Of Springtime And Walks in a Garden♡

Hello lovely lovelies♡ A lovely Sunday afternoon welcome to you♡ Bright and happy sunshine beaming upon me, and all is lovely. Just sitting here in the fernery content with my little world. With cup of tea in hand and all the flower pots smiling upon me, I am thankful for all those plentiful joys which spill over from my proverbial teacup. I am a bit tired though, as yesterday found My Pete, my beautiful friend, Trish, and I wandering through open gardens which participated in the annual "Longford Blooms"♡

All day meandering through gardens where Lady Spring has pulled out all the stops, was delightful; enchanting♡ Wandering along flower-lined paths, drinking in the glorious colours, textures and intoxicating scents of the flowers, was bliss. I wandered around as if in a most beautiful dream. Gardens flourishing with rose after rose, lupins, poppies, sweet peas, clematis, granny bonnets, honeysuckles, lavender, foxgloves, granny bonnets, peonies, love-in-the-mist; and so many more happy flowers♡ All dancing together in a happy troupe, in a most glorious show. Swathe after swathe of roses hugging arbors. Trails of  climbing roses welcoming those who enter front doors of sweet, century old cottages; kissing all on the cheek as they step over the threshold. Pretty lace-lined windows peeking out, hidden behind exquisite gardens. Oh, the sweet little cottages with the homely, little windows.....be still my beating heart♡ There was even a dovecote complete with plump, white doves whose cooing songs delighted all who cared to listen♡ Oh, and then there were the trees. Glorious, ancient, verdant trees with long, gnarly limbs reaching high into the sky♡ A splendid day overflowing with a potpourri of gorgeousness thrilling all the senses♡

Of course, some lovely roses came home with me to live in our rose garden. =) Forget Me Not, Mary Rose, Cabelle, Wollerton Old Hall, Crown Princess; all sprinkling sweet scents everywhere♡

I have enjoyed a little embroidery this lovely Sunday. Deciding to fashion another garment, I am embroidering the bodice of another dress, or will it be a blouse....I haven't quite made up my mind?? I am using the same Style Arc pattern as the dresses I have fashioned of late, but this time I thought I might embroider flowers on the bodice. Just simple flowers; nothing complicated.....lazy daisy stitch, back stitch, french knots, long stitch........whatever other simple stitches come to mind. I will sketch each flower and leaf as I go along. You know me........nothing planned. =) I purchased a pretty floral fabric for the sleeves and skirt, and a gingham for the bodice. I have no idea as to how the embroidered bodice will look but I must say I am enjoying playing with my muddly mess of embroidered threads once again.

So, I will sit here in the fernery for a little while longer, embroider a few more flowers and think upon the joys and beauty which embrace me; for there are many♡ But first I must sketch some flowers onto the gingham to stitch. =) This evening, I might embroider a few stitches and join the other band of lovely hand stitchers, over at Kathy's place. I will be absent for a couple of weeks (yet again).....as next week, I will be enjoying a little time away with my daughter. A mother and daughter little escapade.....how fun♡ Hoping you enjoy a lovely Sunday and may this week smile upon you, blessing you with sprinkles of beauty and joy♡

Until the next time...........

I remember you................

Oh....but do you remember me??=) Hello lovely lovelies♡ A lovely welcome to my little flower-filled place♡ Goodness, it's been a while, hasn't it?? I did say many, many moons ago I would return when it was springtime.  Well.......spring did float in, and oh my, if I may say so; it arrived rather splendidly. Lady Spring has been embroidering vividly coloured, silken threads everywhere in the guise of flowers. Never rushing, she has from late August, embroidered through the days, with daffodil yellows, iris purpley-blues, lilac mauves and purples, forget-me-not whispery blues, foxgloves pinks..........so many glorious hues have been conjured into an 'embroidered' garden of pure delight. A glorious myriad of colours. Then, there is the potpourri of intoxicating perfumes thrown in, swirling around and around. Just perfect! For weeks now there has been a steady filling of vases with blooms from the garden to beautify my little home♡ Just so lovely♡

Since I last penned my dribble here at my happy blog space, three months have flashed by. Since you last visited, blustery gusts of late winter blew by; to be replaced by pleasant spring breezes and glorious sunshine. A lot of life happened in my little world during my absence. Covid found my good husband and my good self. Nothing drastic. I hardly had any symptoms. My Pete was a little more fluey, but all in all his was just a bad cold. These last month's have been "the best ot times, the worst of times" to quote one, Charles John Huffman Dickens. 

