So today started with our wonderful hens laying 10 eggs!! So impressed with them they are such a joy and pleasure to have.

Can not get over the fact they keep laying! even when its winter and frosty out.

Later in the morning we found another egg in the middle of the grass which was quite funny 😆as they normally lay in the warm nesting box.

Ive had a bit of time this afternoon to carry on painting water colours and ink drawing of homemade cards.

My art is from my imagination.

Mainly a whimsical, magical style often including flowers, birds and patterns.

Art doesnt have to be the greatest master piece. Its a great way for one to relax and express thier imagination and feeling on to paper offer a little but of thier thoughts to others.

I am slowly developing a ART collection of hand painted cards which are blank inside for use in all occasions.

Keep following my blog to see the art develop and I hope soon to offer these for sale 🎨🎨😍.

Have beautiful relaxed sunday evening all.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

For at least the last 4 mornings instead of waking to pitch black and opening the curtains to dark grey skies rain or drizzel constantly!.

I had the joy of light peering though the crack in the curtain filling the room with a lighter feeling.

On opening the curtains the sky has seemed lighter and brighter at last.

The ground and trees covered in icing sugar frosts.

Early mornings weve had to help the hens get out because thier door had become frozen once.

The hens are happy and still even in the cold laying eggs!

Today we gave them a pan of luke warm herbal tea 😉 in fact herbs are very good for hens.

It must be cold because the pipes have frozen 3 times now!!.

But we are fine.

By mid afternoon the skies have been bright blues and sunsets wonderful.

Please rain dont come back keep the beautiful frosty mornings 😊💖

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Well we know that post over the Christmas period takes a lot longer to arrive.

We are also finding out, that post from Ireland to UK or UK to Ireland seems to take a time for sure!

My lovely home Educating😊 mum friend from Hastings sussex.

Had told me she posted a Christmas card to me here in Ireland.

Well it never arrived before Christmas so was sadly thinking it must have gone missing!.

Today 4 January it turned up.

Was a lovely surprise for me. made the Christmas spirit last all that bit longer.

Beautiful card and home crafted sugar cane reindeer s. That I am sure the kids enjoyed making for us what fun and so CUTE😉.

Finlay found them very delightful indeed.

Thanks Agata, Noah and Zach we wish you all the best in 2021.

My message to you Agata.

You are doing so well!!!.

Ps send me some Polish recipes one day as I love trying new foods xxx.

• 

• 

This year starts not very postive but I am determined to make this year better.

Ive had on going head pain for 12 months and ended back in hospital with a thunder clap head pain.

Still waiting to see a nerologist in February when maybe some light will be put on this.

My CT scan fine and bloods fine so good new but the head pain carries on.

I sat on ward listening to all the older ladies.

There confusion, talking to loved oned who are not here, talking to God aloud and being bed bound.

I wondered what stories and lives they had lead.

I had the feeling that even though ive pain in my head most of the time which makes it hard to function.

I can walk, see, smell, and talk for short periods.

Ive still alot to be thankful for and after 12 months of pain I still determined to get thid gone!

I cannot do screens and detailed work for long but i am on good days making art cards.

Then of cause still the wonders of nature.

So some cheering pictures.

Remember notthing is forever!

So the year all have good times for us at some point along the way.

I wish everyone the best 2021 and remember be grateful for everything however small.

Weve all been given an opportunity in this world so see the beauty.

I am always on a walk finding just a few flowers, herbs, leaves or what ever grew aling the road side.

It amazing how you only need 1 or 2 bits sometimes less is more.

You then look at the single leaf or flower more and see its beauty.

My last walk I could see spring will arrive as Ifound the first primrose and daisy grewing and more were coming along.

So spring will be in the air soon around the corner times and seasons change.

I bring a little of the outside inside to remind me that spring will arrive and the dark cold wet rainy days will pass.

Fern, wild herb yarrow, daisy and primose alway some find 🌼🌿

• 

• 

• 

• 

Seems almost a life time ago.!

