Nonnie

A Walk in the Cotswolds

I've been meaning to take you on this little walk in the Cotswolds for a few weeks now but as you know I've been a little distracted lately! I did this walk on a rather grey Sunday afternoon a few weeks ago with the other lovely man in my life, my Daddy! Hope you enjoy taking this walk with us despite the grey skies. It's ok, it doesn't rain so you won't need an umbrella!

Into the field and past the pond. Looking out for the sheep and horses that live there.

Over the fields to the woods.

Over the bridge and into the woods. If it wasn't so cold we'd stop and play poohsticks.

Up through the woods to more fields at the top and a lovely view towards the hazy distant hills.

A lovely view back towards the village and the pretty church.

Down the field towards the lane.

Up the lane back towards the village. Those of you who have watched 'The Holiday' will recognise this lane as the one Cameron Diaz drives along as she arrives at the village where the cottage is. Funnily enough the shots of the village and cottage in the film are not the same village. In the film the camera is on the taxi then it pans out to show this lane, house and eventually the whole of Mum and Dads village!

Back along the lane into the village.

One last look back over the fields before returning home to the fireside and a welcome cup of tea!

Snow?

No, not snow, but a beautiful carpet of snowdrops in the churchyard in my Mum and Dads village. Aren't they just spectacular? Hamish kept calling them raindrops which was so sweet!

This is just a quick post today but back again tomorrow with more Spring-like photos and tales of Burns night. Hope everyone had a lovely weekend.
x

Well, what a response! I hardly imagined that asking the simple question of whether or not I should cut up the cosy, would create such a reaction. Thank you all for your thoughts. Overwhelmingly the response was to cut the cosy, but for those of you who said don't cut, I've come up with something of a compromise. The cosy is going to be transformed but it will not require any cutting. I'm saying no more for now incase my idea doesn't work out, but if it does, then the finished article will be for sale in the next few weeks in my little shop. Infact, if I can get going a bit faster on the website then it might be the first item for sale in the the new home of 'Nonnie Home'. If the finished article doesn't sell then it will go for the chop at that point! Oh, and I should say, for Sue's benefit, that from now on there will be no more talk of 'chopping', just very careful cutting!

The picture above is of the welcome that greets you as you step through the doors of Mum and Dad's lovely B&B. I wanted to show you this today as all being well they are going to being mentioned in the London Evening Standard in the Friday ES magazine this evening which is very exciting for them. When I say all being well, they don't know exactly what is going in or whether it will be much of a mention but hopefully it will be something good. They had someone staying a couple of weeks ago who is a writer and was writing an article on his favourite places to stay in the World. He was supposed to stay a couple of days but ended up being with them for almost a week and announced that he would be mentioning Mum and Dad's place in his article! Before they knew it Dad was speaking to a lady from the Evening Standard and sending accross pictures of the house! But as it's quite last minute they don't really know what they will get, whether it will be just a line of text or more. Whether any of their pictures will be featured or not. There is of course the possibility that they won't be mentioned at all. I'll be popping out later for a copy(maybe more than one if they are featured) and I'll let you know next week what the out come was.

I'm off again to the Cotswolds tomorrow to go to a Burns Night party tomorrow(yes, I know it's actually today!) in Mum and Dad's village organised partly by Mum and with a starring role for my lovely Scottish Brother-in-law. I think it started with Mum asking John a bit of advise on how the evening should progress, and has ended up with him being the Master of Ceremonies and having to write a poem in honour of Burns! Sounds like it's going to be a fun evening. Only problem is I'm supposed to wear a bit of tartan and I have nothing as yet. Going to have to get my thinking cap on quick!

I've been busy working away on more Valentines things and they're now in the shop. I'm going to be adding more things, including similar items but with a pink rather than red theme. They should be ready by the start of next week. For those of you who like to buy from Etsy, they'll also all be going into my Etsy Shop in the next few days.

Well the sun is shining here finally and it looks like it might just last all weekend. It's amazing what a bit of sunshine can do. Gives you the feeling that Spring is just around the corner. Have a lovely weekend dear bloggers and I'll see you all again next week. xx

The cosy weekend

Ahh, what a weekend. I didn't really want to leave the Cotswolds last night and return to dirty, noisy, smelly old London! Ok, so it's not so bad, but I just love being out in the countryside and me and my lovely Mummy had such a great time.

I arrived on Friday evening and after a warming bowl of soup, we made our way through the garden gate to the cosy pub next door for a nice glass of red wine before collapsing into a cosy bed.

Saturday morning we were up early and on our way to Stratford-on-Avon. Now, as I mentioned in my previous post, my camera is misbehaving so no pictures of Stratford I'm afraid. It is taking pictures, but the view finder is totally blank so I can't see the picture I'm taking to know whether it is in focus or straight. So the pictures at the end of this post were taken very randomly and I had to do a lot of sorting to find some good ones. Very frustrating!

