Welcome 2012...Year of the Dragon!

A quiet New Years eve in our house this year....

Candlelight flickered, giggles filled the air, silly photos taken, snuggling on the sofa, the Pip kicking.

In every way perfect.

This year is going to be a big one for us on a personal level...Or little Dragon baby will be born, and we are SO excited.

As the clock struck 12 we popped the champagne, and marveled at the stunning fireworks in London.

I just loved the silhouette of that skyline.

I hope you have lots of exciting time ahead of you this year...may the fireworks of your life be bright, hopeful, sparkling, and awe inspiring.

Cheers

xxx

The One...

Since living in Hungerford I have admired the stunning houses, beautiful cottages, and glorious country farms. One of our Martin & the Magpies customers has the most stunning home. While sitting in her kitchen going through a Christmas order I was left fantasizing about what it would be like to own a house like that. It is a rambling country house...Horses in the stables and divine grounds.

It is lived in, with coffee cups in the sink, newspapers left half read on the table, a cat sat on the dining room chair....dogs snoring away in their beds, and children who have eaten all the 'good' biscuits!

Then when I came back into Hungerford with country home daydreams in my head...I walked past my favorite house.... I do not know if anyone lives here...it looks empty and unloved. 

I look at it and can see a family home, a sweeping staircase and a wide hallway are all I can see from the door when I sercretly peer in...!

The courtyard doors holds a secret....behind it is the church hall, they have tea and coffee mornings. The vintage residents walk the cobbles for a 50p cup of tea and a gossip!

I wonder if the church owns the house? I wonder if I could bear to paint those chippy blue doors?

I wonder if, one day, I will breath life into it?

The daydreams of a rambling country pad have left, a tatty town house has taken over....I could have a pack of hounds, a horde of babies, a big kitchen with an Aga, and the shop on my doorstep.

It is good to Dream. To Believe.

Do you have a fantasy house, one you walk past and imagine opening the front door?

Does yours have a Christmas tree above the door?

How Does Your Garden Grow?

Our's is growing like wild fire....

 The sweet peas are smelling divine....

I pulled the spring onions today...they may be small, but boy they are fierce!

Our ivy is taking over!

Some cute violas to add a touch of colour to the brick wall.

Crazy sweetpeas....

Giant Tomatoes....

Cherry tomatoes which are the size of golf balls

Scrummy scented David Austin roses....bliss!

Trailing 'snowflake' running a mock on the decking

Washed and ready for dinner!

I know it is only a fraction of what some peoples gardens can grow...however this is our first garden, we are new to this! The Wonderful Dutchman has super green fingers and is enjoying every second he spends out there. I however have just loved to grow the veg! We have had Salad, herbs, spring onions, rocket...and soon the tomatoes, however I might be making green tomato chutney!!! 

Has your garden been a delight this year?

New but Old

We have finally got a chance to make our new house a home....we have added new items, changed a few things about, throw and charity shopped a lot to fit into her petite measurements!!

I still feel she is a bit cluttered but its a work in progress right?!!

This painting was a junk shop find...in the most horrid yellowing plastic frame, I walked past it twice, moved it into a few different lights and decided I loved it...with the Wonderful Dutchman giving his seal of approval we bought it for £15...an original oil painting...yellow plastic frame and all!!

A lovely new frame later and a freshly painted wall she looks as good as new.

Every time I walk past it, it captures my attention, I love how art can do that to you.

Sorry for the Delay...Normal Service shall Resume

So, that pesky BT man took rather a long time to sort out our line...Its always the one thing I hate about moving...having to talk to BT...nightmare!! But everything is back to normal now, we can start to enjoy our new house...which we adore!!!

The Wonderful Dutchman checking out the garden {with Beer}...chatting about our plans for a veggie garden, herb garden and mass of sweetpea's...I think we might be slightly ahead of ourselves...but it is fun to give it a whirl...we have never had a garden which gets sunshine....the possibilities are endless!!

Last weekend we made a start...it was emotional as I discovered I had killed a gorgeous bumble bee nest...I was sad for some time...I love bees and watching 2 bees flying around trying to find there nest was upsetting. But there will be plenty of new happy smelling flowers for them later in the year.

Its felt good to be working the soil, planting seeds and watering...sore backs and all!

So all in all we are super happy in our new tiny home...we have found the smallest house in the high street...it reminds me of a Dutch canal house......no wonder I love it.

Our first meal....and a happy, happy couple.

Happy Weekend!