simple pleasures

Simple things bringing happiness my way recently.

:  :     Making Christmas pudding and remembering my lovely granny.

:  :     Dried hydrangeas from my mum and dad's garden.

:  :     Amazing evening skies. A photo from earlier today.

So that's it for November. The festive season is almost here. I'm hoping for a slow, calm December. Time to celebrate the season and enjoy the simple things.

Our advent tradition of 'Mrs Christmas' will begin tomorrow morning. I can't wait to see the little ones faces.

precious things #3

Apologies for my tardiness in posting this month's precious thing.  I very nearly missed the boat. That may be a pun too far. I do apologise. 

As I have confessed before, I do have a bit of a magpies eye. I'm drawn to pretty, shiny things. A sparkle only adds to the allure for me. I have a small collection of jewellery. Most of it, gifts from my lovely husband and family. This vintage silver charm is one of my favourites. 

I love it. The perfect shape of the ark and the tiny animals inside. Each little detail so carefully crafted in miniature. I wear it as a pendant on a necklace almost every day. A treasure given a second chance. One of my most precious things.

There are more precious things featured on these lovely blogs today. Pop over and take a peek.

Sarah at Mitenska

Leanne at Today's Stuff

N at Creative Academia

woodland walk

A slightly damp Sunday morning walk. Brightening skies and a mild air tempted us to some welcome time outdoors. Much needed after the wet, dreary days last week.

We stayed local, visiting a native woodland close to where we live. We squelched through the muddy, leaf littered lanes. Played in the woodland. Followed deer hoof prints. Admired fungi and lichen. Found wood sorrel and gathered sticks. 

A morning well spent.

As an aside, thank you for your comments on my last post. It seems I am not alone in my nervousness of eating foraged fungi. A foraging course may be added to my bucket list.

grow, forage, cook: fungi

So many varieties of fungi are popping up all over our garden at the moment. Under the hedges, through the grass and in the vegetable patch. I am strangely drawn to them.  

Is it normal to be fascinated by these little treasures of nature? The many, many different varieties. Their peculiar structures, colours and textures. Despite my fascination with all manner of fungi, I know very little about them. I certainly wouldn't chance eating any I had picked from the wild. With my limited knowledge, it would certainly end in tragedy.

I am curious though. Have you ever gone foraging for edible fungi? Do tell if you have any experiences or wisdom to share. 

Joining in with the lovely ladies from Wolves in London and Circle of Pine Trees for their series 'grow, forage, cook'.