An Award Free Blog

I have decided to make my blog an award free blog. To date I have received 59 awards and I do sincerely appreciate all those who have honoured me in this way, but my real joy comes from receiving your comments and E-mails, getting to know people and building friendships. Likewise tags, in the many tags that I have done, I don't not think there is anything left to say about myself.

So these last 3 that I received during the summer, and to date have not commented on, will be the last 3. So thank you to Bernideen for the "Makes My heart Smile" award, Teresa for the "Exalting Christ" award and Karinann for the "Golden Heart" award.

Giveaway, Awards and Gifts

And the winner for this Giveaway is.................Bennie and Patsy of "The Smith's Bennie and Patsy"


I am sure that you are both going to enjoy many moments enjoying your tea with this lovely set and probably thinking of England at the same time! Don't forget, heat the pot first and make sure that the water is boiling when it hits the leaves. Releases the oxygen.

Commiserations to all who entered and did not win!

And now to some recent awards. The first one, Your Blog is Enchanted came from

Zetor for a blog with the character of caring. Zetor thank you so much, I am honoured to receive this from you.

I pass it on to Adrienne of With a Grateful Heart

The second award Exalting Christ Blog Award came from Kim of Stamping Between the Dishes and Laundry and was created by Women to Women. Again I am honoured and very much appreciate this recognition. I pass this on to Susan of Penless Writer.

I received the above book as a gift from Susan Kelly-Skitt

Susan asked me if I was able to help her son with a school project about aspects of life in England. I was more than happy to do this for him and was glad to know that the project subsequently went very well. Susan has a page in the book telling some of her own testimony amongst over a 100 daily devotions written by different women. Thank you Susan.



And then Willow from Southern California, who stayed in our home last year sent the above gift over with Sara. Roses for Regret by Audrey Stallsmith is a book and author that I have never heard of so it should be interesting reading. The organic Earl Grey tea will accompany the reading.

Thankfulness and Appreciation

In response and with thanks to the many who have asked and prayed for my daughter Janie in her pregnancy, all is now well. After 3 times a week monitoring of both Janie and baby, there is no diabetes and the amniotic fluid is normal. Baby is big though, 10lbs predicted at 40 weeks and as Oliver was born at 42 weeks with a problematic birth, a C-Section has been arranged for 15th April at 39 weeks.

Never having been in this situation before it strikes me as strange to know my Grandchild's birthday even before she is born.

So, this coming week we will visit for a fun day out together with Janie rather than just to care for Oliver while Mum is at the hospital. Mind you just caring for Oliver can be fun too, and exhausting. I have to be up there on the climbing frames and slides or whatever in the adventure playgrounds, not to mention running races. Becoming a Grandmother so late in life I have to make up for lost time!!

As the sun went down at Janie's house I loved the way it shone on this bare tree.

Then a peep at the developing garden at home the next day as Spring is beginning to show it's face in the rain.

And in appreciation of the following awards that have come my way this week

This Sisterhood award came from Zetor and is awarded for showing attitude/and or gratitude. I would like to pass this on to Vee who certainly deserves this accolade in my opinion.

The above award 'If the shoe Fits Wear it' depicts a prince fitting the princess with a glass slipper. I do not normally repeat what has been said to me regarding these awards but this one seems a bit ambiguous so I think an explanation necessary. It came from Barbara where she said "Barbara, your posts are gorgious, your spirit is even more beautiful. You bring beauty to everything you touch so thank you for sharing your world with us." I would like to offer the same sentiments to my dear blogging friend from A Woman Who Is where our relationship has developed to more than just posting.

I do appreciate the kind thoughts behind these awards but I do not stick to the rules and pass them on in the way I think fit. No rules to follow, they are your awards so do with them what you will.

Hard To Believe with some Faith Thrown In

We had thought that the decorating of our bedroom would take about a week. We are now actually into the fourth week to see it to completion. The saga began 5 years ago.

