Knock knock…Who’s there? Orange. Orange who?

ORANGE ya glad it’s Friday????

And the 13th??

No problem.

top two photos: Canadian House and Home. Dan Duchars photographer

last two:Our Humble casa

Have a weekend like no other!!

Ooooh....and Check out the Handwork Chronicles...another

beautiful letterpress giveaway. Enter today until noon...

May just be your lucky day.

"The Owl And The Pussy Cat"

Q IS FOR?



QUINCE AND APPLE DAY!

"They dined on mince, and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon, the moon, the moon
They danced by the light of the moon." - Edward Lear


Not so long ago when the leaves were still hanging on to the trees, we spent an afternoon here where an Apple and Quince Day was taking place.

We walked past this beautiful gate leading to the walled garden where ~



There was a storyteller underneath the apple trees recounting tall tales of dragons and far away lands ~



A quince trail was taking place - sadly no signs of the owl and the pussycat,but there were were old friends to greet - Flora and the Three Little Pigs.





There were old varieties of quinces and apples to ponder over ~






Before walking underneath this living archway leading to the kitchen garden ~



Where there was still of blaze of colour from dahlias and pumpkins ~





Back to the one of the stalls to buy a jar of locally produced quince fruit cheese and then out of the garden, taking our leave by the way of this wall ~



On a quest to find out more about the letter Q quick over to ABC Wednesday now !

Sometimes…ya don’t need much.

On a beach walk yesterday morning I saw some wood pallets for the taking

I thought...Hmmm of a coffee table

…frame for a canvas…

But then came across this idea from Katrin Arens

Now THAT just never occurred to me.

nope.

More of her delicious style…

...celebrating simplicity.

works for me.

Beautifully

You?

And, no...I didn't bring them home...kept on walking.

Dayum!

The Grouch

Finally emerging from my hiding place under the bedclothes after the cacophony of noise that accompanies Guy Fawkes Night, I forced myself out today to stock on supplies for the weekend. The smokey aftermath haze had evaporated and there is a much cooler feel to the air. Like Elizabeth over at Welsh Hills Again, November is one of my two least favourite months of the year the other being February. I think that Thomas Hood's poem 'November' sums it up so well - here is just an extract but it says it all :

"No sun - no moon !

No morn - no moon -

No dawn - no dusk - no proper time of day.

No warmth, no cheerfulness, no healthful ease

No comfortable feel in any member

No shade, no shine, no butterflies, no bees

No fruits, no flowers, no leaves, no birds ! -

November!"

Further to this just a few other observations that I have made me even more grouchy :

• Nearly all the leaves on the trees have now floated off into the stratosphere. We live in a hollow just off a busy main road. In summer the leaves give us a lot of cover but at this time of year the feeling of privacy disappears. I almost feel naked now when I go out into the garden. The traffic also seems noisier - it probably isn't but it seems so.
• Going up the lane from the house to the main road I notice that more empty bottles and cans have been discarded at the side of the lane . Once more I need to don the rubber gloves, find a bucket and go and clear up after somebody else. I could bat for England on the subject of litter but will save that for another day. A large stick carrying the remnants of a firework has also descended from the skies. I wonder about the statistical odds of being hit on the head from a descending firework on Guy Fawkes night. This thought will keep me occupied for the rest of the day.
• After nearly a week of copious amounts of rain what once was a golden ground cover of crunchy leaves is now a slithery morass of slush. Yeeeeeeeugh !
• Aforesaid rain has prevented any work at the allotment this week. I had been busy incorporating manure into the raised beds but have been stopped in my tracks. The rain has also preventing any bulb planting in the garden. The pile of bulb packets sits sulking giving me dirty looks whenever I pass. When will the rain cease? After a couple of dry hours it has just started yet again.
• It seems to be full blown Christmas in the shops. Where has the magic gone ? Why can't they wait until 1st December before putting up the decorations, lights and other paraphernalia ?
• Last though not least. The patch of eczema on my hand, that plagues me every winter has appeared in the last couple of days. Now maybe that's the main reason behind my general state of extreme grouchiness.

Oh well there's a ray of sunshine in all this doom and gloom. At least I can look forward to curling up on the settee to watch the glitter, glamour and grace that is 'Strictly Come Dancing' on November Saturday nights. Does wonders for a girl's spirits.

Stealing peace…

For just a tiny moment.

...during a morning walk on a salty beach.

Fall gently and quietly rolls in to Florida.

Sit in reverie and watch the changing color of the waves
that break upon the idle seashore of the mind.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

An inspiring day to all.

Find more outdoor inspiration here

My Second Home

P IS FOR ?



"How luscious lies the pea within the pod."
~ Emily Dickinson

MY ALLOTMENT PLOT which is my second home during the warmer months. It is where I grew some perfectly podded peas - the first pickings were in June.

Please have a peek at ABC Wednesday, where there will be plenty more posts all pertaining to the letter P.

Dots…Oooh and Almond Joy…

Ok Ok.

I admit it.

I steal Halloween candy.

Except…now the dudes hide it.

Well, only a quarter of them that’s one out of four for those of you on a sugar hangover

even don an outfit and go out.

So... it’s not so much fun…with nothing to steal and all.

~BUT~

For those with kids who don’t hide goodies from thieving parents…who have too much wrapped sugar on hand…

who want to incorporate it into good{ish} food.

try this…

Doesn’t that just make sense?

And for those who prefer homes to candy any old day….

feast on some of this.

Reminds me of ….

That's it...I’m searching for a hidden pillowcase.

STAT!

Home pic: Marie clair maison