Today's flowers - Yellow

Coltsfoot  - a wonderful sunny sign of spring.  Collect them now and dry them to make an infusion or tincture for your winter coughs. Also known as Son afore the Father, as the blossoms appear before the leaves.

Check out Today's Flowers for more beautiful blooms.

Winter table.

Now that Christmas has been cleared away, the seasonal display looks a little bit empty. That is just as it should be though, as outside is stark and bare. A simple soft snowy white cloth, some beeswax candles to represent the light and warmth that we crave right now, and an old, much thumbed Ladybird book about winter.  In the centre is a white cyclamen - a plant that blooms in Wintertime and, for me, is symbolic of light and growth in the darkness.

 

The pine cones from the seasonal table have been used to make suet and seed feeders for the birds.  Our garden robin was an early visitor.

So, not much can be done in this freezing cold weather except stay by the fire and work our way through some of our Christmas books.

 

Luckily on my last charity shopping trip I managed to pick up a couple of old fashioned thick woollen blankets, along with some linen napkins (my current obsession).  So, for the time being we can snuggle up cosily, and I can read my elder son's Christmas gift to me and dream of what I can do with all those vintage textiles. 

Rosy Butter

I made the Rosy Butter from Star Khechara's Holistic Beauty Book this evening. It smells utterly divine, and feels so silky. It is made from macerated rose oil (a jar of rose petals steeped in almond oil for a month), shea butter and essential oil of rose. There is quite a lot of the latter, so it was a bit pricey, but - well - I'm worth it. At least I know exactly what is in it, unlike the chemical cocktails from the company which uses that tag line n their advertisements.
I am going to try a lavender version next. Rosemary might work too - and lemon. There could be no stopping me now!

Summertime...

...and the living is easy.

Sunny things for a summer's day.

Relentless

I sat under the cherry tree for a few minutes tonight with my barleycup and my attention was attracted by a swarm of tiny insects flying around in a mad dance. As I watched them cavorting around I realised that I have been living at that pace for a few weeks now. The garden and greenhouse are claiming a lot of attention just now. K is sitting his Highers, hoping to get the grades he needs for university, James has been potty training, I have been attending the beekeeping classes twice a week, some work was being done to the driveway, and other family commitments are increasing. The gorgeous weather has also meant we are spending most of the day outside, but somehow the house seems more untidy - sand, dust and grass are carried in on bare feet, and household chores seem to mount up of their own accord, to be tackled quickly when small boys are eventually persuaded to have a bath and go to bed.
This hectic pace will calm down again - exams and beekeeping classes both finish this week, but other things will come in to replace them fairly soon. The insect's life is very short - just a few weeks, so they must dance while they can. I am grateful that I have time to take a few moments to reflect, before plunging back into the reel again.

Our Seasonal Table - late spring

Gina, who writes the beautiful and thoughtful blog, Our Unschooled Family, asked to see pictures of Seasonal Tables. Here is ours. Still one or two rabbit and hen figures remain from Eostre but several things added: a sprig of apple blossom and posy of bluebells from the garden. Their honey scent drifts up to meet us as we walk past. A small wooden bowl filled with fallen petals, leaves and rosemary; some seed packets; a bright yellow sun, painted in watercolour by James, and cut out by myself; and, what a friend refers to as our Totem Pole:) This is a lovely tactile piece of wood carving, by a local craftsman, given to us as a housewarming present 10 years ago. It somehow seemed just the right addition for Beltane. I must draw attention to our flowered table cover, which is a family heirloom. This was embroidered by my Grandmother just after the war. My Dad remembers her sitting in the evenings sewing away, and how it took such a long time to complete. I love to use it, and it has pride of place from now until the end of summer (with a few careful washes). Seasonal tables are such a good way to celebrate the year.

Tulip

At the bottom of the garden we found a solitary tulip wedged in behind the huge lovage bush, a rhubarb clump and a burgeoning peony. It was selflessly giving out its magnificence, as flowers do, but we felt it needed company that appreciated its efforts. I am usually very reticent about picking flowers; I prefer to see them in their natural setting. How glad I am, though, that this beauty came to live with us - an ever changing show of pure being! Here are a few photographs I took throughout the day.

Early morning

Late morning

Early afternoon





Dinner Time

Thank you and Goodnight xx

Morning dreamtime.

a

If you can - take time today to sit among the flowers and just be. xxx