The passing of a very dear friend was "the worst of times". A friend who Pete has known since they were babies in India. They were friends for 72 years!! I cannot imagine a world without our beautiful friend as he made this rather glum world a much lovelier place. The miracle is of course his cancer-ridden, earthly body is no more and he is now rejoicing in heaven; probably writing and composing new songs and singing along with the saints and angels. Our friend had the most amazing, God-given musical gift. He could pick up practically any instrument and play it, and intuitively harmonise any song he sang. He wrote lyrics; composed music; without being able to read a single musical note. In their youth, he and my Pete, used to travel around singing as a gospel group, delighting all whom listened to their melodic voices. They had such a unique and mellifluous harmony.  Fabulous memories of fabulous times.♡

And as for the best of times. A fabulous holiday was enjoyed away with our daughter and son-in-law........finally! Oh, to hug them again after four very long years!! I cannot impart to you how wonderful it was. We all enjoyed a splendid time in their home at the Gold Coast; and of course the time went much too quickly. But, the good times will continue, as my daughter and I are going to meet in Melbourne at the end of this month and enjoy some special times. Me and her just hanging out.....so excited! The piece de resistance of this little trip is to go and see the immersive exhibition of Monet and Friends. I cannot wait as Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh.............are my very favourite artists. It has been a very long time since I visited an art gallery and strolled around drinking in all the beauty of the artists' masterpieces of the Impresisonist period.

Some friends from Sydney visited our home for a little while. A fabulous time, again. It is always wonderful to spend time with friends whom one has known forever. It truly feels as if we only saw each other yesterday instead of years. Forever friends are the best friends, are they not?? 

Over these few months a little stitching was enjoyed. I have been in a sewing-of-garments, kinda mood. I fashioned a couple of dresses and a blouse. The same pattern was used for all three. The pattern is the Hope dress from Arc Style patterns; a pattern I love. It's an easy fit; with the best dolman sleeves. As I have broad shoulders I always love a dolman or a raglan sleeve. I have plans to make a few more as I love wearing floaty dresses in summer.

The quilt Crazy Flowers is now a flimsy. All the crazy flowers are done, and hand pieced/stitched into a central panel. A one inch, mauve border hugging the crazy flowers was added. And....just because I am that gal who cannot get enough crazy colour and pattern crammed into one quilt, I thought a crazy patch border of  a multitude of fabrics would be fabulous. It is a busy quilt, but quilts with an explosion of pattern and colour always, always make me smile♡

I am thinking I might machine quilt this pretty. Nothing complex; just stitching wherever the needle and my imagination leads. I did the last little bit of hand stitching this afternoon while enjoying the warmth of a fire. It was a cold Sunday here today. Lots of rain. The pitter patter of raindrops everywhere♡ Love, love love the sound of raindrops splashing on the roof..........especially the roof of the fernery. There is something calming and soothing about splashing raindrops. The garden is relishing the rain. In a couple of weeks the roses will be the stars of the garden. Then the hydrangeas. Oh, the soothing blues of my favourite flowers. Soon there will be blue bouquets dotted here and there in my humble abode, all summer long♡ Goodness gracious me, summer will be aknocking on my bright pink door very, very soon♡

Anyway........'tis nice to waffle on again and capture a happy snap or two. I have missed my little blog. I must visit you all and see what has been happening in your little world. Cheerio, from my little spring world♡ May you, this week, enjoy the kiss of sunshine and capture many moments of beauty♡

Until the next time............

Linking up this week to Kathy' Slow Sunday Stitching.......as afterall, it is Sunday. =)