Reflecting on my week #111

Well, happy new year. Hope yours was everything you expected it to be, and more. I finally went back to work today, and it was just as full on as I remembered, if not more, and while that’s nice I could quite happily have at least a few more days off, but couldn’t we all?

I had plenty of plans for my time off, and some of them I even put into action. Of course my list was way bigger than I could ever really achieve and I’ve realised that while I like a plan, I also fall into the last minute category too. One of my biggest successes, apart from some fantastic bargain hunting, was getting back into my colourful Vintage Sweetheart crochet project again. I’d forgotten just how bright it is, but I’ve made headway with another two and a bit of the granny square motifs completed. As the CAL (crochet along) has long finished instead of completing it by section I’m taking a more industrial approach and finishing all of one type of design before moving onto the next.

My crochet wasn’t the only colourful thing though. Holiday washing and some new colour in my hair have also brightened my days. I think I’m just about through all the holiday washing, though our suitcase isn’t quite empty yet - it’s one of those post-holiday jobs that I never seem to quite get through in one go. The upside about holidays though, apart from the obvious, is the opportunity to read more. And with no work to go to since I’ve been back, that’s continued so look out for a post on what I’ve read lately soon.

I’ve also realised that I’ve become a stripey top kind of girl, with at least three new striped variants being added to my wardrobe since I last wrote a weekly post.

I’ve pulled out my lettering kit and tackled some projects, aided and abetted by a couple of Christmas presents but more on that tomorrow. My patchwork quilt almost made it out of it’s work in progress storage, but not quite. I’m still cutting it out - yes, still - and it’s one of those tasks that in my mind is probably much bigger than it actually will be in reality, but for whatever reason I can’t quite get myself to start, just yet.

The final good thing about an extended Christmas break is being able to get our gin and cocktail game on. We’ve had some great negronis, gin and tonics and at the weekend our most recent craft gin box arrived, it’s a tough life.

It must almost be time to book another holiday, yes?

My garden in December

There has been very little gardening in December, and not that many trips past the back door in all honesty. Those that have taken place were mainly to collect herbs, like this sage, to add to cooking, including my own sage and onion stuffing. The plant is still going strong, so there could be plenty more of that to come too, which is good news.

The cover on the agapanthus is providing a new visual spectacle in our garden, with the raindrops it looks quite pretty. Who knew, gardening fleece could look so pretty?

Outside the shed the ferns seem to be doing well.

Though there are more leaves, and slimy ones at that, in the slate outside the shed. Another job for MOH!

In the rear bed, these white berries shone against the plant’s bare branches - I think they’re a kind of myrtle, I’ll have to look them up to see what they are.

The days I’ve been outside have also been grey and dreary, and uninspiring. I think that shows in the photos this month, but I guess that’s what we’ve had this December.

There was one photo that was a little unusual - I’ve no idea how I managed to take it - and while it’s blurred I kind of like it too.

I think I’ll call it leaves in a whirl!

My top 10 posts of 2019

Today, as is becoming tradition, I’m taking a look at the most viewed posts here last year. Once again I’m sharing two lists, the first is the top ten posts created in 2019 and the second the top ten posts created at any time.

It’s been quieter on my blog in 2019, which doesn’t surprise me and I’m sure it doesn’t surprise regular readers either. That reflects the amount of time I’ve had available to devote to my blog, which correlates busyness of my full-time job. Since the middle of the year I’ve been covering the junior role as well as my own, and at a time when things have got even busier, and with only so much time available it was inevitable. I’m hopeful that can be rectified soon, as I’ve missed spending quality time here.

There’s some favourites on both lists, and some regulars on the second list too, but let’s get on shall we, and start with posts created in 2019.

1 Telling Phyllis to Move On

This post was one of many from bloggers and the start of a bit of a ‘love bomb’ to support Emma from Island Living 365 who was sharing her cancer journey online. Having recently been diagnosed with Bowel cancer, she promptly named her cancer Phyllis and told her to ‘do one’ in no uncertain terms.

Emma has done so much to raise awareness of Bowel cancer, and just before Christmas had some great news to share, which you can read more about on her blog, but (spoiler alert) Phyllis got the message.

2 'Get creative with colour' this April

I’m pleased to see a couple of my new linky posts feature in this year’s top ten, not least because of the underlying message that Gardening is Good For You, because it really is. Even when it’s cold, which I also need to remember. This post from April is packed full of colour and advice for your own garden.

