Happy St David’s Day. We seemed to have tip toed into March and spring, meteorologically speaking, without much hullabaloo. It’s the first of March already. Daffodils are opening up all over our garden, the sun is out and we’ll be breaking out the welsh cakes later to celebrate. After a month of ceaseless organizing, it’s been refreshing to move down a gear, this week, and get back into our daily rhythm again. I’ve even had time to bake bread, but there has still been time for exception days and moments to break it all up.
Birthday
Mr TTC had a birthday this week, so we went out to Glastonbury for a mooch around the high street and a birthday meal. Now Eldest has gone and Middle was working, there were only three of us and Hero the Hound, who loved all the attention and making new dog friends.
If you have never been to Glastonbury, then you may be unaware at how unusual it is compared to other towns. I’m not sure of the ratio, but the number of magic related shops far outweigh any other kind of shop combined. Some are more touristy, but others supply ingredients for spells or spiritual upliftment. We go fairly regularly and each time I leave with more questions than answers.
This time Hero took against a statue between the butchers and a witchcraft shop. He’s a fairly laid back dog, but something about this statue concerned him. No idea what. There are plenty of other strange statues. Maybe the combination of the smell of the butchers and a human like figure just tipped the scales and he took exception to it.
He did enjoy his pub meal later, so all is well. As did the birthday boy.
The exception that is Leap Day
We started a family tradition last Leap Day, when we planted a tree in the garden, four years ago. It’s a Hornbeam and was just a couple of short twigs when we planted it. Looking at ths year’s photo, you could be forgiven for thinking it was dead, but it is just sleeping. Young deciduous trees often keep their dried out leaves over winter. We have a couple of young oak trees that do the same.
The plan was that every leap year we would take a family photo by it, with whoever was around. This is our second photo. One member missing and the rest grown taller, it’s a different photo this time. Youngest is now as tall as his father and the tree has grown. At least this time it wasn’t trying to snow. Just cold and damp. What you can’t see is that everyone is laughing, as I set the timer and rush into the photo to join them.
I’m not sure what Hero is thinking, but he looks slightly despairing. Maybe he thought we were going for a walk rather than spending time looking at a twig. I see his point.
The exception to the rule fabric purchase
I’m trying not to purchase any more crafting materials. I’ve reached the point where I need to shop my stash and buy no more. With this firmly in my mind, Middle and I went to Hobbycraft, as she was after gouache paint and brushes.
Not buying anything was easy. I started to enjoy the fact that I could look without buying. After all, I was there for my daughter not me. There was almost a skip in my step as I admired the balls of wool and fabric I didn’t need. That was until I came across a member of staff marking down end of line fabric. £2 each. There was a Snoopy fabric.
Okay. Cutting to the chase. I bought two end of bolts. One was over a metre and the other was two metres. I could have a Snoopy dress, but I’m thinking they may be made into quilts.
The mystery
Last week, I wrote about an egg mystery. Too many white eggs. I think I’ve sort of solved it. Rhubarb the hen has started moulting. Hens don’t lay when they moult. They need their resources to grow new feathers. You can see the white patches on her where she’s missing feathers.
It’s unusual for her as she’s a good layer and they usually moult later in the year. Anyway, the second white egg stopped at the same time as her moult started, so she must be the culprit. Doesn’t explain why she was laying white eggs, but hopefully she’ll revert to brown again.
Time to bake welsh cakes.
Joining in Anne’s word of the week linky. My word is exception.
My favourite bit in your lovely week is stepping into a craft supply shop! I think I could live in one! I too, don’t need anything but this week I saw so much in a new craft shop not far from us. Don’t know how long I can restrain myself.
I told my sister and friends about the brown and white egg dilemma and you would laugh out loud if you heard all the possibilities we came up with! Thankfully you’ve figured it out.
Enjoy the Spring-like weather and we look forward to reading your post again next week.
I’d love to hear your theories about the egg layer. I bet they were good. Craft shops are my downfall. Unfortunately I forget that each project takes far longer than it takes to buy the crafting materials. Keep strong!
It is starting to look like spring out there, well if you ignore the stupid weather we’ve been having. lol
Happy birthday to Mr TTC. It sounds like he had a lovely day!
When I think of Glastonbury I think of the festival but life goes on there for the rest of the year. The shops sound so interesting, they sound like something my youngest would love.
Planting a tree every leap day is such a fantastic tradition.
I am glad you solved the mystery about the eggs. x
The festival is a few miles away from the town in Pilton, but everyone thinks of the festival. The shops are unusual and most people can find something of interest. Ha! No we only take a photo each leap year. It’s our leap day tree that we are watching grow. Plenty of tree planting the rest of the time though. Usually by the squirrels.
Belated Happy Birthday to Mr TTC, hope he had a lovely day. I like the tradition of your leap year tree. I’ve never been to Glastonbury but I’d like to. Maybe one day. Rhubarb is an awesome name for a hen. Please tell me you have one called Custard too!
We do. Custard is the escape artist of the flock and is quite a character. She’ll knock on the door or window to get our attention if she wants something. She hops next door and eats the bread they’ve put out for the wild birds. Good job we supply the neighbours with eggs.
So many things in your update made me giggle this week, Hero is the main reason. I’d love a mooch around Glastonbury but I can imagine it’s not very wheelchair friendly. I often go to Hobbycraft with my daughter feeling smug about not buying stuff (Oh the cake things they have on sale now, the stand has tripled in size from when I used to make cakes) I had to laugh at you giving into the fabric. I love Nerys and Blodwyn and I hope they enjoyed their Welsh Cakes. 🙂
It was not only fabric, cut price fabric, but it had Snoopy on it. What can I say?
Lovely to see the daffodils out in the garden. I’ve never been to Glastonbury. It sounds like an interesting place. Glad Mr TTC had a nice birthday. What a lovely Leap Day tradition with seeing the tree (and your children) growing. I love that fabric. I can see why you couldn’t resist it. Hope you enjoyed your Welsh cakes. #WotW
I wish we’d planted it years ago, but it’s there now. I have images of a bench around the base and swings on the branches in the future. Maybe. Yes, Glastonbury is worth the visit. It really is an unusual place.