Bits and bobs....

Well it has been a quiet week here in Raindrops land,

daughter still broken hearted
(thought it was bruised but think at this stage it hurts a bit more than that)

We had lots of tears, hugs but the good news is that she has perked up a bit...

I did a bit of gardening during the week

(well between the many showers)

and I paid a visit to the local garden centre where I bought

two lovely hydrangeas,
one is lavender and the other a dark pink.

My husband laughed at me earlier today as I took them in out of the rain
in case they got wet!!

my roses were pretty for a day or two

until the dreaded wet got to them!

Raindrops on roses
and lots and lots of them....

 I thought that I would share a photo of me

taken by my son during the week....

oops that's not me

although my feet are almost identical....

this is me

and this is the outfit I have been wearing all Summer, day in day out.....

a spotty rain mac and a yellow brolly....

Saturday we woke to sunshine

and so decided to make the most of it,

 we went for a long walk,

ate al fresco, lit the woodburning stove

and sat outside until late last night,

eating lovely food, sipping wine,

chatting and laughing with the kids,

happy happy days....

Charlie seemed to enjoy it too!

As yesterday was out best day I thought I would share some photos of our walk...

my lovely blogging friends were celebrating the 4th of July and Canada day

and with Britain in the tennis finals

 I thought I would show our own lovely Irish flag too!

two of my two big men

(the other one was working)

just look at that sky!!

H E A V E N

ps. it's raining today

so the sunshine was shortlived!

Any of you experiencing very hot temps

I hope that it cools down soon for you.

I hope that you have all had a good week.

Looking at the beautiful photos from Green Day it seems as though everyone was very busy and the feedback to the link up is great.

Thank you all so much for participating.

pps I tried to change the banner on my blog

and it ended up a disaster,
the name disappeared
did you ever start something
and half way through

wish you hadn't bothered....

Wishing you all a healthy, happy week
full of
 sunshine, smiles and lovely things ♥

today I am linking up with

GREEN DAY

Weekend reflections

Shadow Shot Sunday 2
Sunny Simple Sunday

I'm thinking...

that it's a bit of a ditsy dozey day
as I seem to be doing everything

upside down and inside out!

I wrote a post, added some photos,
pressed something on the laptop and low and behold
the whole thing disappeared before my eyes,

so here we go again.....

Well it has  been a good week here in my little corner of Ireland

although the weather has been atrocious,
rain, rain and more rain,

I can't wear sandals as my feet are almost webbed

and I am thinking of getting my husband to build us an arc!!

I spent a lot of quiet time here this week.

Do you remember I posted about my two boys doing exams

well the eldest one (Christopher on the left)
got the results of his finals yesterday and the good news is that he passed everything so

 happy days!

Now he just has to find a job
so I am back to spending more time on my knees in this wonderful church!

On the one day that the sun did shine

 I went for a long walk,

the lake and the gardens look lovely at this time of year

although the ducks must be in hiding!

I met this little cutie who looks so happy basking  in the sunshine

and finally

I did a basket making class using willow

and  it turns out that
I am a complete and utter disaster
involving anything crafty

everyone else brought home wonderful creations
(see pic below)

I left mine behind because it looked like nothing on earth!

When God was giving out the gift of creativity he must have missed me!!

so...

how was the weather in your part of the world this week

and how was your week?

Wishing you all a healthy happy week full of sunshine and smiles ♥

Linking up with Green Day and Weekend Reflections
for today's post

{the week that was}

sunshine and showers

a head cold which arrived to visit and hasn’t said goodbye

sniffling runny nose that is rubbed red with tissues

black mascara smudges under sunken streaming eyes
certainly not a good look
I would scare away small children and even bigger ones!

But the good news is
 that because I was coughing,sniffling, snorting and sneezing

I didn't have much of an appetite and so am

***

Mittens our 16 year old pussycat is still hunting
we had a dead mouse on the doorstep one morning
(won't post a pic of that though)!!!

