View from my study window, yesterday.

Quote for Today....... "Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value " Albert Einstein

Our house looks out onto a farm. Here I can see Mike the farmworker. In the distance we can see other farmland. We are at a very busy time at the moment as the farmers are making the most of the good weather to harvest their crops. We have a variety of farms in the village and we see the comings and goings, the ups and downs of the farming industry. We have been here since 1991 and have seen many changes affecting the farming community. What do you see from your window? For other perpectives see here.

My World

Sometimes on a Tuesday I take part in My World Tuesday. I was wondering what to do for it today but as I walked outside to collect the post my choice was obvious! In the field over the road from our drive we seem to have some new neighbours. I haven't seen them before so by the end of the day I hope to find out who they are and who they belong to!

Before!!!!!

This is the area at the bottom of our paddock a couple of years ago! You will not recognise it now. It is the area destined and now ready for the arrival of 6 hens. I already know their names..... Beverley, Margie, Eva, May, Olwyn and Mabel! Watch this space! This is my little world! For others visit here

My World, My Desk!

This is my desk as we speak! I am currently completing 45 Thank You cards for Luoise and Chris. I designed all of their wedding stationery and everything else for their wedding day. There is quite a lot of stationery associated with a wedding and I am in my element! The theme for the stationery was butterflies, so for the Thank You cards I have used a butterfly velum with a reverse of silver. This is a new experiment for me, with some Laura Ashley papers. I have decided to design a range of garden inspiration cards which I will sell through my website. I love the inspiration from my garden . The Thank You cards will be collected tonight. I then will start on a Table Plan and hand written place cards for a wedding which will take place on Sunday. When I am doing my calligraphy I have to do all 70 or whatever inone sitting so I ensure they all match. Just by changing my seating position alters the handwriting. Once completed the cards and plan will be collected by the bride and groom. I will then begin work on what must be the most elaborate seating plan commission I have ever undertaken. I am not daunted, quite excited actually! I will share my results after the respective weddings as I know my clients and their friends and families read my blog and I do not want to share anything just yet, so the WOW factor is kept secret! So what is going on in your world today? For others see here!

My Village, my World!

Our Village

This is our village, home for the last 18 years. Our house is in the middle of the photograph. If you click for a closer view you just may see Jo our gander in the garden! We are surrounded by farms and the majority of the neighbours have a large plot, just as we do. Over the next few weeks we will be seeing the fruits of our harvests. 3 apple trees will provide apple wine, cider, chutneys. The Elderberry trees will become our Elderberry wine and winter warmer recipes, the damsons will be used for jam and again wine. My veg plot is coming along too. The tomatoes are coming along well and ofcourse our big addition is going to be the chicken enclosure. I am quite excited about this! Although we have kept chickens in the past it was the taste of our neighbours chicken's eggs which re-kindled the memories of lovely poached eggs for breakfast. I have been looking after their garden whilst they have been away, watering etc etc so it was fun to imagine getting some of our own. There is still a lot of preparation to do, involving fitting some screening wire up, getting the redundant shed looking like a hen des res and I want to build a big composting area at the bottom of the paddock........I will keep you informed! We are quite content in our little spot! It is a wonderful little piece of heaven, so very quiet yet so resourceful.

