Lengthening Days

This is a lovely time of year in England as we near the end of Winter and welcome the very gentle feel of Spring in the air. Today was bright and sunny, with a beautiful light that most definitely looked and felt like Spring rather than Winter. We are on the cusp of changing seasons, and it feels really pretty good.



It's still very chilly here in my my patch mind you. The clear skies have led to freezing cold nights, and despite the sunshine the canal was frozen when we walked to school this morning. It still feels good to be cosied up indoors, although this afternoon I did have a mild thought about spending time planting up my disgracefully dead hanging baskets. The thought was very mild and lasted about 4.5 seconds before I shivered and scurried back inside. Home feels so cosy and lovely, no need to play outside just yet.

My time spent at home with Little B is a pleasure actually. After the mornings activities out and about, we generally have three hours together at home in the afternoons. These hours consist of lunch, followed by some time where we each do our own thing (train track fun for him today and catching up on emails for me), followed by some time spent together (we baked today, a batch of buns, followed by a tray of flapjack). I am still lighting the fire in the late afternoons as like I say, it is still very chilly here.

Oh but the lengthening days are soooooo welcome! I love that we are eating all our meals by natural daylight again, it feels wonderful. Our evening meal is at 5.30 and is always one of the highlights of my day. I enjoy my solo time with my apron on cooking in the kitchen, singing along to the radio. I enjoy setting the table with cutlery and glasses and waiting for J to come home. And I very much enjoy the family time we have each evening with us all eating and chatting around the table together. I made satay noodles for dinner tonight, we ate them out of bowls and they were rather mmm-mmm.

I put my hand in my coat pocket earlier to find a tissue and out came a handful of beach treasure from last week. It made me smile and made me think about holidays. We've been pondering over our holiday plans for this year and so far are still undecided quite what to do and in which order to do what we're not sure about doing. We have a family wedding to go to in the late autumn which we are are thinking about turning into a weeks holiday (the venue is in Kent somewhere, so a long way for us to travel from here for just a few days). Currently we are undecided whether to return to Northumberland again in the summer or to try somewhere completely different. And then of course we have our Connievan trips to think about and plan...oh joy! I'm going to go and visit her at the weekend to see how she has come through the winter. Seems an age since our last Connie-jolly. Can't wait for the next one. Roll on Spring, we are ready ☼

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[5ladybirdlane]

I love collecting sea worn glass on the beach. Ideal to keep in your pocket to remind you of trips to the beach. Ooh how we Brits are looking forward to spring!!! Sarah

[Shelley Madson]

Loving the cozy picture of the fire and all the colorful pretties and signs of play. Perfect day to spend a winter evening!

[Sue]

I'm with you can't wait for spring and then closely followed by summer evenings sitting outside - hook in hand of course x

[Chy]

Here is Canada, we still have snow but it keeps melting, the roads are filled with mud now and it's supposed to rain this week. I woke up to a change in the air today. It feels "lighter", the days are longer and spring is just around the corner. Soon our land will be green and lush. Can't wait!

[Chel]

I drove home this evening without my head lights on! Such a heart warming novelty! Spring is coming and the bulbs are beginning to bloom! Happy days! Take care. Chel

[Simone]

Such a lovely weather.....be thankful.... :-)
Here in Germany it´s cold, wet and foggy .... it´s horrible!!!
Havent seen the sun for weeks..... :-(
Simone

[Ali Dufty]

So glad you enjoyed your mini-break and are refreshed and revived .Your pictures and tales manage to transform the gloomiest of days .
I too, love the seasons here in the UK and embrace the change and promise of each one ! (although Spring is just a little bit more special than the rest I think !)

[Gill]

We sat in the sunshine and had our dinner (lunch) overlooking the sea today and instead of doing my to-do list this morning (dusting, hoovering, and ironing) I walked on the beach, found lots of seaglass and went rock-pooling. Housework tomorrow. I am a lucky girl, Lucy.

Love and stuff xx

[Jenny Grant]

Funny you should mention sea glass. I was looking at ways to make necklaces from this all weekend, but got distracted by an orange seahorse I found on eBay....

It was sunny when I left work tonight, it was uplifting! And the sky was pink stripes reflecting on the buildings too. So pretty!

[Clare]

I can't wait for spring either, I have huge tray of primroses that need planting up in the window boxes and hanging basket of the summerhouse, but it's still so chilly out, even here down in Kent.