***
I'm excited because my peony has produced it's first bud in years
what am I doing wrong with this plant
I just don't know!!


Looking forward to the flower popping though
and will probably have you all bored to bits
with photos of it!





***
I treated  myself a new pair of  oven gloves
the old ones were an embarrassment
so thought I had better replace them
with something a bit more respectable


 these are the pretties I got
I like the colours and the lovely flowers
now I will just have to start cooking
{well maybe later....}

***
I learned a useful tip too

 if you put a copper coin into a vase of water

It will stop the flowers from drooping

so I tested it out with my tulips

and it really does work no hangy dangy sorry looking flowers!



Wishing you and your loved ones a week

filled with sunshine and happiness


 ♥

I smiled today because

 eldest son has now completed his final exams, yippee!

Myself  and younger son met him for lunch 

and while strolling through the college grounds

 he told us that it is  believed

whoever looks up at the clock on the campus 

before their exams will fail

 well of course youngest son 

(the one who starts exams next week)

stared straight up at that clock

oh dearie dearie me!

I eventually got around to cleaning

the copper bits and bobs in my kitchen

I would be embarrassed to tell you

how long it has been

 since they have had a polish!

What made you smile today?

xoxo

Fiona

the week that was...

sunshine and showers

This week we had a lot of heavy showers,

this photo was taken while I was waiting for my son to come out of school

it's funny because even though
we are always complaining about the rain here 

 I love the feel of it on my face

When tucked up indoors rain is so comforting and when you are out and about

it is fresh and invigorating

I don't think I could live in a country that has long dry spells and very little rain. 

do you like rain ?

long walks

and

lovely horses

kiss kiss....

 love you Mum!

 crafted wooden horses too....

pretty pink

 clematis
 

at home

my two boys studying

 for their exams -
one for his university finals 
so is pretty stressed
- the other guy
so laid back he is almost comatose!

♥

I hope that you are having a

h a p p y week

and that life is good.

At home today.....

{in the hall}
 

This pottery was in different parts of the house so I decided to put some of it together and display it properly.

This is my favourite
traditional Irish pottery
and is made by

 Stephen Pearce from Cork.

 

I ♥  his work, so earthy, solid and timeless.

{in the kitchen}

lots of flowering scented hyacinths ♥ 

{in the garden}

 

My nosey neighbours are staring at me

as I hang clothes onto the washing line!

♥ Mr. Donkey's winter coat!

bored now, they are off!!!

Happy Friday
 ♥♥♥

♥ Sunlit Sunday

Today I am joining up with My Little Home and Garden and participating in Sunlit Sunday

The object of the linkup is to post on the following theme sunlit

You may choose to include photos and words that illustrate a sunlit place or thing, a sunny disposition, a sunny thought...

Today I am veering away from my usual scenery and floral photos and instead am going to post one which lifted my spirits this week

We had a wonderful SUNLIT moment.

These photos are of a table made by my lovely son who is 16 and has special needs.

Niall we are so proud of you and

 you are the sunshine
 in our lives.



Wishing you all
a sunlit week. ~♥~~♥~~♥~

time please don't go by so quickly....

as+ I seem to be constantly chasing after you. trying to play catchup.

December is almost upon us,

so much to do and yet the days are running away from me...

Is it just me....

Today was a beautiful ❤ Winters day

so myself, hubby and son out for a walk.

The sky was a magnificent shade of blue and the church seemed to bask in its glory.

We passed this gorgeous ❤ house on the way

All the lovely beech trees have become brown and withered but they still look good

and the garden is almost bare as

my lovely blooms have long disappeared,

except for one or two.

A lonesome rose ❤

last of the hydrangeas,

 the rest are brown and mushy after being hit by frost last week.

and my favourite which reminds me

of summer and has me looking forward  to things to come

 

❤❤❤

Linking up with

Simple Things Sunday