tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18390327607398684592024-03-13T18:16:09.247+00:00Susie's Country Cottage and GardenSusie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-29462822264026172492011-04-29T21:54:00.005+01:002011-04-29T22:00:34.536+01:00Big Congrats William and Kate<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hG6vGpd_Aas/TbsmVrSNcNI/AAAAAAAABco/03_iAIilzcE/s1600/IMG_7431.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601112715403555026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hG6vGpd_Aas/TbsmVrSNcNI/AAAAAAAABco/03_iAIilzcE/s400/IMG_7431.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2MHzpG9q7rM/TbsmDzCXs6I/AAAAAAAABcg/OeT_vTFXSoA/s1600/IMG_7422.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5601112408246956962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2MHzpG9q7rM/TbsmDzCXs6I/AAAAAAAABcg/OeT_vTFXSoA/s400/IMG_7422.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div>What a fantastic day. I really enjoyed watching The Royal Wedding. I was glued to the tv from 8am until well...now at 10pm!</div></div><br /><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.<br /></span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-23914205820449994552011-04-09T21:19:00.014+01:002011-04-09T21:47:32.626+01:00Spring Time MotivationTime for some blogging me thinks. The weather these last two weeks has been gorgeous and I know it may sound sad but I actually enjoyed putting the washing on the line for the first time this year today in the spring sunshine!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l1_BCxib5XI/TaDDMBp0vrI/AAAAAAAABcI/v-VQJPHpNPY/s1600/IMG_7219.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593685348563861170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l1_BCxib5XI/TaDDMBp0vrI/AAAAAAAABcI/v-VQJPHpNPY/s400/IMG_7219.JPG" border="0" /></a> Tiger and Lily enjoyed playing in the garden although, I have discovered that kittens and garden flowers dont mix as the amount of daffodils and tulips they have broken off has meant I have a vase full in the house before they've even had a chance to come out in the garden. <br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IuYF7RcM-LQ/TaDC9hW_ABI/AAAAAAAABcA/z9x_fC48LCA/s1600/IMG_7227.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593685099376738322" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IuYF7RcM-LQ/TaDC9hW_ABI/AAAAAAAABcA/z9x_fC48LCA/s400/IMG_7227.JPG" border="0" /></a> <br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rirale7SLWU/TaDCvjs_I6I/AAAAAAAABb4/tDg9dlfSl_A/s1600/IMG_7228.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593684859487724450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rirale7SLWU/TaDCvjs_I6I/AAAAAAAABb4/tDg9dlfSl_A/s400/IMG_7228.JPG" border="0" /></a> I couldnt wait to try out my Royal Wedding bunting - bought on Ebay for £2 <br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AtlPiZTfzC8/TaDCYtThbMI/AAAAAAAABbw/OlmXcZ8WdNQ/s1600/IMG_7225.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593684466928282818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AtlPiZTfzC8/TaDCYtThbMI/AAAAAAAABbw/OlmXcZ8WdNQ/s400/IMG_7225.JPG" border="0" /></a> Another reason to celebrate is the fact that I very nearly have my bathroom finished. This is how it looked two years ago and this... <br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MEM45um5f8I/TaDCKHvrh6I/AAAAAAAABbo/zW3ruBPDrBI/s1600/IMG_4593.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593684216327669666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MEM45um5f8I/TaDCKHvrh6I/AAAAAAAABbo/zW3ruBPDrBI/s400/IMG_4593.JPG" border="0" /></a> is the new floor and boards with Tiger spending an unhealthy amount of time guarding the bath down pipe hole in floor! <br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0ukSt2LLRXs/TaDCF5UJcVI/AAAAAAAABbg/bHAwLQya5Pw/s1600/IMG_7182.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593684143734616402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0ukSt2LLRXs/TaDCF5UJcVI/AAAAAAAABbg/bHAwLQya5Pw/s400/IMG_7182.JPG" border="0" /></a> And finally the decorating was finished and the new mirror was put up <br /><div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R0pwNuo-Yyc/TaDBj0BzV0I/AAAAAAAABbQ/7X0G-sbC93c/s1600/IMG_7201.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593683558199940930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R0pwNuo-Yyc/TaDBj0BzV0I/AAAAAAAABbQ/7X0G-sbC93c/s400/IMG_7201.JPG" border="0" /></a> and my lovely Cath Kidston curtains were made by my mum... <br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TgyY2kJrxwc/TaDAs5HoFDI/AAAAAAAABbI/cLmGapAtYGg/s1600/IMG_7203.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593682614673740850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TgyY2kJrxwc/TaDAs5HoFDI/AAAAAAAABbI/cLmGapAtYGg/s400/IMG_7203.JPG" border="0" /></a> and here it is...almost finished but definitely usable but now that all the work has been done on the bathroom I have no excuse for not tidying the rest of the house including... </div><br /><div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ERYm5gOO6II/TaDAZMgyGUI/AAAAAAAABbA/gxhsa19drwE/s1600/IMG_7211.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593682276282145090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ERYm5gOO6II/TaDAZMgyGUI/AAAAAAAABbA/gxhsa19drwE/s400/IMG_7211.JPG" border="0" /></a> <br /><div></div>...my tip of a bedroom! <br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UHSOge0nec8/TaC_9wljZXI/AAAAAAAABa4/IAqPHV7JmdE/s1600/IMG_7214.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593681804929492338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UHSOge0nec8/TaC_9wljZXI/AAAAAAAABa4/IAqPHV7JmdE/s400/IMG_7214.JPG" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div>and then I will tackle the next project...the spare bedroom, a bit of a dumping ground at the moment as you can see! <br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JMkXdXQYcO0/TaC_s4D3yhI/AAAAAAAABaw/ynU6eLgrjLQ/s1600/IMG_7196.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593681514877930002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JMkXdXQYcO0/TaC_s4D3yhI/AAAAAAAABaw/ynU6eLgrjLQ/s400/IMG_7196.JPG" border="0" /></a> Enjoy the rest your weekend everyone and hope the sun keeps shining.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Susie X <br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-6250882154252157812011-01-14T10:58:00.007+00:002011-01-14T11:30:31.237+00:00New Year, New StartHello everyone.<br /><br />A belated happy New Year to all of you out there is blog land. I hope you all had a good Christmas.<br /><br />This is a rather image heavy post of a sort of condensed version of my family Christmas, more for my own record that anything so I hope you enjoy having a look!<br /><br />Christmas 2010 was a very cold one. We had lots of snow and temperatures of minus 17 degrees C, which is cold for England! It was also quite chaotic at our place with the plumber coming in to install the central heating just a week before the festivities. My cats, Tiger and Lily pretty much destroyed my Christmas tree so the photograph you are seeing on this post is the first day that it was put up. After this it looked a sorry state. But we all had a good time, ate lots, drank lots, did the usual party games, went to see a pantomime at the theatre, visited Santa’s reindeer, walked in the snow and went sledging and built snowmen.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAuRyJPaqI/AAAAAAAABaE/ofEbWZOhJ5I/s1600/hungry+hippos.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561996422855748258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAuRyJPaqI/AAAAAAAABaE/ofEbWZOhJ5I/s400/hungry%2Bhippos.JPG" border="0" /></a> A game of Hungry Hippos!<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAuRtxpU0I/AAAAAAAABZ8/p5xbTTEdZE8/s1600/Christmas+table.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561996421683041090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAuRtxpU0I/AAAAAAAABZ8/p5xbTTEdZE8/s400/Christmas%2Btable.JPG" border="0" /></a>My mum's table set for Christmas dinner.<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAuRE67jOI/AAAAAAAABZ0/FToUKJp2EYA/s1600/lily+at+the+window.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561996410716130530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAuRE67jOI/AAAAAAAABZ0/FToUKJp2EYA/s400/lily%2Bat%2Bthe%2Bwindow.JPG" border="0" /></a>Lily in her favourite place.<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAt5avx2II/AAAAAAAABZk/c3U5uEfjT1Q/s1600/kynaston+castle.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561996004258076802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAt5avx2II/AAAAAAAABZk/c3U5uEfjT1Q/s400/kynaston%2Bcastle.JPG" border="0" /></a> Big boys and little boys playing dungeons and dragons!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAt41EHVqI/AAAAAAAABZU/f3AfM8jR7xQ/s1600/chapel+house+tree.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561995994142824098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAt41EHVqI/AAAAAAAABZU/f3AfM8jR7xQ/s400/chapel%2Bhouse%2Btree.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAt6LzLhaI/AAAAAAAABZs/k6UnCG4XgKc/s1600/kynaston+family.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561996017425679778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAt6LzLhaI/AAAAAAAABZs/k6UnCG4XgKc/s400/kynaston%2Bfamily.JPG" border="0" /></a>Christmas dinner at my mum's.<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAt5ClJg_I/AAAAAAAABZc/V2l_S_J3VRQ/s1600/tiny+Knight.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561995997771039730" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAt5ClJg_I/AAAAAAAABZc/V2l_S_J3VRQ/s400/tiny%2BKnight.JPG" border="0" /></a> Sir Rufus!<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAtiKbEr_I/AAAAAAAABZM/hqsl1EH18XE/s1600/tigger.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561995604739272690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAtiKbEr_I/AAAAAAAABZM/hqsl1EH18XE/s400/tigger.JPG" border="0" /></a> Tiger on her way to destroying my tree!<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAthw4BGDI/AAAAAAAABZE/Nxc3HdKg8zo/s1600/Christmas+trees.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561995597881350194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAthw4BGDI/AAAAAAAABZE/Nxc3HdKg8zo/s400/Christmas%2Btrees.JPG" border="0" /></a> Choosing the Christmas tree and visiting the reindeer.<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAthLaPIdI/AAAAAAAABY0/rUUo2BJ38KA/s1600/shropshire.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561995587824329170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAthLaPIdI/AAAAAAAABY0/rUUo2BJ38KA/s400/shropshire.JPG" border="0" /></a> Snowy Shropshire<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAthatLf8I/AAAAAAAABY8/f2gJ8Mdk2pw/s1600/reindeer.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561995591930314690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAthatLf8I/AAAAAAAABY8/f2gJ8Mdk2pw/s400/reindeer.JPG" border="0" /></a>Santa's reindeer<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAs0Pr8KdI/AAAAAAAABYk/CGEBALr8FzI/s1600/sledging.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561994815878212050" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAs0Pr8KdI/AAAAAAAABYk/CGEBALr8FzI/s400/sledging.JPG" border="0" /></a>Sledging<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAszw_5FXI/AAAAAAAABYc/E6DxO-D_h0w/s1600/susie+kynaston.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561994807640397170" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAszw_5FXI/AAAAAAAABYc/E6DxO-D_h0w/s400/susie%2Bkynaston.JPG" border="0" /></a>More sledging<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAs0YS7uJI/AAAAAAAABYs/ZhzENt3a2Cc/s1600/trees.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561994818189244562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAs0YS7uJI/AAAAAAAABYs/ZhzENt3a2Cc/s400/trees.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAsleM48gI/AAAAAAAABYU/9yx3C5KDu28/s1600/snowman.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561994562076471810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TTAsleM48gI/AAAAAAAABYU/9yx3C5KDu28/s400/snowman.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I cant wait to get out in my garden again. Due to the exceptionally cold weather, I have lost a lot of plants this winter. My olive tree has finally had it after surviving more than ten winters outside and the bay trees and rosemary are black. I think even if I cut them back they probably wont come again. Even though it is sad that I have lost so many plants, I am looking forward to re-planning my garden and having a rethink about what to plant in the spring.</div><div><br />Happy New Year!