My Sunday Photo...Autumn Sunlight

We've been living in a cloud over the last three days, so it was such a wonderful sight to see the sun cast it's amazing autumnal light on everything this morning.

All the changing colours of the leaves as they twist and twirl down to the ground on the crisp breeze.

The last of the summer blooms popped with vibrant colours once more...putting one last performance in before they disappear until next year. 

Brave bees and butterflies are busy making the most of the day... as did I. 

I transplanted many tender plants into pots to bring indoors before the chilly night air shocks their delicate leaves.

I worked until my back reminded me that it was time to call it a day.

There's rain forecast for tomorrow so I'm glad I seized the day and made the most of the beautiful warm sunshine.

I'm linking up with My Sunday Photo over at Photalife.com

and Image-in-ing.blogspot.co.uk

Have a great weekend and thanks for popping over to my place.

Autumnal Folio Focus...PPF

I don't think I've ever been so late in entering the PPF party, but I've been in the classroom all day.

Well not exactly in a real classroom, but painting at my kitchen table.

I enrolled into an online class called #FolioFocus and it's week one.

Has anyone enrolled or heard of it before?

I'd love to hear if you have.

The lessons are to help build a stronger portfolio and this week was all about botanicals.

How could I refuse with it being botanical or fall behind on the first week. 

So using my new paints I jumped right in.

To say I've learnt so much today that my head hurts is an understatement.

I decided to embrace autumn as it's arrived. 

I wanted to hang on to summer, but alas I failed. 

I hope you like this and I'm actually quite pleased...which is incredible not only that I've managed to actually share a finished piece of work this week, but also that I like it!  

I'm linking up with the Paint Party Friday gang.

Thanks Eva and Kristin for hosting once again.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone and thanks for your visit today.

It's always great to see you.

My Sunday Photo... Neesie On Assignment

Today the photographer got shot!
This is me on My Sunday Photo assignment and my daughter took a photo of me, taking a photo!

I was totally focused (sorry for the intentional pun, but I couldn't resist)

I had no idea she was taking my photo.
The weather today was incredibly wet, so we decided to visit the Botanical Winter Gardens for some warmth. 

I will be posting some of the photo's from our visit in the next few days.

Thanks for visiting and I hope you are having a wonderful weekend.

I'm linking up with My Sunday Photo as usual. 

Please feel free to pop across to see lots more photographs by clicking here

My Sunday Photo...The Garden Awakes.

The Easter Holiday is renowned for being the biggest gardening weekend of the year, so I thought I'd show you a little of our garden.

There are lots of activities in other parts of the garden, work in progress as they say, but thankfully this is my little bit of sanctuary.

(It's a pity that the sun wasn't shining today...typical...but it did try)

As usual I'm going to link up with My Sunday Photo over at Photalife.com

I hope you are having a fabulous long weekend... I know I will once I find those chocolate eggs!

Happy Easter to those that celebrate this holiday and for anyone else I wish you a fantastic weekend.

Thanks for visiting my place and I hope to see you again soon.

If you entered into my Giveaway draw for the Mother and Baby Giraffe watercolour print...you might like to see Muffin pick out the winning name...click the link below.

Thank you to all who entered... I'm just sorry that you all couldn't win.

Denise Allan Art

My Sunday Photo... Spring

Miraculously I believe spring has remembered us... 

She's slowly creeping in a little more each day...

As usual I'm linking up with My Sunday Photo

and Through my lens

Thanks for visiting my place and I hope you're having a wonderful weekend whatever you have planned.

Have fun!

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park

A few weeks ago I had a little trip to the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park in Cheshire.

I've been visiting quite a few of the big Garden Shows since I returned to the UK.

If you've been following my blog then you might remember my trip to Chelsea Flower Show 

(click here if you missed it or would like to revisit Chelsea)

Unfortunately,the weather didn't really treat us kindly but it wasn't so bad that it stopped us from wandering around and enjoying all of the exhibits. 

I've visited Tatton Park a few years ago, but I didn't remember it being so big or having so much to see and do back then. It might have expanded over the years with growing popularity, or maybe we just missed some that year, but this year I was really pleasantly surprised. 

