Warm bread rolls

yum....

I tought my daughter to bake , she loves the smell of it , she loves getting sticky and she loves making her own food , so we baked fresh white bread rolls so we can eat them for breakfast .

We ate one hot from the oven  with real butter and it was delicious , better than fresh from the swiss bakers she said .

She made this bead heart for me . This is the new bread bin it was bought in a sale and when you take the lid out and turn it over its a bread board , cool eh !

I sowed four types of pepper , two sweet , two hot to see what performs best . Im lookign foreward most to one of the sweet ones its supposed to be really long , sounds good ! The potatoes arnt doing much in the way of sending out shoots but its early days yet .

Nasturtian seedlings popped out today :-)

Sweet peas are shooting up ! look at this fella

Ive been painting too

 slowly but surely getting there

My studio heating . Not kidding :-) Snow on the ground again this morning .

mixed day

It started with a light dusting of snow , then we had sun all day and it ended with a blizzard .

Its hard to see in this photo the camera didnt capture it well .

My poor herbs !

Indoors is a different story I walked past my table and was assailed by a wonderful scent

My Hyacinth was open ! When did that happen !

I also bought this plant today for its clove scent , delicious

The first of my seeds has also made an appearance , you have to take my word for it but this is a seedling . I had to look closely to be sure but its all bent over and ready to push out and straighten up .

The baby fish are also growing nicely , they are all in together now

While im waiting for the sun i bought this to keep me warm , its so super soft , and i love the cow print :-))

Hyacinths and snow cats

My hyacinth is nearly there , we hav snow again outside but warmth and light insode so they have been quietly getting on with it and it wont be long untill i get the scent from them

My geraniums have perked up too , ive been moving them into the sun , when we havei t , and some weeks back i gave them a light feed . It did them a lot of good ..

The seeds havnt done much except steam up the propegator , who knows what they are up to tucked up in there . But no signs of growth yet .

On the work side , im slowly dressing my cat . Many many layers will end up on the fur getting finer and finer untill it achieves real depth and looks right .

This is the other painting im working on right now  .  It started in acrylics but it progressed to oils , im feeling the urge to work on the rocks soon  as a change from the fur .

Painting day

Last night i got inspired to paint ,thanks Clive , so today i defrosted the studio , fortified myself with caffiene and went to paint . I gave myself eye strain dehydration and possible frostbite but im getting the Leopards legs on albiet slowly . at least this time my paint is not frozen . This seriously happened a few weeks back .  The mouth looks wonky , the colours look wrong and its mostly naked and looks motheaten but this wont last ! this is how messy my work looks when its creating itself .  I know when a picture starts to work when i walk by it and say hello cat but it isnt at that stage yet . Maybe when i have got its leg onto the next layer it might be . I didnt want to stop . The reason the cat looks more brown than grey is because im working from two references of the same cat on the same day , one is brown , one is grey , im working to what i know is the correct colouration . Wait and see :-) This is a female Snow Leopard  she is looking towards the male which was way off left when i watched them .

A few other photos from today The 30 seconds of sunshine

Snow clouds behind the trees . After dark there was a sprinkling of snow on my balcony :-)

Drawing day

This morning was a housework morning as they all are and i had to strenuously resist buying things form the Tchibo website . I only need to hold out for a week then i can order :-))  
What i did do was retrieve some pots from the garden and wash them out with hot soapy water to make sure they dont harbour any germs . They are Scheurich pots and i love them . one is brown , one is bright orange and the other is a metal bucket  with a daisy wrapround picture on it . I expect they will end up on my balcony table with Geraniums and Chives in them . 
This afternoon was a drwing afternoon ,. I finally gave the Snow Leopard some life . My daughter was howling with laughter when i was talking to it . She is off school with a sprained ankle . She kept saying its not real mummy ! and i covered the leopards ears with my hand and said "dont listen ! now , where do you want your tail " she thinks im mad .

Studio scribbles ..

The whole thing but bear in mind the perspective is skewed because the desk is tipped

Im having background troubles , it will probably change a few times , and the snow leopard too  , before im through . First it was too fat , then too thin . then the ears needed to be closer and the eyes too far apart .. but im getting closer now .

candles at night

Last night it was still air and not too cold so i lit some scented candles , wiggled them in the snow and called the kids . We entertained ourselves by stomping in it and throwing snowballs over the balcony :-)

We had fun :-) This morning i walked to school in it , the school being finally open ! Its a 20 minute walk to school uphill and another 20 minutes back . i try to do it fast for excercise because its good for me but sometimes its good to linger and enjoy the walk . Today was a workout day . ive started my healthy eating , i have a  new le crueset pie dish and a similar cast iron casserole pot which takes some lifting , and im loving the way the food looks presented in it , hot orange . . its even a pleasure to wash up . Little things please me greatly . Last night we had chicken casserole and it was lovely . Eating that from a hot orange casserole dish with snow outside the widow . Perfect . Life is little moments , one by one ,. Today im proud of myself . I felt so depressed when i woke , the day seemed empty and impossible but i got up and thought no . Today is good . as i walked back from school i decided to tell myself mornings were the special part of the day  . The kids behaved and we all managed it and walking in the snow was fun . I so hate that dead heavy feeling i get on waking . I want to deal with that i can see its a problem . getting up and getting dressed is a big huge step . it seems so hard but i feel so much better when ive done it .

