Thursday 22 January 2009

Oh, for sun.



Oh how I crave the sun. So often in January we have days of clear blue sky and bright, bright sunshine, the air crisp and sharp and smelling clean. Lately Cornwall has been mostly wet, as is its wont. I wade to the ducks through paths of sludge, head down against the wind-driven sheets of rain, trying to dodge one f the cats who seems to think I am going to feed the corn to her; heavens only knows why she has not yet worked out this twice daily ritual does not involve any food for her, but I never said our cats were particularly sharp of mind! I am tired of trying to be positive about the endless deluge especially as I know it is not as bad as I feel it to be. There are breaks in the cloudbursts most days, though yesterday was truly awful. I kid myself that this is a proper Winter and therefore a proper Spring may follow with a true Summer close on its heels. We shall see. In the meantime, I have put a giant picture of marigolds grown here last year, bright, gorgeous, wonderful, dark-day-defying marigolds. I could almost breathe them in.



Not much in the way of sewing going on lately thanks to the paperwork needing sorting. Some orders and a little help from Isabella to stuff gingham hearts. I believe in starting them at an early age! very sweet in her determination to do this fiddly task unaided and very little in spilled lavender to what I expected. Our sewing bee was halted by the strange appearance of Discovery who on seeing the door open to let in the cat decided to pop her head round to say hello. Hens in the kitchen is not something we encourage!



Despite the endless rain we have managed to get to our allotment once or twice. Onions are in, blackcurrants moved from the garden to our plot, potatoes are planted and it's all underway. And so today once the cleaning is done - amazing what a little paperwork can do for the house; a sudden and most urgent need to clean has meant the cupboards are amazingly tidy! - I will mostly be sitting by this...



and dreaming of this...



Bye for now xx

24 comments:

  1. that's what I keep telling myself, a proper winter is a good thing - honest! Roll on spring...

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  2. Hi Pip,wasn't yesterday relentless with its rain...it just didn't stop. Today....dry so far, but it's early! My wading through paperwork does not translate into a clean and tidy house...yet! I live in hope. Your fireside looks inviting, and with a bit of knitting, even more perfect!
    Diana xxx

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  3. As I sit here now it's still very dark outside and raining too. I like the sort of winter days that are very cold but bright and sunny - that is a proper winter for me. I love the photo of Isabella filling the gingham hearts - very sweet.

    Tracey.

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  4. It has been such a dreary Winter. Some days I am so motivated, and others I just go around in circles. It's all admin stuff at this time of the year. However, I will be complaining of the heat in 2 weeks time, when I will be in Australia visiting our dear Palomino who is expecting her 3rd Baby. Dying to see Rascal and Scalliwag. Can't believe it -surprise birthday present from dear Tigger. Sad he can't travel with me.Love the picture of Isabella. I get Muffin to help me with lots of projects.Amazing what they can do, and how they concentrate.

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  5. I understand you so well.Usualy I crave for rain but now, after the continuous rain that we have day and night safe for some few intervals once in a while, I say, please God, give us the sun and dry days so the roof can be dry and fixed - it's leeking - and I can wash at will and put the clothes to dry on the line.
    Looks like we breathe water as the air is so damp.
    Let's hope for better days.

    Alfazema

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  6. Oh, thank goodness for some cheerful pictures, Pip. The berludy rain and grey is driving me nuts.

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  7. I feel just the same pip. I long for brightness and warmth that isn't the fire or the electric blanket (although thank goodness for both). so fed up of mud underfoot and rain in my face and dark, dark, dark. I love your photos. I might have to go looking at my last year's garden pictures to remind myself summer does come.

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  8. yay glorious sunshine has arrived in Gower, I hope it's shining down on you too? A little organisation does wonders doesn't it? I'm going to sit by my firs tonight with my seed catalogue and plan the veggie plot for this year. We had monster parsnips, garlic that disappeared, fab carrots and lovely leeks. Here's to a fruitful year ahead

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  9. The sun has arrived here this morning - I hope he calls on you too. Now for a little bit of warmth from him.

    P x

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  10. Sent you something on my blog.......

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  11. this reminds me of a line from I Capture The Castle, a hideous moment in my life when my "friend" encouraged us to go in for the Eisteddfod. She grabbed the Cassandra part and I was the dreary governess. Thanks Kate. But the line I remember was "rain rain rain, five days of mud and misery, five days of cooking meals for father". I always think of that when it rains On and On and On. Mind you, nice blue skies here. SWEET Isabella!

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  12. Pipany, your apprentice really does seem to have the proper dedication! I am thinking about how divinely all that lavender must be scenting your workshop.

    Your allotment will really be coming into its full power this year. Great that you have gotten off to a good start.

    And finally, thank you so much for the radiant marigolds. xo

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  13. We're having a January in which every morning could begin with the nursery rhyme line 'One misty moisty morning.......' Thanks for the sunny photos of what will surely come, but seems a long way off.

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  14. Much the same here Pipany...and are we fed up with it!

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  15. It's the mud I object to. Going into the garden in shoes is just a dream, all this heaving on and off of wellies is starting to wear a groove in the doorstep!

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  16. Wonderful bright, cheery pictures, just what we need to brighten up a dull grey January day. Roll on summer!

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  17. Hmmmmmmm my marigolds seem to be in short supply this year, love the pic of chicken in the house, mine used to escape and sometimes find their way into the kitchen !!

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  18. Onions are in and potatoes planted? I'm so impressed! My soil is still too wet. I love the photograph of the marigolds - I almost thought you were going to say it was taken now! No wonder the poor chicken wants to come inside. Roll on spring!

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  19. Hi Pipany,

    Its been a while since i left a comment but i have been here reading!
    I was also on a paperwork and phonecalls mission yesterday, i felt very triumphant afterwards and feel like a huge weight was lifted! We are not very unorganised here but i did have a few weeks worth of stuff to sort out so im relieved its now done.

    Looking forward to hearing more about your allotment this year, hopefully im aiming to get one this year too. Il be taking a few tips from you i think!

    Aqeela xx

    (Formally Raindrops2Rainbows)

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  20. i would love to be sitting by that eating your scrummy buns in wonderful cornwall,no matter what the weather!! thanks for geeting back to me (ship,ship,sailing),i will be ordering one i will get a cheque in the post next week. our regular visits are polperro & portscatho to stay at but we visit all over,fowey,port issac,sennen,you name it we have probably been!! be intouch soon.kind regards heidi.

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  21. Isabella looks sweet, spooning in the lavender so carefully. I get doves in the kitchen, in the summer, when I leave the door open.

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  22. I so love marigolds - they remind me of childhood with their sickle shaped seeds. Californian poppies, which are mostly the same colour and grow as easily are another plant to defy the clouds.

    Love the hen in the kitchen. Apat from her muddy feet I would have let her in. Puk,puk,puk puuuuuuu...uk!

    PS Still no news of Topaz: But Babbit is getting fidgety!

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  23. I'm sending you some jolly Winter sunshine from Yorkshire ok? Spring is just around the corner :)
    Twiggy x

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