In order to save you time looking over masses of my photographs

 (especially if you are taking a peek over a coffee/tea break) 

I've collated some of them into collages to just give you a flavour. 

There's no way that I can do justice to the horticulturist heaven of a garden show, with it's masses of incredible variety of plants, enthusiastic experts on hand to give helpful advice and guidance if needed, and products to be seen and obviously bought whilst visiting the show plus what's available to eat and drink. 

I mean how can you convey the sheer volume of perfume that wafts and gently envelopes you 

as you enter the Floral Marquee. 

It just can't be done.

It's a busy day culminating in using all of your senses to the maximum and you certainly know you've had a good workout by the time you stagger through the exit heavily laden with all of your beautiful new treasures.

 Thankfully they provide a free courtesy car service to carry you and your wares back to your car. 

It's a brilliant service for numerous reasons... one if your like me and finding your car a huge challenge especially when you've just left it in a field... or in a deer park in this case. They also help load your car boot for you (which at this stage of the day could be your undoing) plus saving you traipsing through the deer park with your wheelie trolley dodging lots of presents left by the deer along the way!

For anyone who would like a 'she shed' or thinks they need to give their shed a lick of paint then this next collage is for you.

How fantastic are these little beauties?

It's a pity that the sun wasn't shining at this point (it was drizzling slightly) because the photo's don't do justice to all the work and effort in their designs. 

They were amazing.

One of the things that we've been mulling over is whether to become bee keepers. 

We have a fantastic area that is far enough away from the house but near the floral part of the garden plus lots (I mean LOTS) of wild flowers and grasses around our property before the farmland begins.

I think it would be a great hobby for my hubby as he loves honey.

In fact, we all do and I have to buy so much weekly that to produce our own would not only be interesting and possibly be a great new challenge, but it would also save money. 

And finally because the sun's shining and I want to get outside... 

here's my favourite purchase from that day.

I've wanted a weather vane for years and couldn't resist this beauty.

It was difficult to choose what design initially, but I think the pheasant feels right, especially as I hear and see them daily wandering around the fields nearby.

Oh I know whether the wind is blowing in from the North or from the South but I find the weather vane fascinating. Okay small things eh?

I'm easily pleased... bless.

Thanks to my son for modelling the weather vein so well by the way.

So I think that's about enough for today.

I hope you enjoyed our whistle stop tour of the RHS Tatton Park Gardening Show... 

but if you can manage to visit one show in your local area, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. 

It really is good to get outside and enjoy all that nature has to offer and even better if you can add a little something as a reminder of the day to your own garden space at home. 

Have fun and Happy Monday to you all.

I'm linking up with the following...

Blue Monday and Mosaic Monday

Grateful thanks to all of the hosts.

My Sunday Photo

Wordless Wednesday

 

Has Spring sprung or not?

So is it officially spring or not? 

Apparently a row has erupted over the official date. 

According to the Meteorological Office spring has sprung, but much of the country is still gripped by icy winter weather. 

The Met Office classes the first day of spring as 1 March, saying March, April and May are regarded as the spring months. But traditionally spring has started on the night of 20/21 March. 

So I'm thinking we are in a transitional period of neither winter or spring.

There's a battle quietly playing out each day with the seasons and one day in particular last week, it was split between the two. For the first half of the day it was definitely winter but then as the afternoon arrived so did spring.

As Muffy and I participated in our early morning walk...wrapped up like we were off to explore the polar icecap...I became aware that our surroundings we were in a static state. It was neither winter nor spring.

The sun low and blinding...wind roaring through the copse like a freight train, which thankfully didn't reach us certainly made it feel like winter.

It wasn't a morning for birdsong or twitter-bations either...there was more of an eery silence prevailed, whilst the birds snuggled in their nest.

The raindrops pitter-patted on my fur-lined hood.

Yes...can you believe that I've become a hoodie since being back here!

I noted the cows huddled around their red metal grilled feeder in the bottom corner of the field away from the winds vicious bite...looking for all the world like they were snuggled around an electric fire for warmth. 