At that time I totally changed my colour scheme from dark regency green to cream. The regency green had been painted onto heavily embossed wallpaper, the idea being that we would only have to paint the walls in future and not re-paper as we do throughout the rest of the house. In order to cover green with cream we had to use 3 coats of paint. All seemed well until it completely dried when the paint began to crack. In time it looked like the cracks on a piece of china. We decided to just live with this mistake until we needed to redecorate.

This year I decided I no longer wanted to live with this wallpaper, added to the fact that we were having problems with a strong smell of mildew in my fitted wardrobes. Hence we embarked on completely stripping the room and hoping that we could deal with the mildew problem by heavily venting the wardrobes that are fitted to the outside walls.

Now to the unbelievable part. In moving a strip from the top of the end of the wardrobes to strip the paper more easily we found that the furniture fitter had packed the space between the wardrobe and the front outside wall with all the cardboard packing cases that the flat pack furniture had been delivered in. We removed the front panel and found boxes inside boxes, including off cuts of wood and other odds and ends. Everything was wet and mouldy from condensation and the lack of airflow. It had been there for the 15 years since we first had this particular furniture fitted. We found this mould had spread to other places too once we removed some draws and bedside cabinets. The ‘cracked’ wallpaper was a benefit to us in the end as we may not have redecorated so soon. In the end all things do work together for good though it is often hard to see at the time.

Yes, this is some of what we found

And the space where we found it

In the gap to the left of the mirrored door. We plan to leave this gap open and not replace the panel. Not so neat but space for air to flow.

Some other issues that were nothing to do with the above added to the time it has taken to complete the work. On removing shelving from an inside wall, the plaster decided to part company with the wall so Alan then had a plastering job to undertake before proceeding further. Then as he removed a radiator from the wall it slipped and that black oily stuff that sits in radiators once they have been drained ran out and onto my cream carpet. To cap it all I had sent my velvet curtains to a dry cleaner to be cleaned and what did they do, they washed them when I had assumed they would be dry cleaned. They shrank. As they had only just skimmed the window ledge before it now entailed lowering the curtain rail. This brought the drilling to the height of the lintel above the window and it took Alan almost a day to drill through this, breaking a number of drill bits on the way. Stressful? Definitely.

Fortunately we do have other bedrooms in which to sleep so I was grateful for that but am really looking forward to be back in my Tempur bed which moulds itself to my body and totally supports. For the uninitiated Tempur mattresses are used in space ships to help support the body during space flight.

I had an old missionary friend who would always say when life threw lemons his way, "Now what has God got to show me in all of this?" This I know is the way forward but it is usually a while before I get to this place, often allowing stress and frustration to take over instead. We are exhorted in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to give thanks in ALL circumstances. Even now this is not something I feel like doing or even want to, but that's OK. We are not asked to feel like it or want to do it, we are just asked TO DO IT as God knows the peace that obedience brings. One of the study notes on this subject in my Bible says "People are naturally happy on some occasions, but the Christian's joy is not dependent on circumstances, it comes from what Christ has done, and it is constant." To me that is not speaking about feelings but a person who is joy and peace within us in spite of how we feel.

I recently received this award 'From lemons to Lemonade' again and it aptly fits in here. It came from Margo. This time I pass this on to Adrienne whose blog and life certainly lives up to this award. The most recent difficult time for Adrienne has been the sudden and unexpected death of her son-in-law, leaving her daughter to bring up her children alone. You deserve it Adrienne.

An Update in Spring

Would You Believe It

Would you believe it? It's happened again
the gold hazel catkins are out in the lane.
The crocuses making bright lakes in the grass
ripple like waves as the stormy winds pass.


The chiffchaff is building. The aconites glow
like stars in the woods where the swelling brooks flow.
The winter is passing. I sense on the breeze
the stirring of life in the roots and the trees.