We didn't spend too long in Stratford, just long enough for Mum and I both to buy a new top, for Mum to buy me a handbag which is to be a Christmas present so has been hidden away, and for us to have a very long look in Laura Ashley. Mum bought a couple of new lamps for one of the guest bedrooms, and I was very good and just looked. Tight budget this month so no purchasing! They had some really lovely things so this took a lot of will power.

We headed back via Shipston-on-Stour and popped into a lovely Interiors shop that had been badly damaged in the summer floods. They've worked like crazy to get the shop open again and had a grand re-opening on Saturday. Mum had an invite so we enjoyed a glass of bubbly while browsing the lovely furniture and accessories.

Saturday afternoon was spent chatting over a late lunch, waiting for B&B guests to arrive then down to the church for Mum to do the flowers for Remembrance Sunday. It was late afternoon as we walked into church. The church yard looked quite magical in the dusky light and as we opened the door to the outer porch of the church we heard the sounds of organ music coming from inside. The organist was practicing for the next day so while I sat watching my talented Mum arrange her flowers I had lovely music to listen to as well. The organist left and finally Mum and I were ready to go. I carried the empty buckets down to the front door, and as I opened it I got quite a shock. Neither of us had been aware that while we were inside it had become completely dark. When I say completely dark, I mean completely dark. It was pitch dark. I couldn't see the path leading away in front of me, never mind the gate and road beyond. And this was with a glimmer of light coming from inside the church. Once Mum joined me at the door and we turned the church lights on it was even darker. We could see faint light coming from windows of the cottages down the lane but that was all. With a lot of giggling and stumbling, we managed to find our way to the gate as our eyes slowly became used to the dark.

We finished off the day with a lovely dinner of salmon followed by lemon meringue pie, more wine and curled up on the sofas watching the festival of remembrance from the Albert Hall which was lovely and very moving as always.

Yesterday we had a lovely day again, starting off with the Remembrance service at Church then down to a nearby village for Sunday lunch in a lovely pub called the Red Lion. We had a table in a cosy room right next to a big log fire. I just adore the smell of woodsmoke so was very happy to be almost sitting in the fireplace! We enjoyed lovely roast beef with all the trimmings and a yummy pud of pavlova with hazlenut cream, banana and toffee sauce. As you can imagine, after that lot all we were capable of was going home, lighting the fire, taking a sofa each and snoozing, with Smokey the cat on Mums knee and me doing some very slow knitting. Dad returned home to find us in a very sleepy state to entertain us with tales of his sailing trip.

So as I mentioned, the photo taking was not easy but of the dozens I haphazedly took, a few came out. I thought you might all like a little look at some of Mum and Dads cosy home. It's the loveliest place to be.

Open the front door and walk into to the cosy and welcoming hallway.

You'll find the lovely green dresser full of pretty blue china and see the window which used to be the stable door when the house was the coach house for the pub next door.

Though the door into the stone corridor which leads through to the dining room

Or into the Sitting Room....

If it's a gloomy day the lamps will be on

Bed and Breakfast guests are lucky enough to eat breakfast in the lovely dining room

Climb the stairs and turn into the first cosy guest room

You'll notice that a few NonnieHome cushions have made their way onto the bed!

Down the corridor

You might want to have a little sit down to admire all the pictures.

Into the second guest bedroom or as it's usually know 'the pink room'.

I hope you've enjoyed this little tour around The Old Coach House. Not too bad considering the camera problems. I hope I can get it sorted as I don't think I can manage to take pictures of product without seeing what it looks like first.

I have a busy week ahead as I really need to make more progress in making stock for the next fair. I'm suddenly panicking that it's not actually that far away. Infact, has anyone realised that Christmas itself is only six weeks away?! Got to go......lots to do!!

xxx

Forgetting the photos.

I know I promised photos of Christmas decorations and new stock today but I have to be honest and admit I was a little hasty. I haven't actually photographed everything yet and it slipped my mind last night as I got engrossed in other things. So instead you've got photos of the rather lovely little still life Mum set up on her kitchen worktop last weekend before we went off to the village harvest lunch.

So last night I had a lovely time pottering around my flat. I will admit that I had a moment of sadness when I first walked in but I soon pulled myself together. Actuallly my sister came up with a very good idea the other evening. One thing about living alone that isn't so pleasant is coming home to a dark flat. Not so much walking into it but more the walking along the street and seeing the dark windows where normally there would be light shining out. So Catherine suggested I get a timer for one of my lamps. Set it to come on just before I know I usually get home and problem solved. A cosy looking window to greet me as I come down the street. Anyway, I'm digressing. Once I pulled myself together I had a lovely evening. While I was at Ikea the other week I bought myself lots of new tea light holders and tons of tea lights so I made the sitting room cosy with lots of twinkling light plus a couple of cosy lamps. I cooked myself a lovely chicken and vegetable stir fry then settled down to watch 'The Restaurant'. Oh how I love Raymond Blanc. He really is the classiest of all TV chefs. And as for his restaurant! I've decided it's my mission to find myself a man who will take me to Le Manoir! Well, you've got to set your sights high haven't you?