Muffy's paws collected so much mud she was nearly twice her usual weight...bringing grit, mud and general grime home for yet another dip in the sink. 

We called a brief greeting to a neighbour as we passed which the wind whipped up and took away, but the wave said it all "Hi, I'm fine...how are you? See you when it's not so cold to catch up!" 

But then as the day progressed and the sun put in an appearance and the whole picture changed. Birds once more sang and visited the garden, bulbs and buds began to sprout and spring open, giving a splash of much needed colour, the container of strawberries looked amazing and gave a huge lift that we will be able to have strawberries once more, eat lunch al-fresco and generally enjoy the 18 hours of daylight...whoohoo...bring it on!

This one's for you Darla...it's the 'wee burn' that you wished you could hear trickling when I last posted about it (click here to see). 

We revisited it once again but this time I took a video with sound. 

I hope you enjoy it 

Just before I go...I thought you might like to see Hamish from the Stick Paw Prize Draw all wrapped up and on his way to MacMillanMarie in Canada. 

He caused quite a stir with the ladies in the Post Office in his smart tartan kilt and 

tam o'shanter. I think basically they wanted to adopt him but he was already spoken for.  

I have to admit I was rather pleased with myself when I managed to pixel the address label. Hehe...I love to learn new things especially if I manage them without the aid of a safety net (basically someone from the younger generation) 

Today whether the first day of spring or not is also St Davids Day.

Celebrations are being held around Wales to mark the national day of the country's patron saint. 

So Happy St.Davids Day

Have a wonderful weekend everyone

xoxo
I'm linking up with Saturday Show and Tell... 

Yay it's the weekend...

Can anyone tell me why we are having our windows replaced in the middle of winter? 

Okay so just call us crazy!
The decision obviously must have been a good idea at some stage. Maybe it came when we were in the middle of our bathroom renovations and we weren't thinking straight. 

Well, whenever the decision was taken it's irrelevant now because it's actually happening.

 I'm not sure that the guys who are doing the work are entirely happy about the decision either. 

Here's a photo that I took early yesterday to record this momentous event.

Yes it was all perfect weather (not)...a hoolie blowing, the rain lashing down and barely any daylight, hence the joiner wearing his little miners lamp. The plant (Fatsia japonica) in the photo is out of focus because it was dancing around in the gale and the fact that I was shivering even in the few seconds that I was outside also may have been a contributing factor to the bad quality of this shot.   

I suppose I can't be angry with the guys for the damage to my new shooting bulbs because they were concentrating on getting the window in as fast as they could, but I was sad because I'd spent hours on my hands and knees planting them only a few months back. 

I'm just hoping that they recover and continue to sprout. 

Maybe a little sunlight might help...we'll have to wait and see. 

I'm not so sure I like the boot imprint as a feature.

So I decided to have a few hours escaping the madness to visit the garden centre. 

I wanted to buy a bird table anyway so it was a good excuse...I had to go. 

It was so wonderful to wander around looking at so many lovely things...books, furniture, ornaments, art, bird and wildlife products plus tropical fish and that was all before I even got to the plant section.

It's strange that sometimes things just leap into my trolley and I'm not aware of it until I reach the checkout! It happens all the time especially in the supermarket...I mean where does all that chocolate come from? 

(but I do know where it'll end up hehe) 

Look at these beautiful primroses...well they just had to come home with me. 

I have a few bird boxes already dotted around the garden but I hadn't one for the little Wren...so I obviously had to sort that error out promply didn't I?

 As soon as I arrived home my son went out into the garden armed with a ladder, hammer and the nest box to find a suitable site. 

Isn't this cute?

Even after only about an hour of it going into the garden I noticed flutterings around the new box and that was even before the 'For Let' sign went up! 

But the pièce de résistance is the bird table....what do you think?

Even the sun popped out for the photo!

It was so funny to see my regular bird visitors doing a fly-by to check it out. 

They'd fly towards the table and then swiftly via off at speed and an incredible angle. They got nearer and nearer until one little blue tit took a deep breath and landed. 

