Foggy and Frosty

I am joining in with Amy's  Five on Friday link up today and my five are photos

from our walk in Graves Park near the girls' school this morning. I try to go for a

brisk walk on weekday mornings, for about half an hour, usually in this park or
in the woods near our house. It started off as a way to get more exercise but it's now
an important and enjoyable part of my day. I look forward to it every morning.
It's the fresh air and being outdoors, it's also a calming time, a space for me to think
or just clear my head and I feel happier and better for it. This week I've been out
there every morning, in the weak winter sunshine, in the drizzle and rain,
and today, with my husband, in the fog and freezing temperature.

It was a good, bracing walk, a really great pick-me-up on such a very cold and
grey day. It took us through the woods, up the path to the playground and down
along the frozen pond. I always find fog a bit eerie but there's also a stillness
and peacefulness to the gloom that I've come to like and appreciate, thanks to
wintry morning walks like this one today. We went home cold and a bit tired
but glad we made the effort. The rest of our day had been pleasant, restful
and warm and I'm hoping for more of the same this weekend.


So that's my five this Friday. I hope you're all keeping cosy this evening.
If it's nice and sunny where you are, enjoy!

A Thursday morning

Hello. Time for Five on Friday again (where has the week gone!?!)
and today I have five photos from a beautiful Thursday morning I spent with my husband last week.

Every now and again he gets a day off during the week and it happily
coincides with one of my 'free days' - the days when Lulu is at nursery.
So we get a day to ourselves ( hurray!) and we can pretty much do
as we please from nine in the morning til three in the afternoon.
It's always exciting when, just after dropping off the girls, we make
a decision about where we want to go and what we want to do.
We almost always start off with a walk, then stop for coffee and cake
somewhere and if there are shops around, we'll have a nosey and
see what interesting things we can find. Whatever we end up doing
we always have a great time and not surprisingly, such days are most
anticipated, savoured and thoroughly enjoyed.

Last Thursday was one of these days. We headed to Bingham Park
right after the morning school run and had a lovely walk there,
my husband showing me where he used to play tennis and mini golf
 with his friends back in his secondary school days. He hasn't visited
 the park for many years so it was a trip down memory lane for him.
 I was simply happy to tag along.

Near Endcliffe Park, we saw a number of trees with red bands around 

their trunks and red hearts with the 'Save Me' message. I wondered 

why these trees were for cutting down; lots of people are not happy about it and neither am I. They looked all right to me. I hope they
will be saved.

Down Sharrowvale Road and around Hunters Bar are some delightful
and attractive shops and we stopped at many of them - the children's bookshop, a specialty shop selling lovely fresh pasta, a hardware store,
the wool shop. There was also this vintage place that looked very interesting but unfortunately, it was closed (see the little note on the
upper right hand corner). I hope it's open and we can have a look round
the next time we're in the area.

Our coffee and cake stop was at this bakery. I had hot chocolate

and this apple and cinnamon pastry; it was delicious.

We saw this sign outside the fishmonger's and we can only agree.

And also, quite clever advertising, don't you think?

That was our lovely morning out and then it was home for a quiet,
leisurely lunch and of course, before we knew it, it was three o clock
 and time to pick up the girls. But it was time well spent and we were together and as always, we are very much looking forward to our
next day off together.

I hope your Friday is going well. Thanks again to Amy for organising
this link party and thanks to all those who have visited here lately.
Wishing you all a great weekend!

Frosty Friday

It's time to join Amy again for Five on Friday. It's been a year today

since everyone can join in with this link party so big congratulations

to Amy. Long may Five on Friday continue.

It's a very frosty Friday morning here and while we were down at

Heeley City Farm earlier I took some photos and I'm sharing four 

of them here with you. 

It was great to see the flowers soldiering on in the cold but we felt 

sorry for the ducks. There were thin ice floes on the pond and they 

must have been freezing. The last photo was taken when we got home. 

I love blue skies but we couldn't really linger for long outside today. 

It's just too cold! Best to head indoors and admire the view from
the warmth and comfort of our little home.

Those are my five today. Thanks again to Amy. I wish everyone 

a lovely Friday. If you're having a frosty, freezing day like us,

I hope you're staying warm and cosy today.

Five on Friday

Hello. I'm joining in again with Amy's Five on Friday and today I'm
sharing five photos from our week.

It's half-term here and we're having ourselves a nice little holiday.
We've been lucky to have lots of sunshine and blue skies especially
 after last weekend's stormy weather and we've been making the most
of it. The girls have been playing a lot outside and I've done several loads
 of washes since Monday. I know, boring stuff but as the saying goes
 'make hay while the sun shines...' Our laundry basket is nearly empty
and that's really good!

We made time for baking on Wednesday afternoon. The girls wanted

cookies so we made oat and raisin ones. They're yummy and quite

moreish. I'd be in trouble if I'd given up cakes and biscuits for Lent -

lucky I haven't (I'm giving up crisps and craft magazines instead).

