Six-month sprint

Six months in one fell swoop?  

The thing is.... that despite me not being here...... its all been going on still....so for my own sense of being up-to-date.....allow me a sprint through it all?

Blue bell woods at Ashridge, Herts.

Middle Boy's ninth birthday, chicken themed as you can see....and the main present?  Six hens with which to start his very own business.

Summer footie games with the cousins (actually, they were all out on Christmas day playing footie, so this is one for all seasons)

Summer days in my favourite formal gardens.

Pirate Day in our village, Big and Middle Boys canoeing.

Littlest Boy and  Mr. F kitted out to go

Middle Boy's trip to Birmingham Symphony Hall to take part with the school band in Music For Youth 2014.

Beach days

School sports days

Walking on the coast path

Dog walking

Dahlia....just because....

Painting commission of one of our local beaches

Biggest Boy starting comprehensive school

Being an early bird and beholding undisturbed beauty

Littlest Boy's sixth birthday

My first attempt at patchwork...

.....With a matching crib blanket for a new baby.

Mr. F's second marathon of the year in Chester....this boy is not just a pretty face, he shaved a huge 30 minutes off his previous time at 3hrs 43

Thomas hat for a first birthday.

October holiday to the Brecon Beacons

Taking the boys walking up Pen Y Fan and Corn Du

And at the top.... the mist was so thick I was slightly uncomfortable....but we made it to the top and back to the car before the heavens opened.

My holiday handwarmers

Red Kites feeding, an outstanding and awesome display!

The painting that went down so well, that it became three!

A bit of Christmas knitting thanks to Sarah, Crafts from the Cwtch

Littlest Boy's Christmas jumper for Save the Children

Christmas day magic

Boxing day in the rain and wind.....blowing all the cobwebs away......

So 2014, was a good'un!  Far more than shown here, lots of sunshine, happy family times, good food, giggles, knitting, painting, crocheting, music, baking, running (yes, me running!) German (my studies plod on) French another string to my bow with the Open University, reading, sewing

Gosh, looking at it like that, I can see why I didn't find time to blog.........

I wonder what 2015 holds?  More of the above I hope!

Here's wishing you a happy and healthy 2015 with new adventures and challenges, new skills to learn and experiences to be had!

Isle of Iona

So, the second day of our Scottish holidays on the Isle of Mull and we ventured out of our very comfortable little cottage by the sea......

...........down the path.......onto a jetty and onto the Iona ferry.

Iona is actually only 1.2 miles from Fionnphort (where we are staying), but then my swimming's not that good, especially when I'm carrying our picnic.

The sun was shining and the sea was crystal clear, with pale soft sands to rival the poshest of beach resorts in the Caribbean.

Iona is a significant place within the Christian faith, as it was the site of an important monastery founded in 563AD by Columba.....it was a place of pilgrimage and reputedly where the famous Book of Kells was produced by monks on Iona.  Whether or not you go for any of that doesn't much matter, the place is stunningly beautiful, unspoilt, peaceful.........

St. Martin's Cross, dating back to the 8th century

After wandering around the grounds of the abbey and seeing the ancient cobbled road which led to a cemetery where Scottish kings are believed to be buried.....we picked our way up a good-sized hill called Dun I.  It was windy at the top, but we nestled in among some rocks (like some sensible sheep) and at our picnic lunch.

At the bottom, we saw this fluffy-coo with a few of his friends....

We walked around the island for a couple of hours more and soaked in the tranquillity of Iona......yes, tranquillity even with three noisy boys.

And lastly.....a long forgotten favourite band Iona.....probably (without remembering it until visiting Iona), the biggest influence in the instruments I play now.....funny how a visit to a new place can re-inspire something which I had somehow forgotten about........close your eyes, and let the music wash over you......