Clover Yard

Gone fishing

Life is going too fast for me right now - too much on my plate, along with a generous slice of mummy guilt.  Please bear with me as I muddle through and get myself settled once more into a more comfortable rhythm.

Back soon friends. xx

Clover Yard's rainy day post

I think this has been a familiar sight for us all in Britain lately.  Looking on the bright side, it has motivated me to turn my attention to the inside of the house, which I have to say has been slightly neglected over the summer months!

Armed with every cleaning product imaginable (I know, not very green), I am polishing, hoovering and tidying my way to a sparkly home.  I hadn't realised how very pink even the mundane is getting around here!

 

 

(Suzy Smith dishcloths and storage jars from Tesco's).

I'm so easily sidetracked.  I heart pasta bears and iced gems.  The food of gods!

 

Back to the housework.  While tidying things away, I found the perfect spot for my new Cath Kidston eco-bag.  (The best one yet in my humble opinion).  It goes rather well with the material behind my wardrobe door. 

 

The spare room shelves will be tackled another day (don't want to overdo it), but I wanted to show you my groovy new chair and bedspread.  The chair was a flea market find from THE most bizarre place called Steptoe's Yard (on road to St Cyrus beach for any locals).  You've never seen anything like it - I think someone actually lives in the house which is surrounded by outbuildings packed to the gunnels full of china, furniture, glass, books, curtains - you name it, he probably has it.  It's not for the faint hearted though.  The items not under cover are outside in his yard (acres of it) exposed to the elements so if you like a bit of murky rainwater and spider with your jardiniere you'll love it. 

My chair actually has a hole in the seat (work it out!), but looking beyond that, or through it because you can, it is a fine chair, painted the loveliest of turquoises.  Babas is quite taken with it too...

 

At the pinnacle of my crotchet blanket phase, I found an even bigger, better one today.  (I am striving for crotchet blanket gold - either a double size ripple effect or patchwork one in tasteful colours, or better still, an actual Cath Kidston one mistakenly cast aside to a charity shop and being sold for £2.  A girl can dream).

I'm not really sure where all of this is going - what style I'm actually achieving (if any!), but I'm enjoying myself and that's what counts!

 

I've been meaning to sort out my jewellery for ages and today I put together a few pieces to display it.  I'm quite pleased with the results.  I don't wear jewellery much but it's actually quite nice to see it instead of all tangled in a mess in a drawer.  (It's still tangled but in pretty dishes!).  I might be tempted to wear some of this now.

 

That was quite enough activity for one day so I retired to the living room with a well earned cup of tea and a fruit scone.  Job well done, me thinks. 

Back soon with 6 of my favourite things - see Kat's post at Secrets of a Butterfly for inspiration!

p.s. still want to hear about your summer - see previous post x

Summer's best bits

A wee while ago, I was very excited to have won a giveaway and thrilled to have this lovely cushion custom-made for me by the very talented Heidi of Foxgloves, Fabric and Folly and sent all the way from sunny California.  Heidi very kindly printed some words which summed up our summer and has since asked what some of them refer to.  So I thought I'd share it with you all... 

 

Roses of course are one of my all-time favourite summer flowers and going through my photos I realise I've no shortage of images of them!

  

These were little candle holders I hung on our apple tree filled with blooms for my son's 4th birthday barbeque.

 

A trip to Iona was one of the highlights this year.  A magical island with crystal clear waters, a special atmosphere and dear friends who were married there.

 

Little Vennel refers to our holiday cottage in the pretty coastal village of Cromarty on the Black Isle.  Vennel is a Scottish word (I think) for a narrow lane.  Picking a holiday property from the internet can be hit or miss but we'll definitely be going back here. 

 

If only for the cute rag seat pads on the kitchen chairs!

 

Harry is not my son's name (as Heidi thought), but actually a wild boar!! who we used to bring apples to on our visits to Cromarty.  Sadly, on our last visit, there was a little memorial in his field.  He had left this world to sniff for truffles in the neverland, but the biggest surprise was that Harry was in fact Henrietta.  That explains the indignant grunts!

Lunan Bay is one of our favourite close-to-home beaches.  It is one of the few remaining beaches up the north east coast where the sand dunes are still intact.  If it were a few degrees hotter it could rival any beach overseas and I wouldn't think of going abroad ever again!

 

Sigh. The lazy days of summer.... 

 

   

 

Reminds me that it wasn't all rain.  In fact, in the deepest darkest days of February, I shall look back on this post and be cheered, full of hope that we will do all these things and more in summer 2009.  And I'll always have my lovely cushion to remind me of them too.  Thanks Heidi! xx

p.s. Look forward to your comments about your best bits of summer or better still - posts and piccies. :)

The power of flowers

What a joy it is to be working with flowers again.  Day 3 of the new job has passed and it's going well.  It's hard work - the shop is on 3 floors with almost vertical stairs.  Very Dutch!  I'm going to have killer calf muscles in no time.  There's something very satisfying about heading home after my shift with green fingers and that flushed feeling like I've spent a day picking tatties.  Good, honest hard work.  You can't beat it.

 

Although there are some lovely flowers in the shop, I am making the most of the availability of these little posies which are being sold outside some shops and the local post office.  I'm told they are grown in the Arbroath area.  I'd love to see the fields they're picked from. 

 

 

I couldn't decide between the autumn golds or the purples and scented pinks.  So I bought both.

Thank you Holly and Julia for your kind comments about the kitten.  Please consider Babas cuddled.  She has been getting lots of those - and some gourmet tidbits for tea.  I wonder how the wee chap is getting on...

A new chapter for Boo

It's been a very difficult, emotional day.  Today we bid farewell to our little kitten Boo.  He has gone to live with another family - mum, dad, 3 children, a 16 year old ginger cat and 2 ponies in Kirriemuir.  They have a much larger garden than ours and the roads are less busy which is peace of mind.

Boo was born under our bed on 2nd June to a lovely tortie cat (Babas) who was a part-time visitor to our home.  No one in the village claimed her so she has become a permanent resident.  We didn't know she was pregnant til the day she gave birth and she only produced one kitten which put us in a quandry over whether to keep it or not.  Til now.  It was a family decision - and a very hard one to make.  

I am heart-broken for Babas and cannot bear the thought that she will pine for him, or him her.  She has been the most wonderful mother and I have the utmost respect for her.  It has been magical to watch them together.

I think Boo is the type of kitten who will make friends wherever he goes and I'm sure he will keep his new 16 year old pal young forever.

We will always treasure the 13 weeks of madcap kitten adventures we had with you Boo.  xx