Wednesday 30 May 2018

Little bird...fly away


Our kitchen is nice and big due to a consevatory extension. Just outside are two linden trees which were planted when the house was built in 1909.  They are strong and beautiful and stood the test of time. 


One of the trees has a birdhouse that the previous owners put up. And a pair of blue tits built their nest here. We watched for the last two weeks as mama and papa were busily bringing food to their young.


But on this very wet morning, we noticed something different. Each time they dropped off a bite a little head popped out to watch for the next. 


The birds flew from the nest that day.  But we will never forget the cute little one peeping out to see the big world for the first time. 

Sorry my pictures are not the best but I could only photograph through the wet window. If you enlarge them, you can see the birds well.

Heidi

"Birds are a miracle because they prove to us there is a finer, simpler state of being which we may strive to attain."        --  Douglas Coupland  --

Wednesday 23 May 2018

Blossoms


Spring is exciting! The world is coming to life after a long cold winter and calls you to come outdoors to see its delights. 


This spring is special for us as it is our first at the farmhouse. We are discovering what is here while adding our own touches. The previous owner created a very beautiful garden. On the side Jos refers to fondly as the park, there are two trees which are the start of a little orchard. We decided to add more fruit trees. 


The pear tree had lost its blossoms last year due to a May frost before we moved in. This year it seems abundant with fruit. 


We had 5 apples on the tree last year but again this tree is full of small fruit with great promise. 


These are the start of walnuts. Last year's harvest was extremely good. I shared walnuts with friends and still have a basket full yet to work through. We have hopes this year will bless us again with a good harvest. 

We planted a new pear and cherry tree this year. Perhaps it is time to rename the park into the orchard. 

Heidi

"Just living is not enough...one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."  -- Hans Christian Andersen

Thursday 17 May 2018

Dear Diary...


Feeling bad about neglecting my new blog Ohio Star Quilt Studio, I have been reflecting why I miss blogging having started way back in 2006 with my very first blog but couldn't seem to get my blog going again. I was hooked and blogged for years. Now looking back, I realize that although public, the best blogs are real stories about real life. A diary online that I keep for me even though I know that I am sharing with others at the same time. 

So I am going to write this diary about our beautiful little red brick farmhouse. It is a magical place to live and has created changes in both my husband and myself. It brought me back to the beginning and made me want to slow down and enjoy the creative things around me once again. It is about loving what we have and seeing beauty in the smallest things. It is about being frugal and still enjoying wonderous things. 


And so I begin simply with a flower. I love having bouquets around the house. Recently I have been given a couple bouquets by visiting friends. After a while some blooms fade while some are still beautiful. I love to keep changing the bouquet as they need a little attention. Why throw out a flower that is pretty when only a few are faded. 


I have a few decorative jugs and combined flowers from two large bouquets into one. This jug is a favorite one of mine from Green Gate


Being frugal is getting the most out of what we have. Try cutting a bouquet of flowers smaller and rearranging them next time your bouquet is looking tired. It will bring it back to life and give you a few more days of pleasure. 
My small bouquet sits now in front of me on my woodstove. And it makes me smile!


"When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment."  -  Georgia O'Keeffe

Heidi