3 'Get Set Grow' this May

It’s not surprising that this post from May also appears here, as I think April and May are often the busiest at the start of the gardening year. The weather’s starting to warm the soil, and there’s much growing to be done, and who can resist the magic of planting seeds and seeing plants emerge. Even better if they are edible!

4 Celebrating colour and craft books I've read lately

Ah, a reminder for me that I should make more of these books and make time to craft a little bit more - something that went by the wayside especially in the second half of the year. Reminder noted. Look out for more on this in the next few weeks or so.

5 Some triangular planting

We’re back in the garden again for this post, and it’s one that I’m sure MOH will file under “hare-brained schemes” - but it’s resourceful, and seems to be working. The area doesn’t get too much sunlight, but the camomile was thriving last time I checked on it, and I’m hopeful we’ll get to enjoy its scent much more in 2020.

6 Lavatory Project: Spots and stripes

Of all the loos I wouldn’t perhaps have guessed this one would make the top ten list, though it’s definitely one that catches the eye. It’s part of a series of ‘Lavatory Project’ entries at Grand Designs Live, which could have been made for me to come along and photograph!

7 Let's talk rentals

This is the only collaborative post that’s made this list and one that was prompted by our new neighbour in the rental flat next door, who was a little over enthusiastic about trimming our plants. As it turned out her enthusiasm wasn’t dampened following this initial conversation, as when we returned from Portugal in June, we returned to some (quite a few) dead plants, which almost prompted The Conversation. That never happened, though I was itching to have it, but knew that I’d need MOH closeby to be the voice of reason, and he wasn’t keen. This neighbour has since moved out - nothing to do with our plants, honest - but it was interesting to write this post from a different perspective.

Let’s hope any new neighbour that moves in isn’t so enthusiastic with their clippers - though, there’s not much left for them to snip!

8 Interiors gems in Burnham Market

We had a short break in Norfolk much earlier in the year and were treated to spectacular weather, sun rather than grey skies in February. One of those afternoons we drove over to Burnham Market and had a mooch about their many boutiques, snapping as I went and this post is the result of that. Enjoy.

9 At the Assembly House in Norwich

During that February break we spent a couple of nights in Norwich at the Assembly House as a bit of a treat. It’s a gorgeous place, and the breakfasts are filling to say the least. When you book online you choose which room you’ll stay in, and we weren’t disappointed with ours.

10 Floral thrones, of course

The final post in this top ten is a throwback to the Chelsea Flower Show in 2018. Inside the Pavilion there’s always something a little wacky and unexpected, which probably sums up these floral thrones quite nicely. The work in them is amazing, but I suspect not many of us will have had our own floral throne to enjoy - sadly!

So quite an eclectic mix of posts, and there’s probably a message in there for me, but then again it’s probably a fair reflection of how we live our lives. And that’s all I can ever hope for from my blog.

Now onto the second list

This list is posts created at any time but viewed in 2019, the year in brackets is the year the post was originally posted - just one from 2019 made this list, which I’m kind of sad about, but that’s also given me incentive to try harder this year! Though the 2019 post which does appear is probably on the most important subject, so for that alone I’m glad it’s claimed its spot.

Last year I said it’d have to be a pretty special post to knock the IKEA hack from top spot, well that’s happened. And it’s been well and truly shoved and I couldn’t be happier about the post that replaces it and has so far had three times as many views.

1. Filling our gabion baskets (2017)

2. My IKEA hack: HOL storage table to laundry basket (2015)

3. Sean Murray's Great Chelsea Garden Challenge (2017)

4. Let's talk Edwardian house decoration (2017)

5. Softening our gabion seating area with plants (2017)

6. Blinds and shutters with Thomas Sanderson (2018)

7. The Jane Austen garden in Lyme Regis (2015)

8. Circles, spray paint and another plan for my garden (2016)

9. Telling Phyllis to Move On (2019)

10. Making cute pom-pom Easter bunnies and chicks (2016)

Actually looking at that list again, apart from the 2019 post, three others are also new entries which is interesting (in a Statto kind of way). I am pleased that the gabion baskets posts are doing well, and it’s also good to see the circles and spray paint post making an appearance too. It just goes to show, you never really do know what the year will bring.

In the next few weeks I’ll be sharing my favourite posts from the year in a couple of posts, I just need to work out what they are - choice is a terrible thing!