My overwintering Geraniums . A bit stragly but they soon fill out when they go outside in may :-))) Maybe i will try some cuttings in spring  , they might take better . They arnt getting enough sunlight still so i have some on a box in front of the window and i will rotate them .

This afternoon i finally got my trip to the garden centre which was great because i was getting cabin fever :-) snow was everywhere including on all the plants but i found some great planters  . They are really long , lightweight , and have a great water retention system in the bottom . it has peaks in it like underwater volcanoes with craters in the top so that water is retained in the bottom but runs out over a certain height . what i also love is they come with matching trays so i can start them off indoors and not get my floor wet . I also bought some garlic to grow and some purple carrot seeds because the kids want to grow them for fun . This usually means they will eat them too . If they grow it its nice . If i biy it and cook it its yuk . Kids are strange things .

While i was there i saw this plant for half price . I think it said Stephanoitus , i will have to look it up . My husband chose this recycled glass pot to put it in and no . the pot wasnt cheap but we did our bit for the environment by choosing it above the cheaper plastic ones and it is nice i must admit :-)

Birds.

We took a drive out today to get more bird food and while we were out we took a trip to a local farm  We took some photos but missed the best . Among the ones that got away were two Barn Owls , a Kestrel  , three Herons and a Marsh Harrier . What i did get were Partridge

Also a lapwing and several others  .

I wanted to take a trip to the local garden centre but our Island was cut off from the mainland , both bridges closed do that was that . I was feeling pretty depressed this morning and could have done with some plant soothing i wanted to go stroke some herbs for the scent of it but i'l have to wait . I settled with cleaning up my overwintering Geraniums  , taking of  the dead leaves and flowers and sweeping under them . I gave them a little feed since the light levels have been so low lately , probably why i have been feeling not so bouncy . One of them is in flower , bright red , that makes me feel better . I also found some Basil seeds in one of my magazines and i can sow indoors now , i can get my gardening fix .  On a sad note my geranium cuttings did not take and i used rooting compound too . ah well , the big ones are fine .

Seed catalogues

I bought a gardening magazine and inside were some free packets of seeds and danger of dangers , two seed catalogues . one of them had several types of plants free if you ordered from it and it just so happens i love those .  Flowers in my garden and on my balcony are at the moment in short supply since with my heart problem i cant do much or i fall down . SO , i really shouldnt be looking . I found a fruit tree . A small one i dont have to climb for . well that makes sense right ? flowers in spring , fruit  in late summer , colourful leaves in autumn , no problem , no work . well . while im at it i could probably grow some garlic , we eat that a lot . and tomatoes of course . I found a trailing variety i could grow trailing down the balcony in between the geraniums . hmm . Then i saw some apricot begonias at a great price , they would look gorgeous in between the geraniums .  We could grow potatoes this year  , and maybe peas ... and before i knew it i was sitting with husband and a cup of coffee putting ticks on things .  So i called my mum and said , "do you want to go halves... " seems like im having  abusy year this year . Trouble is ... my garden is currently under snow so it will be a while . driving today looked like this..

I liked this..

And i painted this , the view of one of my trees from the window , i need to put some birds in , its acrylic on small deep box edge canvas .

Sticky snow :-)

special moment

I was having an evening unwind glass of alcohol and i suddenly wanted to go out onto the balcony , ive been ill for so long and my sense of fun came back suddenly . I stepped out in my bathrobe and stood in the semi dark as the fat flakes drifted down onto the snow coated boards . Some fell into my drink and i thought thats a novel way to get ice in it and suddenly everything was wonderful . My garden is so beautiful like this and even though i really want to sit out there with plants and flowers in spring im going to love every second of this . I LOVE SNOW  !  I came in when i stepped in snow too deep for my garden shoes and i got cold ankles but moments like that are what life is for , just watching the snow come down soothes me and exhilerates me all at the same time and the light is subtly different every time it snows . I have a painting on the easel part done that i hope to work more on tomorrow , if i finish it i will share :-)

Painting day

Its STILL snowing . Britain is in shock :-) At first we had the air from the North Polar region and now we have a Continental flow from Russia . I personally love it .  I have set up my easel right next to my balcony , I have floor to ceiling windows , and im watching the trees and birds . We have  a new pair of Chaffinches out there , the red is not as bright as the Robins and they glow with light from the snow . We have a Wren and Magpies and seagulls muscling in now , the feeders are constantly full . The starlings , Blackbirds and Bluetits are constantly squabbling . Im thinking of setting up another feeder . The Robin and Blackbirds are coming right up to the balcony now . My Balcony isnt the sane as most peoples that balcony garden , since i have a garden too and the balcony is ground floor . it just so happens the ground slopes under my house so there is a four foot drop from my back patio doors , and it was either steps out or something much more creative . We could not afford people to do it for us so we built it ourselves . The sturdiest Balcony EVER !  Its changed my life so much . I have coffee out there in the snow , the kids can play a few minutes after rain , i can just step out and beathe . Balconies should be compulsory . :-)
The plan for today is to create  a painting of a Starling in one of the trees at the bottom of my garden in the snow . Those trees change colour all day according to the light and its amazing to see . yesterday when the sun hit the snow on them they went pink .

