Valentines 11 years on ...

We all woke on Valentines Day marveling at the thought that 11 years have passed since Bingley and Darcy joined the Haven household (and ruled it ever since).

How does time do this?

just flash by...

 I've decided I'm going to do a regular 'charity treasure' slot 

featuring some of my more special finds to share the love.

So here is a truly luxurious find - baby alpaca wool cardigan

(£12)

Artist crayons (£2.60). I only know these are expensive new (£43 on Amazon)

due to my lovely friend Kate who is a talented artist so this is a gift destined for her.

I will showcase her work if and when she uses these!

 finally a 'find' of an entirely different sort.. I just have to show you Pepper. 

I met her in a cafe in Marlborough.

She is a rescue.

The Manager told me she is in charge of all customer attention provision.

She is made for the role!

X

delighting in discovery

I rarely ever buy things new preferring charity shop finds.

I love the delight of surprise discoveries.

Here are two recent finds.

The skirt is silk. I love the colours and the way it swings when I walk.

This blanket is huge and that iconic pink/blue stripe so jolly.

Woke to frost on a recent visit to my Mum and Dad in Bath.

I especially loved watching the shifting atmospheric mists as dawn flooded the valley.

Tempus Fugit

"...The falling leaves drift by my window

The falling leaves of red and gold ..."

 November was colourful and cunchy under foot

Festivities were twinkly, happy and a little silly at times

Spot St Mary church tower where I rang in the New Year

escaping the January dark, misty cold

... latest reading stack

All at Haven, especially Mr Darcy and Mr Bingley, wish you all love for 2020 

and look forward to visiting you over at your own blogs

X x X

Summer harvest

Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy checking out the strawberries from the allotment

plotting & planning ...

"In winter, I plot and plan. In spring, I move..."

Mr Darcy .. he knows ..

"Winter is a season of recovery and preparation"

Although our own Freddie Tortoise is hibernating, those of us awake still LOVE welcoming a tortoise!

~ a new brooch | and stone specimen (posted by a friend from France)

.. and some crafting ~ my friend and I have been candle making.

A new experience, still perfecting the burn combined with scent and colours  - the combination is critical, so watch this space.

Love to our dear fellow bloggers

X x X

snow fall

just maybe a white Christmas might happen ...

Mr Darcy takes to the shelter 

(this is tortoise Fred's Summer shed, but now he is hibernating why not share ones abode:)

...  here is Mr Bingley

- but no snow shoes so he isn't touching a single little paw outside!

"Silently, like thoughts that come and go, the snowflakes fall, each one a gem"

X

month of festivities

The Christmas decorations are going up

and the cake is in the oven !

Go Slow

Seeing the world through Fred's eyes

... count down to his Winter hibernation

We found out that Mr Bingley has a heart murmur, but it is mild and his big loving heart just keeps on beating (and he gets extra kisses).

Mr Darcy, well... he just hangs out more as the days turn cooler.

softened light

Mr Darcy wishes to know just HOW many plums we harvested this year?

A L O T

... the Summer flowering keeps on giving ...

Mr Bingley watching the Red Kites overhead (while they watch him)

"... The softened light, the veiling haze

The calm repose of autumn days.."

sleepy head

... "Don't give up on your dreams so soon, sleep longer..."

[Mr Bingley shares advice]

Cat Wisdom

"Those who think they know it all are very annoying to those of us who actually do .."

.. So says Mr Darcy ..

[Cat wisdom - ahem!]

Tortoise Romance

Fred has really come out of his shell this Summer!

He has found romance with a local beauty.

Below is their very first meeting which proved a great success.

She isn't living with us but with a friend nearby; she visits when the weather is fine to 'hang out' with Fred.

Hadrienne - Left | Fred - Right

How to Relax

Mr Darcy is not dead. 

He is relaxing. 

He likes this pose when the sun shines, and lies just where I'm planning to place my laptop. 

It's his thing.

Happy New Year

Mr Bingley is taking the start to 2016 slow and easy.

I mean, why change a habit of a lifetime?!

Wishing all our blogging friends a happy, healthy, prosperous and safe new year.

Jack Frost

Timeless thoughts of a winter's stare;

eyes gazing over a landscape bare.

After a mild Autumn when I even wore a t-shirt outside once while I gardened, 

Jack Frost has arrived!

Mr Darcy navigating the leaf fall and shaking his paws in the cold!

But not for long! In he came to rest a while (actually most of the day - ahem!) on the bed

Mr Bingley knows better than to even venture outside at all!

Keep snug lovely bloggers 

(and those of you in hot climes - well, we envy you :-)

“Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower....” 

~ Albert Camus 

Haven garden in October...

The yellow rose is from the bush that I managed to save from my late Aunt's Cornish garden, I really thought it might not survive the upheaval, so delighted.

Some of our harvest from the allotment and greenhouse.

Tomatoes were very poor this year though - August was just too cool.

Mr Fred trundled around the garden all Summer, but now he is hibernating (lucky boy -- asleep until Spring)

Rainbows in Oxfordshire

Now, who does that paw belong to...?

Late break in Ibiza was lovely, never been to this 'party' island before and loved it. 

Historic, warm and relaxed at this time of year.

My gorgeous little God daughter -- bit like Fred, she can sleep anywhere!

Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy on their 'magic rug'.

Friends, we all wish you a happy Autumn X

Summertime at Haven

A little life spent. While I was watering the tomatoes last night I spotted this Stag beetle at the bottom of one of my plant pots. Dead:(

I felt the loss because they are endangered and also remarkable creatures.

They pupate for 5 whole years underground before they emerge briefly to mate and then they die.

Did this lad even have time to smell the roses?.. let alone get the chance to signal to a female and 'get it together', before he met his untimely end in my pot?! I so hope so.

I was shocked when I saw that I haven't posted anything since January! 

Life has robbed me of time and then not posting becomes a habit.

I'm breaking that habit and will be visiting you again soon.

I miss my blogging friends.

The garden has flourished this year and is a riot of colour.

Tortoise Fred is in there somewhere....

... Oh, here he is!

... and here are Mr Darcy and My Bingley..

Tails of greeting.