The First Frost

 Having to take youngest to work for 8am is frustrating when you wake up to see a glistening frost and just want to get outside to enjoy the beauty of it. 

As soon as I got home I pulled on my walking boots and headed off. 

Frosts I have missed you.

The ice crystals and rising sun are all so magical. 

I just love being out in the cold when the air is still and the sky is this colour.

Looking up  I noticed a skein of geese...no hang on they are all white. Swans. Just wonderful.

  I ponder what type they will be. Probably our resident Mute swans. But I did hear them honk. 

I've checked up and Mute swans are so called because they don't call in flight. It seems they were most likely migrating Bewick's swans! Just on a short trip from Siberia!! 

Sorry about the rubbish photo. I don't even try and zoom with my phone camera as it's not good at that.

This sighting made me so happy, what a treat. 

The frost was rapidly disappearing by this time and the sheep looked content, grazing in the sunshine.

I loved how the sunlight made this beautiful yellow leaf really glow too.

By this time it was about 9am. Sometimes I pinch myself that I can get outdoors and enjoy all this any day of the week. Usually it just makes me smile. Today it actually made me sob. Gosh that was a surprise. 

I think it was just gratitude for the quiet days I'm blessed with at the moment. To be retired from  a job I was increasingly struggling with over the past few years is amazing. 

I know how fortunate I am to be in this position. Homemaking and caring for family is generally very rewarding.  I have a good balance of time for myself and commitments every day. I'm certainly never bored. Life is good. 

Who knows what's around the corner. Circumstances can change but I'm not going to worry about that at the moment . I'm just trying to remember to count my blessings and look for the joy in every day, one day at a time. 

Jacquie x

Winter Blessings

Hello Lovelies, I'm sorry I have  been absent from this space for so long.  Life is quite busy in the evening these days, that's when I would normally read blogs and write a post of my own. 

You see my lovely Mum in Law has been in hospital since October and I visit every evening unless I'm at work (Hubby goes every day). Thankfully things are finally looking up for her (phew) but I know there will be tricky times ahead and lots more support will be needed.

At times like these I find it pretty essential to focus on the small things that make me smile. Winter here has been pretty kind really. I've had  what I need most....the chance to get outside, or stay quietly at home. Here are some of the things that have brightened my days......

Sunshine on cheery flowers. This years Amaryllis was the best ever.

A few hours to wander as far as my legs will allow, noticing the birds and the misty views

Then sunshine and paddling in the shallow stream.

Signs of spring outside the florists shop.

Feeding feathered friends.

Robin

Admiring frosty views.

A square a day added to my Temperature blanket.

Sunshine on a freezing group walk day.

Always birds.

 Chaffinch singing sweetly

Female Blackbird eating crab apples

 Greenfinch

And bird homes.

First flowers.

And new visitors to Jacquie's bird cafe :0)

 Great Tit

 Nuthatch

Dawn walks with a willing Teen, because dawn is at a reasonable hour :0)

And finally, cute baby Deer.

Today it's been so mild it really has felt like spring but I'm not wishing winter away just yet. I love all our seasons and feel blessed to have the time to really appreciate them.

Jacquie x

Images from Wollaton

Hello Lovelies,
my little camera seems full of pretty images at the moment. May is just THE most photogenic month.
I'm sorry my "simply Seasonal" posts seem to have fallen by the wayside at the moment.
They were quiet time consuming to write and I do like to write a post when the inspiration takes me and when time allows.

Tonight I'm popping by the share a few images from a recent visit to Wollaton Park in Nottingham. I went to meet up with friends and we had a gentle wander while we chatted. Of course I couldn't resist taking a few pictures too.

It's just a few pictures as I didn't want to appear rude. I hope you enjoy them. I'm thinking shorter blog posts are a good idea. Well at least sometimes :0)

This is the back of Wollaton Hall. I have shared pictures of these views before, but I hope you enjoy looking at them, none the less.

The people of Nottingham are lucky that this is a free Museum.

Which is set in pretty gardens.

It's a pleasant walk downhill from the hall and gardens to the large lake.

Which has views back towards the imposing hall.

I love walking by water, and here I noticed a lot of birds on the island.

Wow, so many Herons building nests.

I wonder how bis a Herons egg is ? :0)

Maybe I'll be lucky enough to see their offspring later in the year.

Jacquie x

Simply Seasonal....11th of March

Hello Lovelies,

How are you? It's been a lot milder here this week and I have been lucky enough to have a few days off work. So what have I done with my time? Well lots, but here are the prettiest bits :0)

1 ♥ Enjoying Tulips. As I could not find any Daffodils in the local shop this week I treated myself to some Tulips instead. Oh look, grown in Norfolk. They survived the arctic weather.

I chose these as I was intrigued as to how they would look once fully open.

It didn't take long until they were plump and frilly. So pretty.

And thirsty...ooops. This was a sad sight to come down to one morning.

Happily a drink revived them :0)

Their over-the-top-ness has made me smile this weekend.

2 ♥ Feeding the birds. I picked up some pink suet pellets as Robin always goes for them in the seed mix I have.

And as well as feeding him I'm increasingly leaving food for birds on my walks.

A full English Bird Breakfast by the foot bridge :0)

and a Birdy Brunch along the bridleway :0)

I love helping out our feathered friends when their normal food supply may be hard to find.

Though it's looking very springlike in a neighbours garden....Yay. Such a happy sight.

3 ♥ A Derbyshire walk. It was still pretty wintry an hour north of here on Thursday.

But I'm always happy to be in the hills.

We walked from Winster. It's not a place I have visited before. But I would love to return.

There were so many pretty views.

 and we could see that a little further north the snow was even deeper.

4 ♥ Birdsong. Looking at my Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady book I admired her beautiful painting of a Thrush.

We may not have horse drawn ploughs over 100 years later, but I'm happy the birds still survive and follow the same seasonal  cycle. I'm sure their numbers are reduced but given half a chance I'm always hopeful they can thrive.

5 ♥ Batch Baking I defrosted some frozen Raspberries and softened a cooking apple with a little sugar and water.

Then added an oaty crumble topping. I've frozen one and I'm looking forward to some for desert tomorrow.

6 ♥ Purple Crocuses. Give them a little sunlight and these beauties always look stunning in March. The sight of them always remind me of starting my blog as they featured in one of my first ever posts....eight years ago.

Wow. Happy Birthday Little Blog. You are still my happy place :0)

I hope you lovelies have an enjoyable week ahead.

Jacquie x