Down at the Bottom of the Garden & About a Boy

 Just now the days here are bitterly cold; bone chilling.
I don't think this wrap will help the girls very much but it certainly adds a touch of glamour to their winter.

 Some days are a tad warmer...
early morning sun makes the world seem brand new; especially after rain.

 I've been tidying up all kinds of corners, like in here under the old plum tree where we put down a little bark (not too much mind...it's a wee bit ugly). Winter sun is sneaky, it turns up in places it never thought about in summer.

 Winter roses or hellebores are such a welcome sight

 on these crisp, cold days.

There are some new additions to the fairy garden...

 the little lass is a wee bit shy.

See what I mean.

 Ah, there she is with her pretty sunhat

& flower basket.

 This little one is away-with-the-fairies (& the birds) for sure.

There's lots flowering in my garden in sheltered possies.

 I just adore this primrose. I've never seen this colour before....so pretty.

 I think that my new bird feeder has become the star attraction at the bottom of the garden...look at this crowd waiting their turn.

I had to remove a few bits & pieces with all the riotous enthusiasm & carry-on. I have put fat in the coconut shell & anchored the pear with an old metal flower frog. The wild bird seed is scoffed in no time at all & everyone seems to enjoy the sugar water. The tui has even descended to take a quick drink.

I have managed to do a few inside jobs too like painting this old washboard that seemed a bit dowdy & plain.

 I used a test pot & a few scraps of my favourite Cath Kidston antique rose white wallpaper.

 This tray from the op shop was just as dull as the washboard (plain brown) so I painted it with Pearl Lustre & used Cath Kidston spray flowers oil cloth for the bottom.

Much better!

 I also revamped this tray but seem to have some air bubbles now that it's dried. Any suggestions on how to remedy the bumps or do I peel it off & start again?

Our lovely boy said goodbye once more just over a week ago & headed off with all his worldly possessions to a little place called Gordonton in the Waikato to work on (manage) a blueberry farm. We'll miss him...a lot, but it's so good to see him making his way in the world & going new places, meeting new people & learning....all the time. He's becoming quite fluent in Chinese!

Thank you for your visit lovely friends.

Have a wonderful week...whether keeping warm or cooling off!

See you again soon.

Much love 

Catherine x0x0x