I still say a marmite place! you love it fall in love forever, or run to the first plane. To take you home as you hate it ,there is no in-between.

India captured my heart so much so, that I visited many times .In total having spent at least 2 years there on and off.

It gets under your skin and becomes part of you in a good way.

Your senses become alert noise, smell ,taste of foods and colours of a rainbows all around you .

Who needs a television ,book of any kind .

India unfolds before your eyes all day and night .

Just to hear the word India alone all these years later still invokes such feelings in me .

That are here for keeps and will never be found again anywhere else for sure.

I carried a journal with me in my backpack many times in India.

Travelling alone from the top of India right to the bottom on trains and buses .

Some of the most enjoyable character building journeys I ever had .

I have never rewritten any of these journals from my many journeys around India.

However Today I am reminiscing and sharing some passages from one of these journals.

As it nice to share !

So here goes a small flavour of India and a little insight in my world there.

The Journal .

10pm walked down the narrow road in the pitch black to find a cheap local restaurant which has a roof top over looking Udiapur.

Sky is like black velvet not a single star to be seen.

Lake Pichola spreads out below shinning in the moon light.

Little rowing boats with small lanterns glowing warm pass up and down.Lake palace is lit up in coloured lights.Boats take the wealthy only !over there for evening meals in this palace.

To the right is city palace the largest palace in the whole of Rajasthan.

Its warm cream colour glows in ambers in the night.

Balconies and towers from a fariy tale, magical imposing its towers over the lake .

fire works fill the sky over lake palace a sign there has been a wedding this evening.

My breath has been taken away by the sight .

A Setting found in a Romantic film or story.

Sights like these stay with you a life time.

Rajasthan is truly amazing .

I have witnessed 4am sunrises and evening sunsets for weeks on / ghats – steps of the Ganges river most holy in India.

Other journeys have been amazingly striking as well.

I have gone down the river Nile in Egypt at midnight in a felucca with locals I met that day !

Then crossed from one side to the other to explore that night .

This is living and being alive .

These were my moments alone that will stay with me forever.

This was a passage from my travels.

However now I will explain what I have been up to of late.

I have been working on a shop to share a flavour of travel and India with others.

Bharat Treasures shop on Esty https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/BharatTreasures

To offer some unique pieces of jewellery and miniature, natural water colour ,hand painted beautiful vintage works of art from Rajasthan India.

I would love it if you took a few moments to check out my shop and maybe share it with friends and family also .

So once again such along time since ive writern and connected with you all.

Sadly im still having issues with head pains so have to pick times when my silly head is more able to cope with screens.

So anyway thats borning and ongoing.

Well I guess most of us are a bit down in the mouth due to current events.

Winter time I am sure is making things even harder.

Theres bad weather, lack of work, income, and this ongoing situation that we are all facing.

However even when we are down we must find things to be thankful for and things that give us joy no matter how small or even slightly silly they may seem to others.

Take time ever day to be thankful and find a little joy build up on these place them deep inside you. They are your moments, your treasure s that no can take from you ever!!!

Memories are worth more than stuff they fill us and keep us strong longer than any purchase ever could.

So stop, think of something to be thankful for?

Something that gives you joy?

I am simply thankful everyday for a roof and food.

I am joyful in small things like the smell of coffee, fresh bread, freshly washed sheets, and on those wet wet wet days here in western Ireland there a beautiful rainbow around every corner!!

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I am so happy and really thankful to be able to have a garden .

So wonderful to not have to ever buy flowers from a supermarket that cost so much and have most likely travelled miles on a plane to get there.

stepping out side to the garden or a a shot walk down the country lane to collect just a few wild flowers ,blades of different grasses can look really beautiful and simple in a vase .

Displayed on the kitchen table over over the fire place to give the country charm ,warmth and welcome to the home .

Today I harvested the old dead poppy heads .

Placed them in a vase to carry on their drying process and then I will take the seeds from them to sow again next year.

We have had a few windy days again so some of my rose heads had snapped .I can not bare to leave them like that so always remove them and give them a new home in a little vase on the kitchen table.

