Sunday 10 November 2013

Remembrance Sunday

We took a stroll around Winchester yesterday, past the remembrance poppies and up the high street. It's been a quiet weekend, and we woke up this Sunday morning and watched the Remembrance Service on TV. There were so, so many people. And it struck me what an important time it was for women as well, in a time when all the men were away and they were suddenly filling roles never considered before. There was a woman who was interviewed on tv who had applied for work during the war and, after declining an offer to be a cook, had asked if she could help take information mid-battles. And she worked day-to-day in a room with other women, all wearing head sets, leaning over a huge map, taking coordinates and updates on who had fallen and what action was occurring. Their work was so important, all the nurses out in the field, most of them volunteering. And what a time and a change, from WWI when women were lobbying for the right to vote, through WWII, up to now.

It's incredible to think about, and to think where we are today. And to think of all of the men and women who have served for our county, back then and today, in such difficult circumstances.






Winter Garden

Everything is turning autumn, and the rain has been endless. Every time I've walked through the park these past few weeks the leaves have been reds and oranges and yellows, and it's made me feel cosy.



I just love this season. I even love the rain. And how it makes me want to bake, and make wooly mittens for winter, and meet up with friends at the pub for drinks on drizzly Friday nights.

Last weekend we decided to plant up our winter garden at the front of the house, our last ditch effort to spruce things up before the frost hits. We trundled up to the garden centre in our hoodies and wooly hats and picked out some wintery plants. We chose some Northern Star oriental cabbages with some white Cyclamen, which are quite nice little bursts of colour. We bought this beautiful Magnolia tree with little fuzzy furry buds on it, that feel all soft.

I thought it would take ages to get all the weeds out, but we were finished in an hour and we were quite proud with it. :-)

Before:

(With an embarassing amount of weeds in it)

Garden after:




So much better!!!!




The drive to the garden centre is one of my favorite parts. This is the view from the car. It just makes me want to frolick in fields all day.



Sunday 3 November 2013

Halloween pumpkins

The time has come to say goodbye to the pumpkins... Until next year, Mr. Pumpkin!!!