Life is tweet!

The morning birds that sing me into wakefullness each morning sound very chirrupy indeed this week. They start slowly, a lone song that is gradually built to a crescendo as the sun begins to rise and eveyone joins in.

I wonder if they really are more chirpy or whether perhaps my own longing for the early signs of spring has tricked me? This year there are so many blue-tits darting about, they are such a joy to stand and watch for a while, so playful, diving and darting and swooping into the hawthorn opposite the kitchen window.

Hopefully they are thinking about building their perfect little nests

I gave Mr.Lane this mug for Christmas - very appropriate!

I am thinking of investing in some of this beatiful stationary from Dear Prudence ~ find them here

Dont worry the robin has not been usurped in my affections he is still number one! ( you may remember my "the robin" post from 2009, read it here )

I have been trying to determine their different songs and have been listening to a brilliant radio staion called "Birdsong Radio" where you can listen to the dawn chorus any time of day, genius!

I saw one of these at the end of the year whilst having lunch with the Magpie in Tuckenhay at the Waterman's Arms

I was so excited!

There are quite a lot of these about at the moment

and these

but I am desperate to see Jenny Wren

All of this musing got me thinking how much I would like to be able to paint birds well, I can definately have a bash at sketching them but there is something wonderful about capturing the character of your subject and I am not talented enough.

Unlike the amazing Beatrix Potter, I was looking at some of her illustrations, trying to see them with a fresh eye. Her work is so iconic I don't think I always take the time to study it as it has been with me since childhood.

I really like this pen and ink study of her garden at Hilltop Farm.

And here it is lovingly recreated by the production team for Miss Potter.

I am off to tackle my poor snow decimated kitchen border as soon as it gets light! Wish me luck, I am hoping for some company of the robin variety.

Have a great weekend,

Sarah

xXx

January

In the spirit of the wonderful Edith Holden,

in celebration of the return of Larkrise to Candleford,

and in remembrance of Elspeth........

I give you JANUARY and the promise of the early bulbs forcing their way skywards in spite of all that winter has thrown at them ...........

..... the new year brings the promise of spring, aahhhhhh .....

I shall be glad of it

xXx

Lion hearted

2011 is begun!

Happy New Year Everyone!

My new thinking for the New Year? I am thinking like a lion!

Can there be anything more magnificent than a full grown lion?

I was feeling reflective and thought "I must snap out of this" so I decided to watch Christian the lion on youtube for the umpteenth time and yes, that did the trick.

(watch it here- if you haven't already as apparently 60 million people have already viewed it!)

I like the clip of their last encounter it is more subdued, Christian is very much an adult and yet the gentleness that still exists between them is extraordinary.

(watch it here)

Unsurprisingly I suppose that got me thinking about Born Free and the amazing story of Elsa!

Lovely film do watch it!

And so it followed that my thoughts turned to Narnia and THE LION as far as I am concerned.

Pauline Baynes beautifully illustrated the CS Lewis Tales of Narnia.

The Narnia of my imagination will always be hers...those iconic drawings of Narnian ships and Narnian horses. She was brilliant at realising maps too (another little obsession!) not only did she map Narnia but also Middle Earth, Tolkein was said to have been delighted by her work.

Aslan

So wise, so courageous I adored him - I was hooked on the 1980's BBC adaptation when I was a girl. Ronald Pickup voiced him - marvelous!

The Lion King came much later but deserves a mention for the astonishing achievement of the West End Show.

Staggering puppetry and staging.


I am currently being very entertained by BBC's Tinga Tinga Tales

A brilliantly vibrant affair inspired by traditional African animal folkstories, if you have little people you are probably already hooked!

A powerful chidhood memory is driving through London at midnight in a battered 2CV to "see the sights" It was magical, nobody around and London all lit up, we whizzed past Buckingham Palace down the Mall and out of Admiralty Arch to see Admiral Lord Nelson high on his column. I'm afraid he was lost on me as my heart belonged to the four lions proudly surrounding him.

It must be amazing to be asked to wear the Three Lions emblem and to represent your country. The three lions are currently emblazoned across the England cricket team.

One man who has certainly earnt the right to wear them is this chap

Alsitair Cook has had an amazing Ashes series!

One final push tonight boys ~ 3 wickets to go!

Hmm, where was I?

Oh yes, 2011 ~ thinking like a lion..........

I am including this final piece of cheese for your consumption, featuring a marvelously camp performance from Ian Botham, the Sky advert for the Ashes series Ridley Scott style, careful not to spit your tea out!

Come on England!

Hokey Cokey ( or in and out! )

Inside I am day dreaming about creating a room scheme based on the william Morris print "Blackthorn".

We used to have it in our family home when I was child and I am hankering for it!

I am also filling vases and pots with evergreen foliage as outside all is calm, all is WHITE!

This detail is staggering, today I am mostly reading up on William Morris!


Sarah

xXx

News Flash

Still no sign of the part needed to fix our central heating~ HOWEVER~ after some Heath Robinson lashing of cables, masking tape, sticky back plastic, two empty loo rolls........you get the idea....................

Drum roll please

We have heating!

Hurragh!

This is an approximation of what I have been doing since the joyous gurgling sound of the radiators kicked in

I love radiators!

so does the Boodle, his sleeping regime is so important and he requires an ambient temperature of 21 degrees or so!

Happy days!

Thank you all for your lovely words of comiseration and encouragement, you've been brilliant!

Be warm and toasty xXx

Deep and crisp and even

Good King Wenceslas last looked out on the feast of Stephen,

When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even
Much has been said already about the truly astonishing amount of snowfall, I shall simply add that I, at last think I appreciate the meaning of "Deep and crisp and even!"

The plan is to dig out the decorations and enjoy being at home together!

It is a bonus to have Mr.Lane at home during the week!

I shall also be linking to the the Toast site to listen to the first instalment of a Russian folk tale, Tsar Saltan click here if you are interested

I love unwrapping the decs and rediscovering old favourites don't you?

Sarah

xXx