Flower Fairies - they get everywhere!!!

My head has been in a spin for the past week - I have a lot of what I consider to be big decisions to make at the moment about my future income - do I want to go back to work at the same place with the same problems, frustrations etc etc because I am the only one bringing in an income at the moment - can I put myself through it all for another 6 years? or - is it now I throw my heart and soul into trying to start my own business making/selling the crafts and materials I have loved since I was a child?

I have finally braved e-bay to make a start and get the hang of this Internet selling - before Tuesday I had NEVER been on e-bay before! (I think I may be the last person beside my hubby to do this!) - I have sold 3 things already - not enough to cover this months bills, but it certainly gave me a boost!

I am in the process of opening a Folksy shop - and may even get a web site if I can find a cheap good website building type person - or a free course!

so - I have been busy - and it is lovely to be able to parcel my sold items up and take the dog out in the sunshine, into the village to the post office - with the camera of course!

All along 'Broad Lane' in the hedgerow are the Lords and Ladies
(also known as Wild arum, Lords and Ladies, Jack in the Pulpit, Devils and Angels, Cows and Bulls, Cuckoo-Pint, Adam and Eve, Bobbins, Naked Boys, Starch-Root and Wake Robin.)

They may look a little boring, and are easily missed but these are one of my favourite wild flowers. When I was about 5 years old my mum bought me a copy of Cicily Mary Barkers "flower fairies of the autumn"
Not only did it spark my interest in wild flowers but confirmed for me that fairies were indeed living among us - outside, but among us!

In Autumn, the lords and ladies plant produces these amazing columns of berries, that according to the poem are for lighting up the tiny paths in the hedgerows and woodlands so that the fairies could safely see their way to the dance/ball

wow - what a way to spark of a young and fertile imagination!

Above is Whalley Abbey 'School house' - this is part of the Abbey that straddles the road - I love that it is part of the village now rather than the abbey grounds and that to get into the village I can drive or walk under it - it always reminds me of the mouth of some huge wale!

and the gate way to our little station that had been closed by Beaching in the 60's and re-opened in the 90's.

the ramblings of a traditionally built lady

It's amazing what a little bit of sunshine does for the spirit! I almost leapt out of bed this morning, then decided that easing my way into the day would be nicer, as I have nothing of consequence to do today.

But I like to have something to do!!!
I thought I would blog about the things that cheer me up - this depression lark can be a real pile of cr*p at times, and even though the day starts off well, the smallest thing can send me off into floods of tears of sadness, happiness, confusion, frustration....and so on.

The sun hits the front of our house in the morning - above is the blind in my sewing room, based on a Kaffe Fassett design from his first book - it is nice all the time, but particularly when the sun shines!

My mum got the (almost) latest instalment of the Number 1 Ladies Detective Agency for Christmas, and finished it yesterday - so I was next in line for it - We have been avid fans from the start, and I do love the books so much more than the TV series - it is like slipping into a comfortable pair of slippers! and we consider ourselves to be "traditionally built" - sounds so much better than fat! hehehe

On my windowsill is my Caithness glass paperweight, a present years ago from the factory itself when mum and dad where touring Scotland - I find it so fascinating to stare at, I love the colours - but I always had a fascination with glass marbles - wondering how those swirls were put into them - magic glass fairies I think!

Ahh, the view from my bedroom window - especially on a sunny day - Whalley Viaduct is right in front of us, it leads straight onto the Settle to Carlisle line after Clitheroe - and I still get a kick out of waving to people going past - my niece rang me the other day from one station away - "Auntie Kath, we will be over the arches in a minute - will you come and wave to us???"

And my scruffy little urchin dog Jemmy had an appointment at the groomers yesterday, bath, trim, nails done - she is like a pup again, all that mucky matted fur must have been dragging her down! I love the way she moves round the room with the sunshine.

so - better get myself out for a walk while the sunshine is here!