My fab recycled Christmas Tree Bird Table

Since moving to a place where our garden adjoins a beach (via a golf course) I have developed an interest in bird watching. It started when a snipe decided to hang out in our garden. I was suddenly aware I had absolutely no knowledge of wild birds and this simply wasn't good enough.

Spurred on by wanting to be able to teach LD about wildlife when he is bigger, I started avidly looking about me with renewed interest. My dear hubby bought me some fancy waterproof binoculars for christmas and off I went.

For a few months, I had been hanging 'fat balls' and 'wild bird seed' from the bamboo left in our dormant veggie patch from last years green bean growing attempts. When the spring sunshine spurred us in to action to plant this years crop, the bamboo had to be removed and the bird food was temporarily homeless.

Whoop whoop and so my christmas tree bird table was born! Super hubby chopped off the branches, leaving just a few for hanging things. A trunk sized circle was cut out of a piece of wood that was kicking about the garage and affixed for birdy snacks of bread and fruit.

As I wrote in my 'Reasons to be grateful' blog hop post (maxabella loves) I love my bird table!

It gives me great pleasure watching the sparrows, tits and thrushes and I am always on the look out for different feathered visitors. I just can't understand why I haven't discovered bird watching before?

This week I'm grateful for ....

I really love this blog hop from Maxabella Loves. I have had a wonderful week which, in no small way, has been enhanced by .....



Slow Cookers are great! I have cooked two delicious meals in mine this week, just bung the ingredients in and trot off for the day. There is nothing quite like coming home to the smell of slow cooked yum - it almost feels like someone else has cooked it for you. Hurrah!

The added revelation is I have discovered the joys of cooking a whole chicken in the slow cooker - so easy and the meat is so tender it literally falls off the bone. Whoop whoop!!!

Christmas Trees. I know, I know it's April but our christmas tree has been resurrected in to a bird table. It is ace - a few branches have been left on to hang seed containers and a piece of wood attached around the trunk for bread etc. The birds love it. I am so delighted about this new addition to our garden I am going to do a post on it in the next couple of days .....

Special Times

Busy cafe’s, happy laughter makes for merry days.

The pattering feet of wobbly toddlers

who’s early years pass in a haze.

It’s great to be a busy bee, to chat away for hours

but sometimes it is wonderful to just stop.

Stay at home, bake a cake and watch the birds outside

sit and dream or eat ice-cream

and go to play on the slide.

Life is precious, hold it close

moments made of ice.

Time melts away

and toddlers grow

thrown in the world like dice.

Take time now 

enjoy each day

love the babble and tea.

Cherish each moment

of dribble and goo and

remember each scratch of the knee.

This is a special time.

Silent Sunday

Things I am grateful for...

I have decided to join this wonderful blog hop from Maxabella Loves and am going to post one or two (maybe even three) things I am grateful for each week. I have had a wonderful time this week - enjoying the weather and great company so here goes......

This week I am grateful for:

1. Daffodils. These flowers always make me smile and remind me of birthdays in spring. Yesterday a friend and I took our wee ones to a local park and sat them in the daffs for photos (to follow). Great fun and loveley memories.
2. Moving away from friends and family. Slightly ironic as I miss Cornwall very much but I am grateful for the opportunities to meet new people and am definitely a stronger, more rounded person.

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Fingerprint Jewellery

Image taken from Pickle and Pumpkin

My Mum is fairly devastated that we now live 600 miles away and she doesn't get to see her grandson as much as she would like. With this in mind I decided something with LD's fingerprint would keep him close to her even though we are far away and ordered a heart pendant from Pickle and Pumpkin for Mother's Day.

I would really recommend this as a unique present for a loved one. The pendant is 1.5mm thick fine silver on a sturdy yet beautiful chain. There is room for the child's name on the front with the fingerprint and a short message on the back.

The service from the company was spot on. I was delighted when the fingerprint impressions kit arrived within a couple of days and the instructions were clear and easy to follow, even with my acute baby brainitis. Thankfully they are also mindful that wee ones are wriggly little things and provided enough mould material for three fingerprint attempts. (I had my greatest success when LD was sleepy).

My concerns that the necklace wouldn't arrive in time to post to Cornwall for the big day were ill founded. I was thoroughly impressed my order was returned well under their recommended two weeks. Yeah! Gold star for me this year!

I hope a lovely day was had by all yesterday and a huge thank you to my very clever son for the fabulous yellow roses and wonderful homemade card - oh yes big gold star for Daddy too!!

Liebster Award

I have only been blogging for a mere week or so and am soo grateful to be nomintated for this award by Lynne over at ooh baby - all things cuteable.

Lynne and I are met at our local 'mummy group' whilst we were both paddling about in that murky puddle of new mumminess. We have shared many large lattes and significantly fewer cocktails (which we are endeavouring to rectify). Watching Lynne's blog blossom has inspired me to start my own. Thank you Lynne for being so supportive of my blog and thanks in advance for all the blogging wisdom I will surely gleen from you in the future.

The Liebster Award is for bloggers with less than 300 followers/subscibers to share blog love and spread the word.

The rules are:

1. Post displaying the award (done), linking back to the person who awarded you (done).

2. Choose your own blog picks (below) and let them know they are awarded (that'll take a while).

3. Hope everyone discovers some new favourites.

4. Revel in the blog love!

And so, my nominees are:

notes-inside-my-head because I love her writing style and her posts always make me laugh.

Flower Fairies and Fairy Cakes again because it is beautifully written and makes me laugh. Her reasons for starting a blog are similar to my own and I love the name!

So please support these blogs and show some love. Oh and if anyone knows who this award originated from please can you let the nominated know so we can credit them.