March 2012

Ahh March, you are no longer with us and I miss you! April so far is being completely vile, we're in the grips of an icy storm, the wind is howling and it is s-n-o-w-i-n-g, blasted weather. I look through these deliciously springlike photos and I want it to be March again, March was soooo beautiful. The sky was often blue, and we had warm sunshine for the first time this year. It was quite glorious for much of the time, yes March, you were lovely.

My organiser calendar went all green, sophisticated and Continental for March. Made me think of a carefree time in my past when many moons ago J and I flew to Paris for a romantic March weekend. Searching through my memory banks.......oh cripes.....yeah, waaaay back in my youth....March 1995,  seventeen years ago. Would love to go back sometime.

My ever lovely Ideal Homes calendar had this stunning image for March, it's been a true delight having this next to my desk to gaze at for a month. So beautiful, I find the sight of pink blossom really uplifting and good for the soul.

In my mind I associate blossom with May, as that's when the cherry trees in my neighbourhood flower. But in the past month I've noticed such a lot of early blossom flowering on trees all over the place, and it really is delightful. I don't have much blossom-knowledge so have no idea what sort of trees produce these gorgeous early blooms, but I love them very much. They are more delicate than the flouncy, frilly cherry blooms that come in May, I love their sweet simplicity.

My front patch crocus bloomed their little hearts out through early March, they were such a welcoming sight at the front of the house.

Forsythia sprang into action around here a few weeks ago too, there is lots of it around and about in my neighbourhood. I'm not mad keen on it to be honest (that particular yellow is a bit too shouty and acidic for me), but it's undoubtedly a real sign that Spring is well on the way.

In complete contrast to the indoorsyness of February, March was all about reconnecting with Outside. I love March for that very reason. I love stepping out of stuffy, cooped-up February and breathing in the fresh air of March, it's delicious. Lovely to start pegging out again too, it's a sweet domestic job that always fills me with gladness. Hooray for stripy garments flapping in the breeze!

Outdoor tea breaks also began again last month, oh the joy! I generally stop my outdoor pitstops sometime in October when my hands start turning purple with the cold. It's been lovely having enough warmth in the air to have the kitchen door propped open and a quick breather in the outdoors. In fact, I've really, really enjoyed all the domestic outdoorsyness these past few weeks :: the pegging out, the sunshine tea sipping, the seed planting, and the general feel-good brought on by warm air, blue skies and spring sunshine. I feel really excited about spending more time outdoors as the year progresses, about making my back yard into a haven of floral colour and greenery.

Floral colour has ben happening in abundance inside too, just look! Every Friday I stop by the market after picking up Little B from playgroup and treat myself to a modest bunch of fresh flowers. The tulips and narcissi that fill the pavement buckets at this time of year are brilliant, and represent great value for money. I can get quite a few bunches now for just a few ££, enough for me to fill a small jug for the table, pop four into my bathroom windowsill bottles, and have a few in a jar beside my bed. The roses above came from a surprise Mothers day bouquet. I don't wish to sound ungrateful, but I confess I am not a fan of commercial "mixed bouquets". If I am on the recieving end of one (not often), I tend to split them up, chop the stems short and arrange them into various small jugs instead of one over-the-top vase. Much more my style.

My photo album for March was full to bursting with pictures you know, it seemed like a very full-to-bursting kind of a month. When I'm putting my monthly round up posts together I like to try and capture the general feel of the months activities :: it was hard for March as there was so much! Lovely looking back and remembering the various outings we made :: local strolls, simple jaunts and proper full blown outings, it's been liberating to stretch our horizons beyond our four walls again.

Mind you, March also saw me get to grips with the Four Walls a bit, and I am so happy the Shelves of Doom were finally banished. It remains a highpoint of my year so far, truly it does. And that surprises me a bit, but it's true. I think it was as much about the way I was able to mentally and emotionally pull myself together to tackle this task as it was about the end results. A real Personal Achievement for a rather slovenly procrastinator. I really did it, didn't I? Still wearing ridiculous proud smile over that one, although my two crates are still there waiting, as is the pile of 51 books destined for the charity shop, so can't be too smug.