</div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc0000;">Susie X<br /></span><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-31755026256997096502010-11-30T20:20:00.005+00:002010-11-30T21:02:19.297+00:00Medieval FayreHello everyone. Okay, so I know I haven't been around blog land for a while but now I am feeling inspired to get started again.<br /><br />Thank you to everyone who has left messages and emails to see how I was. It was very thoughtful of you all. I have been kind of lurking for a while so thought it was about time I started posting again. I have missed all my bloggy friends out there so it will be nice to get in touch again.<br /><br />On Sunday we decided to brave the freezing temperatures and drive down to Ludlow in South Shropshire for their medieval Christmas fayre.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVei7yBPjI/AAAAAAAABXw/bBweFLno2-k/s1600/IMG_6790.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545442470432685618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVei7yBPjI/AAAAAAAABXw/bBweFLno2-k/s400/IMG_6790.JPG" border="0" /></a> There were lots of medieval type things to try including archery!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVeiKYLFbI/AAAAAAAABXo/yZFR_pmksTA/s1600/IMG_6792.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545442457170941362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVeiKYLFbI/AAAAAAAABXo/yZFR_pmksTA/s400/IMG_6792.JPG" border="0" /></a> Plenty of arrows available for those who are not so good at hitting the target.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVd-cMmWKI/AAAAAAAABXg/3vXSTZdMPlc/s1600/IMG_6793.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545441843478943906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVd-cMmWKI/AAAAAAAABXg/3vXSTZdMPlc/s400/IMG_6793.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />All the stall holders and people involved with the fayre dress up. These knights at the gate to the castle were pretty impressive.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVd91SW4kI/AAAAAAAABXY/v6HM4oYxqbA/s1600/IMG_6787.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545441833034113602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVd91SW4kI/AAAAAAAABXY/v6HM4oYxqbA/s400/IMG_6787.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545441730735392658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVd34McR5I/AAAAAAAABXQ/fBCn7NjZodY/s400/IMG_6798.JPG" border="0" /><br />There are a lot of nice food shops in Ludlow and this one is very typical with its produce on show outside the windows.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVdDKxszYI/AAAAAAAABXI/H5l1XjBqLD0/s1600/IMG_6786.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545440825190436226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVdDKxszYI/AAAAAAAABXI/H5l1XjBqLD0/s400/IMG_6786.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />This autumn has apparently been what's called a 'mast' year. There has been an unbelievable amount of fruit and nuts in the hedgerows. This is a good thing for the wildlife with all the cold weather we are having now as we dont usually get snow as early as November. The holly tree in my garden looks very festive with its dusting of snow.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVdC6ltRZI/AAAAAAAABXA/dVYceUGSpY4/s1600/IMG_6782.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5545440820845168018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TPVdC6ltRZI/AAAAAAAABXA/dVYceUGSpY4/s400/IMG_6782.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />That's all for now. I'm off to try and do some catching up and have a look at what everyone else has been up to!</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">Susie<br /></span><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-45588950992882122532010-07-31T16:52:00.009+01:002010-07-31T17:20:08.559+01:00A Taste of SomersetThe weather seems to have taken a turn for the worse since I returned from my break in Somerset. After being starved of rain for two months, the garden is now looking a bit on the soggy side! My flowers are suffering. The good thing is we had lots of sunshine in Somerset. There were so many places I wanted to see that we had to limit ourselves in the time we had. Here’s just a taster of some of things we did. <br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRJMtOp2XI/AAAAAAAABT4/yYYvUaxQD0M/s1600/glastonbury+tor.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500101527574534514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRJMtOp2XI/AAAAAAAABT4/yYYvUaxQD0M/s400/glastonbury+tor.jpg" border="0" /></a>First stop was Glastonbury, no not the festival, the town! I think every single shop in Glastonbury is a spiritual, hippy trippy type place. That’s fine if you are out of fairy dust or joss sticks but where the heck do people in this town buy their groceries!! It is a very pretty town with its Abbey and we had a nice lunch in a cafe called Hundred Monkeys We also stopped off at the tor just outside the town and climbed to the top.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRJMaLvjXI/AAAAAAAABTw/2Yhkr52yLsI/s1600/Andy+Glastonbury.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500101522462051698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRJMaLvjXI/AAAAAAAABTw/2Yhkr52yLsI/s400/Andy+Glastonbury.jpg" border="0" /></a> The views from the top were worth the climb!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRJMGrc0cI/AAAAAAAABTo/P0QvSQqU61I/s1600/glastonbury+tor+view.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500101517226332610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRJMGrc0cI/AAAAAAAABTo/P0QvSQqU61I/s400/glastonbury+tor+view.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Wells was next on the list. It has an amazing cathedral. All I could think about when looking around this cathedral was the baby eating bishop of Bath and Wells from the Black Adder series!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRI_TtBuCI/AAAAAAAABTg/BuNMHGlrUzM/s1600/Wells+Cathedral.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500101297384306722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRI_TtBuCI/AAAAAAAABTg/BuNMHGlrUzM/s400/Wells+Cathedral.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The cloisters in Wells Cathedral.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRI_Eku2kI/AAAAAAAABTY/xwilAev8l8U/s1600/Wells+cloisters.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500101293322984002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRI_Eku2kI/AAAAAAAABTY/xwilAev8l8U/s400/Wells+cloisters.jpg" border="0" /></a> This is where all the priests used to live and not surprisingly it is called Vicars' Close!!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRI-6n0qXI/AAAAAAAABTQ/_SQGHm7ViZk/s1600/wells.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500101290651593074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRI-6n0qXI/AAAAAAAABTQ/_SQGHm7ViZk/s400/wells.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRI-ofLA9I/AAAAAAAABTI/m-wXVCwQruc/s1600/vicars+close.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500101285783471058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRI-ofLA9I/AAAAAAAABTI/m-wXVCwQruc/s400/vicars+close.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Next stop, Bath. It is a town I have always wanted to visit and it certainly didn’t disappoint. <br /><div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIr-Brh9I/AAAAAAAABS4/yckgIZdTfwg/s1600/circus+bath.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500100965147838418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIr-Brh9I/AAAAAAAABS4/yckgIZdTfwg/s400/circus+bath.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The Roman Baths are really interesting to look around and we had a look around No 1 The Crescent which is now a museum.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIrgtekDI/AAAAAAAABSw/-fUXOnQW2uE/s1600/No+1+The+Crescent.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500100957278474290" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIrgtekDI/AAAAAAAABSw/-fUXOnQW2uE/s400/No+1+The+Crescent.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Roman Baths<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIrS7RasI/AAAAAAAABSo/76OXrocWV6M/s1600/Roman+Baths.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500100953578236610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIrS7RasI/AAAAAAAABSo/76OXrocWV6M/s400/Roman+Baths.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIa-59MRI/AAAAAAAABSg/H97ab_EHD7s/s1600/Roman+baths+in+Bath.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500100673326100754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIa-59MRI/AAAAAAAABSg/H97ab_EHD7s/s400/Roman+baths+in+Bath.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIak9bCPI/AAAAAAAABSY/KSc602hN3og/s1600/Bath.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500100666361317618" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIak9bCPI/AAAAAAAABSY/KSc602hN3og/s400/Bath.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />With all that sightseeing it was nice to chill out on the beach in the evening.<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIacWDyqI/AAAAAAAABSQ/mj9p17aIoOo/s1600/Brean+Sands+2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500100664048732834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIacWDyqI/AAAAAAAABSQ/mj9p17aIoOo/s400/Brean+Sands+2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIaOd1guI/AAAAAAAABSI/ez3qIvSghUs/s1600/Brean+Sands.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500100660323255010" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRIaOd1guI/AAAAAAAABSI/ez3qIvSghUs/s400/Brean+Sands.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, here’s some mischief makers, Tiger and Lily, my new kittens. We’ve had them two weeks now and they settled in almost immediately. They are into and onto everything! There’s not an ornament left in sight! <br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRH81JQTlI/AAAAAAAABSA/xL7fu-J9Ydk/s1600/IMG_6560.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500100155309837906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRH81JQTlI/AAAAAAAABSA/xL7fu-J9Ydk/s400/IMG_6560.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />As you can see, I have a problem with blogging now as they think it is great fun to sit on my laptop!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRHc84ZgmI/AAAAAAAABR4/c9RGvHOCN3I/s1600/IMG_6599.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500099607630807650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TFRHc84ZgmI/AAAAAAAABR4/c9RGvHOCN3I/s400/IMG_6599.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Enjoy your weekend.</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">Susie</span><br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-66679120701143113802010-07-03T10:37:00.010+01:002010-07-03T11:26:53.824+01:00Catch Up!How are you all? It's been a while since I visited blog land I know and I have loads and loads of catching up to do! I've missed everyone and I'm going to have look at what you've all be up to. I've been kinda busy, enjoying the good summer we've finally had here in England, the tennis, the World Cup football and working on the house and garden.<br /><br />Where do I start?<br /><br />Well, the good weather has enabled us to start major work on the house, replacing all the windows. The middle window here has been knocked out to make way for a front door and porch.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8Ku-od_ZI/AAAAAAAABRg/qHx6MVa9iTA/s1600/IMG_6184.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489618272990920082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8Ku-od_ZI/AAAAAAAABRg/qHx6MVa9iTA/s400/IMG_6184.JPG" border="0" /></a> Before fixing the porch Andy thought it would be a good idea to put the new window in above.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8Kty6-tmI/AAAAAAAABRY/e4WBdhcp7mA/s1600/chapel+house.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489618252667467362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8Kty6-tmI/AAAAAAAABRY/e4WBdhcp7mA/s400/chapel+house.jpg" border="0" /></a>Here's the new window from the inside. It was relatively easy to fit and just slotted in to position. We didnt even have to take the curtains down!!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489618816912636946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8LOo5gvBI/AAAAAAAABRo/_tO9SrV0ITI/s400/new+window.jpg" border="0" />Next, a little old original window was re-fitted and this will be inside the porch to give a bit more light in the living room.