Time For Tea And Time To Be.......

" Gaze at the winter trees.....

They may look sad with out their leaves.

They signal natures comforting cycles.

This represents the sure sign of regrowth.

They will blossom and bear fruit again.

We all have our seasons".....

I love this poem.

~ And came across it at work.

~ Today the soft white seasonal stuff has finally made its presence known, here in the North West!

I know most of you ladies and indeed most of the country, have had their fair share already...

I will pop on the kettle, will you join me for tea?

~ When the children were small and school was cancelled.....

I thought these days were just the best!

We could snuggle up all cosy and take time out with a movie.

Mum ~ always taking a short nap in between.

(If no one noticed) 

Hot cocoa and marsh mallows....

~ A coal fire on all day long.

Taking time to be ~ rather than do.

~ I am not a great lover of the snow.

Showing my age!

It can be so picturesque and so inconvenient , all in one.

I prefer to watch from a cosy, warm, window.

Preferably with a hot drink in my hands..

Today is perfect, for I have no plans and need to be no where, just here.

~ I am in the kitchen preparing a meal...

Chicken casserole...

Warming, just perfect for later....

~But I'm not alone......

( Please notice me)

~ Cats always find the warmest places, don't they just? 

~ And the naughtiest places!

~ I wanted to say thank you, for all your kind comments on my clog boots! (earlier post)

~ and for joining me today.

You have been, just 'purfect' company.

I have loved looking at all your snowy posts through this last week....

~Most especially' the snow men'!

~ Its getting near that time of year again...

14th February.

I am always a head of my self, as I have just displayed the shop window for~ 

St Valentines day......

~ 

~ I wonder do you recall the movie from our child hoods, perhaps?  It's a very old movie......  It was called', The Time Machine' . ~ I was always so fascinated by the mannequins in the shop display window, changing so quickly, as time flew by with the blink of an eye....This is how last year flew by to me! Was I on a Time Machine, I do wonder?

~ And here we are almost through January already!

Valentines day was my first post, last year!

~ Thank you for journeying with me through, what I called my healing year...

YOU are just the loveliest of friends!

~ Take time to dream and keep cosy ~

Love Maria x

Clog Boots.....

"Style has nothing to do with money. Anybody can do it with money. The true art is to do it on a shoestring". - Tom Hogan.

Hello there, lovely peeps.

Do you ever 'set your cap', at some thing that you really, really, want?

I did.

~ Some time ago I fell in love in a big, big way and the object of my desire was quite simply these beauties!

~ Clog boots.

I remember I almost had kittens when laying eyes on them in the shop window.

~ Love at first sight, I believe it was.

There was a slight hiccup, at the time, I do remember!

~ and this was quite frankly, the cost!

Oh my, they were very expensive indeed!

Still one can dream ~

I would have to save my pennies or make a big 'Wish' in my wish box!

~ Believe.

Last weekend we had a small dusting of the cold, white, seasonal stuff.

~ and a day out to make the most of the views...

~ Very magical indeed.

 Wrapped up warm and cosy.

It was wonderful to be out and about at long last, since recovering from the pesky Christmas bugs!

So a'wandering we did go.......

We didn't intend to shop, just wander.

~ But there they were in the very same shop window, with a ticket displaying sale of 50%. One pair only and can you guess the size?

My Size!

I hoped and skipped and jumped!

~ and they came home to be mine...

Puss in boots, perhaps!

'Willow' much preferred the box....

~ 

No accounting for taste!

~ That evening we had a family celebration, where Olivia played acoustic guitar and sang out tunes of Lana Del Rey and Of Monsters and Men and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers!

~ A  perfect end to a lovely day!

~ And do you know I danced and 'Jigged' all evening in my clog boots!

(Patrick calls them my 'Smurf' boots) hehe..

~But I don't care!

( Wool from charity shop~ 40p )

Perfect for crocheting.

~ Have you picked up a bargain or two in this year's sales, dear friends?

Or are you drawing in your horns?( My Mums favourite saying) till spring time...

Wishing you a week full of 'wishes' ******

Keep warm and cosy!

"Outside, winter's darkness closes in. Inside, you have found your very own light"....

Love Maria x

A Diary Of Gratitude....

New Year. A fresh start. A new chapter in life waiting to be written. New questions to be asked,

embraced and loved. Answers to be discovered and then lived in this new year of delight and self discovery....

Simple Abundance.

~ A week into the new year already!

Have you made any new year resolutions dear friends? I wonder....

 Although I am still a little under the weather and have some lingering effects from the pesky flu. I have embraced another year with a tradition, I started in 2007.

~My gratitude diary.

Each January I start a journal of quotes, ideas, thoughts and inspirations and of course gratitude...

I have always kept a diary for as long as I can remember, it helps me feel grounded appreciative and aware of what is truly important to me, I guess.

I must confess I struggled with my thoughts and feelings whilst nursing mum through her very long journey ....

~ But alas I still have my diaries to look back on now, a lot of sadness, but also a lot of love is written in these pages.

~ Have you made any 'New Year' resolutions, dear friends? 
I ask once more.

They are quite often hard to keep, I know.....

On the New Years eve, I met Patrick,  Ooh this was many moons ago, superstition had me take out a piece of jet black coal in my hand bag. 

Although he is used to my ways now, he must have found me odd, perhaps!

I had read this to be a lucky omen to bring into your home from the old year, to welcome in  the new one. This was all of 25 years ago, a little magic perhaps involved.... *****

I remember thinking when we met there was perhaps a soul recognition between us as though we knew each other already and had perhaps been before in another time....

(Patrick would laugh if he read my blog)

He doesn't thankfully, far too busy running.....

~ I call his running 'fuel for his soul...'

hehe.

~ Liseanthus , my favourite flower in the colour of dairy milk wrappers with beautiful roses.

Delivered on our anniversary.

~ And because New year was spent in my PJs, this wonderful little read was enjoyed too!

A gift from another lovely friend.

I love reading anything magical and most especially about the Moon.

Some wonderful gifts from Santa....

Dolly from ' The Button and the Bean' beautiful blog!

I will close for now and leave you with this thought!

"There are years that ask questions and years that answer." 

I wonder which year this one will be?

~ Take time to dream....

Love Maria x

Daffodils, just a little bit of Spring times promise.

I do hope spring is just a round the next corner.....