The daffodils eager to dance into view
are poised and are ready, awaiting their cue.
The spirit of Springtime has tapped on the pane.
Would you believe it? It's happening again.
Patience Strong

Yes, I am still here not having posted for over a week. Life has been pretty hectic in many ways - various committments, family etc. and not to mention a spell of decorating that turned into a nightmare. More on this later in the week.

Could not resist the above Spring poem as we are having some beautiful spring weather 60f in March! As in the poem the crocuses and Hazel catkins are thriving in the garden and just as the poem says, the daffodils are poised and waiting their cue.

This of course means that I need to be out there pruning and weeding big time while the weather, which is forecast to last a few more days, is so warm and inviting.

Today I was at a four and a half hour business meeting at Pilgrims Hall and we stopped for a quick lunch taken out on the terrace and it was a joy to feel warm sun on bare arms.

So while Alan continues with the decorating I will leave the household chores and see what impression I can make outside before another day caring for Grandson Oliver on Friday. My daughter Janie is now on maternity leave so has been able to return to posting on her blog http://www.fromunderthemaple.blogspot.com/ Our week will culminate in a friend's birthday celebration on Saturday before embarking on another full week next week.

Before taking my leave - I received this 'Friends' award from Andrea of A Parson's Wife. I know that all kinds of 'rules' are sent with these awards and I am honoured and grateful to Andrea for her kind words and truly appreciate her friendship but I am sure these 'rules' get changed along the way. I have already in the past received this award and have passed it on, so instead of the 8 people suggested on Andrea's blog, I am sending this on to one friend, Sara of Much Ado About Something (even although I know that many precious friendships have developed in blogland) because Sara has become a special friend in many ways and there is so much about her blog and life that I appreciate.

Interview, A Tag, and Awards

I gave Susan of Penless Writer permission to interview me. Very brave. (Me not Susan that is!) These were the 5 questions that she came up with.



1. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I cannot foresee the future, but my desire would be to be alive and healthy and being who God means me to be in everything and everyone that He brings into my life.

2. What is your greatest accomplishment in life?

To have reached the age of 70 fit and healthy with a zest for life and a faith that makes everything else worthwhile, and to see my 2 children healthy, fulfilled and independent.

3. If money were no object where would you live and what would you do?

I would not want to live anywhere other than where I do because this is where God has put me and I am blessed to be surrounded by like minded people of faith but I could have my house raised to the ground and rebuilt to my own specifications, especially giving me more scope for hospitality. As far as money is concerned I would want to pay off my children's mortgages, help my church and travel in some luxury which would include a new car.

4. Do you set goals for yourself? If so what is one you are working on now?

A bit ambiguous for me this question as I do not really set goals, I prefer to be open to God's leading, but I do like to plan in my mind which I see as different to a goal. At the moment I am working on de-cluttering my house, and thinking about spring cleaning and some house decoration that we need to do and some things that need replacing. This of course is much dependent on whether hubby agrees or not!

5. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

Again a difficult question because if I changed the things I don't like about myself I would not be me. I prefer to allow God to do the changing. I would prefer never to suffer anxiety or depression or fear but those are the things that God has used to grow me on my journey.




Zetor of Mog's Blog tagged me with showing the 4th photo in my 4th file on my computer. That particular photo I was not at liberty to show without invading the privacy of another so instead I chose the 4th photo in the 4th file from the bottom of the list.

This photograph is of the house in Devon where Alan and I spent our honeymoon over Christmas of 1959. It belonged to friends of my Aunt's who owned Palmer's Biscuit factory and they had just bought it to run as a guest house. We were their first guests. It was on the edge of Dartmoor.

Betty of Country Charm awarded me the above award.

The authors say that blogs who receive this award are exceedingly charming. This blog invests in the PROXIMITY in space, time and relationships. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that even more friendships are propagated. I pass this award on to Susan of Penless Writer as above.



And Memaw of It Came to Pass awarded me this Lemons to Lemonade award which is apparently for showing a grateful attitude. I pass this on to Susan of Adventurous Living

I appreciate the thoughts and kindness of these awards and the people who have sent them to me and the people to whom I have passed them on.