I had a hair chop in March, it was long overdue as I'd not been since the Blooming Flower cushion photos. That's eight months. I've got more grey hairs now, but I'm remaining true to my natural colour which is still pretty good. It feels lovely to have air on my neck again, I was looking quite shaggy and unkempt with my raggedy grown-out shoulder length do.

Hooky wise, not a lot to report for March, it was a quiet month on the hooky front. I kind of lost the will a little, I just didn't seem to want to do it for a while. I worked a little on my ripple through last month, but not a lot. I've got many, many ideas brewing for new projects though, it's quite tangled again up in my Creative Mind. I'll keep you posted.

So how's the Attic view been in March? Terrific, that's how. The light levels have risen dramatically, especially with the arrival of British Summer Time a few weeks ago, and I am so, so thankful for the extra daylight in my life again. Yeah, the view has been light-filled and lovely, take a look.................

I especially love that last photo, it was taken on 27 March at 18:20 after a day of the most glorious sunshine. I love the golden glow of the landscape at that time of day, I remember it made me want to rush out and frolic around in it (which I actually did, I took myself out for an early evening walk to watch the sun set and the moon rise, it was beautiful)

March was altogether a beautiful month. It was light and bright and upbeat, both indoors and outdoors. In March it became Springtime, and I was so ready for that change of season, was so over the winter.

Do you ever think of the year in terms of fractions? I do. I keep thinking wow, we are one quarter the way into the year now. Can't quite believe we're in the second quarter of the year already, but as this is my most favouritist quarter of all (April-May-June), I am more than happy with the progress. Bring it on, I'm ready to give it my all.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Edit to add :: A Question.......do you think I go on too much? Should I make my posts shorter/less wordy? Interested to hear what you think as I never give much thought to my posts in terms of how they read, I just write what I feel like writing regardless. ♥ oh that's ok then, thanks so much for the feedback and reassurance...will carry on with my ramblin' ways. Not sure I could do any different anyways?! ♥

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Kay G.]

Dear Lucy,
What a colorful, creative mind you have and I feel so lucky to feel that I know you from your blog. I just bought some primroses and the small purple blooms look as if they are floating on very long stems.
I love how you see color everywhere.
I hope your April will be as wonderful as your March, eventually anyway!
Love,
Kay

[meredith]

What a beautiful March, although I think you find the beauty in everything. Happy April!
Meredith

[Truly Myrtle]

Ahhh yes, March. She (for she must have been a sunny she, no?) was lovely. And, April...not so good. At least the rain has made all the green look really rich. But I remember fab easters in the past, so I am quietly crossing my fingers.
Loving your hair and it's a good reminder that mine is also a shaggy mess. Must take advantage of Mr Myrtle being home next week to get a trim :)

[Jackie]

Ah Lucy ~ March was indeed lovely in my little patch too. The weather has been vile in Scotland too the last couple of days~wind,rain,hail,sleet and snow! Not the kind of weather I was hoping for in the school holidays. Like you we have been snuggling up on the sofa in our pyjamas to compensate for the weather outside. You look very lovely with your new hair cut ~ I'm well over due for a cut too, about 7 months for me I think! I must try and get around to visiting the hairdresser very soon. Hope that you are all feeling much better and bug free now :O)xx

[Ali]

I love your blog! The colours and flowers and plain happiness in small things are so cheering. Thank you for sharing your life with us.

[Nicola]

I'm new to this blog and have been so incredibly inspired by the colour and creativity. A psychotherapist friend (I'm one too) asked me last night what it was about the colours that so inspires me and which has me hooking late into the night and I could only come up with words...... fresh, alive, fun, awake, energy and.... rebellious! Its a little hard to be sitting on warm Autumn (Australian) nights with a growing heavy granny blanket perched on my knees but its exciting to watch it grow.

I should tell you that I found you through a friend that has a similar caravan fetish... um I mean interest! She had seen a photo of a caravan interior with a bluey and red granny square rug and asked me if I could replicate it. Once I tracked down the photo to your blog (God bless Google), I was hooked! I hadn't picked up a needle for about four years (the degree got in the way a bit) and am now a bit oveerwhelmed with all the possibilities.

Love it - thank you!