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8KtOq4GyI/AAAAAAAABRQ/evpK0GVj_0c/s1600/andy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489618242936249122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8KtOq4GyI/AAAAAAAABRQ/evpK0GVj_0c/s400/andy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Here's the little window from the inside. The original, original windows with their leaded lights were tiny. It is hard to imagine how dark it must have been inside the house with windows this size.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8KsGWFOpI/AAAAAAAABRI/9AWroC_qti4/s1600/IMG_6206.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489618223521675922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8KsGWFOpI/AAAAAAAABRI/9AWroC_qti4/s400/IMG_6206.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The timber frame for the porch was then fitted and this will gradually be clad in the brick that took ages and ages for us to find to match the house but eventually we managed to get some from a reclamation yard. Only four more windows to replace now and then the front of the house will be finished. Hooray!!<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8KB8gygaI/AAAAAAAABRA/Rt4L-RQ1VjU/s1600/IMG_6388.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489617499327725986" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8KB8gygaI/AAAAAAAABRA/Rt4L-RQ1VjU/s400/IMG_6388.JPG" border="0" /></a> Rufus has enjoyed the sunshine, playing in the paddling pool but as you can see, the hose goes everywhere except in the actual pool!<br /><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489616718715144562" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8JUggPyXI/AAAAAAAABQ4/CfsYx4vygAI/s400/IMG_6330.JPG" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8JTxehHrI/AAAAAAAABQw/W5YMFfLfea8/s1600/IMG_6339.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489616706091425458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8JTxehHrI/AAAAAAAABQw/W5YMFfLfea8/s400/IMG_6339.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />The kittens are really growing and one has even been re-homed already. We have found homes for them all and I'm having two and will pick them up on return from my holiday next week.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8ItIEbNWI/AAAAAAAABQo/6wT9_LkTNZc/s1600/IMG_6316.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489616042141103458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8ItIEbNWI/AAAAAAAABQo/6wT9_LkTNZc/s400/IMG_6316.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Aren't they cuties!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8IsjfjOVI/AAAAAAAABQg/znVL_cEO0As/s1600/IMG_6200.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489616032322763090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8IsjfjOVI/AAAAAAAABQg/znVL_cEO0As/s400/IMG_6200.JPG" border="0" /></a>Finally, I couldn't go without showing you some of the garden. The roses, peonies and in fact, everything else has done really well this year despite the lack of rain.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8IF8T_Z7I/AAAAAAAABQY/MW7e3uHrqe4/s1600/IMG_6286.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489615368970266546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8IF8T_Z7I/AAAAAAAABQY/MW7e3uHrqe4/s400/IMG_6286.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8IFIIM7QI/AAAAAAAABQQ/mfkF_BMxLU8/s1600/IMG_6275.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489615354962177282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8IFIIM7QI/AAAAAAAABQQ/mfkF_BMxLU8/s400/IMG_6275.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8IEuCQDSI/AAAAAAAABQI/g5p-Wg26D5M/s1600/IMG_6299.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489615347957894434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8IEuCQDSI/AAAAAAAABQI/g5p-Wg26D5M/s400/IMG_6299.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8ID4NqPvI/AAAAAAAABQA/cUnA6NtLt-s/s1600/IMG_6267.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489615333510233842" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/TC8ID4NqPvI/AAAAAAAABQA/cUnA6NtLt-s/s400/IMG_6267.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I'm off my hols next week to Somerset. Hope you all have a fantastic weekend. See you later!</div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff99ff;"><em>Susie X</em><br /></span><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-58214317313530930062010-05-23T17:21:00.009+01:002010-05-24T09:18:04.043+01:00Summer DaysFirst things first. Congratulations to <a href="http://mtabuchi.blogspot.com/">Mami</a> the winner of my giveaway. Your prize will be winging its way over to Japan very soon. I hope you like it!<br /><br /><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lW9Hg6c3I/AAAAAAAABPQ/gwak211YROo/s1600/mami.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474502430034654066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lW9Hg6c3I/AAAAAAAABPQ/gwak211YROo/s400/mami.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Over at my parent’s house, look what we found in the barn! Five gorgeous little kitties!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lW81BxzPI/AAAAAAAABPI/5y-G2w-CkPE/s1600/kynaston+kittens.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474502425072225522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lW81BxzPI/AAAAAAAABPI/5y-G2w-CkPE/s400/kynaston+kittens.jpg" border="0" /></a> There are two ginger, two tabby and one tortoiseshell.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474556846614514882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_mIclEkDMI/AAAAAAAABPY/i8sDxR-DdxE/s400/kitties.jpg" border="0" /><br />Here’s mum. She doesn’t have a name. She is a stray who took it upon herself to visit every day during our horrible winter and of course, my mother took pity on her and started feeding her. She is still very nervous and won’t come in the house and it is difficult to get near her. She has made her home in one of the outbuildings at my parent’s house and that is where she had her kittens. She is gradually gaining our trust and becoming more confident and if you approach her carefully, will now let you stroke her. She is a really good mother and is doing well with her kittens and is very proud of them, purring away when you go to look at them. The kittens get cuter by the day and are just beginning to open their eyes. So far, we have found homes for four of them including mine!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lW8gvPIXI/AAAAAAAABPA/jRkxZPasmiE/s1600/kynaston+kat.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474502419625746802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lW8gvPIXI/AAAAAAAABPA/jRkxZPasmiE/s400/kynaston+kat.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />My mum in her greenhouse getting all the geraniums ready to put out in the garden.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWtwk7LmI/AAAAAAAABO4/OGT_-OOkei0/s1600/annette"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474502166179425890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWtwk7LmI/AAAAAAAABO4/OGT_-OOkei0/s400/annette%27s+greenhouse.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWtrdpqII/AAAAAAAABOw/0WhOlZ8I2l0/s1600/greenhosue.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474502164806740098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWtrdpqII/AAAAAAAABOw/0WhOlZ8I2l0/s400/greenhosue.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It has been a bit of a scorcher this weekend and about time too and with all the warm weather everthing is now beginning to flower in the garden.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWtbSOcZI/AAAAAAAABOo/YLi75I2Je8s/s1600/apple+blossom+sky.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474502160463851922" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWtbSOcZI/AAAAAAAABOo/YLi75I2Je8s/s400/apple+blossom+sky.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This clematis is taking over the hedge that borders the garden but it does look very pretty.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWtJg-mII/AAAAAAAABOg/oJ5Vaav2u2Y/s1600/pink.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474502155693889666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWtJg-mII/AAAAAAAABOg/oJ5Vaav2u2Y/s400/pink.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />You may remember, last year I bought some alium bulbs at Tatton Park Flower Show and here they are now just out in the flower border.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWs8mLy1I/AAAAAAAABOY/IVkjGRSR994/s1600/alliums.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474502152226065234" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWs8mLy1I/AAAAAAAABOY/IVkjGRSR994/s400/alliums.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />BBQ time. Making the most of the good weather, on Saturday I went to a BBQ at my brother's place.<br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474558997822576498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_mKZy8iF3I/AAAAAAAABPg/pw8qG0-u0RM/s400/IMG_6105.JPG" border="0" />Rufus was looking pretty cool in his shades!!</div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474501685395185266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWRxhB3nI/AAAAAAAABOQ/YZLpMtbdXD0/s400/rufus+kynaston.jpg" border="0" />Getting the fire going.<br /></div><div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474501681384298658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWRikwmKI/AAAAAAAABOI/Zo1OHWMBzqw/s400/2.jpg" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474501673962820946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWRG7V1VI/AAAAAAAABOA/QnuRf4pNrec/s400/mark+kynaston.jpg" border="0" /><br />How long does it take to put a two year old's swing together. Most of the afternoon in this case! Time for a cool off in the paddling pool I think!</div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474501670484052402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S_lWQ598CbI/AAAAAAAABN4/P2ELcLrjkLw/s400/swing.jpg" border="0" /><br />Hope you all enjoy your your week and the sunshine. <div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">Susie</span><br /><div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-12742527948846747912010-05-12T12:56:00.012+01:002010-05-12T13:43:26.944+01:00Oteley GardenI do so love having a nosey around other people's gardens, so on Sunday I visited Oteley in Ellesmere to have a look around. As it is only four miles from where I live it isn't exactly a treck but is only open for one day a year as part of the National Garden Scheme. The idea is that people can open their private gardens to the paying public and all the money raised goes to charity. Gardens of all shapes and sizes can enter but Oteley is a particularly grand example and certainly gives you lots of inspiration as you walk around.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qaXZvrzbI/AAAAAAAABNI/K5JCbzR-13Y/s1600/oteley1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470354424233446834" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qaXZvrzbI/AAAAAAAABNI/K5JCbzR-13Y/s400/oteley1.jpg" border="0" /></a> The house has a huge walled kitchen garden full of vegetables and fruit trees. The spring cabbages are looking good at the moment and...<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qaXPAtlHI/AAAAAAAABNA/_k7d9FIez8w/s1600/oteley2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470354421352076402" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qaXPAtlHI/AAAAAAAABNA/_k7d9FIez8w/s400/oteley2.jpg" border="0" /></a> ...the apples trees are in blossom, looking very pretty.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qaGm8jmyI/AAAAAAAABM4/Fxf4cvoqx70/s1600/oteley4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470354135719320354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qaGm8jmyI/AAAAAAAABM4/Fxf4cvoqx70/s400/oteley4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qZ6GF9qlI/AAAAAAAABMw/H1XCL_Rp69E/s1600/oteley3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470353920741976658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qZ6GF9qlI/AAAAAAAABMw/H1XCL_Rp69E/s400/oteley3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qZLIMUHLI/AAAAAAAABMo/IzGZ-YGLMSI/s1600/oteley5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470353113851632818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qZLIMUHLI/AAAAAAAABMo/IzGZ-YGLMSI/s400/oteley5.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The garden also has a lot of rhododendron's in all colours. This pink one was particulary spectacular.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qZK-jrtDI/AAAAAAAABMg/fL2lA2KYPQc/s1600/oteley6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470353111265293362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qZK-jrtDI/AAAAAAAABMg/fL2lA2KYPQc/s400/oteley6.