Award Catch-up

Over the last few weeks I have received these 8 awards. I do appreciate them being sent to me but if I followed all the rules it would be a mammoth task so I am merely going to link to each person that sent them and say a thank you very much. I appreciate your blogging friendship and your wonderful and encourging comments.

Melanie of Jelly Bean Angel

Melody of Tea Time with Melody

Patsy of The Smith's Bennie & Patsy

Paz of Paz's New York Minute

Now for some reason blogger is not coming up with the links. Sorry. I have already typed this 4 times and it has disappeared from the page.

Blogging Surprises

I finally seem to have figured out a way to access 'add page elements' which of course now is 'add a gadget'. From the very beginning of blogging I accessed it via. Dashboard which has not worked for me for many months. I have now found that I can use this facility via. Customise on the blog page. Why I could not get it when everyone else seemed to be able to I will never know.



Another outstanding problem I have is that Outlook Express is sending quite a lot of my comments from other bloggers straight to 'Deleted Items'. I do not know why but at least now that I have realised this I can keep a check on it.



Well it snowed in London this week, first time in October since 1934 apparently. Only a light dusting but in my daughter's town, just 50 minutes away they had a covering of 2 inches which then froze overnight causing quite a weight on plants and trees. Just 2 weeks ago it was so warm that people were flocking to the beach and swimming in the sea. Today in Devon in the South West the storms have caused bad flooding and the TV showed hailstones to a depth where they were half way up the sides of the cars that were trapped in them. Nothing to do with blogging but thought I'd add this little touch. Now back to blogging.





I recieved this lovely gift, all the way from California, from my dear blogging friend Sara of Much Ado about Something.Three beautiful C.D.s arranged,compiled and played by her husband who before retirement was a professional musician. Thank you Sara they are being played often.

Then I received this gift in the post, again from California. A box of rubber stamps for making greetings cards from Paula of The Baby Journals. Thank you Paula. I will enjoy using them.

Then yesterday this birthday card came through my letterbox from Oklahoma. This was from Teresa of Honeycomb. I knew Teresa had my address as she was the winner of my last giveaway but how did she know it was my birthday next week. (More about this special celebration in my next post).Teresa it seems kept a note of it from a post I did last year. Bless you Teresa.

Blogging fun of a different kind last week. I had the pleasure of phoning 3 of my close blogging friends. Sara (already mentioned), Susan of Penless Writer in Oklahoma and Vee of A Haven for Vee in Maine. Whoever thought blogging would be this much fun. It is so nice to be able to put a voice to faces, sometimes it takes a little detective work to come up with the phone numbers though.One cannot ask direct as then it would not be a surprise. It is the second time I have phoned Sara and Susan but initially there was a little detective work.

And now to my latest award. Blogging Friends Forever. I received this twice,the first came from Vee , and the second from Lorrie. The idea behind this award is that you send it to bloggers who have regularly commented on your blog and also to one new bogging friend.

The 3 people that I have chosen to pass this award on to are bloggers that came and commented on my blog right at the beginning 22 months ago and have continued to comment ever since. I have many regular blog friends now but these 3 have been here from the very beginning. Susan, Betty, and Lorrie.

For a fairly new blogging friend and regular commenter I award it to Elizabeth.

I very much appreciate all who visit and comment. You really add a sparkle to my day.

Awards and More

I have a question I would like to ask fellow bloggers. Is anyone else having problems with Page Elements. Since early Spring I have not had an "Add a Page Element" button (except once) nor have I been able to scroll down page elements. Blogger help says it is because a person has added stuff manually instead of through page elements. I have never done this nor would I know how to. Does anyone have a solution? It is frustrating as I cannot add anything to my sidebar (I can only change what is already there through the little 'spanners' on the blog page.) Thanks.