[Carine_07]

You could make a nice necklace with the beach treasure glass stones.
I am fed up with the snow, I want to see some green leaves soon. The birds are back and chirping again. Spring is just around the corner.

[Heather]

I got washing out on the line today! Overly exciting really! I stood with my nose rammed into it afterwards - ahhhhh. Looked like a bit of an odd bod to the neighbours I s'pose! Hurrah for longer days.

[Angela-Southern U.S.A.]

Yes,seems everyone is holding their breath for spring :)can't come soon enough,ours is very close now(fingers-crossed).Love the heart shaped rock,my youngest daughter and I always look for heart shaped..anything!The daffy's look lovely in the blue dotty jug andI agree,gathered around the table in the evening is a blessing.Bring on spring!

[Kate]

We had a couple of hours of late sunshine this afternoon- very cold out there and apart from those couple of hours, very, very grey and dull. November-style gloom for four months....can't wait for it to start to feel more like Spring is on the way.

[Elena Hunt]

Here in the US, we are still in the throws of winter... Today however is sunny and warmer than usual. I live at the base of a 14000 foot mountain so it will be chilly here for a while. I love hearing about how others are fairing across the world.. Thank you for the insight into your area and life.

[Rachael Iddon]

It has certainly been a glorious day. I read your Facebook post this afternoon and it struck such a chord. I was in my happy place right then too. One bit of sun makes all the difference.

[Patti]

Very gloomy cold wet rain... sleet and now snow.. expecting a few inches tonight here in Ohio! But Lucy... you bring sunshine to our home every story I read and all your lovliness! :) Thank you for everything.... me my yarn my hook, the wee man and D...and my dear Lucy... Life is good... xx <3 xx

[Julia]

Oh how I wish I felt spring was coming. But here in central Iowa I have 11.5 inches of snow at my house.

[Noemi]

Aqui, en Buenos Aires, aun estamos en verano, con temperaturas entre 12 grados y 26 como máxima. Soy fan de su página y admiro sus trabajos. Me encanta encontrarla en Facebook. Un abrazo. Noemi

[Thistle]

I love reading your blog because your life is so much like mine. So many of the same rhythms and patterns to both of our days, weeks, life in general. I do hope you get to have a few good trips this summer; I am very much looking forward to seeing Connievan all decked out again too. :)

[Helen]

When you go to Kent I recommend a visit to Whitstable if you are in the area. It has a lovely harbour and beach and some fabulous independent shops and galleries full of beautiful things to buy. I think it would be right up your street. Have you thought about taking your caravan to the continent? We had a very successful trip last year, the crossings are fairly reasonably priced and towing on the other side of the road went better than I imagined. There are some great sites for families.

[Gillian McM]

It's raining here in Cambridge, Massachusetts too, and very cold, but little by little the light is lasting later into the afternoon. Spring won't come here until April-May, alas, so I love to look at the picture of your fireplace - they make me feel warm. What a happy life you have - may it continue to be full of blessings!

[Mrs A]

And here in Australia I can't wait for Autumn, it has been a long hot summer and soooo dry. This is in Victoria, in the south whereas in Northern Australia they have had torrential rain and now floods. HOWEVER we have had two and a half inches of rain in the last three days and it has been blissful waking up in the night to hear the rain on our tin roof, then drifting off to sleep. AND today is cool! Just overnight the grass in front of our house is turning green. Some of our trees are just beginning to turn so a sign of Autumn. You have all had such a tough winter in the Northern Hemisphere so no wonder you are looking forward to Spring! Lucy, I love your posts, the beautiful country-side and of course your work....or should I say play...your lovely crochet. Thankyou, Mrs A

[Kathy, FRANCE]

My goodness Lucy - two posts in two days - you must have missed us!!lol what a treat!
I'm still in shock that you eat at 5.30pm - our children, here in France, are just getting home from school about then - they have a 'gouter' (snack) probably something like Nutella on bread or a couple of biscuits and then go and do their homework and we all eat dinner between 7-8pm - people don't get home from work here until that time - most shops and offices close at 6.30 or 7pm is you husband home and ready to eat at 5.30pm?? and doesn't he need a half hour to unwind with an aperitif!! a little martini or pastis and a few nuts first!
Maybe I've been here too long!!lol

[Sarah]

You live in the land of happiness, all your blog posts are so cheerful...and all the comments... I must crack the code on being a blissfully happy mother of three. I have my days, but really can't relate that much!