Happy Mother Day!!!

With Mother's Day just around the corner. I thought I'd write a sort of shortish poem but no matter how hard I tried to keep this shorter. Writing words just kept on flowing with each line. This poem was meant originally for my website. It should have been a maximum of twelve lines long. I based it round a fictitious family. Due to this lovely family the poem just grew to long..

O' mother dear, you are so sweet,

When all our clothes are in a heap

You go about with a smile so rare, 

When you carry out clothes up the stair.

You bake such wonderful cakes to eat,

Biscuits a sweets are our favourite treats.

You're there when we need you at the end of the phone,

Just hearing your voice we're no longer alone.

All grown up with kids of our own,

So busy rushing there is much to be done,

Young Dan's on the phone, Bill's with his mate

Jeanie's playing netball and she's going to be late.

Gran has arrived thank goodness for that,

She takes off her coat and she takes off her hat.

She boils up the kettle and brews up the tea

And she's baked tiny cakes just for her and for me.

The house has gone quiet, the kids have all gone. 

It's peaceful again in this happy home.

Now lets taste these pretty sweet cakes,

All lovely colours on little white plates..

Now sit yourself down ma'dear, I hear her say,

Drink yer tea whilst it's hot and, then I'll be on my way.

I sit upon my little stool and rest my aching legs,

She pulls her chair up closer and whispering she says..

Doctor Harry called th' tother day,
Just for a wee chat, I heard him say,

He asked about my gout, and if I'd had,
.. it sorted out?

That nice young doctor Harry Sprout!!

Mother dear, I have a gift for you,

I know amongst the flowers within your bridal bouquet
Were Freesia amd Convallaria to name a few.
So I've made a Freesia basket just for you!

Happy Mother's Day!

We Love You!

oxoxoxox

Best Wing Forward!!

                Hello, you lovely people,

Here we are twelve days into the new year and already I am focusing on the direction ahead. I get so excited at the start of each year, making plans and decisions for the future month's ahead.


Over the past year, I have learned a great deal about social media, blogging, tweeting and keeping my posts up-to-date. Strangely enough I found it all quite tedious to begin with but laterally I'm pleased to admit I'm actually getting to grips with it and enjoying it all so much more.





This year, I will write my thoughts and plans on my post and publish them. I must confess I am inclined to procrastinate so, I feel I will accomplish so much more being aware you all know my plan and by the end of 2013, I will have completed all my tasks!!


Apart from my floristry business which I am very passionate about and love, I have signed up for Goodreads 2013 Book Challenge. I will read one book per month over the following twelve months. I appreciate most of you will be completing many more books but I feel this would be a good challenge for me... Yeah!

I intend to update Natural Twigs n Spices and my new blog The Quartz Rose which is going to be an extension of my website www.myflowerpot.co.uk but with a twist and involving meditations, healings and in time, treatments and courses. I will write one post per week  for each blog to begin with. My challenge on Twitter, will be to reach 4,000 tweets with quotes on various topics, recent news updates, retweets and any other subjects or gossip by the end of 2013! Yeah!!

I started a Creative Writing Course sometime back and floundered badly along the way, so I have decided to pick up where I left off and continue the course.  I  hope to be closer to my dream this time next year if not before. So here's to a "Best wing forward and finding my writer's voice".

What are your plans for 2013 and are you starting any new businesses?
Any suggestion would be very welcome. So please leave a comment, I don't bite or sting!! 

"The Floral Birthday Book printed by E Evans

Today, whilst sorting through paperwork, I came across a little green and gold hardback'd book. It looked quite old, the pages were worn and turned at the edges. I opened it to look inside, I did not recognise the font but the book was full of poems and beautiful illustrations of hedgerow flowers on each page. The front cover was divided into four sections by a gold line connecting to an oval shape in the centre with yellow wording which read; "The Floral Birthday Book," at each corner section there was a picture of a wild flower. 
                                          
                                                                                                                                                            
The book was small three inches wide by four inches long and small enough to slip into a pocket. When I held it in my hand I wanted to hold onto it but it felt fragile and well used. As I opened it I found there were no dates of when it had been written. Between the first three pages parchment paper was inserted between two full page illustrations. On the fifth page I found "Flowers and their Emblems", with appropriate selections from the poets with 368 Illustrations. On following pages, I read  the names of each poet and on the following page their poems. The edges of each page were red and I felt I wanted to wear gloves so as not to damage the paper. On each page there were three sets of poems and three sets illustrations. The next page was blank but it had been divided into three individual spaces. Two section on this particular page had names yet other sections within the book were blank. I found the name of W Foster on one of the illustrations and then noticed that the little book had been printed by Edmund Evans.

My curiosity took me  online to see if I could find any history on this little book. To my delight I found a similar book but it wasn't as pretty as mine. The book online was covered in brown cloth with a gilt tool edging and yellow pages inside. It is believed to have been written in 1876 and this one like mine had no inscriptions on it which made it the original. Printed by Edmund Evans.

