Abscess makes the heart grow fonder....

Rag heart courtesy of Ragged Roses

Well.. I have to admit that last Friday's milestone of being another step closer to my bus pass.. was a strange mixture of denial.. and elation.. the elation brought on by a colourful little penicillin pill washed down by a large glass of rather nice fizz..The denial of course was the getting older bit and realising that the glint of silver running through my hair.. probably amounted to 99% sterling, under the veil of Clairol hair dye!
The day started off with a rendition of Happy Birthday from beloved ..heard through groggy ears and head as I reluctantly gained consciousness at 5.30 am, having spent several hours awake during the night, trying to hide from nagging toothache..Nowhere to run nor hide when it's in your head!
As soon as the awaited hour arrived..i.e opening time at the dental surgery, I rang to see if I could get an emergency appointment.. to be told..if I could reach the surgery in 10 minutes then I could have a date with my dentist. Never have I walked, rolled .. tripped down the hill in to town so fast and arrived in a breathless .. sweaty heap at the reception desk to be told.." It's OK.. you'll be lying down soon.. you can get your breath back".. oh such words of comfort !
To cut a long, dull story short.. after X rays and a prescription for penicillin.. I was wished a "Happy Birthday" by my dentist and his smiling assistant.. and I left to face the remains of the day..
The best possible medicine was from all your lovely comments which really buoyed me along.. it is STILL such a wonder to me that so much goodwill can be gathered from the folk in blog land.. So Thank you so so much.. for your lovely comments and wishes on the day.. I unwrapped each one with much gratitude and a lopsided smile !

Once more with feeling....

If you aren't all partied out already.. please put on your finest and come join me for one last cup of tea and a slice of best.. for today is my Birthday and I intend to celebrate with lots of this..
I will return once I have emerged from all the wrapping paper to share my goodies with you..
Do excuse me.. just have to go and find the polyfilla... I have a few cracks to fill!

The Return of Happy Returns ..

Birthdays are like buses.... nothing for days.. then WHAM... 4 in a row!!
As promised.. I am here again to wish another good friend very many happy returns of the day..
SO fill up your tea cup.. and cut yourself another slice of cake.. and please come and celebrate dear Carol's Birthday today.... Many many many Happy Birthday's to you my lovely friend xxx

Birthday Bonanza...

This week is a very special one on the calendar.... lots of days with big circles around them..
First there was Lizzie... celebrating in 1960's style with jelly and ice-cream (how else)!
Today is the Birthday of a very dear friend of mine.. not only a friend but a partner in crime.. so please raise your cup of tea, or whatever tipple you have to hand.. and wish dear Kim aka Milly.. a VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY.... celebrate and indulge my friend!!!

As you can see.. I have my best red party shoes on for the occasion!
P.s Do pop back tomorrow for more cake and jelly when we celebrate another!

Twitter..

Sitting up in bed this morning at 5.30 a.m.. after listening to the orchestra of thoughts playing in my mind for the last hour.. I abandoned all hope of sleep and turned instead to the Saturday papers that had lain untouched next to the bed...Grabbing the allure of the glossy supplement I turned to an article about migrating birds.. something that has fascinated me, almost subconsciously, since my childhood. I waxed lyrical about Autumn in my last blog post.. as this is a season that I have felt most at home, at peace with, ever since I can remember... and I do remember certain days, years and years ago.. running out in to the dew on the garden lawn and smelling the 'rust' in the air whilst hearing the haunting cry of migrating geese flying over the house.. This sound stirs up strong emotions in me..a sad farewell kind of sound..and one to this day that fills my heart with a reassuring melancholy.


The article that I refer to is in the Telegraph Magazine.. and tucked in between the ads for age defying body lotions and exotic travel.. is a piece of poetry.. a beautifully eloquent homage to these extraordinary creatures... the migratory bird.
The article ' Rites of Passge' is written my Tim Dee who travels on a pilgrimage to Fair Isle ( land of much loved woollen apparel ) where he witnesses the miracle of migration and the arrival of thousands.. nay millions possibly, of these fragile, yet tungsten steel creatures as they stop off on their mammoth journey to warmer climes.. The line that stole my heart was this.. " On a particular day, say September 3, there will be 45 million swallows in the air on their way out of Europe. We are in the middle of it, they fly right through us, but we hardly notice."

We are off for a walk today to savour the last moments of summer as it gently bleeds in to autumn.. I shall turn my head to the skies and say a fond farewell to our feathered friends as they head off for their winter vacation.

It's Hip to be Cool..

I came to the conclusion this summer.. that I am not one to worship the sun.. not as I used to in my youth.. basting myself in suntan oil and cooking to a crisp on some sun baked beach. I am definitely a cold weather person.. relishing the first nip in the air and lagging myself with layers of clothes against the elements of colder seasons.
Yesterday.. there was a taste of autumn in the air. The subtle shift in the way the light played on the trees and the earlier evening sun, glowed with a faint bronze tint. September for me, has always been my favourite month. I love the arrival of that drop in the mercury, the scent of wood smoke from the first bonfires of the season and the mellow colours of the turning leaves..
There is also something immensely satisfying about harvesting your own produce.. however modest the crop..and this year our small strip of garden has rewarded us with many fruits.
The sturdy little apple tree has groaned under the weight of all the fruit and such sweet and crispy apples they are.. The garden I adored from my childhood, was an old apple orchard that gave such a plentiful harvest each year, far more than we could cope with.. 21 cooking apple trees would keep us supplied with stewed apple for most of the year.. much to my disgust. I was not a fan and preferred the cinnamon apple pies or blackberry and apple crumble that were a welcome departure. One year my mother dabbled in making apple wine.. only to discover on returning from our holiday in the half term hols in October, that the cellarage had been raided by my older brother, who had taken a shine to this new beverage!
The colours of autumn are naturally fiery and red.. All the better to warm the cockles..and these are no exception.. lethal if you rub your eyes after picking and not washing the hands first.. as I found out recently...The discovery of an unwelcome bramble growing up through our hedge earlier this year, had me threatening it with some secateurs.. until of course these tasty treats arrived, now it is most welcome.. There is something quite primeval about the desire to make the cave cosy and tempting for daddy bear to come home to .. and the best way is through the stomach with some good old carbs .. most effective insulation!Out with the salads.. in with the cauliflower cheese!
Lighting the fire for the first time is quite an occasion and one I am so looking forward to.. It will announce the official arrival of autumn... and that's something I relish!
There are only 4 months to go before my new year resolution expires.. learning how to crochet.. Haven't picked up the book let alone bought the wool..but there's still time and what better way to while away the hours of an evening in front of the fire.. other than acquiring chilblains.
I also have a stack of unread books next to the bed.. so the longer evenings will provide some time to catch up with another rip roaring read..
Am I alone with this preference for colder climes..? Not everyone welcomes the passing of summer..
For those of you who share my love of autumn, enjoy your foraging for the fruits of nature and all that this season brings..

Poster for sale in Milly & Dottie's Emporium

I hope your baskets brimmeth over!