27

Hands, young and old.
Together.
Sharing.


Grandad and youngest Grandson.
Learning from each other.
Connecting.


Planting seeds and love.
Tenderness.

Big hands, Little Hands.

Loving Hands.

Garden Treasures inc 30 Days of Beauty : 26

Morning coffee in the garden, complete with Lincolnshire Plum Loaf, topped with thick slices of cheese.
While we relaxed the hustle and bustle of the bird world never ceased.

Our Sparrows are back, again choosing to nest in the bat box rather than the box set up for them.

With full plum loaf tummies we decided to spruce up the tree house, this unloved kitchen was long over due for recycling.

After pulling it out, it was quickly returned to it's spot.

Someone has other ideas for it.

My day 26 of 30 days of Beauty.

Round the Garden

We are joining in with this fun project, hosted by http://www.5orangepotatoes.com/blog/ and with the great weather we are finally having, who could fail to not want to get out and top their Vitamin D back up.

Our garden is approx 2500 square feet, within that we have a veggie patch, greenhouse, patio, tree house and a 14ft trampoline !

Facing to the South, it is a wonderful sun trap, thankfully our lovely apple tree gives us not only tasty apples but shade when needed too.

Our dog Sky shares this space with us, so it is far from pristine but a great spot for play, investigating, relaxing and star gazing.

Fairies love it so much, they have set up home here.

Stocking up the medicine chest, calendula seedlings.

Hours are lost playing in the sand.

All hands on deck for the annual out-door toy scrub down, not sure who ended up the wettest but know that O was certainly the dirtest, happiest little boy in our garden.

What goes on in yours ?

Mini Garden Fun

Seeds planted ( cat grass ) for another mini garden to celebrate Spring, candle lit to warm the earth.

Our little pond, full of fish and crabs, swimming amongst the jewels.

Within afew days our garden was transformed to a lush green paradise, all ready for the animals to come and play ( Thanks to B http://different-choices.blogspot.com/ for our new ladybird & other goodies xx )

Such a fun project.

Easter Fun

Plenty of fun, running round the garden finding lots of treats.

Then slices of this, just to top the sugar levels back up !

Time for a Spring Detox maybe ?

30 days of Beauty : 25 ( The Hatching Edition )

Remember that chicken, so patiently sat on her eggs, checked over and over by my little guy.
Well ....

finally they hatched, to the delight of O.

Just the cutest chicks.

30 Days of Beauty : 24

Happy Easter.