Has anyone come across a similar book to this one?

A Link With The Past

As it's coming up to Halloween tomorrow evening, I thought I would write this short story and at the same time ask you if you have ever felt whilst sitting alone that you had company... yet you couldn't explain it?  This story say's exactly that..

The two girls arrived home, it was later than they expected. They were both exhausted and very cold, due to the car breaking down.. they ended up walking home. On arrival, Sheila removed the soiled dishes, from the early morning breakfast table and took them into the kitchen. As Sheila entered the kitchen a wee mouse scuttled across the bench heading for a safe haven...
       Meanwhile Sue cleaned out the ashes from the fire, re-set it, then put a match to the paper. The fire went out immediately. Sue decided a little paraffin or petrol might do the trick and went to look in the shed. She wasn't away long before returning with a can which she poured over the kindling sticks. Then striking a match she quickly threw it into the centre of the fire, at that same moment she leaped backwards followed by a belching cloud of grey-black smoke. "Veroomff'' came the sound as the flames shot up the chimney. Soon the fire was blazing. Sue built it up and brushed the hearth clean.  She stood up feeling proud with herself, when suddenly she heard an almighty scream from the kitchen, next came a banging and clattering sound and moments later ..  Sheila appeared with a large meat knife in one hand and a bright-red disgruntled face screaming, "If that mouse eats another piece of my bread I'll personally chop it's head off.. if I catch it.. she shouted.'
Sue was horrified as she loved all animals, and the thought of harming them made her want to cringe. She immediately dismissed the thought..

The cottage felt cold as they came through the front door but they were both chatting about the car and Sue said, she would contact the garage first thing in the morning. They re-heated the chips they had bought on their way home and sat huddled round the hot fire as they listened to the news on the television. Sheila, kept changing the channels looking for something of interest. They both decided to put the heaters on in their bedrooms and fill their hot water bottles. Sue put the kettle on and once boiled filled both bottles and placed them in each bed. They watched a film which Sheila had been given for her birthday. When it finished Sue decided it was time to get showered and ready for bed.  Sheila said, she would see if there was anything else on television. Sue came out of the bathroom in her pyjamas ready for bed and as she walked past the living room, she popped her head around the door, Sheila was switching off the television. Sue called out, "Goodnight!" and she made her way into her bedroom and closed the door behind her...
                        The air seemed chilly which she thought was strange after all the heater had been on a good few hours or more.  She decided she would leave the heater on but would turn it down a little. Sue climbed into bed and pulled the covers up over her shoulders and cuddled the bottle which was still quite hot. A short while later she heard the living door open and her friend's feet creaking on the floor boards as she made her way to her bedroom, calling "Goodnight, see you in the morning, Sue", Then silence fell upon the little cottage.

Sue lay on her side hugging the water-bottle, enjoying the heat and thinking over her day as she wondered, why her car had just stopped for no apparent reason. At that moment the temperature in the room seemed to drop quite rapidly. Her first reaction was, the heater had gone off. She lifted her head out from under the bed covers and was surprised to see the red bars from the heater burning brightly. Then she felt the air go very cold in fact she could see her breath in the air. Sue decided the temperature must have dropped drastically outside and that was the reason it had become so so cold.  She closed her eyes to try and sleep...  Then as if from nowhere she heard voices, first of all it sounded like two voices one was a high pitched voice while the other was deeper tone as though a man was speaking. She held her breath so that she could listen...  She just couldn't make out what they were saying. Moments later, Sue heard soft music and then as if a crowd of people had walked into a room a sound like gabbling geese filled the air  drowning out the soft background music... Sue was wide awake by this time, she wondered what the hell was going on and at that moment she heard the living room door being pushed open and footsteps in the hall way.. Her heart was pounding as she shivered with fear... what if they... what if it came into the room..  her room...' she heard her house-mate's bedroom door handle turn and the door open...
Aha she gave a gasp of relief it's only Sheila. Obviously, Sheila couldn't sleep and she has been listening to some music in the living room and has now gone back to her bed. She gives a nervous chuckle trying to convince herself that she had been letting her mind play tricks on her and the gabbling geese must have been "Wind up the lum". Eventually she began to relax and sleep finally found her..  She awoke early, dressed herself, put some toast in the toaster and the kettle on. By the time Sheila came through Sue was already sitting eating her toast and marmalade. Sheila walked over to the breakfast table and sat down opposite her. Sue, glanced at her and after swallowing a mouthful of tea said " Couldn't you sleep last night? You made plenty noise, did you have to put the television on so loud, it sounded as if you were having a party'. Sheila looked up from her bowl of cereal in surprise and said "Me, I said goodnight when I went to bed, I read my book for a short while, then I must have fallen asleep.' Sue couldn't believe her ears but she didn't want to sound foolish so she put it down to a strange dream.

