Cold sunshine

We had a beautiful day yesterday, with an amazingly clear and blue sky and a surprisingly warm sun. I missed sunrise, but I made the most of the daylight and went around the garden taking photos of nature at its best.

From dazzling tree silhouettes to snowdrops, via crocuses galore, I wanted to gobble up all this beauty and lock it away inside my heart. Instead, I snapped away with my camera and went back inside for a toasted muffin. Hey, what can you do.

White beauties

I'm ever so proud to have successfully forced several hyacinth bulbs for the first time this year. This is definitely something I'll be doing in the future, and most probably at the exact same time. The thought of having them ready in time for Christmas was not only stupidly optimistic and ignorant, but it was based on the erroneous belief that I needed yet another thing to make my house feel festive at that time of year. What I ended up getting were the most fragrant and beautiful-to-look-at flowers in the period post-Christmas when the house is back to its normal state and may feel a little empty at first. These flowers have provided me with that hope that only Spring brings. And surely, with snowdrops and crocuses flowering their little hats off at the moment, that can't be far away now. Bring it on I say.

If every morning started like this

I'd be a very happy girl indeed.

Happy Friday to you all!

Numbers of the day so far

9.15 am. I have been up for 3 hours.


In those 3 hours, I cycled to the gym, did a quick 40min workout, showered, cycled home.

I then cycled to the train station, sat on the train for 30min and walked 25min to the office.

I’m now sat at my desk, having just had breakfast.
Would it be silly to say I’m pretty impressed with myself? Well if no one else is, I’ve got to be, right?! Still a whole working day to get through though… wish me luck!

Far far away...

But the heart is as close as can be.

Happy Valentine's Day to you too xxx

At the weekend I...

Cleaned the house, changed the bed sheets, put a couple of clothes washes on – there may only be one of us living here at the moment but it’s funny (well not really) how much crap/ washing up/ tidying up one person generates…

Paid a visit to some relatives. It was clearly a time for tulips, their living room was full of them already. You can’t beat those colours, so cheerful, full of hope. Makes up for the garden still covered in white snow...

Ended the weekend with the best fish pie ever, and I can’t take any credit for it (so no recipe I’m afraid! Although I was told it was a Jamie Oliver one). Either way, very healthy and very tasty. Wish I could have brought some home with me!

All in all, a lovely weekend. Getting stuff sorted out and back in their place, as opposed to doing anything "fun" as such, but all very necessary. And I don't know about you, but I can't get creative and allow myself to get my crafting supplies out until both my house and mind feel organised. So I guess that was the first step, right? 

Here we go again...

From last night's efforts to London town first thing this morning, via the train station...

Honestly, the snow is scuppering my weekend plans.

Not. Impressed.

What a change

Saturday: bright, clear and crisp. A beautiful sunrine, some cheery daffodils and a stunning sky.

Sunday: white apocalipse. Out in my pyjamas with my trusty sidekick who really wasn't sure about all this white stuff and preferred following me in my footsteps in the end (quite literally). Magical.

Le 1er février

London, 8.20am, 1st of February 2012.

Clear, cold and crisp.

The year is already flying by it seems.