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYzZWm79I/AAAAAAAABMY/RSS4CG6aHQ8/s1600/oteley7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470352706141351890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYzZWm79I/AAAAAAAABMY/RSS4CG6aHQ8/s400/oteley7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYzMpcz2I/AAAAAAAABMQ/hjTgYbAYskY/s1600/oteley8.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470352702730719074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYzMpcz2I/AAAAAAAABMQ/hjTgYbAYskY/s400/oteley8.jpg" border="0" /></a>The one consolation about having such a cold May is that the cherry blossom is still out. Normally by now, it would have long finished but is still going strong.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYed2573I/AAAAAAAABMI/Iv_v_Cq2Ft0/s1600/oteley9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470352346573303666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYed2573I/AAAAAAAABMI/Iv_v_Cq2Ft0/s400/oteley9.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYdyXR1GI/AAAAAAAABMA/R2ddQZE3oiA/s1600/oteley10.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470352334897927266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYdyXR1GI/AAAAAAAABMA/R2ddQZE3oiA/s400/oteley10.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYUuMrKSI/AAAAAAAABL4/Ij-Tz_Sta04/s1600/oteley11.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470352179160885538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYUuMrKSI/AAAAAAAABL4/Ij-Tz_Sta04/s400/oteley11.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYUYjUGFI/AAAAAAAABLw/VWyutVkSSxs/s1600/oteley12.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470352173350262866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYUYjUGFI/AAAAAAAABLw/VWyutVkSSxs/s400/oteley12.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYFH3dd5I/AAAAAAAABLo/ztYdBwk8Zq0/s1600/oteley13.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470351911173322642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYFH3dd5I/AAAAAAAABLo/ztYdBwk8Zq0/s400/oteley13.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYEtPPUSI/AAAAAAAABLg/_IaIG1oqzY0/s1600/oteley14.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470351904025301282" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-qYEtPPUSI/AAAAAAAABLg/_IaIG1oqzY0/s400/oteley14.jpg" border="0" /></a> If you go to the National Garden Scheme's website <a href="http://www.ngs.org.uk/gardens/gardenfinder.aspx">here </a>you can put in your postcode and see if there are any gardens open near you.</div><div><br />By the way, there's still time to enter my giveaway by clicking <a href="http://susiescountrycottage.blogspot.com/2010/05/blogiversary-giveaway.html#comments">here</a> and leaving me a comment.<br /><br />I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week.</div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">Susie</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-22624545398008527422010-05-09T20:50:00.006+01:002010-05-09T21:53:21.162+01:00Walking in the Hills and a Blogiversary GiveawayLast weekend I decided to be a bit more energetic than usual and went walking on the Lond Mynd, which is part of the Shropshire hills. Long Mynd means Long Mountain.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cdonP1mZI/AAAAAAAABLY/An9_IPiXhM4/s1600/long+mynd.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469372856032139666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cdonP1mZI/AAAAAAAABLY/An9_IPiXhM4/s400/long+mynd.jpg" border="0" /></a>The town of Church Stretton can be seen in the valley.<br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cdoIPVfjI/AAAAAAAABLQ/PBNn_tOPDPE/s1600/long+mynd2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469372847708536370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cdoIPVfjI/AAAAAAAABLQ/PBNn_tOPDPE/s400/long+mynd2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />From the top you can look over the Shropshire plain.</div><div><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cdn_Dy-1I/AAAAAAAABLI/f9ANpvVLZ3Y/s1600/long+mynd3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469372845244218194" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cdn_Dy-1I/AAAAAAAABLI/f9ANpvVLZ3Y/s400/long+mynd3.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />On the horizon, if you looks closely, you can see a hill. This is the Wrekin and is supposed to have inspired J R R Tolkien to write Lord of the Rings and is said to be the original Mount Doom!</div><div><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cdYCQcPBI/AAAAAAAABLA/nGAhfrHXU9w/s1600/long+mynd4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469372571224652818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cdYCQcPBI/AAAAAAAABLA/nGAhfrHXU9w/s400/long+mynd4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>Now to my giveaway! It is twelve months since I started my blog, so to celebrate I am giving away some goodies. When I started my blog, I never thought I would have this many followers and have met so made so lovely people in blog land and this is my way of saying thank you.<br /><br /></div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cSzjToV0I/AAAAAAAABKo/TdPg0IMoyuk/s1600/0ven+gloves.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469360949324961602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cSzjToV0I/AAAAAAAABKo/TdPg0IMoyuk/s400/0ven+gloves.jpg" border="0" /></a>On my recent trip to London I brought back some souvenirs. I am giving away this rather retro London landmarks oven glove and a really cute London bus key ring.<br /></div><div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cSzF_KeoI/AAAAAAAABKg/xn1sWKZIcRc/s1600/London+bus.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469360941454490242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cSzF_KeoI/AAAAAAAABKg/xn1sWKZIcRc/s400/London+bus.jpg" border="0" /></a> I am also giving away some seeds that I bought from the Victoria and Albert Museum.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cSy5ikUxI/AAAAAAAABKY/6fNrh7npVWU/s1600/seeds.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469360938113323794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cSy5ikUxI/AAAAAAAABKY/6fNrh7npVWU/s400/seeds.jpg" border="0" /></a>The packet is a William Morris design which I think is really pretty. If you plant them you should end up with something that looks like an English summer meadow!!<br /></div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cSx77udrI/AAAAAAAABKQ/1f9l2UHjpsQ/s1600/oven+group.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469360921575847602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S-cSx77udrI/AAAAAAAABKQ/1f9l2UHjpsQ/s400/oven+group.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><div><div><div><div>All you have to do to win this group of goodies is leave me a comment.<br /></div><div>Good Luck.</div><br /><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">Susie</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-35345146884341407652010-05-02T20:26:00.005+01:002010-05-02T20:32:31.801+01:00The Blossom in May<div align="center"> </div><div align="center">"Loveliest of trees, the cherry now</div><div align="center">Is hung with bloom along the bough."- </div><div align="center"><em>A. E. Housman, A Shropshire Lad, 1896</em></div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93Si8IjWuI/AAAAAAAABJo/FVCtrKXQWAQ/s1600/9.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466757020397034210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93Si8IjWuI/AAAAAAAABJo/FVCtrKXQWAQ/s400/9.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93Siu_PF_I/AAAAAAAABJg/Ht6I0sEbvSk/s1600/8.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466757016868296690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93Siu_PF_I/AAAAAAAABJg/Ht6I0sEbvSk/s400/8.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SiFee6NI/AAAAAAAABJY/w6XYGyWiUks/s1600/7.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466757005725067474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SiFee6NI/AAAAAAAABJY/w6XYGyWiUks/s400/7.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SYy9ehjI/AAAAAAAABJQ/YGA8Z84rOMM/s1600/6.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466756846135969330" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SYy9ehjI/AAAAAAAABJQ/YGA8Z84rOMM/s400/6.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SYmQIZII/AAAAAAAABJI/UuMDLdzxWus/s1600/5.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466756842724549762" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SYmQIZII/AAAAAAAABJI/UuMDLdzxWus/s400/5.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SYNN7wII/AAAAAAAABJA/S53PKDahwR8/s1600/4.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466756836004446338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SYNN7wII/AAAAAAAABJA/S53PKDahwR8/s400/4.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466756676546430034" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SO7MLhFI/AAAAAAAABI4/dM_UcMI7EBs/s400/3.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SOnZQoAI/AAAAAAAABIw/lWnDF64xDt0/s1600/2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466756671232581634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SOnZQoAI/AAAAAAAABIw/lWnDF64xDt0/s400/2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SOb4umKI/AAAAAAAABIo/Xvf4KGsUxFE/s1600/1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466756668143343778" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S93SOb4umKI/AAAAAAAABIo/Xvf4KGsUxFE/s400/1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />"The world's favorite season is the spring. </div><div align="center">All things seem possible in May."- </div><div align="center"><em>Edwin Way Teale<br /></em><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-85019199537779400542010-04-28T10:52:00.011+01:002010-04-28T11:40:48.413+01:00Marathon WeekendI have been in London this weekend to watch my brother, Mark run the marathon. It feels like I have almost run a marathon myself! We have had a very busy weekend. My mother and I arrived by train on Saturday morning and then checked in to our hotel in Docklands. We had a great view of Canary Wharf and the O2 Arena.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHjnaABOI/AAAAAAAABIY/2FyCsPaKaG0/s1600/O2+arena.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465126456268948706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHjnaABOI/AAAAAAAABIY/2FyCsPaKaG0/s400/O2+arena.JPG" border="0" /></a> The next morning we met up with the rest of the family and stood for nearly two hours at the half way point on the marathon route, waiting for my brother to run past. He made it at pretty much the time he'd estimated but in the meantime we were entertained by all the fun runners and the celebrities and saw Gordon Ramsey and Richard Branson run past us.<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHjNbv9JI/AAAAAAAABIQ/TiKXGWB3BcY/s1600/marathon1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465126449296962706" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHjNbv9JI/AAAAAAAABIQ/TiKXGWB3BcY/s400/marathon1.JPG" border="0" /></a> The streets were strewn with empty water bottles.<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHi3a8_YI/AAAAAAAABII/zcH8Co06iW8/s1600/marathon2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465126443388042626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHi3a8_YI/AAAAAAAABII/zcH8Co06iW8/s400/marathon2.JPG" border="0" /></a>We then set off to another part of the route to try and see my brother again and got the tube to Westminster. It was a really good atmosphere here but there were a lot of very tired runners who needed a lot of encouragement as it was only a mile from the finish. <div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHiidDOVI/AAAAAAAABIA/Ia4PgBdkBK8/s1600/marathon3.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465126437759695186" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHiidDOVI/AAAAAAAABIA/Ia4PgBdkBK8/s400/marathon3.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />After about two hours standing in the crowd we eventually saw my brother run past again and he looked okay considering he only had a mile left!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHT-hyumI/AAAAAAAABH4/_XCvSX9PSn0/s1600/marathon4.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465126187597740642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHT-hyumI/AAAAAAAABH4/_XCvSX9PSn0/s400/marathon4.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We then walked to the 'meet and greet' at Horse Guards to try and find Mark at the finish.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHTSg9bQI/AAAAAAAABHw/-t54HMpjotI/s1600/marathon5.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465126175783087362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHTSg9bQI/AAAAAAAABHw/-t54HMpjotI/s400/marathon5.