Home by Edgar Guest It takes a heap o' livin' in a house t' make it home, A heap o' sun an' shadder, an' ye sometimes have t' roam Afore ye really 'preciate the things ye lef' behind, An' hunger fer 'em somehow, with 'em allus on yer mind. It don't make any differunce how rich ye get t' be, How much yer chairs an' tables cost, how great yer luxury; It ain't home t' ye, though it be the palace of a king, Until somehow yer soul is sort o' wrapped round everything. Home ain't a place that gold can buy or get up in a minute; Afore it's home there's got t' be a heap o' livin' in it; Within the walls there's got t' be some babies born, and then Right there ye've got t' bring 'em up t' women good, an' men; And gradjerly as time goes on, ye find ye wouldn't part With anything they ever used they've grown into yer heart: The old high chairs, the playthings, too, the little shoes they wore Ye hoard; an' if ye could ye'd keep the thumb-marks on the door. Ye've got t' weep t' make it home, ye've got t' sit an' sigh An' watch beside a loved one's bed, an' know that Death is nigh; An' in the stillness o' the night t' see Death's angel come, An' close the eyes o' her that smiled, an' leave her sweet voice dumb. Fer these are scenes that grip the heart, an'when yer tears are dried, Ye find the home is dearer than it was, an' sanctified; An' tuggin' at ye always are the pleasant memories O' her that was an' is no more ye can't escape from these. Ye've got t' sing an' dance fer years, ye've got t' romp an' play, An' learn t' love the things ye have by usin' 'em each day; Even the roses 'round the porch must blossom year by year Afore they 'come a part o' ye, suggestin' someone dear Who used t' love 'em long ago, an' trained 'em jes t' run The way they do, so's they would get the early mornin' sun; Ye've got t' love each brick an' stone from cellar up t' dome: It takes a heap o' livin' in a house t' make it home. For more worlds visit here

Happy Birthday Jon!

My World Tuesday!

I guess my world centres around the life I share with my husband, Jon! Here he is with our nephew 3, Richard! Tomorrow we will have been married for 21 years!

I love you because you understand dear Every single thing I try to do You're always there to lend a helping hand dear I love you most of all because you're you No matter what the world may say about me I know your love will always see me through I love you for the way you never doubt me But most of all I love you because you're you I love you because my heart is lighter Every time I'm walking by your side I love you because the future's brighter The door to happiness you opened wide No matter what the world may say about me I know your love will always see me through I love you for a hundred thousand reasons But most of all I love you because you're you

To see more of people's worlds visit here

My World Tuesday

View from our window

It seems quite a while since I wrote anything here on my blog and I guess that pretty much says a great deal about my world right now....as there seems to be so much going on. I try to speak to my friend Maria every day following the loss of her partner Phil, Wilma needs her daily walks, I am getting stuff together for a carboot sale on Thursday, Garden chores are knocking on the door and I have quite a few wedding commissions on the books too. Saturday sees a village wedding so on Friday, together with some neighbours I am decorating the church with flowers ready for the big day. Our holiday to the Isle of Man is not far away so today Wilma, Elsie and Ella are all off to the vets for various booster jabs ready for their stay in the bording kennels and cattery....this sums up my world right now but despite what is going on at least I can look out of the window and get everything in perspective! My World Tuesday.....see others here!

My World, My Kitchen!

This is my kitchen, very much the heart of the home. Despite managing to get out on the motorbike on Sunday, the weather forecast is pretty grim today. Yesterday we did try and find some sunshine and indeed for a brief few minutes found ourselves warm under the short burst of sunshine somewhere on the moors. Eventually, in Malton we found bitter cold fog so we headed home! Today we have the same cold thick fog but I will find plenty to do in the home! To see what others are up to in their own world visit here

My World Tuesday!

We are only a few minutes drive from the sea and it is a regular visit for Wilma and I. I never under-estimate the joy of living so close to the coast. I think it is because I lived in the Midlands for 10 years when I started teaching. Although city life in Nottingham was interesting and the shops offered so much choice, as did the theatres and other city attractions, I missed the sea. My favourite poem of all times reflected this, I often shared this with my pupils in Nottingham.

maggie and milly and molly and may went down to the beach(to play one day) and maggie discovered a shell that sang so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and milly befriended a stranded star whose rays five languid fingers were; and molly was chased by a horrible thing which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and may came home with a smooth round stone as small as a world and as large as alone. ee cummings What is your world like today? To see more see here

My World Tuesday!

Hmmmmmmmmmmm! I have seen this mentioned in a few blogs and so have decided to give it a go. My world..................is a tiny farming village in North Yorkshire, UK. A few miles from the coast. We live within the North York Moors and make the most of our surroundings. When I say we, I am talking about my german shepherd Wilma as we go for walks every day and my husband Jon and our motorbike, A good combination eh? As spring dawns I think a weekly photo will be fun!