While concentrating on my Yorkshire posts I have received this award 4 times so I feel it is time to recognise the kind bloggers that sent it to me. It came from Willow of Willow Manor, Barb of The French Elements, Christi of Charm and Grace Cottage and Melanie of Jelly Bean Angel. Thank you so much, I do not accept it lightly - I am grateful and so enjoy knowing that you are visiting and finding something you love here.

I want to pass it on to Amy. Amy is a new contact of mine who writes some varied and interesting posts and at the same time is able to share her faith in a most practical and inspiring way.

One of my hobbies that has been greatly neglected since blogging is card making. Instead of having a good stock I just about manage to make the ones I need. I recently motivated myself to make a few, seen here.

A tip for something tasty and very cheap - unless you don't like cabbage!

I visited a local farm shop last week where almost everything is locally sourced and much is grown right there on the farm. I like if possible to buy something that has just been picked. One of the things I bought was a large, firm and compact cabbage for 79 pence. Having used it as a vegetable accompaniment for 4 x 2 meals (yes I was getting tired of it by then) I decided to make my own version of Bubble & Squeak.

For the uninitiated bubble and squeak was something we had as children when using up left over cabbage and potatoes from the day before - it was fried the next day. My version is more interesting but did use up the last third of this enormous cabbage.

I chop and cook the cabbage, boil and cream the potatoes. I add to this caramelised onions and garlic and grated cheese. After putting the mixture into a pie dish I then sprinkle the top with grated cheese before heating it in a hot oven. There was enough for 2 plus 2 left over to freeze.

And The Winner Is - With some August Ramblings

300 post Giveaway Draw! The post on mother Shipton's Cave was my 300th and I just want to say how much I appreciate all those that follow my blog and comment. I appreciate the E-mails from 'blogging firends' and I enjoy visiting your blogs too. I learn so much not only from your posts but also from the research I do for many of my own posts. I have also had the pleasure of meeting 3 other bloggers, one of them staying in my home. We have come a long way from the 'pen friends' of old (yes I had several as a child) to this new world of cyber space friendships.

And the winner is?

Something from my garden first. This is my new garden furniture. Having replaced the wooden bench seat at the bottom of the garden early in the Summer I took advantage of a half price sale and renewed some more. Every Summer we look at the wooden furniture that always needs rubbing down and painting and sometimes even needs parts of the wood renewing. Sometimes it gets done and sometimes it does not. This new furniture is coated alluminium so we can n ow forget about maintenance. I have only one wooden bench seat up next to the house now and that was sanded and painted this year. I have to say that it has rained and rained since I bought this furniture. We have used it once.

The reason for our very wet August is because the Jet Stream usually rests North of the British Isles but this year it has been pushed South so has held the dryer weather from the African continent way South of us. We are a small island where 6 weather patterns converge so no wonder we have a reputation around the world for our obession with the weather.

The roses are coming into their second flush and although they are never as fresh and large as the first flush, they still show some vibrant colours against the black spot and mildew that attacks them this time of year.

I received this award a little while ago from Vee Thank you Vee. This is a different picture to the usual one. I pass it on to Linds who makes me smile and wince in equal measure. Linds is an excellent story teller.

Also this award from Zetor . Thank you Zetor I am honoured. I very rarely visit a blog without commenting. I like to know that people have visited me and I know other bloggers feel the same. I am passing this on to Patsy. Patsy is a fairly new visitor to my blog but she always leaves valid comments. She is the same age as me and has been a Christian for the same number of years.

Now what is left of these August Ramblings? I have not taken pictures of the drawing of the Giveaway as I have so many photos that I am dealing with at the moment but trust me it was carried out in the same way as my other Giveaways - drawn by my dear husband Alan. Out of 18 contestants the winner is:

Teresa

Congratulations Teresa, you will need to E-mail me with your address and I will send you the Mini Kath Kidston bag with a surprise inside.

I don't know how I got through this post - 'blogger' has played up at every turn.