MORE snow

This is the south east coast of England and we have more snow and more snow to come . we never ever get much and now everywhere is covered . Nighttime temps in some places have been minus 20 degrees C  thats as cold as Moscow. We have sun , then blizzard then sun .. and i was planning my spring garden .

My coffe spot . Usually .

The seed feeder is being filled up daily they just cant get enough .

Blue eyes :-)

The kids Swiss Hut , Being suitably Swiss .

STILL snowing

Today is a bad heart day , I have Vasovagal syndrome which means some days im exhausted . like today . I can barely see or stand so im sitting wrapped up in my armchair with a waterbottle and a blanket like an old granny watching the snow fall . Im melancholy and kind of loving it . i can feel the depression lurking because i have inaction but on the other hand im soaking up the weather into my mind to paint later so i am working , sort of . Im watching the birds , the Robin that thinks it rules the world is fighting with the Blackbirds , they are fighting with each other , the Pidgeons are trying to have sex on the fence , well , HE is , and the Starlings and sparrows are taking advantage of all this and nicking the food :-)
The snow is constant but tiny flakes and they are actually melting the thin covering of snow from yesterday . If it picks up it will start to lay again it must have warmed up a bot from last night . If i start to see big fluffy flakes or the wind picks up then we might be in for some serious stuff . Where i am has escaped most of the snow , we have less than a centimetre on the ground , roads are easily passable .

snow

It snowed on my unfinished decking this morning , this is before i walked on it .

Snow on my left over pine branches from christmas . And on my candles , in fact , IN my candles .
The birds were starving , i had to fill up the seeds and fat balls AGAIN and put put warm water for them . We have more snow and freezing temperatures on the way . This is the first real winter i remember in years .
Today I went to the farm shop . Ive been looking at other peoples food blogs and balcony gardens and i was imspired so i bought fresh fruit and veg and got cooking .  I did spaghetti bolognese with a fresh salad and balsamic vinegar dressing , then I did a spiced fruit crumble since it was so cold outside . Not the usual dinner and desert combination but i wanted to cook . It all tasted great except for the plums . The crumble was great but im never buying out of season plums and cooking them like that again , they needed much more sugar than i was willing to put in and plums dont usually , ive cooked with them often but i should have tasted one first . trouble as the door repair man came at the same time as my mother in law phoned and husband was out getting kids from school and i just didnt have time . so in it went , i will remember that recipe though . for another try later .

 I cant wait to start growing things on the balcony again , fruit and vegetables . last year i had Mint , Basil , Tomatoes , Grapes (we got two )  an aubergine that didnt fruit and a whole pot of strawberries that the kids ate faster than locusts can . Also some lettuce that got strabge eggs laid all over it , ill try that indoors i think .

Fluff on the balcony

MUM ! says my boy , there is fluff on the balcony . I shot up out of bed  , went slowly down the stairs as a good example , and then went quickly to the window . Yes , there was indeed fluff on the balcony . White , cold snow fluff :-)) and snow clouds looming . I adore snow . I live on the south coast of England so we dont see much snow , hardly any in fact and usually we watch the wether report of the rest of England under a foot of it and we have blue skies but today we have a sprinkling , and i love it . I sat in my chair by the window and ate my breakfast watching the birds on the feeders ,then i felt sorry for the blackbirds since they cant reach them so i threw them out some bread .  Today the depression is in abeyance which is a relief the past week has been hard . Very hard but today im feeling free .
I also spruced up one of my Geraniums im attempting to overwnter , it looks a bit sorry for itself i think i need some liquid fertilizer for it it hasnt had enough sun . The other plant im a bit worried about is my Orchid . I dont know anything about Orchids . It was white when i bought it and it flowered for weeks but its in an orchid pot , if i water it drips straight through to the pot and then sloshes about in the bottom , so the plant looks floppy but its sitting over water . Huh ?  I know thats its natural state , its  a rainforest parasite but it ought to get itself organised . i\ need some feed for that too but i cant afford a trip to the garden centre yet , i DARNT go it will have sales on and i always spend too much in the sales . ;-) This is my morning coffee time where i take time for me . having three small kids means i dont get much but its just me and my boy today . Since he fell down the stairs i want to have him near .  I want more snow ! but then i dont , because my dad has liver cancer and needs an operation sometime in january , we need to get him to hospital in London for that so i want lots of snow but i want the roads clear for when he goes please . And then i think of all the other people that need to get there ... and thats why i have depression , i worry so much , i must try to be a little selfish but its alien to me . i learn i learn... today , this morning , right now is beautiful . thats enough ,.