He was well rewarded with lots of tasty treats and then it was everyone for themselves. 

I'm about to purchase a new camera so I'm hoping that I'll be able to capture some of the visitors soon. 

Well it's Saturday night so I must away and have fun 

I hope to see you again soon. 

Enjoy your weekend everyone 

Kung Hei Fat Choi  ~ Happy Chinese New Year 

Erskine Falls...another stop on the road trip....

...on the road again....

space, sky and lots of scenery...in fact unbelievable scenery, some to take your breath away. 

I've felt incredibly priviledged to have witnessed nature's magnificence....  

Long straight roads that stretch for miles....

but then there's so much to stop and see along the way....

Take for instance...

Erskine Falls (aboriginal name Kitjarra Ngitj/Ngatanwarr) which is a magical waterfall, tucked away in the beautiful Great Otway National Park...just off the Great Ocean Road.

 The offical photographer busy at work...

with so much to see on the descent...

But with a few hazards to watch out for on the way down....

 

 But then the rewards....

Misty ferns....cool freshness....incredible bird song...peace...plus cascading crisp clear water.

You cannot help but stop and stare in wonder....

...even believing perhaps that you have travelled back in time thousands of years...

Falling from a height of thirty metres...

continually moist from the fine mist of water dancing over the rock face. 

It has inspired thousands of nature lovers over the decades. 

Even the poet and novelist Rudyard Kipling wrote of buying a frond of fern “gathered where the Erskine leaps down the road to Lorne”. 

 Who knows, it might have come from this same plant?

As we started to climb back up into the present...the heavens opened and the rains came down...

timed to perfection ;D

Friday's Photos...

If you're expecting my Simple Woman's Daybook today, then I apologise....

and if you're not...then why not? ;D

Basically my excuse is that I've ran out of time this week. I know...how could I? 

But I may get a chance over the coming weekend. Who knows?

There's word that we could have some rain...so there may well be time for another post! 

Unless of course, I'm whisked away somewhere quite exotic, warm and totally self-indulging for Mother's Day...other than the option to launch myself into the ironing pile that's now resembling a monument, I suppose. Well that'll be warm but hardly exotic!

But the weather this week has been extraordinary for autumn, so I've been out and about taking snap shots of all the beautiful things that have caught my attention....well some of them anyway.

Like this tree that stopped me in my tracks this morning. I immediately saw a traffic light!
Can you see what I mean? Okay maybe you had to be there?
Then to see the stop sign nearby just made me giggle...okay it doesn't take much ;D

 

But then here's a tree that's definitely got high blood pressure, angry or just loving making a statement dressed in red! (apologies for the photo ~ it was so bright and sunny)

I love this tree...but then I love all trees I guess. At different times of the day it changes...really putting on a show for everyone.

After drawing the Protea plant last week, I saw this huge plant growing in a nearby garden. I didn't realise how large the plant can grow. This shot was obviously after a shower with the raindrops still evident.

So yes, we have had some rain which means mushrooms. I have to confess I know nothing about mushrooms growing in the wild, so stay well clear and just admire them from afar...but I do like the idea of wandering around the woods with my little basket collecting them. Maybe one day?

For now I'll play safe and collect mine from my lovely local veggie store....

So with lots of sunshine and showers it's not surprising that the lemon trees profusely producing wonderful lemons in abundance!

Unfortunately this particular tree isn't in our garden but we do have about a 12 lemons on ours, so I'm very happy. 

My OH is ecstatic because that means there's enough for his beloved lemon tart!

The eucalyptus flower caught my eye especially with having the three stages of development all on the same stem ~ well that's what I think it is, but if I'm wrong please let me know.

But autumn is drawing to a close and winter should be knocking on the door, although you'd never guess with today's weather. 

I'd have a cosy warm feeling having this wood pile waiting nearby the house...
I really miss our open fire...(sigh)....I'm putting one on my wish list for our next house!

So wherever you are right now, I hope the sun shines on you this weekend....enjoy and Happy Mother's Day to all the Mum's out there :D