Lots of pottering all week. I've been using these quieter, slower days

to catch up with chores and work through my to-do lists. Again, boring

stuff but I'm pleased they're now done and hopefully I'll have more time

for crochet and reading this weekend.

This was yesterday morning at Weston Park. The girls fed the ducks

and had a run around the park before spending an hour at the children's

museum. We all love the museum; it's always a fantastic place to visit.

While we were at the park I saw these yellow and purple croci. 

I love their bright, cheery colours and I can't wait to see more in bloom

as Springtime gets closer and closer.

Those are my five for this Friday. Thanks again to Amy and advance
congratulations for Five on Friday's first year anniversary next week!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and  a lovely Valentine's Day
on Sunday. We sort of had ours already last Sunday - we had a night away in Harrogate while the girls stayed with my in-laws. It was the Turkish baths, dinner and breakfast at Betty's - the perfect one night
getaway. To those who are just about to start their half-term holidays - enjoy!

Five on Friday: reds and yellows

It's been a long time since I've joined Amy's Five on Friday

 so I'm very delighted that I have exactly five things to share today

 and I can join in again.

My five are some of the things we have on our mantel this month:


: : pretty daffodils in a vase

:: a Christmas tree ornament found in the post-Holiday sales

:: wooden Japanese dolls, both presents from my parents-in-law

:: more daffodils - these ones are smaller but just as pretty

:: a Bjorn Wiinblad plate, another present from my in-laws

 I like to change things around on the mantel every now and again

 just to freshen things up a bit and I've noticed that  there's a little colour theme going on this February. Usually it's just a random collection
 of items like postcards, feathers and sticks the girls have picked up
 on our walks, drawings and artworks from school, pebbles and shells from our holidays - everyday things that we love and remind us of happy
memories as well as the current season. There is still a randomness
to the things on display this month but they also all have some reds
and yellows which I think is just fitting for February. The reds are
a nod to February being the Month of Love and all that, while yellow
is just perfect for bringing a burst of colour on grey February days
and with the beautiful daffodils, it's a hint of Springtime and sunnier
days to come. Next time I change things around there might be more
colours - pinks, light blues, Springtime hues, but for now, I think these reds and yellows are just right.

So those are my five this Friday. It's been fun sharing them here
and again, I'm very glad to be able to join in today. Thanks, Amy!


I wish everyone a happy weekend. Half-term holiday has officially
started - Yehey!

Five on Friday

Today I'm joining in with Amy for Five on Friday. It's been awhile
since I've taken part here and I'm so pleased to be able join in today.

My five things are flowers that are currently in bloom in our small
garden. We only have a tiny green space so we just try to work with
what we've got. We have herbs, a small bay tree and a few other plants
plus these two that bloom summer after summer.

I'm not very good with plants and plant names and I'm not sure what
they are both called but I like them. They never fail to bloom every
year, there are always a lot of them and they're also very hardy.

Another 'regular' are the trusty Hostas. They come back and flower
around this time every year too.

Last spring I decided to try my hand at growing annuals. My gardening
skills are, let's just say, limited so I wanted plants that were easy to
look after. I chose geraniums and petunias. So far, they've not only
survived, they've thrived and are now full of flowers!

 I'm really pleased and even a bit surprised with how well they're all doing. I'm planning to have them again next year and try other colour varieties too.

So those are my five-- happy blooms bringing joy and colour to our
small garden. I hope you're all having a lovely Friday. Please visit
Amy's blog to find out more about other bloggers taking part today.

Have a great weekend!

Five on Friday

Hello! I'm joining in again with Amy for Five on Friday.
For today's post, I've chosen five things from these past five days.

I'm starting with this slice of pine nut loaf cake which my husband
made yesterday. It is delicious, especially with creme fraiche and tea
or coffee.

My husband is off work this week so he's had more time to do what he

 enjoys-- cooking. Today he's planning to make lemon ice cream.

It is going to be good. We're all very excited about it.

This is Markie's costume for fancy dress day at school today.

I've been busy making it this week. I've never made a costume before,

either for kids or grown-ups and it's been fun. Hope to write more

 about it soon.

My new pom-pom makers. I got two with different sizes and

this is the smaller of the pair.

Markie's costume was my excuse for this purchase. I made her

little antennas with pom-pom tops and having this little gadget made

the job easier. I thought it was a little extravagant at first, but now I'm

glad I got them. Next pom-pom project: Easter chicks.

This is the newly tidied wall shelf in our bedroom.

I've done some spring cleaning this week. It's so satisfying to know

 that every surface, item and corner had been cleaned, polished and tidied- well, almost. I still haven't finished, so more cleaning for me
next week.

My very simple makeshift loom.

I made it with cardboard and string. It's just a little experiment.
 Hopefully it will work and I'll have something woven to show you here next time.