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />And here he is with my sister in law, Katherine, proudly showing off his medal!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHH4zvU4I/AAAAAAAABHo/rGKzHdbi9rA/s1600/marathon6.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465125979903972226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gHH4zvU4I/AAAAAAAABHo/rGKzHdbi9rA/s400/marathon6.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Of course I couldn't go to London without doing a spot of shopping and first place on my list was my favourite shop, Liberty.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gG-0kNGkI/AAAAAAAABHg/cX2Jv0WMaEs/s1600/liberty1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465125824146250306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gG-0kNGkI/AAAAAAAABHg/cX2Jv0WMaEs/s400/liberty1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Lots of Liberty print goodies.<br /><br /><div><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gGMB3uO_I/AAAAAAAABGw/2ggjTAN-Qys/s1600/liberty2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465124951544445938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gGMB3uO_I/AAAAAAAABGw/2ggjTAN-Qys/s400/liberty2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We spent the evening in Covent Garden and my nephew Rufus enjoyed watching the buskers in the street.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gGLqSB4MI/AAAAAAAABGo/YxokRUJkBSE/s1600/c+garden1.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465124945212334274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gGLqSB4MI/AAAAAAAABGo/YxokRUJkBSE/s400/c+garden1.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gF_ziVj0I/AAAAAAAABGg/EiDSePSEexs/s1600/c+garden2.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465124741538221890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gF_ziVj0I/AAAAAAAABGg/EiDSePSEexs/s400/c+garden2.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />On the Monday my mother and I went to the Victoria and Albert Museum to see the wardrobe of one my favourite style icons, Princess Grace, on display. I have always loved her style so it was a real thrill to see the collection. There were gorgeous haute couture gowns from the 60's and 70's as well as dresses from her films.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gFuejgXGI/AAAAAAAABGI/P2uOXoyr3ko/s1600/v&a.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465124443848203362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gFuejgXGI/AAAAAAAABGI/P2uOXoyr3ko/s400/v%26a.JPG" border="0" /></a>The poster from the exhibition.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gFuU7_0FI/AAAAAAAABGA/888Jq7otSOw/s1600/Grace%20Kelly%20Style%20web%20cover.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465124441266573394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 385px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 385px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gFuU7_0FI/AAAAAAAABGA/888Jq7otSOw/s400/Grace%2520Kelly%2520Style%2520web%2520cover.jpg" border="0" /></a>The dress she is wearing here, in the film High Society, was also on display and was really beautiful. It also made you realise how slim she was!<br /><br /><div><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gFtkj-WII/AAAAAAAABF4/qWq-Z-PGQG0/s1600/66387-large.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465124428280912002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S9gFtkj-WII/AAAAAAAABF4/qWq-Z-PGQG0/s400/66387-large.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I hope you all enjoy the rest of your week. I'm having a blog giveaway next week of some souvenirs I have bought back from London so see you next week!</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Susie</span><br /></span><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-21369526901105638242010-04-17T20:07:00.004+01:002010-04-17T20:29:18.325+01:00The Quiet SkyI have looked up into the sky over the last three days and what have I seen...nothing! Thanks to Iceland's volcano, I think it is the first time in my life that I have seen a vapour trail free sky. The beautiful blue skys we have had over the last few days are usually marred by all the aircraft criss crossing the UK. Don't get me wrong, I do feel for all those poor people stranded at airports and those who can't get away on their holiday and those who can't get home, but to look up into a sky that is only populated by birds and insects is a rare treat. It is spookily quiet up there.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8oHh8TAuII/AAAAAAAABFw/Yz1_zP6-XMg/s1600/holly.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461185777843091586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8oHh8TAuII/AAAAAAAABFw/Yz1_zP6-XMg/s400/holly.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8oHhj1xF0I/AAAAAAAABFo/U2yqDbnDmSE/s1600/blue+sky.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461185771277981506" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8oHhj1xF0I/AAAAAAAABFo/U2yqDbnDmSE/s400/blue+sky.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8oHhbk8ODI/AAAAAAAABFg/jwhss0mDZ4Y/s1600/chimney.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461185769059924018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8oHhbk8ODI/AAAAAAAABFg/jwhss0mDZ4Y/s400/chimney.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />More blue from the garden. As blue as they sky, a grape hyacinth.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8oHhNPtHzI/AAAAAAAABFY/WMbALgSbySs/s1600/hysc.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461185765212757810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8oHhNPtHzI/AAAAAAAABFY/WMbALgSbySs/s400/hysc.jpg" border="0" /></a>Forget-me-not.<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8oHg5J-QhI/AAAAAAAABFQ/pIIC4h7XESY/s1600/forgetmenot.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461185759820005906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8oHg5J-QhI/AAAAAAAABFQ/pIIC4h7XESY/s400/forgetmenot.jpg" border="0" /></a>Enjoy the rest of your weekend.</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">Susie</span><br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-31573877396627521852010-04-11T16:42:00.004+01:002010-04-11T17:06:11.993+01:00Time for The GardenThis weekend I have made the most of the sunshine and warm weather and been out in the garden. There is quite a bit of tidying up to do and pulling out of poor, dead plants that haven't survived the harsh winter, but the main thing is digging and weeding. I cant believe how quickly the weeds appear. There are dandelions everywhere! <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuZ85OVgI/AAAAAAAABFI/6Sh99L7yHMg/s1600/sweet+pea.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458906352960034306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuZ85OVgI/AAAAAAAABFI/6Sh99L7yHMg/s400/sweet+pea.jpg" border="0" /></a>Considering how late everything is this year, there is quite a bit of colour in the garden at the moment. Come with me on a little tour of the borders and you will see these lovely hyacinths and...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuZpdTZ0I/AAAAAAAABFA/59m6oq8BcMM/s1600/hyacynth.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458906347742652226" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuZpdTZ0I/AAAAAAAABFA/59m6oq8BcMM/s400/hyacynth.jpg" border="0" /></a>...pretty primroses and<br /><br /><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuQCyGPgI/AAAAAAAABE4/o-xGe5n_GY0/s1600/yellow.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458906182742064642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuQCyGPgI/AAAAAAAABE4/o-xGe5n_GY0/s400/yellow.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />bright poppies and...<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuP2QzuVI/AAAAAAAABEw/8i50EYk-lf0/s1600/poppies.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458906179381213522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuP2QzuVI/AAAAAAAABEw/8i50EYk-lf0/s400/poppies.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />elegant hellebores and...<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuPu0V8hI/AAAAAAAABEo/LMCjtkN4I3w/s1600/pink.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458906177382773266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuPu0V8hI/AAAAAAAABEo/LMCjtkN4I3w/s400/pink.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />dainty lungwort and...<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuPTSrFhI/AAAAAAAABEg/n6eCI5RPKhE/s1600/pulomaria.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458906169993795090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuPTSrFhI/AAAAAAAABEg/n6eCI5RPKhE/s400/pulomaria.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />delicate narcissi and...<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuDtj15mI/AAAAAAAABEY/zoxvu1wCoqI/s1600/narcissi.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458905970886698594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuDtj15mI/AAAAAAAABEY/zoxvu1wCoqI/s400/narcissi.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />delicious flowering currant and finally...<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuDeVMVFI/AAAAAAAABEQ/LkqX0X2WNDY/s1600/current.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458905966798722130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuDeVMVFI/AAAAAAAABEQ/LkqX0X2WNDY/s400/current.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />gorgeous grape hyacinth.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuCyz7QtI/AAAAAAAABEI/vqeHOh_dZB8/s1600/grape+hyacynth.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5458905955116466898" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S8HuCyz7QtI/AAAAAAAABEI/vqeHOh_dZB8/s400/grape+hyacynth.jpg" border="0" /></a> After all that gardening today it is time now for a sit down in the sunshine and a glass of wine. Cheers!</div><div><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#cc66cc;">Susie</span> </span><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-68796944839832990752010-04-08T09:53:00.007+01:002010-04-08T10:31:28.199+01:00Easter PrizesI hope you all enjoyed your Easter break. This gorgeous chicken arrived on my doorstep yesterday. I was the very lucky winner of <a href="http://wwwcountrystylelivingcouk.blogspot.com/">Country Style Living's</a> Easter competition. <div></div>I am really pleased with it and can't believe I won. I never win anything!<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72dhE3-3HI/AAAAAAAABDw/vL5ggv4lPFA/s1600/chicken2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457691515012701298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72dhE3-3HI/AAAAAAAABDw/vL5ggv4lPFA/s400/chicken2.jpg" border="0" /></a> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457693513573216146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72fVaF8L5I/AAAAAAAABD4/qe6GzOUsikY/s400/IMAG2076.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div>I also recieved other goodies, mini eggs (my favourite), some sweet pea seeds and some Easter ribbon. Thank you Maria. You can check out her website <a href="http://www.countrystyleliving.co.uk/">here</a>. There are some lovely vintagey bits and pieces on the site like these pretty cushions.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72aUdNN-TI/AAAAAAAABDo/91nIX2SnOB4/s1600/chicken.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457687999671040306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72aUdNN-TI/AAAAAAAABDo/91nIX2SnOB4/s400/chicken.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I spent Easter with my family and having those two extra days off work was heaven. We spent the weekend hunting for Easter eggs, making Easter decorations, catching up on gardening, planting sweet peas and antirrinums, shopping in the spring sales and of course eating too much chocolate!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72aLVE2SyI/AAAAAAAABDQ/DHt8f5HGmf0/s1600/easter+tree.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457687842869627682" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72aLVE2SyI/AAAAAAAABDQ/DHt8f5HGmf0/s400/easter+tree.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72aKn4tIWI/AAAAAAAABDI/28QPP5J7NWc/s1600/easter+bunny.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457687830739100002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72aKn4tIWI/AAAAAAAABDI/28QPP5J7NWc/s400/easter+bunny.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div>My nephew had a lot of fun on the Easter egg hunt.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72Z36Ek-BI/AAAAAAAABDA/nKfn7deXok4/s1600/easter+egg+hunt.