It was about a month later that the girls arrived home from work both tired. They had lit the fire before they left and banked it up with dross to keep it alight until they arrived home.. They had their tea as usual and around 10 o'clock the said their Good night's and went to bed. The following morning Sheila was up early and when Sue came through to the living-room she noticed Sheila looking a little pale in the face. Sue jokingly said 'You look as though you have seen a ghost". Sheila replied, "What th' hell were you up to last night?  Couldn't you sleep? What was so important that you had to put the television on so loud in the middle of the night.. You must have left all the windows open too as it was freezing."...

Well what do you think happened that night??

Autumn Leaves..

October's almost over and November is but a few days away yet we're well through autumn and heading towards winter now. With its crisp, sharp nippy mornings, which almost take your breath away. You feel the chill mostly as you step out of your front door and shiver as you watch your breath freeze in the still morning air. Tall magnificent trees, stand before you in full splendour of autumn colour. The clocks go back the days grow darker and most trees will have almost shed their leaves. Other shrubs and trees are bare. They retain their colour through their stems. They enlighten the bare undergrowth. A mixture of  leaves lie crisp at your feet and they crackle as you walk through them on a frosty morning.


Above your head the sunlight dapples its rays throughout the branches of the trees. Then casting  your eyes through the lower hanging branches, you see nature's own workers marking their own territory with mosaic masterpiece's of silken threads which sparkle in the morning dew.  Their fine threads, difficult to see until... "Oops' .. it's to late ... your face, is covered in their fine sticky threads. You're so busy trying to remove them from your face, when you almost stumble upon a tree root sticking up out from the undergrowth. Clearing your face you manage to gather yourself together and luckily restrain yourself from falling head long into the cold damp leaves.


The days drag by and with each day the temperature plummets down and down it goes. The cold frosty air laces itself upon anything that is metal and Jack frost dances round the doors and windows. The ground begins to harden and it's time for nature to sleep.

Woodhorn Country Park

Today whilst the sun was shining and warm I thought I would take my dad and his dog out for a drive. Although I have lived here awhile I am ashamed to admit that I have not visited the many Country Parks in the area around Northumberland as perhaps I should.

Today, I took it upon myself to visit Woodhorn Country Park, Ashington in Northumberland. Only a short distance from our home. As we arrived we were surprised to find that it was not only a Country Park but it also had a Museum as well.

As we entered through the main gate to our delight there in front of us was a huge lake surrounded by forestry, farmland and a Premier Inn.  Refreshments for all.

We parked the car in the main parking area looking out onto a lovely man-made lake with a variety of swans all happily foraging for bits of scraps thrown by the visitors. Nicely planned walkways with paths and seating in case you need to take a rest.

There was a railway line with a red and black train which collected passengers and took them up to the old Colliery Museum.

"Susie"

Due to dad being almost ninety with walking difficulties I suggested I take him to the pub for a cool pint of John Smith's beer, whilst I walked his dog around the lake.  I must admit how beautiful and natural it was and only minutes away from the town of Ashington.  On return from the walk both dog and I had a cool soft drink.

As we left Woodhorn Country Park, we decided that on our next visit we would take a look at the Colliery Museum.

Taking The Plunge!

Have you ever felt your clothes are a little to tight or your skin is looking saggy and not at it's best. I recall a few years back when I was desperately overweight. Looking into a mirror and feeling ashamed of my body. I felt old, frumpy and my joints ached. Just walking or moving around began to feel impossible and generally my mental attitude took the plunge.

Two years ago, I was fit and full of energy, I was always busy, competing horses, swimming, visiting the gym and walking .. I never felt the need to check out my diet or keep an eye on my weight, until the past year when I felt that all of my energy and fitness had just got up and went.  Recently, I came across Indigo Horizons which at that time was covering a fitness regime. I thought whey hey, perhaps I should try this and see if it can help me.

Up until recently I lived in the country where I always felt at ease with plenty hill walks and moors to lose yourself on and  lovely people, I knew well. It's only been recently since moving - down to the north-east that everything has changed.  I'm not meaning to sound pathetic but since I became more involved with the Internet my exercise regime went out of the window. Time seemed to fly by and in very short space of time my muscles became soft, my body sagged and junk food became my diet.. In fact I gradually became a fat slob!

Since reading Indigo Horizons  I have been cutting out the junk food and eating a more healthy diet. I am walking regularly, riding my horse more often and although my joints are still painful  I am walking more and cycling when I have spare time. I feel now that it has improved my attitude for instead of procrastinating, I am sitting at my desk and writing this post which is long overdue.

I wonder if perhaps you have felt like I did and if you tried anything to improve your fitness and state of mind. I look back on it now and I'm pleased I took the plunge!!