It's Beginning To Look ....

Well, hello there everyone. We are still being deluged with rain here in heavenly Devon, and the days are getting shorter and shorter.  But, I'm pleased to say that I'm doing quite well on the Christmas front. Most of the presents have been bought, and today I popped out to get the Christmas Crackers and the chocolates. 

Now how long those chocolates will remain unopened, is anyone's guess. Never mind lasting until Christmas itself!  You see, I have little willpower I'm afraid. But I shall try really hard to be good 😊.

I know that my friends in America are building up to celebrating Thanksgiving on Thursday. I hope you have a lovely day and that you will be able to spend it with loved ones, whether it's family or friends. I'm sure  the table will be groaning with all sorts of tasty food! 

 Of course we don't need a special day to be thankful for all the good things we have in our lives. We should give thanks every day, for the love of our family, for the gift of friendship, for our homes and all those other things we have in our lives. 

As I write this, my little Cavapoo pup, Benji, is celebrating his first birthday. He was eight weeks old when he first came into our home, and he really does have such a sweet personality. He follows me everywhere like a little shadow!  Here are a few pics of his first year.  In the first photo he was 8 weeks old and I had just gone to collect him and bring him home 🐶.

I will probably put the tree up this weekend, so that will be fun. It's funny how we are all excited when putting all the baubles on the tree, yet at the beginning of January, we are pleased to be packing it all away again, as we attempt to get back to some sort of normality. 

Anyway, I shall close again for now. Enjoy the rest of the week everyone. 

Sunday Solace

Good morning, good afternoon or good evening, depending on when you are reading this Post, which I'm writing here in ye merry olde England. 

Today I am grateful for a few dry days, as we have had constant rain since the end of September!   There has been severe flooding in many parts of England over the past few weeks, and it's heartbreaking to see the terrible damage caused to peoples' homes and businesses.  The Army have now been called in to help out.  The trouble is, when this sort of thing happens, it can be up to a year before people are able to get back into their homes. So as I sit in the comfort of my own warm home, I do give thanks. 

Although I love the longer days of Summer, what a wonderful backdrop of stunning colour Autumn provides us with. I thought I would just show a few pics to remind us of the beauty of nature at this time of the year.  These photos were all taken at Dartington Gardens, which is only a twenty minute drive away from where I live. The gardens there look wonderful at any time of the year...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 A few years ago in my Blog, I used to have a Sunday Solace feature, so I've decided to bring it back for a few weeks.  I thought I would bring you some inspirational quotes - quotes that I have always loved. I do hope you will enjoy them.....

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt by the heart." (Helen Keller)

"Keep your face always towards the sunshine, and shadows will fall behind you." (Walt Whitman).

"What we think, we become."  (Buddha).

"It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light." (Aristotle Onassis).

"Try to be a rainbow in somebody's cloud."  (Maya Angelou).

"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." (Aesop) 

Well, it's time for me to leave you once again. I hope all is well with you and that you have a good week ahead.

For those of you who are interested, you can see photos of my Summer garden in my new Featured Post today. Just look for it on the right hand sidebar of the Blog 😊

Lest We Forget ....

We Will Remember Them ....

Just simple images of remembrance in my Blog Post today, to remind us of all those men and women who died that we may be free. 

This weekend, let us remember all those brave servicemen and women, who made the ultimate sacrifice. I will be thinking of a Grandad that I never knew, my dad’s dad, who died on foreign soil, aged 27 years. 

Every year, since 1923, there has been a British Legion Festival of Remembrance, held at The Royal Albert Hall in London, which remembers all those who have lost their lives in conflicts.  This year a unique tribute was given to acknowledge those involved, both past and present, culminating in a special parade of some of the last surviving veterans who fought and served in 1944.  Her Majesty the Queen and all members of the royal family attend this special event. 

 

November is here....

Hallo again little peeps.  So! November is here and it won’t be long until my favourite time of the year is with us once again.  

For those of you that are in Autumn at the moment, have you got used to the clocks going back, and the darker evenings that are now with us?!  It takes a bit of getting used to, doesn’t it?!  To be honest, I don’t really mind the darker evenings, as we can make our homes as cosy as possible.  I’ve always got a book on the go, but I tend to read even more during these shorter days.  I just love how a book can transport you to another place and you can lose yourself for a couple of hours.  

I can never have too many books.  At this time of the year, I also love to settle down and watch a good, romantic Christmas film.  I know - soppy, but I love them.  Especially as most of these films take place in America, and there is always snow, and the houses are gorgeously decorated.  Deck the halls, and all that! 😊🎄.  Of course, the house is decorated with pretty candles, which all adds to the cosy mood.

I have to admit to putting up just a few Christmas things - the rest of them will go up at the end of this month .  Too early do I hear you say??  Not for this girl!

I really like to get all my Christmas cards written by the first week in December, at the latest, and my presents bought and wrapped.  That way, I can really enjoy the lead up to Christmas, and just spend the time eating mince pies and drinking sherry!  NO! I jest - honestly 😊.

Here are a couple of Autumn pics for you.  The first one is the colour in my own garden at the moment, and the second one was taken at Saltram House, a magnificent, Georgian National Trust property nearby. 

Well, I’ll leave you again for now.  Hope you enjoyed the pics. By the time I write my next post, I suspect the house will be fully decorated!  Bye for now.