One for the album.

Here are the men watching England play Algeria in the World Cup…. … and George is watching it with them for the first time.  (He was only two the last time the World Cup was played for).  Don’t they look cute in their England shirts? 

George was so excited, I think one of the main reasons was that he got to stay up late.  I knew he wouldn’t last very long watching the match, he’s not really into football yet.  I think he gave it 10 minutes before he came looking to see what I was up to.  We played games together until it was refreshment time at half-time, then more games until it was home time.  He went home a happy little chappy but his daddy and granddad weren‘t quite so happy – England only drew nil nil.  Not a good result!

TTFN 

Kathleen.

Time was on my side…

…this morning, the weather was beautiful and I had a couple of hours to spare before I took charge of Nicholas at lunchtime.   So I decided to go to the lake for an hour and read my book.  I got a takeaway latte from the refreshments booth, found me a picnic bench and soaked up the sun. 

At lunchtime when Nicholas came round we took a picnic lunch to the canal.He was very interested when a group of local school children took to the water for a kayak lesson. One of these poor little boys overturned his kayak and ended up in the water, he came up gasping for air and I’m sure he must have had at least one mouthful of that horrible, not too clean, canal water.  He was rescued quickly and calmly though and managed to smile about it when he was back on the towpath.

Our day didn’t finish there, afterward we went to Caroline’s where she had set up Charlie’s paddling pool and sandpit.  The boys played happily while we chatted.

Just an ordinary day but so much more fun because the sun shone.

TTFN

Once again I’m linking to Outdoor Wednesday at  http://www.asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

Kathleen.

Boundary Mill

This is what the skies over our corner of the world looked like today.  Not very nice to say the least.  Certainly not a day for sitting in the garden or going to the seaside.  So instead William and I decided to go and have a look round an antiques centre that we had been to several years ago.  Only problem was when we got there the centre had moved to different premises and we couldn’t find the new place so instead we went to Boundary Mill (that’s it in the picture above).

Boundary Mill is a huge place which sells all sorts of stuff.  I love the china and homewares departments and there was a sale on today which made it even better.  I bought two 6” plates from the Portmeirion Botanic Garden range (pictured above).  I intend to hang them on my kitchen wall for a splash of colour.

I saw this game on a shelf.  My brother got this same game for Christmas one year when we were kids, it must have been in about the late 50s.  I had forgotten all about it until I saw it again today.   It was priced at £7.00, I wonder what the original cost? Might have been more like seven bob or in today’s money 35 pence!  Wait a minute, what am I saying, Father Christmas brought it so it didn’t cost a penny!

On a different note World Cup Fever has started to grip the nation.  Every where you go the England flag can be seen; hanging from house windows, flying from car windows, bunting with the flag on is even being strung from house to house in some areas.  I’m not a football fan but I do want England to win.  There’s our flag in the back garden.

Come on England!

TTFN.

For one reason or another..

..today didn’t start off too well.  So when my housework was done I packed my book in my bag, put the lead on Muffin, got in the car and set off for Uppermill.  I knew exactly where I wanted to go (after I had taken Muffin for a nice walk along the towpath) to spend some time reading my book and enjoying the peace and quiet of a sunny afternoon.
I wanted to sit on one of these benches and enjoy…

…this view and read my book and…

watch the occasional boat tootle along at about 4 miles an hour.  Actually these were the only two I saw, just like buses eh?

I liked the urns and cans on this boat painted in the traditional narrow boat pattern of roses and castles.  I didn’t know until just now that that was what the pattern was called, I looked it up on the internet.  I can’t imagine life without the internet these days.

Anyway, that was my Saturday afternoon and it was lovely.

TTFN.

We needed some fresh…

…air this morning so I took my Little Treasures for a little walk.  We didn’t go far, just into the field at the back of our house and along the public footpath. Over the stile and into the farmer’s field.  Nicholas climbed over mostly by himself but I had to carry Charlie over, he’s only just two after all.  Wait for me, Nichowas!  OK, Charwee.A view over to St. Barnabus’ church. That parish has a very active group of campanologists.  I love to hear them doing their thing. Moving at a rate of knots along the path these two little chaps came to a fairly quick standstill when they saw who was ahead of them. Very impressive Aberdeen Angus cows who couldn’t have been any closer to the fence.  I found out recently that the original Aberdeen Angus cows are black not this beautiful russet colour.I think this handsome specimen was happy to see us, he came very close for a good look at us.  Poor thing was covered in flies.  Nicholas took a step back.  Charlie wasn’t bothered by them at all. Then Nicholas got a bit braver and decided to feed the cows… just the one blade of grass! Obviously I didn’t let him. We usually go a bit further down the path but not today.  We studied each other long and hard, us and the cows, then we headed back to the ranch.  It was fun.

I'm linking up to Outdoor Wednesday again over at http://www.asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/  Got a minute to spare? Go and take a look at all the other Outdoor posts from all over the world.

TTFN

Kathleen.

I take my hat off…

…to all the gardeners of this world.  It is hard work!  I don’t do a lot of it, my husband is the gardener around here, but every so often I get stuck in and do some drastic pruning.  This morning I got stuck in and did just that, I drastically pruned back some overgrown and ugly looking ivy which was strangling the life out of  the honeysuckle and clematis with which it shared the same tubs.  Not now though, I got rid of it all and I feel a lot better for it.  I should have taken some before and after pictures but I didn’t even think about taking any, that’s how determined I was to get the job done.

This beautiful azalea owes it’s life to my drastic pruning skills. I saved it and it’s neighbour from horrible ugly ivy last year.  It has produced at  least three times as many flowers this year.

Anyway, before I’d even thought about doing the above I took my breakfast into the garden to enjoy the early morning peace and quiet which was broken only by birdsong. It was heavenly. I looked over into the field behind us and the cows were still lying down.

This Gazing Globe is one of the things I love most in our garden.  I bought it in Arkansas, USA while on holiday at my sister’s.  Maureen had one in her garden and I really liked it so decided to bring one home.  It’s made of glass and about the size of a football, the plinth it sits on came with it.  How we got it home, as hand luggage, without shattering it I do not know.

This week has been school half term and luckily the sun has shone everyday.In the middle of the week Victoria and I (poor Caroline was at home feeling unwell) took the boys for a little walk in the fields behind us where a little stream flows.  We took along their fishing nets to see if they could catch any tiddlers.  Unfortunately there were no tiddlers to be found but messing about in water is always good fun, even a titchy little bit of water like this.  Look at them, what a motley crew.  You wouldn’t think they’d just been having a good time would you?  It was a very hot afternoon though and they’d had enough sun.  I think we all needed a cold drink and some shade.  Imagine that in England!

TTFN

Quotes.

I like to read quotes.  I have a copy of the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, I bought it years ago from one of those bookstalls that used to be on Canon Street in Manchester. I love it. Also, you know those calendars where you rip off a page each day and each day has a quote, I love those too. Anyway here is a quote I found just recently.

It made me smile.

Enjoy your day.

TTFN