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457687509203220498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72Z36Ek-BI/AAAAAAAABDA/nKfn7deXok4/s400/easter+egg+hunt.jpg" border="0" /></a> Rufus with some of his hunt finds!<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457687497697174338" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72Z3PNUo0I/AAAAAAAABC4/gmWRCEp4oTQ/s400/Rufus+Kynaston.jpg" border="0" /> <div>We spent all day on Sunday at my mother's and had a very nice lunch, complete with chocolate Easter cake.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72Z2WKE9NI/AAAAAAAABCw/ARwZfanMOik/s1600/easter+table.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5457687482382742738" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S72Z2WKE9NI/AAAAAAAABCw/ARwZfanMOik/s400/easter+table.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The sun is shining today and it looks like we are set for a nice weekend so enjoy everyone.</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#ff99ff;">Susie </span><br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-80522696954336237982010-03-28T15:13:00.005+01:002010-03-28T15:47:53.355+01:00Visit to WalesAs it was my Birthday on Friday I treated myself to having a day off work! Because the weather was quite good we decided to have a day in Wales. We ended up on the coast in the town of Conwy, famous for its castle. I haven't been around the castle since I was at school so it brought back quite a few memories. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m_C-eSsI/AAAAAAAABCo/k77wFtUs2ho/s1600/conwy+castle1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453690907085654722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m_C-eSsI/AAAAAAAABCo/k77wFtUs2ho/s400/conwy+castle1.jpg" border="0" /></a>Here's a bit of history for you! The castle was constructed by Edward I between 1283 and 1289 and in the photo above you can see the town of Conwy which is enclosed inside the town walls which are guarded by 22 towers. <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m-z6gppI/AAAAAAAABCg/xovMkP6hPHM/s1600/conwy+castle2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453690903042500242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m-z6gppI/AAAAAAAABCg/xovMkP6hPHM/s400/conwy+castle2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The main castle has eight huge towers making it a World Heritage site<br /><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m06jZpZI/AAAAAAAABCY/Sp8aXNaI6l4/s1600/conwy+castle.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453690733025928594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m06jZpZI/AAAAAAAABCY/Sp8aXNaI6l4/s400/conwy+castle.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The castle towers with the Conwy estuary in the background.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m0uEp6gI/AAAAAAAABCQ/cHLjw8kpoYA/s1600/conwy.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453690729675745794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m0uEp6gI/AAAAAAAABCQ/cHLjw8kpoYA/s400/conwy.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The Welsh flag flying.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m0aPYIFI/AAAAAAAABCI/h8b1Nvd-iNg/s1600/dungeon.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453690724352008274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m0aPYIFI/AAAAAAAABCI/h8b1Nvd-iNg/s400/dungeon.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />A very deep dungeon!<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m0LvuSDI/AAAAAAAABCA/wLqX0XPGdZQ/s1600/conwy+tower.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453690720461146162" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69m0LvuSDI/AAAAAAAABCA/wLqX0XPGdZQ/s400/conwy+tower.jpg" border="0" /></a>The castle has a very intimidating presence and towers over the little town of Conwy.<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69mkTOlAMI/AAAAAAAABB4/6mOIEOUiAGE/s1600/estuary.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453690447591702722" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69mkTOlAMI/AAAAAAAABB4/6mOIEOUiAGE/s400/estuary.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Conwy estuary.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69mkBSq6AI/AAAAAAAABBw/jse3QShOrDI/s1600/seagul.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453690442777028610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69mkBSq6AI/AAAAAAAABBw/jse3QShOrDI/s400/seagul.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69mjw2YCTI/AAAAAAAABBo/X96Ebxn7u5g/s1600/washing.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453690438363384114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69mjw2YCTI/AAAAAAAABBo/X96Ebxn7u5g/s400/washing.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />A good breezy place to hang the washing!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69mjrXrPXI/AAAAAAAABBg/YiRBkDADP3Q/s1600/tiny+house.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453690436892441970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S69mjrXrPXI/AAAAAAAABBg/YiRBkDADP3Q/s400/tiny+house.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />This tiny house stands on the quayside front and is said to be the smallest house in Britain at just 6 x 10 feet! It has two rooms and was once lived in by a 6 foot fisherman, Robert Jones who was too tall to stand up in the rooms! </div><div> </div><div>Hope you all have a good week.</div><div> </div><div><span style="color:#cc66cc;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Susie X</span><br /></span></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-21733562979599140242010-03-21T14:57:00.012+00:002010-03-21T19:01:42.707+00:00During the last week...Hello everyone. What have I been doing? I can’t believe I haven’t posted since 28th February!<br /><br />So far, March has been quite busy with family celebrations and, because the weather is now much more spring like, I have been getting on with some gardening. Today my brother and I planted a native hedge. I wanted to keep the species native as they are much better at attracting birds and insects. Apparently, you can tell how ancient an English hedge is by counting the number of species growing in it. If you count 100 years for every species you find and then you will know roughly how old the hedge is. We planted hawthorn, holly and berberis.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3nYrD5dI/AAAAAAAABBA/trqKw-MPXzs/s1600-h/Andy+kynaston.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451105548756051410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3nYrD5dI/AAAAAAAABBA/trqKw-MPXzs/s400/Andy+kynaston.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3nCggppI/AAAAAAAABA4/zl965oQzCdk/s1600-h/hawthorn.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451105542806218386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3nCggppI/AAAAAAAABA4/zl965oQzCdk/s400/hawthorn.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The hawthorn looks like a load of dead twigs at the moment but later in the spring it should have some very pretty blossom on it like the photo below.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3dkHRe_I/AAAAAAAABAw/SgYZuqwd2IU/s1600-h/hawthorn-blossom.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451105380028480498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 266px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3dkHRe_I/AAAAAAAABAw/SgYZuqwd2IU/s400/hawthorn-blossom.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />It was the 75th Birthday of my sister-in-law's father on Saturday so we had a little party. First of all we had a very nice meal at the Mytton and Mermaid, a restaurant just outside Shrewsbury and then went back to my sister-in-laws place for cake.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3dccNcfI/AAAAAAAABAo/Hf5yq4kIzL8/s1600-h/Mytton+and+Mermaid.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451105377968812530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3dccNcfI/AAAAAAAABAo/Hf5yq4kIzL8/s400/Mytton+and+Mermaid.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />My dinner. Lobster and crab linquini with asparagus went down very well!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3dN6kf4I/AAAAAAAABAg/zSV-TdNeFUQ/s1600-h/lobster+linguiney.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451105374069620610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3dN6kf4I/AAAAAAAABAg/zSV-TdNeFUQ/s400/lobster+linguiney.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Ian about to blow out the candles with the help of Katherine and Rufus. Happy Birthday Ian.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3c8ERFzI/AAAAAAAABAY/hARbw0XFGKI/s1600-h/Ian+scargill.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451105369278453554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3c8ERFzI/AAAAAAAABAY/hARbw0XFGKI/s400/Ian+scargill.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Rufus had a lot of fun with the balloons which we’d brought back from the restaurant.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3Na5niYI/AAAAAAAABAQ/9m7MV86s8DM/s1600-h/Rufus.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451105102677379458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3Na5niYI/AAAAAAAABAQ/9m7MV86s8DM/s400/Rufus.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3M_pn7eI/AAAAAAAABAI/1Hvlqlp0o-Q/s1600-h/Rufus+kynaston.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451105095362538978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3M_pn7eI/AAAAAAAABAI/1Hvlqlp0o-Q/s400/Rufus+kynaston.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Last weekend at my place, we had a Mother’s Day tea. I made a lemon cake and covered it in chocolate eggs!<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451105087973389538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3MkH6dOI/AAAAAAAABAA/PSwYbKxqCE4/s400/cakes.jpg" border="0" /><br />My easter/mother's day cake!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3MNxLWnI/AAAAAAAAA_4/QI0f4EBhWVA/s1600-h/easter+cake.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451105081972447858" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y3MNxLWnI/AAAAAAAAA_4/QI0f4EBhWVA/s400/easter+cake.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The table set for tea.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y2_LXMV5I/AAAAAAAAA_w/DSoU9wNL61Q/s1600-h/afternoon+tea.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451104857988290450" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y2_LXMV5I/AAAAAAAAA_w/DSoU9wNL61Q/s400/afternoon+tea.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I am pleased to see that there are a few more things coming out in the garden now that the weather is getting milder.<br /><br /><div><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y2-i4MFVI/AAAAAAAAA_g/mAGPAtX-dvc/s1600-h/violets.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451104847120831826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y2-i4MFVI/AAAAAAAAA_g/mAGPAtX-dvc/s400/violets.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />These little violets come out before anything else and are so pretty in the borders.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y2-O8dfLI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/TisWcxAB9rg/s1600-h/crocus.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5451104841770040498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S6Y2-O8dfLI/AAAAAAAAA_Y/TisWcxAB9rg/s400/crocus.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />The crocus are also looking really good at the moment but still no daffodils out. They are so late this year.</div><div></div><div>Enjoy the rest of your Sunday and have a great week.</div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc33cc;">Susie</span> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-29719491019031299422010-02-28T10:54:00.004+00:002010-02-28T13:46:52.064+00:00Spring Flowers<p>I would just like to say thank you for all your kind comments on my last post. They really have encouraged me to continue blogging. I just needed that kickstart to get inspired again and what better way than to celebrate the last day of February with some spring flowers. Spring is well and truly here in my books and few daffodils and some polyanthus really brighten up the home.</p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pL13wxsaI/AAAAAAAAA9I/kqPkebSyoGg/s1600-h/spring+flowers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443246488504349090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pL13wxsaI/AAAAAAAAA9I/kqPkebSyoGg/s400/spring+flowers.jpg" border="0" /></a> <div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pL1tl5eXI/AAAAAAAAA9A/sl0gWX-oZBw/s1600-h/kitchen+dresser.