So those are my five today. I'm joining in Five on Friday, taking five
minutes from our day to enjoy five things. Please click here to visit
the other people blogging about Five on Friday this week.


Thanks for visiting me here. Hope you all enjoy your weekend!

Five on Friday: Good Things

It's Friday once again, time to join Amy for 'Five on Friday'.

Today I've chosen five good things from the past week and a half.
These haven't been the easiest of days, with Markie unwell with
 chicken pox and my husband working for seven days in a row. We were
all tired and a little bit grumpy at times. We felt sad and worried too.
But there were still good and happy things and these are some of them.

I'll start off with Markie getting better and going back to school
this week. Thursday and Friday last week were her worst days-
no appetite or energy at all.Then she perked up over the weekend
and it was such a relief to see her starting to get better. She's still
full of the horrible spots but she's not letting them bother her.
 She's so good. On Wednesday she joined her class for a trip to the
Butterfly House. She had an amazing time and I'm so glad she didn't
miss out on this because it's something that she's been looking
 forward to for ages. Here's a little drawing that she did after
 the school trip. It's a little bit crumpled but I love it.

I found time to sew here and there and finished making my pot
holders. In the evening I've been crocheting too. They are good,
enjoyable, calming distractions and I'm grateful for them.

I've been trying to get back into reading for sometime now but
none of the books I've tried have really grabbed me until this one.
This was a great read, really enjoyed it. I've already started on
the next one, also by Kate Atkinson, and it's good too. After such
a long time, I'm glad these two books have come my way.
I'm now inspired to keep reading.

Five on Friday

Today's post is about food that my husband loves to cook and that
everyone in our family enjoys. I've chosen five that he's made for us
this past week, all firm family favourites. I'm always grateful that
 I'm married to a man who can cook. He's happy when he's in
our little kitchen, listening to sports on the radio, preparing,
simmering, cooking, making delicious meals for his family.
 We're so lucky, the girls and I. He does this for us everyday and
even better, he doesn't mind washing up too!

So here are the chosen five:


1. Pea, parsley and mint risotto, topped with pancetta

My husband's risottos are always great. All the ingredients for
this, save for the pancetta, we already had at home. He's good
at this too- making use of what's available at home and not
wasting much.


2. Grilled lamb with salsa verde, roast potatoes and braised peas

The girls had roast chicken instead of lamb. They enjoyed theirs, we
enjoyed ours too.


3. Tuscan style sausage pasta

Hearty, meaty and always tastes good.



4. Mushroom risotto with pancetta

Yes, we always love some pancetta. And we also love rice
in our house, either in risottos or the plain boiled jasmine
rice we usually have with Filipino dishes.


5. Chocolate Nemesis

He made this for dessert last week. It's like baked chocolate mousse,
very rich, dark, scrumptious and irresistible.



Those are my five this Friday. Thanks, as always, to Amy for
organising this.


...............................

I am joining in Five on Friday, taking five minutes from our day
to enjoy five things. Please go and visit the other people who are
also blogging about Five on Friday this week.

Amy from Love Made My Home
Kristie from North of 49
Patricia from A Place for Everything
Katharine from Art-e-facts
Selma from Eclectic Home & Life
Teresa from Knit Bake Cultivate


Wishing you all a warm and lovely weekend!

Five on Friday

Hello! Today I'm taking part in Amy's 'Five on Friday' posts.
As it's the day after Christmas I thought I'll write about
five of my favourite things this festive season. Thanks to Amy
for organizing this and for letting me join in.

So, my five favourite things this Christmas...

1. Making Christmas cards with my girls

We had a lot of fun making them and we're so pleased with
how they've turned out. I'm really looking forward to doing more
 of this with them next Christmas.



2. Our festive flapjacks

I'm really glad we've found a way to add a little bit of Christmas
flavour to our favourite homemade treat. It's another thing I've
enjoyed making with my girls and I'm really happy about this.



3. Slices of pannetone dipped in amaretto

This is a very grown up way of enjoying this Christmas cake
and it is so good!



4. Time with my family

Being with my favourite people in the world is always wonderful.



5. Our Noche Buena, a traditional Filipino celebration
on Christmas Eve

I love that we have made this Filipino tradition a part
of our family's Christmas celebration. Noche Buena is a time
 for thanksgiving, a special time for families to be together,
and of course, an occasion for delicious Filipino dishes.
We made spring rolls, pork estofado and leche flan (creme
caramel) for our little feast and it was lovely.




Family, tradition, food, baking, crafting...they made my
Christmas this year and it's been a happy one.

....................

I am joining in Five on Friday, taking five minutes from
our day to enjoy five things. Please go and visit the other
people who are also blogging about Five on Friday this week.

Amy from Love Made My Home
Kristie from North of 49
Patricia from A Place for Everything
Katharine from Art-e-facts
Selma from Eclectic Home & Life



Thank you for taking time to stop by here.
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Day yesterday.
See you soon!