The end of summer

After a terrible summer, wet and cold, we are having a week of sunshine. Finally!
Time to post my summer block.

Back to business

After a short break at the seaside, it's back to the old desk, I'm afraid... Normally, my batteries are loaded after the summer, but we had such dreadful, cold weather...
But what frustrates me the most, are all the fun projects that are waiting to get finished! And work has to go first now, I even had to take some of it on my holiday.
If only a day could be longer...

Cat & mouse

Ooh, it has been a long time...
My laundry bag is finished, I use it for my stray socks (know the problem?).

I'm always stunned by the beauty of Mrs. Potter's watercolours, and I have quite a few projects in mind, featuring her characters.


From now on, I will post a monthly update of my cross-stitched cat. I want to use it for a pillow, when finished.

In the meanwhile, summer has arrived. I try to enjoy it as much as possible, although I have a lot of computer work at the moment.
And that means:
having tea and cake and cherries in the garden,

walking barefoot,

and admire the flowers from my garden.

Getting better

This must be the worst summer in years... been ill all week, sneezing and coughing.
I only managed to do a little bit of gardening,very, very slowly, I really have no energy. And the weeds are growing in abundance...
But the weather is changing, maybe we'll finally get a summer?

A dandelion is so fluffy and cute, if you look closely.

I planted this Solomon's seal (Polygonatum) last spring, and forgot completely about it. And here it is, what a nice surprise!

Off to the beach!

I'm back in two weeks!

Summer pleasures (and a mystery solved)

I like to take pictures while strolling in my garden... and then I forget all about the weeding that needs to be done.

I haven't given up on my sampler, the alphabet is almost finished after week #5 and #6, I only need to stitch the W, X, Y and Z!



And now back to the garden: I kept finding these shells of snails, all broken and only on hard surfaces. Not a few of them, but a lot!


And this little movie explains it all:

I really treasure this garden companion!

Busy bee

And yet again it was a busy, busy week, with a trip to Brussels, for the opening of this exposition.


On the one day I was home this week, I found the time to bake a mascarpone cake roll with raspberries, picked in my own garden. Normally they are all eaten by blackbirds, but not this summer!

Yesterday, we went to Ghent, to visit the Art School where my son studies. We saw a lot of promising art work.


And then we took the yellow brick road to...

...an information day about bees and beekeeping at the university of Ghent. We were invited by a good friend who works there.

Today, the summer holiday is starting. I hope it will be two months of reading, working in the house and the garden, crafting,....
I begin my week with a moment of meditation by the pond. And you?

Comforting things

Feeling blue, trying hard to look at the bright side of life...is this chilly summer to blame?
It makes me long for evenings by the fireside with a hot chocolate and a good book. August is not quite the time for that, I'm afraid.


1. Tribute to Love Project - Celine's book - pg1, 2. vintage sewing basket and goodies inside, 3. Salamanca Market - Old Bear, 4. Ina's Apple Tatin, 5. Fauchon Salon de The, 6. Babette Blanket, beginnings!, 7. Triple Fortune, 8. Thank goodness the CAT likes it., 9. Toribio loves dream, 10. Cuddling Elephants, 11. Weihnachtsfest im Wichtelland, 12. finished birdie, 13. A Different Perspective, 14. Whole Wheat Biscotti, 15. Crazed Kitten 2, 16. Cuteness

Summer at last

Summer squash for making soup (out of the garden of Hélène and Thierry, my dear friends).

Punt sleeping in the shade.


Colours I like in summer: red and orange.

Our June garden

This makes me so happy! I discovered this beauty in our pond today!