A Creative Week

I’m losing all sense of time! I honestly thought it was Wednesday today and now that I’ve discovered it’s actually Thursday I feel like I’ve lost a day. I try to keep some sense of order by setting certain tasks to accomplish each day. Wednesday was to get this blog post up and obviously, that did not happen!

To add to my slightly confused state of mind blogger has had an update and the section where I compose my posts looks different so I’m having to navigate my way around the changes. I don’t particularly care for change!

This week I’ve been enjoying sitting outside under the gazebo knitting and painting. We’ve had some lovely warm weather and the trees have come into leaf in a big way this week. The tree in the picture below is actually two separate trees planted way to close together. As a result, the branches weave together to look like one single tree, only they are different trees, one has bright green leaves, and the other a coppery red leaf. 

The coppery red tree has fine casings, like tissue paper, covering each leaf bud. As the leaves are opening the delicate coverings are drifting to the ground. Each time the wind rustles through the branches a shower of fairy-like casings come tumbling down filling the air like snowflakes in winter. It’s too delightful!

The cats love that we are outside with them. The moment we sit down they come scampering from their hiding places in the leafy garden beds. I think they like to hide away and watch the birds and squirrels that come to visit.

We have so many creatures visiting our garden! The birds are everywhere, squirrels chase one another up and down the tree branches, butterflies abound and we have seen hedgehogs numerous times in the 6 weeks we have been here. 

I have come to realize how sterile a working farm can be because in the 18 months we lived there not once did I see a squirrel or a hedgehog. Birds yes but other wildlife no. I absolutely adore my new garden and all that it offers.

Sunday I decided to get my nature journal out after more than a year! yes!! More than a year can you believe that? So many things that I take great delight in have fallen by the wayside. I am really enjoying having the time to do these things again.

I painted this little illustration of our garage which is looking very sweet with it’s trailing Virginia Creeper over the roof.

I also found a Meadow Buttercup in the garden so painted that too. I really enjoyed this quiet time spent painting and need to make the time for my hobbies once things get up and running again.

My eldest handed in her final uni assignment this week bringing her first year to a close. She now has lots of free time so I have commissioned her to make a few more sets of stitch markers for my Etsy shop. She made this sweet little knitted winter hat set which I have listed already.

She also made this lovely little Christmas themed variety set, each marker is different. I’m not sure which ones I would use as I would want to use them all at once! They are also up in the shop. I’ll be sure to share any updates here on my blog to new additions.

Finally,  I have made good progress on a pair of socks that have been on my needles since last autumn. In fact, they are just about done! I had wanted to finish them on Sunday but I managed to strain my wrist so that was the end of that plan. I have about 3 more pattern repeats to go before I start the toe and finish it off.

I’ve printed off a few sock patterns from Ravelry so I have yet to decide which pattern and yarn I’ll be using next. I think my knitting mojo has returned after a long absence! I love the therapeutic motion of knitting, it’s so relaxing.

Plans for this afternoon…work on that sock! It’s super warm here today so I’m going to grab a nice iced drink and sit in the shade of the gazebo and knit. I think I may bake a loaf of banana bread before that though as I fancy something yummy to enjoy. Tomorrow I plan on filming a podcast video, it’s been so long I wonder if I remember how! I guess we shall find out.

Well, that’s about it from me today, What are your plans for today?