Making and Walking

Well here we are, 2017.   I've had a lovely few days off, in the period between Christmas and New Year when no-one knows what day of the week it is.

First of all I build some wooden covers for my wheelie bin.  They used to be hidden behind a screen fixed to a pergola but the pergola was rotting so I decided to take it down before it fell down.

I thought it would be a quick job to put them together but it actually took all day.  They are very sturdy though.

Next I've been making some jewellery.  A few months ago I bought some limo (polymer clay) and yesterday I made beads - it's very therapeutic!

Today I had fun laying the beads out and finding other beads to go with them.

Quite pleased with the finished result - I'm especially pleased with the marbled blue beads.

While I had the beads and bits out I decided to make another necklace with some beads that I'd bought ages ago.

But it's not all been building/making - I've had 2 lovely walks.  One day Celia, her husband and I went to Mersea Island off the Essex coast.  We'd seen a Channel 4 program called Britain at Low Tide a few months ago and they'd shown the earthworks of a tudor blockhouse  which was commissioned by Henry VIII in 1543 to protect the strategically important Colne estuary.

We found it!  The triangular earthworks are all that remain, and eventually, due to the changing coast line here, even these will probably be lost forever.

The other walk I did was on New year's Day, when it was grey and murky but it wasn't raininng so I walked down by the river to the mill on the water meadows.

The reeds were rustling in the wind and I watched a kingfisher darting about for ages.

Finally I walked home through the town, past this little gate, which was open but clearly not used much.

I hope you all have a wonderful 2017!

A List of Pleasing Things

A little while ago, well a few months actually, I was passed this book by Gina at Fan My Flame.

It's about Loretta, a single mum living in a small Australian town.  At one point in the point there is a lovely moment where Loretta is attending a creative writing class and has to read out her list of pleasing things.  The 'deal' in being passed the book was that I had to make my own list of pleasing things and then pass the book on to someone else.

My List of Pleasing Things

1.  A cup of tea in the garden.  Simple I know, but quite a novelty this year!  I love escaping out there and listening to the birds.  When the weather isn't conducive to sitting outside I sometimes sit in my greenhouse.

 2.  Roses.  Any colour, but they have to be scented and preferably old fashioned looking.  This one's my favourite - Abraham Darby and it grows on the front of my house.

3.  A contented cat - even when she is using my clean washing as a pillow!

 4.  This combination of vibernum berries and an inherited purple clematis.  The vibernum belongs to my neighbour and there aren't any berries on her side.  Sometimes nature just makes a perfect match.

5.  My pond.  Not the prettiest pond in the world (I wish the liner didn't show), and with copious amounts of duck weed (which provides regular treats for next door's new ducks), but loved by wildlife.  At this time of year the damsel flies dance around it and the frogs sit and watch me watching them.  If you look closely you'll spot 'Mr Ginger Frog' on a rock on the right (yes I do know my frogs by name!!!).

6.  Aldeburgh.  My favourite seaside place.  A lovely little town on the Suffolk coast, with nice shops, great restaurents and an unspoilt shingle beach.  It's never heaving with people (unless you happen to try and go when it's the Carnival) and is perfect for watching the sea and the seagulls.  Just look at the blue sky and sea - perfect.

7.  Gin and Tonic!  And preferably Plymouth Gin and Fever Tree tonic (not that I'm fussy or anything!).  Can't beat a G & T in the garden on the summer evening :-)

The book is a good read - it's really quite funny in places.  If you'd like to read it next then please say so in your comment and I'll draw a name at random.  The deal is the same - once you've read it then post your own list of pleasing things and pass the book on.

If you don't want to read it then you can still comment - I'd be interested to know if any of the things on my list would be on yours?