Planting seeds

Willow cuttings

 I love planting seeds, they always seem to be so full of promise. This year I'm determined to cut back on my vegetable aspirations and get going with other perennial plants for the garden. A couple of years ago I saw an episode of 'Gardeners World' showing a winter/spring garden full of willow, hellebores and other striking plants. I can't afford to fill my garden with these but I have got started with a selection of 17 different willow cuttings. These have all been pushed into my flower nursery bed in the veg patch and I really hope that they will prosper. I have previously attempted this but due to a combination of dotting them around randomly in the garden and helpful children pulling the sticks out, nothing took. My fingers are crossed for this time.

Half price roots

Another item I've not had much success with are purchased roots. However, I felt unable to pass up the opportunity to pick up some of my favourite plants in the form of these half price root packs. These were also planted into my flower nursery bed so that I can keep an eye on them and move them to a more sensible location when they have bulked up a bit.  



Heated Propagator



 Finally I had a fun with seeds. My little heated propagator is packed full and so is my kitchen windowsill. And to think that this is only the beginning. I really hope that the slugs won't be up to the same mischief again this year!
 

Unheated propagator

February review and March planning

So how did I do with my February goals... pretty poorly to be honest but none the less it was a good month for me. The focus shifted from myself towards my family more... which is probably why I wasn't successful with my original intentions.

Home & garden, Wellbeing: Work in the garden at least 3 days a week
This didn't happen, I don't enjoy the cold. Also, as most of my weekends are spent outside I just don't have the time to do this throughout the week too as intended. However, my vegetable patch has been tidied and my compost area has also improved. I'm quite happy with my progress so far.

Health & Fitness: Plan healthy meals and cut out the rubbish
This was an epic failure.

Celebrations: Enjoy Candlemas & Valentines
Did it!!

Arts & Crafts: Complete one unfinished project, start and finish one new project
Did it!! I must take photos though..

Self learning: Continue with keyboard practise
Another epic failure. Much as I love playing the keyboard I need to use my goal setting for new ideas rather than continue a previous goal.


Goals for March?
I'm going to make these more family focused. January was very much about me, February became  a mess because I had to catch up with family stuff. So bearing this in mind I'm setting my March goals with a better awareness of how much time I need for my family, but I hope to swing back to me more in April.

Home & garden: Complete the decor in the front room. Clear out my craft room.
Wellbeing: Post on blog 4 times a week
Health & Fitness: rediscover yoga
Celebrations: My partners birthday. 11th Commonwealth day. 17th St Patricks. 10th Mothering Sunday. 20th Spring Equinox.
Arts & Crafts: Explore art with different materials with my children
Self learning: I need to focus on doing rather than planning.

Let's see how I do.

There is no bad weather, only bad clothing.

My youngest attempting a snow angel

Yesterday I came across a quote that I really like:

There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.

What a true statement! I often let the weather dictate what I can or can't do and I really shouldn't let it happen so often especially as it also impacts on my two little (or not so little!) trouble makers.

Thankfully we do have much of the wet weather and cold gear that we need but it does tend to get jumbled up in a hamper and each time we head out I have to go hunting for gloves. Better organisation is clearly required but how? Something to ponder on but for now I'm going to make a start by clearing out all of the extra pieces we have lying around.

Thinking about Valentines

Home made Valentines candle

I don't like Valentines day very much. It has become too demanding, the popular colour theme of red screams out 'give me attention' and 'instant gratification'. When I look at the commercial aspects of Valentines there is very little there to hook me, in fact it makes me want to run and have nothing to do with it at all. But I'm not happy then either as, after agreeing not to celebrate Valentines with a loved one, hypocritical me is then disappointed not to be surprised by flowers and chocolate.

As Valentines can no longer be ignored (it's commercial presence is simply too high) then it will have to be integrated into a form that I can appreciate. I think that one of the key factors with this is colour. I think of it as a blood red day which brings to mind a vision of aggression rather than love. But a soft pink on the other hand is too cute and cuddly. But pink can work when paired with another colour to bring it back down to Earth, perhaps a nice teal or even a brown (not too girly for the blokes). The pink and brown theme would work well with chocolate cupcakes with pink icing :-)

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I admit it, I forgot to publish this prior to the event but at least it means that I get to share what we did, which wasn't much! My partner surprised me with some chocolates on the 12th which was perfect timing as I had had an absolutely rotten day.  I treated all my boys to a box of quality street that was much enjoyed - I'll have to remember to do this again. For Valentines itself we enjoyed a good family meal including desert, though it completely escapes me now as to what it was! We rarely have deserts so I think that this is the key for us to making minor celebrations special. Much as I like the idea of doing some holiday decorating it didn't happen and wasn't missed in this male dominated household. 

Candlemas - what did we do?

Snowdrops in the garden

Candlemas ended up meaning more to me than I expected. There are lots of ideas ticking over in my head and, more importantly, planning to make them happen. I used it as a kick off point for decluttering the house. The big push is over but there is still more to do so I'm making the effort to clear at least 10 items a day. It has also prompted me to think about my veg patch and to sift through all of my old seeds ready for the new season.

For the family, my boys didn't get it but that's okay, they're happy to celebrate if there is cake involved :-) We had a lovely roast meal with a fancy table followed by coffee and walnut cake. I did want to get a more 'seedy' pudding but ended up putting that back on the shelf when I took into consideration whether my lads would enjoy it.

Coming up is both Shrove Tuesday and Valentines. I foresee Shrove Tuesday as the usual informal yumminess though I do need to chat with my boys about what they would like to give up or learn throughout Lent. Valentines... we will see. I suspect there will be some heart shaped nonsense on the table.

Quotation Art

Canvas waiting to be finished!

My bedroom needs more art but I'm feeling pulled in too many directions to be able to create an artistic piece that I will enjoy. So in steps a quotation. The craft blog world and pinterest abound with artwork of inspirational quotes but I have never got around to making my own until now.

The hardest bit of this project was finding the initial quote, I sifted through so many! Eventually I settled on this one:

Life is learning how to dance in the rain

It's a bit of a statement of where I am today, learning how to enjoy life again. I've always tried to look at things optimistically but this phrase goes a step further by encouraging you to embrace the bends that crop up in our journey of life.

I'm not yet finished but the phrase even in it's unpainted state is already hanging on my bedroom wall.