I also picked a few of the flowers growing around the garden. To add a new display of flowers over the fire place fresh for the start of another week .

Every little vase has its own beauty .

• 

• 

• 

So for the last few weeks, my kitchen has had the pungent stink of vinegar.

This is because now the harvests of vegetables all come at once.

Do not get me wrong, I am forever thankful for bountiful crops .

These I preserve and can use later at winter time.

When the earth no long can provide theses kinds of foods for us.

Now is the time to process the vegetables and preserve them in different ways.

A good way is pickling and fermenting foods.

Pickling is great but I have done a lot !!! of late and the stink of vinegar in the air. Is starting to loss its appeal to me some days.

My recipe for pickled shallots was only for a small amount.

Did not want to double or treble the amount as this can throw the recipe out.

So we will make another batch very soon.

Today 3 large jars made testing in 8 weeks from now .

• 

• 

• 

So for many years now we have not eaten boxed store cereals.

Why?

So costly! For such a small amount and when looking deeper into this subject. Wow what alot of hidden sugars, colourings and preservatives!! Do we wish to start each morning treating our bodies with that.

No we didnt wish to do this.

So for years we have got bulk oats. They go far and cost so much less.

The body burns them slower. Than a sugar filled cereal and sugar levels do not spike and jump around. So an all round healthier option.

The good thing about oat breakfast s is you can add milk. Or vegan milks and even just water so cheap.

You can add toppings with health benfits to help your body.

Its away to add those herbs and spices which are good for you first thing in a morning.

I have oats with.

Water and sometimes and added banana if ive got any at the time.

Herbs and spice used.

Half a teaspoon of Turmeric power due to it anti inflammatory properties.

Good for arthritis.

Ginger and cinnamon because I love them and they are good for you.

Seeds flax for good healthy fats and lowing cholesterol.

Added addition at present a spoonful of blackcurrant syrup from our fruit.

High vit C very important for immune system.

One teaspoon of nettle seeds full of vitamins and minerals plus adaptogen herb helps support fatigue and adrenals.

Herbal tea s.

Made with wild herbs from my land.

Today red clover and hawthorn berry.

Red clover is good for menopause and hormone imbalance.

Hawthorn for strengthing heart and lowering cholesterol.

I at this point would like to say I am NOT a (doctor.)

Please check any herb and wild flowers with your own resources. Or your own doctor before taking anything yourself.

I am NOT qualified in any way.

Do your own research.

This is just what I do myself.

I have found health benefits and enjoyed making herbal teas with plants from my land.

So sharing to inspire others in the art of natural herbs.

Sometimes natures, natural God given cuboard is right on our own door step! Will give all we need! Once we take the time to learn and look and see things in a diffrent light 😉

• 

• 

• 

• 

My mother was a wonderful mum.

Since I myself have become a mum. I can see even more what a nice mum she was.

She died when I was just 27 years old.

She had never had the best of health due to diabetes. Which in those days was not treated so well as it is today.

Her body became damaged due to this ongoing disease.

She was a gentle kind lady.

I do wish she had stayed longer here. To met her only grandson to see him grow and be part of our families life.

We dont alway realise at the time, but I am sure she is looking down on our family.

Watching our lives and seeing our new journey develope daily.

One of her favourite flowers were sweetpeas.

As a child I remember our vegetable patch in our back garden.

Some years my mum would make a small bamboo cane wigwam for the sweetpeas to climb up on.

Sometimes we would get a few flowers but never that many.

Mum was alway happy if she got some she loved these delicate, pretty, sweet smelling flowers.

So this year in memory of her. I planted a whole fence worth of sweet pea plants. Infact 120 seedling which grew!

They covered the whole wire fence and gave flowers after flowers.

We filled the house with 3 or 4 vases of fresh cut flowers every week.

We offered flowers to neighbours and friends which was nice to be able to do.

Of course while we did all this we felt pleased to have grown so many of mums favourite flowers for her and us all.

• 

• 

•