A week in the countryside
This week has all been about kickstarts. From a low start to the week, straight on to an energy filled, motivated finish. A real contrast in seven days. I’m now ready to take on the world again. Some weeks are just like that.
We started the week with some kind of virus hopping from one person to the other. Not the dreaded ‘rona, but enough to set me low, for one. Then, almost like the snap of the fingers, I was on full power and off again. Energized and more full of motivation than ever. Anyone else feel like that when they’ve been under the weather?
It wasn’t quite the week I planned. We hadn’t intended to rush off to the pub or the shops, despite the nation easing out of lockdown, this week. Apart from a trip to the barbers, yesterday, we’ve carried on as previous weeks. I’ll admit that the idea of queuing has put me off. I like to rush in and rush out of shops. I had hoped to see grandparents, this week, but that went by the wayside.
Garden
The weather has been beautiful. I love the frosts in the morning and the blue sky during the day. It’s cold, but sunny, with washing drying on the line. My favourite. I sowed more seeds in pots and have started filling the greenhouse benches with seedlings.
I ordered new herbs a few months ago, which arrived this week. One collection is for herbal tea. We drink a lot of herbal tea and enjoy picking the fresh leaves during the summer. This collection includes ginseng which I’ve not grown before.
Second herb collection is a foodie one and includes French tarragon. Another new one for me to grow. We have a few favourite dishes where I add tarragon, so I’m looking forward to picking it fresh from the garden.
Craft
As part of her textile course, Middle Teen is making a dress. She is competent when it comes to dress making, but asked me to be around. I love that I can pass on some of my knowledge and fill the gaps.
Along with watching Sewing Bee, she inspired me to dust off my sewing machine and set it up. I picked up a project that I’d thrown down in a tizzy last May. After cutting it out, I’d realised that I’d cut out one piece twice and not four times. I didn’t have a big enough piece of fabric left, which meant I’d have to hobble together several smaller pieces. At that point, I walked away.
Roll on to this week and I’ve fixed the problem. The bodice of my dress is almost finished. Hopefully I should finish it soon.
Also on the crafting front, I made a banner, inspired by Louise’s Jessica.
Home
I love theming the bed linen to the season. This week, we changed from cosy winter to fresh spring colours. About time, really. I found candy stripe sheets (affiliated link) a few weeks ago, and used lighter coloured duvet covers we already had. Makes the bedrooms fresher and rings the changes. Sometimes it is the little things that make the biggest difference.
Fortunately this week, my storage bags arrived for the airing cupboard. I need to go through and organise it.
Also, my car battery arrived. Yey! The cold weather and the reduction of regular driving, over the past year, has killed the old battery. It reached the point where only a new one would do. I’m looking forward to being able to jump in the car and trust that it will start. It does mean that I’ll have to do my share of dropping off the children to see their friends, but that’s OK.
Another week in the countryside. The hedgerows are bursting with wild flowers. I saw the first of the bluebells and cuckoo flowers this week. I’m thankful for the discipline of an early morning walk, as it seems to keep me going, when the motivation goes.
The start of the week may have been slow, but it’s turned into a good week for kickstarting some projects. Definitely thankful for that.
Joining in Anne’s Word of the Week. I’m going for kickstart. Pretty sure I’ve not used that one before.
I am glad you are all feeling better now.
I have loved the weather this week. Cold but when you’re in the sun it’s OK.
You always impress me with your gardening. I hope everything goes well with it.
Good luck with your teen and her dress. x
The weather has been good, although the lack of rain is leaving everything very dry.
I’m glad the bug cleared up quickly. I’m glad you went back to your dress, I do that with projects, when they go wrong I tend to put them aside and then go back when I feel less frustrated and angry. I love the banner and it’s lovely that you dedicated it to Jessica. My eldest daughter started sewing in her teens, sadly I’ve never really felt that, I had a bad time in sewing lessons at school so it has forever put me off. My daughter makes Cosplay, and I have been known on occasion to help with the tacking and that’s about it.
I’m sorry that school put you off. It’s such a shame when that happens. I love the idea of the Cosplay costumes. I’d love to have a go making one.
Glad the bug was short lived. I admire your talent for sewing and making things, I can just about sew a button back on LOL! I have a few seeds growing but they’ve all be so slow, I blame the cold weather. Hopefully if it warms up a bit, things will start moving!
The cold weather has set our plants back for sure. The tulips seemed to stop in their tracks.
Hope you are feeling much better now. It sounds like you soon bounced back!
The banner is gorgeous and so lovely that you dedicated it to Jessica.
Your greenhouse is doing so well. I’ve never really thought of growing herbs for tea before, can’t wait to see how you get on with your ginseng.
Lilac the veteran hen, I love this! Hope she’s playing nice with your veg beds. 🙂
We loved the mint and spearmint last year. I grew big tubs around the garden and they are coming back up now. It is different drink to the dried leaves. Lilac is not allowed on my planted up veg beds. She has no respect for prized plants.
Absolutely love your banner! We also started growing herbs in our garden. There is nothing better than picking something that is home grown. ##MMBC
Thank you. Herbs fresh from the garden are the best.
So glad your virus was not Rona. Every time I get a little sniffle, I worry that “this is IT!” Your herbal tea idea is wonderful. I love herbal tea too, but never thought to grow my own herbs to make it. I think this year, I will do some research and plans my own herbs.
I can thoroughly recommend growing your own herbal tea.
Glad you are recovered from your virus and feeling much better now. I’m sometimes like that after being ill too – I wonder if it is partly due to the contrast of having been laid low for a while. Lovely to see the seedlings growing in pots. Hope Middle Teen’s dress turns out well and glad you’ve fixed the problem with yours. I do love that banner – thank you so much for joining in with #givejoyforjessica. I like the idea of matching the bedding to the seasons. Lovely photo of your hen. #WotW
Ah It was a pleasure. 😀
I’m glad the bug didn’t stick around for too long. Thankfully it wasn’t covid. You have really been busy with your craft this week. I love the banner, and it is so true #Wotw
Thank you. It makes me smile every time I spot it.