A number of people have suggested chocolate as a good treat for looking after myself and cheering myself up so I took their advice and enjoyed more than a few squares of Green and Blacks milk chocolate and almond while watching the poor contestents on The Restaurant being put through their paces in Le Manoirs busy kitchens. Feeling very content I then felt inspired to attack a huge pile of filing and magazine cuttings that has been threatening to collapse due to it's height for weeks now. I'd been dreading the filing task but actually got it down in about half and hour. I felt very virtuous so rewarded myself with more chocolate and another hour of cutting up lovely magazine clippings. I need some more scrap books for them to go in now. It really was a pleasure spending 'me' time in my lovely calm and cosy living room. I just have to get the rest of the flat looking as good but I definitely feel inspired.

I have a good weekend ahead of me. This evening I'm going to the cinema with a friend. There are so many films I want to see at the moment and to be honest I can't for the life of me remember which one we decided on so that will be a pleasant surprise later. Tomorrow I'm planning on a lot more pottering in the flat and some more sewing. I could do with just a little more stock for the fair next Saturday. At some point in the day I'm planning on using my Birthday present from my Sis and Brother-in-Law. They bought me a years membership to Kew Gardens meaning that I can go in when ever I want. I don't know why I've never bought it myself before given that the gates are about 50metres from my front door! I think I will go first thing in the morning before it gets crowded. Then again, I could go first thing and later in the day. I can treat Kew Gardens like my own back garden from now on! Sunday I'll be over in Buckinghamshire at my Sisters. It's my gorgeous little nephews 2nd Birthday in a couple of weeks and he's having a joint party with 3 other little ones on Sunday. I can hardly believe it's been two years since he was born. He's totally adorable, talking really well and so funny and sweet. It always brightens up my day to spend time with him.

Next week I will bring you Christmas decoration pictures as well as hopefully some autumnal scenes from Kew. Wishing you all a lovely weekend and thank you to all of you who continue to send me such lovely words of support at what has been a really difficult few months. I'm getting through it and you ladies are making the process so much easier. xxxxx

News of the fair at last!

Sorry for my absence over the last few days, especially if you were wondering how the fair went on Saturday. Unfortunately I came down with a really nasty throat and chest infection that have had me in bed for the last three days. Not good timing as I felt really low anyway when I returned from the Cotswolds to my empty flat. Far from it being a relief to see the back of George, it has been really hard and I've missed him a lot. It seems that despite nine weeks passing, I wasn't quite as over the breakup as I thought I was. So it's been a tough few days and I have to admit to feeling more than a little bit sorry for myself. But I'm back at work today and the old cliche of time being a great healer really is true, as each day I feel just a little bit better about being on my own, and despite feeling poorly, I have managed to make a few little changes already in the flat that are seeing it looking a lot more pretty and girly.

So now to the fair. This is how my table looked when it was all set up. I definitely felt more confident this time and had a clearer idea how it was going to be although I had the inevitable feeling of not having enough with me when I first started which turned to thinking I had far too much as I tried to place the last few items. But all in all I was reasonably happy.

The day was a good one although unfortunately the rugby didn't really help. We had a busy morning but sadly it went very quiet from around 1.30. Now I find myself with a dilema. Obviously I very much want our lovely boys to beat France this Saturday but if they do, I think the final will probably clash with my next fair at Stow a week on Saturday. Hmmmm. As I had expected, the people of Chipping Norton were not yet really in the mood for Christmas so the fair was not quite as profitable as I would have hoped, but it wasn't bad, and it was a good practice for the fairs nearer Christmas. Also, I had really lovely people next to me which was nice as I was there on my own. If you're reading this Michelle, I definitely think you should start a blog of your own!

The picture at the top is of one of my new cushions. Tomorrow I'll show you some more of my new items including my Christmas decorations.

More of those Autumnal scenes

I hope you won't all be too bored with more autumnal images from the Cotswolds! I escaped to Mum and Dads again this weekend and couldn't resist going into their beautiful garden with my camera again yesterday afternoon, even though the weather was a little overcast. Not exactly ideal photo taking weather. But I just can't resist capturing Autumn. The colours are beautiful at the moment and I even found a few roses still blooming.

Mum had put one of these in a small vase next to my bed but there were still a few outside. I love the faded colour.

I know I'm copying Jane here, who has already posted images of her wood pile but I couldn't resist a photo of this satisfying looking pile. I can't wait for visits in the coming months when the sitting room will be snug with the heat from the wood burner and there will be the fantastic smell of woodsmoke in the air. There's something so cosy and comforting about that smell.

Don't Mum's newly replanted pots look lovely? I think pansies are so cheerful in the autumn and winter months. Like little smiley faces bobbing in the breeze. They look really cute sitting around this lovely lady.

I love some of the views that are created by objects in the garden. These are two of my favourites.

Work on the fair items is going well. Hopefully I'll have some pictures to show you by the end of the week. I took a little break from it this weekend in terms of making but the ideas were still flowing and being noted down.

I'll leave you with a little splash of summery colour in this autumnal garden. x

Oh, I nearly forgot. I've added a link on the right to my sloe gin instructions. Give it a go, it's really easy and totally delicious.