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443246485774367090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pL1tl5eXI/AAAAAAAAA9A/sl0gWX-oZBw/s400/kitchen+dresser.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pL1U53DhI/AAAAAAAAA84/Xye_0njdBrs/s1600-h/pink.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443246479147208210" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pL1U53DhI/AAAAAAAAA84/Xye_0njdBrs/s400/pink.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pLp882fQI/AAAAAAAAA8w/C9NcR8EqO5I/s1600-h/polyanths.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443246283738742018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pLp882fQI/AAAAAAAAA8w/C9NcR8EqO5I/s400/polyanths.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443246275315510594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pLpdkmLUI/AAAAAAAAA8o/RsG5JAGpssI/s400/daffodls.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pLpPE-f6I/AAAAAAAAA8g/_wWgvfy3LB0/s1600-h/daffodile.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5443246271424790434" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4pLpPE-f6I/AAAAAAAAA8g/_wWgvfy3LB0/s400/daffodile.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Have great week everyone.</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc33cc;">Susie X</span><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-45587382838457321172010-02-21T10:32:00.006+00:002010-02-21T10:43:07.627+00:00A Me Time Weekend!Hello, how are you all? I’ve been so wrapped up in problems at work that I haven’t really had time to think about blogging. I know I haven’t posted for ages and I’m sorry for neglecting all my bloggy friends but sometimes I find it really hard to get inspired, so much so that I think I might stop blogging. Do you ever feel like that? <br /><br />This weekend I have had some me time. To hell with the housework, cooking , cleaning, ironing and washing. Yesterday I had a day’s shopping.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMwgf1ZTI/AAAAAAAAA8A/D1s36NjOJX4/s1600-h/Vintage+jug.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440643852336981298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMwgf1ZTI/AAAAAAAAA8A/D1s36NjOJX4/s400/Vintage+jug.jpg" border="0" /></a>I went to Shrewsbury and took my time browsing in ‘out of the way’ shops that I don’t normally have time to shop in. There are a lot of little independent shops in Shrewsbury selling things you don’t normally see in general high street stores. I bought this really pretty jug in a shop called Vintage. They have lots of gorgeous vintage stuff and I could have spent a fortune but then I saw this necklace in Whitestuff and bought that instead.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMwSKAiRI/AAAAAAAAA74/ardtQG1IfyQ/s1600-h/whitestuff.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440643848487340306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMwSKAiRI/AAAAAAAAA74/ardtQG1IfyQ/s400/whitestuff.jpg" border="0" /></a>Something for my summer wardrobe...I bought some espadrille sandals in Next and finally,<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMwLKe_4I/AAAAAAAAA7w/fZpjiBkvg-E/s1600-h/sandals.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440643846610288514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMwLKe_4I/AAAAAAAAA7w/fZpjiBkvg-E/s400/sandals.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />some heart door hangers for my new dresser. All in all a very good day. <br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMTnbTNUI/AAAAAAAAA7o/n2JgwaLYz0U/s1600-h/heart+door+hangers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440643355980805442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMTnbTNUI/AAAAAAAAA7o/n2JgwaLYz0U/s400/heart+door+hangers.jpg" border="0" /></a>Today though I’m sitting by the fire with a cup of coffee, Country Living Magazine and a bag of Cadbury’s mini eggs because we’ve had more of this...<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMTbjyDLI/AAAAAAAAA7g/_bsTRWtP0Aw/s1600-h/chapel+house+garden.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440643352795155634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMTbjyDLI/AAAAAAAAA7g/_bsTRWtP0Aw/s400/chapel+house+garden.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />...yes it has snowed again so I think I’ll just sit inside and watch it falling.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMTNAlJVI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/YwYRM-SHWlg/s1600-h/chapel+house.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440643348889412946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S4EMTNAlJVI/AAAAAAAAA7Y/YwYRM-SHWlg/s400/chapel+house.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Hope you all have a good week.</div><div> </div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">Susie X</span><br /><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-9168426478994137862010-02-04T21:19:00.006+00:002010-02-05T11:07:57.748+00:00Photo OpportunityWe had more snow here in Shropshire on Sunday. I thought we'd seen the last of it but this little lot wasn't forecast so it came as a bit of a shock. By the afternoon though it has stopped and the sun came out. I went out with my camera and just snapped away. I love taking photographs in the snow as everything looks so different.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6kP3S2uI/AAAAAAAAA6I/0cb4EZuEqeU/s1600-h/snow+shadows.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501769760791266" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6kP3S2uI/AAAAAAAAA6I/0cb4EZuEqeU/s400/snow+shadows.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6j9lwRUI/AAAAAAAAA6A/AU6HC3SFbLs/s1600-h/apple+tree.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501764855383362" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6j9lwRUI/AAAAAAAAA6A/AU6HC3SFbLs/s400/apple+tree.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6jmc7GeI/AAAAAAAAA54/CW1QCDCcYh8/s1600-h/footprints+in+the+snow.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501758644328930" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6jmc7GeI/AAAAAAAAA54/CW1QCDCcYh8/s400/footprints+in+the+snow.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6jebUzAI/AAAAAAAAA5w/V7I6oDjUI0E/s1600-h/old+oak+tree.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501756490140674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6jebUzAI/AAAAAAAAA5w/V7I6oDjUI0E/s400/old+oak+tree.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6X9EkjlI/AAAAAAAAA5o/_9xtkge4Dgg/s1600-h/kynastons.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501558557773394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6X9EkjlI/AAAAAAAAA5o/_9xtkge4Dgg/s400/kynastons.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6XplZOHI/AAAAAAAAA5g/rXhKGaoBHk4/s1600-h/stanwardine+lane.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501553326733426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6XplZOHI/AAAAAAAAA5g/rXhKGaoBHk4/s400/stanwardine+lane.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501548887834386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6XZDE_xI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/6YZ2RUEIITM/s400/susan+kynaston.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6XKOzdYI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/nDixQgnFTMk/s1600-h/teasels.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501544910484866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6XKOzdYI/AAAAAAAAA5Q/nDixQgnFTMk/s400/teasels.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6JRLAleI/AAAAAAAAA5I/EQKHUfQziz4/s1600-h/tree+in+field.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501306255447522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6JRLAleI/AAAAAAAAA5I/EQKHUfQziz4/s400/tree+in+field.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6JGuWU9I/AAAAAAAAA5A/BtUC6B9H4uc/s1600-h/tree.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501303450883026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6JGuWU9I/AAAAAAAAA5A/BtUC6B9H4uc/s400/tree.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6I2gdYyI/AAAAAAAAA44/RAfE4ZSfzbA/s1600-h/trees+in+snow.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434501299097658146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2s6I2gdYyI/AAAAAAAAA44/RAfE4ZSfzbA/s400/trees+in+snow.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Have a great weekend everyone.</div><div></div><div><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">Susie</span><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-81116634414585053592010-02-04T09:35:00.003+00:002010-02-04T09:37:12.656+00:00Avatar<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2qU9at5i4I/AAAAAAAAA4w/jwM3_nXG0tk/s1600-h/avatar2.bmp"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5434319683240692610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 309px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2qU9at5i4I/AAAAAAAAA4w/jwM3_nXG0tk/s400/avatar2.bmp" border="0" /></a><br /><div>I have to tell you about Avatar! If you haven’t seen it yet then do, I’m sure you will be as surprised as I was!<br /><br />James Cameron’s new film has been receiving a lot of awards and nominations recently so I thought I go along to the cinema to see what all the fuss was about. I went with absolutely no expectations of the film and didn’t have much idea of what it was about. I’m not one for fantastical sci-fi type movies with tons of action and special effects but I have to say, Avatar is now one of my favourite films of all time!<br /><br />Avatar has to be the most visually spectacular film I have ever seen. The special effects are breathtaking and it is the first film I’ve seen with luminescent visual effects which look stunningly pretty on the big screen. It is utterly captivating and you feel literally immersed in the virtual world of the beautiful planet of Pandora and begin to forget that what you are seeing isn’t real!<br /><br />If you are not a big fan of fantasy/sci-fi, but enjoy a bit of escapism and a good love story then you will like Avatar. I know I’m sounding like I must have shares in the film or something but I would watch it again in a heartbeat!</div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-71538779003325394222010-01-30T15:27:00.006+00:002010-01-30T15:56:34.296+00:00Here it is!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RSHhcVi1I/AAAAAAAAA4o/mO5Q2fc6EJA/s1600-h/kitchen+dresser.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432557339705445202" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RSHhcVi1I/AAAAAAAAA4o/mO5Q2fc6EJA/s400/kitchen+dresser.jpg" border="0" /></a>Most of you guessed that my new piece of kitchen furniture was a dresser and here it is! I am really pleased with it. It was made by my brother who, very handily, happens to be a carpenter! The paintwork is Blue Grey by Farrow and Ball and the boards at the back of the shelves are painted in contrasting Off White. Eventually I hope to get the rest of the kitchen to match!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RSHtq66wI/AAAAAAAAA4g/fPxKLR_ddQk/s1600-h/cath+kidston.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432557342987840258" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RSHtq66wI/AAAAAAAAA4g/fPxKLR_ddQk/s400/cath+kidston.jpg" border="0" /></a> Now I have somewhere to show off all my Cath Kidston stuff!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RR-tP90uI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/pjnbIHJP6uw/s1600-h/cutlery+basket.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432557188255961826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RR-tP90uI/AAAAAAAAA4Y/pjnbIHJP6uw/s400/cutlery+basket.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I bought this cutlery basket today from a little shop in Ellesmere called Hoppies. They have lots gorgeous interiors stuff and have a web site <a href="http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/HoppiesInteriors__W0QQ_armrsZ1">here</a>. They have some very nice restored furniture.<a href="http://stores.shop.ebay.co.uk/HoppiesInteriors__W0QQ_armrsZ1"><br /></a><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RR-aW2oxI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/xVnakAK7zsA/s1600-h/hyacynths.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432557183184577298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RR-aW2oxI/AAAAAAAAA4Q/xVnakAK7zsA/s400/hyacynths.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Do you remember the hyacinths I planted last September? Well the pink ones are out and smelling gorgeous but unfortunately the yellow ones didnt seem to do as well and they stilll haven't come out.<br /></div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RR1vH1S0I/AAAAAAAAA4I/-AsPQ8MdXaw/s1600-h/snowdrops.