[RainStorm]

Yes, March was full of lovely weather. However I don't think we can write-off April yet - I know the weather's been rubbish so far (especially up north - it's still kinda sunny down here), but we're only a few days in! And there's lots of nice thins happening in April (like Easter :) ). And lots of plants will start to appear and grow :) April's a wonderful month! Let's hope there's plenty of sunshine to come!

[terri]

Your hair is lovely :)

[Ann]

Yes, I wish it was March too - can't believe I was paddling in the river with the little fish just last week! The hills here in North Wales are white too. I worry about the poor birds starting to build their nests and lay. But perhaps we'll be running around in flipflops and summer dresses again next week :o)

[Kezia]

What gorgeousness - March beautiful wasn't it? I can't believe you have snow, how crazy is that??

[maggie]

Makes a change for me to be in at the beginning!
I love your posts, they are so energetic, lively, colourful, optimistic, inspiring, creative, and above all, highly readable. Some blogs, well you know sometimes you skip a bit here and there as they do go on and don't hold your attention - well mine anyway. As I get older I have less patience with bothering with stuff that doesn't grab me and hold my attention.
You have inspired me to do so much more with my crochet than I did when I was younger - ie your age - and I have loved it.
I have loved reading about your family, memories of when my own sons were small and the fun that could be had with the simplest of things.
Enjoyed your outings as I know some of the places you visited, and it was nice to revisit since I now live too far away to do so myself.
Am now enjoying watching your dear little backyard area burst into colour... looking forward to the arrival of the small potting shed and the painting thereof!
Have been privileged at being shown your lovely home, and the fab views from your attic - a bit green with envy about those views I have to say!
So thank you for sharing all of this and more.

[idiosyncratic eye]

March was a beautiful month. :)

[rach]

its been trying to snow here in north wales!! last week i was wearing a tshirt. now im back in cashmere! oh the joys of English weather

[Cindy]

Hi Lucy,

I must say, we had a mild March too. And so far, our April is going well. We need rain though. Like the new haircut. I got mine cut too, in March, but I could go a little shorter I think. I wanted to let you know I made another Crochet Bag! Only I made it smaller (that last one just came out too big) and I lined it! LOVE IT.

Cindy Bee

[Karen]

Hi, Lucy! Your enthusiasm about life inspires me to make the most out of mine. And your hair looks fab! Can't wait to see your upcoming projects.

[Regula]

Congratulations on your shelves. Yes, you did it!

[Jenni]

Ah, March, yes, was indeed beautiful! And April, well.... I'm hiding out in my little attic here, listening to the howling wind and watching the swirling snow, snuggling a hot water bottle and eagerly awaiting a phone call from the boiler man who will hopefully be able to fix our broken central heating - eeeeeek!

April hasn't been too kind so far. But April is my birthday month, so I always have a fondness for her really...

[Sonja Mizen]

I have the opposite here in South Africa. Spring is slipping away and Autumn it in full swing. I do love Autumn in Cape Town. Lovely sunny days, not to warm and no wind. Can be a bit of a pain in the summer. Lots of bank holidays and the best time to go to the beach! I do love you blog. I am married to a English man and use live in England for 10 years. I am missing it everyday. SA has wonderful advantages, o but nothing beats England! Thanks for sharing all the little things with me that makes your country GREAT!

[delf]

Lovely mosaic, as always!!!! Have a wonderful April, ;-}

[erin]

Love the photo views from your Attic. Makes me wish I was back in England. Where I live is always the same sunny or rainy days, nothing changes much.

[Wendy]

Love your hair and you look great. Your photos are really colourful and fill me with happiness, we have snow on the hills but not much. Do you mind me asking you where you got your lightshade in your diningroom, love it soooo much.
Wendy

[Jeanine]

I like your hair cut. It looks "sassy" :).

So glad you are feeling better.

Jeanine (in Michigan)

[Sarah]

Lucy, who cares about the weather.....lets crochet !!! :)

[Melissa]

Thank you for such a colorful and lovely post. I love peeking into your corner of the world through your writing and pictures.

Blessings.

[Lynne Kovan]

Lovely post as usual. Glad you are better. Soon be spring proper.