Biffsugar

Evacuation day

Part of the half-term was spent in preparation for the upcoming evacuation day at school.  Firstly we needed an outfit:

 
We found the cardigan at a charity shop (I could have probably made one but the war would have been over by then!) and we chose some fabric to make a skirt (again using the free tutorial from here).

Then we had a visit to the Imperial War Museum:

 
Which was incredibly emotional.  We focused specifically on the Childhood exhibition which was superb.  From the moment I heard the music playing I started to cry.  Small boxes with childhood possessions - a pair of glasses from a boy who was evacuated here from Germany; a tattered dolly umbrella, letters to parents from evacuees.  I couldn't imagine being able to evacuate my children.  One boy's recollection was of being evacuated in the September thinking he would be back by Christmas - four years later he returned home. 

 
It was easy to imagine the conflict that parents must have felt when surrounded by posters telling them to evacuate their children and yet I'm sure this went against their instincts to keep the family together.

There would have been some things I think I could have done well during the war such as the "Make do and Mend" - but perhaps not the knitting of socks which is still an ambition of mine!

 
 
 
There were some beautiful items such as these brooches made for a little girl.  Her cape was made from an old blanket and her cardigan and dress were really beautiful.

 
Seeing my daughter in her evacuation outfit brings it all home to you.  It wasn't that long ago.  "Will you be home by Christmas?"  I asked her.  "Mum..." she replied tersely "I'll be home for tea!".

Thank goodness.

I'm celebrating the summer boy...

Why is it that with girls you can just buy a £1 sheet from a charity shop, come home and turn it into a skirt or some bunting or a hat for bunny and everyone's happy, but boys just don't dig that sort of thing?  Inspired by the Made website and the fact there just aren't enough things to make for boys, I started to think of my own boy and offered to make him a Nerf Vest (he wasn't impressed - I think it was a bit like when you wanted a Sooty off the Market for Christmas but your Nana just knit you one instead and it wasn't as good!). 

So instead I made him this!

 
I didn't even know what you called it but I think it's a Quiver?  I couldn't find another one to copy so I had to make up my own version.  Obviously this was a first go and I made my mistakes but overall it looks pretty good and he was impressed with it for about 2 seconds before he started to make suggestions (I'm being polite - they may have been demands!) that I actually made a wider one so he could carry his cross-bow as well.  So it could be back to the drawing board on this one but I was pleased to be able to make him something that was right up his street!

 
 

Dreaming of reading

 
When the children were small I used to daydream about sitting under a big tree reading for hours on end uninterrupted.  During the holidays I saw a window of opportunity to fulfil this dream!

 
The scene was set, the view was stunning, the weather perfect... surely this would be the day! 

Alas no, there were games that needed to be played and football to organise and snack administration and toilet trips and ice-creams to be purchased and all the other great stuff.  One day I will be able to sit under this tree and read all the day long, by then I'll probably wish I had someone to interrupt me!

This moment ...

++ this moment ++

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Soule Mama

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Garden love

I'm loving my garden right now. 

 
My new arbor seat is making me very happy indeed.

 
the colour to match my newly painted gate...

 
The promise of all that is to come::

 
 
and what already is...

 

 

As I was taking a photo of this verbena - the colour of which never fails to amaze me - the dog grabbed the root of it and literally dragged it out of its bed and onto the lawn to chew it.  I just stood and watched.   If anyone else had done that I would have been devastated but that dog can do anything he wants and I just find it charming! 

 
Butter wouldn't melt!

A day in the forest

It was a wet Bank Holiday Monday and where better to spend it than the forest? 

 

 
Moors Valley Country Park to be exact.

 
The first time I stepped out of the car at Moors Valley I knew I was going to love it.  The smell of damp pine forest holds many happy memories for me of camping at Lowther Caravan Park near Penrith as a child and then of living and growing up in the lakes. 

 
By the end of our visit we were damp and tired but nothing that a hot chocolate and some cheesy chips in the cafe couldn't sort out!

 
Once back at home we had early showers and pyjamas and an evening of movies.  Great days!