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432557034139896642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RR1vH1S0I/AAAAAAAAA4I/-AsPQ8MdXaw/s400/snowdrops.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />We had more snow last night but today is a beautiful, sunny day. I took a little walk around the garden to see what's coming through. These snowdrops peeking through the snow should be out in the next few days.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RR1R1yvgI/AAAAAAAAA4A/7BnkAp5AYgk/s1600-h/catkins.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432557026279603714" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RR1R1yvgI/AAAAAAAAA4A/7BnkAp5AYgk/s400/catkins.jpg" border="0" /></a> The catkins are appearing on the hazel in the hedge.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RRp81e4DI/AAAAAAAAA34/msgNVkNTSAs/s1600-h/hazel+thicket.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5432556831662596146" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S2RRp81e4DI/AAAAAAAAA34/msgNVkNTSAs/s400/hazel+thicket.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And finally, I saw this today. Yes, it is blue sky! It hasn't been around for a while, at least not this blue anyway. It is amazing how a sunny day with clear blue sky can lift your spirits isn't it. Spring is not far away.</div><div></div><div><em><span style="font-size:180%;color:#cc33cc;">Susie</span></em> </div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-47232844621374011842010-01-22T13:18:00.010+00:002010-01-22T17:23:04.352+00:00Can you tell what it is yet?<div><div>Hello everyone. Have you survived the snow, frost, heavy rain that seems to be pelting down on the world at the moment? Thank you for all your encouraging comments on my last post. I’m happier now! I had been worrying about the results of my yearly mammogram. There was a little ‘glitch’ on my last film so I was recalled to have extra views and an ultrasound scan. Having already had breast cancer I was scared sh**less as you can imagine and the wait for the results has at times been unbearable, but thankfully, all is okay so I feel I can now start getting on with things again! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429615625196599378" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S1nepM7A-FI/AAAAAAAAA3o/hQNO7sryT-U/s400/kynaston+joiner.jpg" border="0" />I’m having a piece of furniture made for the kitchen. It is something that I have always wanted and I can’t wait for it to be finished. This is how it looks at the moment. Can you tell what it is? All will be revealed…hopefully in a couple of week’s time! </div><div><br /></div><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429562086848310642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 287px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S1mt83CFrXI/AAAAAAAAA3g/GslSAqW3Xhs/s400/cutlery+set.jpg" border="0" />As I'm into all things mismatched at the moment, as a treat to myself I have ordered this Eclectic Cutlery Set from <a href="http://www.tch.net/">Contemporary Home</a>. It consists of four knives, four forks, four spoons and four teaspoons and each piece is different. </div><div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429555261214252482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 267px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S1mnvjkHXcI/AAAAAAAAA3Q/KXr8LD8IRtk/s400/regal+tiara.jpg" border="0" /><br />Finally, I am really pleased to receive an award from the Duchess over at <a href="http://roseteacottage.blogspot.com/">Rose Tea Cottage</a>. I feel very honoured...almost like royalty!! Thank you for thinking of me Duchess.<br /><br />Have a great weekend everyone.<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;color:#cc66cc;">Susie</span></em></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-44378325880592986872010-01-10T12:02:00.006+00:002010-01-10T13:04:06.682+00:00Chilly WalkYes, more snow! Are you all sick of the sight of it yet? As much as I love the snow and how pretty is can look, I hate all the problems it brings with it. I haven't been in the land of blog for a few days and I have found it difficult to get started and inspired by anything this year. I've been too preoccupied with the cold weather. I had a horrible week last week. Getting to work has been a struggle but I did manage to get in every day, although arriving late! Of course you get no thanks for arriving which makes you wonder why you even bothered. January, as you probably guessed, is not my favourite month of the year and the sooner its over the better!<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCaRIZacI/AAAAAAAAA24/CBd_RDpsV4Q/s1600-h/ell.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425080982675483074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCaRIZacI/AAAAAAAAA24/CBd_RDpsV4Q/s400/ell.jpg" border="0" /></a> I decided to go for a walk yesterday to try and cheer myself up. The mere in Ellesmere is completely frozen over. This is quite unusual and I think I have only seen it completely frozen a couple of times in my lifetime. <div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCaIEAAHI/AAAAAAAAA2w/RPKb2_tGc58/s1600-h/ellesmere+frozen.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425080980241121394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCaIEAAHI/AAAAAAAAA2w/RPKb2_tGc58/s400/ellesmere+frozen.jpg" border="0" /></a>There are lots of migrant birds visiting for the warmer weather! These Canada geese must have got quite a shock when they arrived to this weather.<br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCZxChY_I/AAAAAAAAA2o/kPY7BHtHs80/s1600-h/geese.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425080974060905458" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCZxChY_I/AAAAAAAAA2o/kPY7BHtHs80/s400/geese.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />They get fed regularly by people visiting the mere so as soon as you arrive they swarm around you looking for something to eat.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCZrFqC4I/AAAAAAAAA2g/vRRQYTP2HIs/s1600-h/susie.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425080972463442818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCZrFqC4I/AAAAAAAAA2g/vRRQYTP2HIs/s400/susie.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />My garden seems to have survived the worst of it. I have an olive tree outside the back door which amazingly seems to have survived the -14C degree temperature.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCLlxfVII/AAAAAAAAA2Y/zmSqKlMRIMo/s1600-h/showy+garden.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425080730518508674" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCLlxfVII/AAAAAAAAA2Y/zmSqKlMRIMo/s400/showy+garden.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCLUku7vI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/XmLfNoREu6Q/s1600-h/snow+lawn.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425080725901602546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCLUku7vI/AAAAAAAAA2Q/XmLfNoREu6Q/s400/snow+lawn.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCLDtR26I/AAAAAAAAA2I/nPNKKy-KzWQ/s1600-h/garage.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425080721374043042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCLDtR26I/AAAAAAAAA2I/nPNKKy-KzWQ/s400/garage.jpg" border="0" /></a>The sun came out today which has melted quite a bit of the snow but temperatures still havent risen above freezing. <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCBNQDFQI/AAAAAAAAA2A/FGpbXIJNcck/s1600-h/chapel+house+snow.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425080552137102594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/S0nCBNQDFQI/AAAAAAAAA2A/FGpbXIJNcck/s400/chapel+house+snow.jpg" border="0" /></a>Hopefully I will be in a better mood for my next post! I did notice when walking around the garden that there are lots of daffodils and snowdrops beginning to come through so spring can't be that far away....can it?<br /><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-79476444255857129992009-12-31T22:54:00.003+00:002009-12-31T22:57:37.765+00:00Happy New Year<div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/Sz0r0tceILI/AAAAAAAAA1w/x1cgXzWgkKU/s1600-h/big+ben.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5421537710976147634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/Sz0r0tceILI/AAAAAAAAA1w/x1cgXzWgkKU/s400/big+ben.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:130%;color:#3333ff;"> A very happy, healthy and prosperous 2010 everyone.</span></div><div align="center"><span style="color:#3333ff;"></span> </div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:130%;"><em><span style="color:#cc33cc;"><span style="font-size:180%;">Happy New Year</span><br /></span></em></span></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1839032760739868459.post-22229477038284746982009-12-28T12:18:00.013+00:002009-12-28T12:38:34.814+00:00Family ChristmasI hope you all had a good Christmas.<br /><br />I spent Christmas Day at my parent's house with my family and we all had a lovely time.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SzijP2hBBHI/AAAAAAAAA1o/wyqxqBpqccI/s1600-h/christmas+table.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420261644267750514" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SzijP2hBBHI/AAAAAAAAA1o/wyqxqBpqccI/s400/christmas+table.jpg" border="0" /></a> The table was set for dinner.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SzijK_3rx5I/AAAAAAAAA1g/V2rrWuXid9M/s1600-h/slippers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420261560879400850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SzijK_3rx5I/AAAAAAAAA1g/V2rrWuXid9M/s400/slippers.jpg" border="0" /></a> We all opened our presents in the morning and my father had these slippers!!<br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420261425744159810" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SzijDIc7pEI/AAAAAAAAA1Y/egq-lBqD87k/s400/kynaston+family.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/Szii-FIQWBI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/PFOxXKAge54/s1600-h/kynastons.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420261338952783890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/Szii-FIQWBI/AAAAAAAAA1Q/PFOxXKAge54/s400/kynastons.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SziixQ991OI/AAAAAAAAA1A/fm3gVP2Y6Js/s1600-h/christmas+dinner.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420261118792553698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SziixQ991OI/AAAAAAAAA1A/fm3gVP2Y6Js/s400/christmas+dinner.jpg" border="0" /></a> We had the traditional turkey and Christmas pudding for dinner.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420261233549334370" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/Szii38eHV2I/AAAAAAAAA1I/MKz_PjyLOUc/s400/pudding+elf.jpg" border="0" /><br />This little elf couldn't wait for the pudding to be served so decided to help himself!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/Sziiqd-w6QI/AAAAAAAAA04/a_G0R-oB5F4/s1600-h/family1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420261002026477826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/Sziiqd-w6QI/AAAAAAAAA04/a_G0R-oB5F4/s400/family1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />On the Sunday it was my turn and everyone came to my place for lunch.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/Sziij4DWA5I/AAAAAAAAA0w/6sBRC2QDIo8/s1600-h/Nigella%27s+Rocky+Road.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420260888765924242" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/Sziij4DWA5I/AAAAAAAAA0w/6sBRC2QDIo8/s400/Nigella%27s+Rocky+Road.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />One of my Christmas presents was a CK cake stand so I made good use of it with my Nigella Lawson rocky road.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SziieaebfmI/AAAAAAAAA0o/vAjmGzOKwxo/s1600-h/streamers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420260794927119970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SziieaebfmI/AAAAAAAAA0o/vAjmGzOKwxo/s400/streamers.jpg" border="0" /></a> Rufus enjoyed playing with the streamers.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SziiX-2ED8I/AAAAAAAAA0g/NRSn3s-Srow/s1600-h/snowy+tree.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5420260684430839746" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_DRIvYVjnOS4/SziiX-2ED8I/AAAAAAAAA0g/NRSn3s-Srow/s400/snowy+tree.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />And...after I'd complained about not having any snow in Shropshire....we eventually had some on the night before Christmas eve.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Susie's country cottagehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07004278454359728607noreply@blogger.com15