I’ve decided to bring back the Monthly Memoir! I made this decision about half way through January. About three quarters of the way through January I realised the month was never going to end, but now, at the beginning of March, I realise that somehow two months of 2019 have already finished and I’m still getting over Christmas!….
A big reason for rekindling this section, (that you may remember was a regular blog post back in 2016, ) is that I would like somewhere to share photos I’ve taken, and really like, but perhaps aren’t suitable for my Instagram account. I’m also missing the good old-fashioned way of blogging! Since recently updating the design for When I Grow Up, I’ve had to go back and add a featured image to a lot of my old blog posts. In looking at them again, I’m reminded of the much more chatty style of writing I used to have here. I actually like that, and I thought a Monthly Memoir would be a good opportunity for us to have a chat! I’m running a bit late already, so this is for January and February together.
I thought this picture summed up the end of Christmas nicely – from the rubbish still sitting there two weeks into January because the bins were full, to the really pissed off expression of our cat, Rafiki! Although January seemed to last forever this year, we kept busy to try and stave off those blues; beginning with Wassail celebrations in the village tithe barn. Imagine fiddle players; the sound of Morris dancers’ sticks on the flagstone floor; songs about apple trees; plenty of cries of ‘Good health and cheer – Wassail!’, the taste of warm cider, which everyone said tasted a bit funny this year; and children frightened by the fire-breathing dragon of the mummers’ play. Imagine all that, and you’ll know what it was like!
Chris and I have decided to spend our free weekends travelling around the UK as much as we can this year. We began by going to Dartmoor and visiting Wistman’s Wood.
Two weeks later, the day the snow hit the south west of England, I drove to Taunton to be interviewed live for BBC Somerset. They have a segment on Thursday evenings about social media, so I was there to talk about this blog, When I Grow Up. (I’d give you a link, but I think it’s gone now.) I spent most of the week mildly anxious and trying not to think about it, but was really nervous on the day. I think I managed not to let it show though, and afterwards I was on such a high for feeling the fear and doing it anyway! On the one hand, I do like to live a quiet hermit-like life, but on the other, it feels great when you do do something to push yourself and it goes well, and I wish opportunities to do that came my way more often.
At the weekend, Chris and I returned to Dartmoor in the snow. It was a bit of a hairy adventure in some places, but I’m so glad we went as it was beautiful.
I also spent quite a lot of the month tidying up my study / sewing room – these seems to be an annual tradition actually! It will, of course, be a video coming very soon to my YouTube channel. But it’s so nice to be in here now, and so far I’ve made a jungle fairy dress and a frock coat, and have started on a tropical plant themed ball gown for Threads of a Fairytale. I’m loving creating again; it feels like it’s been years!
We’re now into February and that wonderful week of summer that we had! I’ve never in my life sat outside in the garden at that time of year before! A bit of sunshine does wonders to put us in a good mood doesn’t it? I sat outside in our new patio area and just soaked it up and daydreamed. It was wonderful! I also read Sara Tasker’s book, Hashtag Authentic, so the review for that will be in a couple of days. Whilst out there I spotted this poor butterfly caught in a spider’s web. I feel guilty that I actually changed lenses on my camera to take a photo before setting it free.
The weekend before the one just gone, Chris and I had another photography trip out, and this time we drove directly South to Dorset. As I mentioned in my recent musings about Instagram, I would like to write more blog posts about these day-trips and include my photography in them, so I’ll save those pictures for that post, which will be coming soon. I’m feeling very inspired for this blog at the moment!
So now we’re in March, and it’s only three weeks until Rain gets back from her three month au pairing in Spain. I’ve really missed her cheery chatter and can’t wait to give her a hug.
If you’d like to see some of what I’ve been getting up to, here are my latest vlogs:
How have you spent the first couple of months of 2019? Leave me a comment!
Joining with #sharealllinkup at Not Dressed as Lamb.
