:o) Hedgehog update :o)

Hello folks!

Sorry I've been a little quiet of late, lots going on in my life so not a lot of time to blog.

First and foremost I'd like to welcome a whole host of new followers :o)  I'm so pleased to see you here and appreciate each and every one of you.

During my absence my dear husband has celebrated a birthday and we have celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary :o) 
I have tried to keep up with your fascinating posts, though I haven't left many comments.

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 Most of you will know that I have hedgehogs living and visiting my garden.  I bet you all remember Wilfred Prickles?

He's been out and about for about a month now, but he's been very camera shy!  These are the first photos I got a few weeks ago.

Hedgehogs are very thirsty creatures! 

And have an incredible appetite too ;o)

His 'hat' is barely visible now, but please be assured it is Wilfred.

Then this evening I went to see if he was out and about.....

I'm seeing double!  Wilfred in front of frame and behind...I think it's Winifrid!  Not spotted since release. They seemed to be having a stand off with Wilfred 'shoving' Winifrid. 

Close up of Winfrid, see how dusty she is?  This makes me think she's been snuggled up longer.

She's semi-rolled up as I was obviously disturbing her.

Loves young dream?

Winifred has snuffled off seeking more food!

Wilfred has decided to have a look around too :o)

And finally, just before Wilfred disappears back into his hoggy house...

I wonder if I'll be getting some hedgehog babies this year?  (Fingers crossed!)

There is a sad part to today's post, last weekend a neighbour asked me if a hog was okay?  It was on the grass verge outside his house in *broad daylight - NEVER a good sign.  Sadly the poor soul had been hit by a vehicle and had died..it was a large apparently healthy male too :o(

I took the little soul over the bridge into Bungham Lane and laid him in the edge of a field. well hidden beneath the hedgerow to allow nature to take it's course.

(*Any time you find a hedgehog out if full daylight there IS a problem with it.  They are a nocturnal creature.  Carefully lift it up (wearing gloves) and place it in a deep box wrapped loosely in an old towel with a +hot water bottle near to it as it will probably be suffering with hypothermia.  Then place the box in an out building/garage.  Ring The British Hedgehog Preservation Society and ask for the nearest rescue centre details.

+A plastic pop bottle is ideal, wrapped in an old towel.)

It is a fallacy that all hedgehogs play host to fleas, some do, some don't.  I am very liable to be bitten by cat and dog fleas but have never been bitter by a hedgehog flea, and I do handle then quite often at the rescue centre.

Hope to be back within the next few days with an interesting find that's full of history.

In the meantime, best wishes to you all.

I've been so lucky this week :o)

Hello folks!

Hope everyone is okay and enjoying the lovely weather we have been having.

Firstly, I have to thank you on behalf of Vicky who sends hers sincere thanks for the lovely birthday wishes :o)  Then, secondly I have to welcome two new followers to the fold - thank you for joining me.

Most of you will have heard of Freecycle, but there is also another similar group in the UK known as Freegle.  Last Thursday evening I happened to log-on to my local group just after a lovely lady had posted some free fabrics, as Vicky makes such a lot of things I thought of her and applied for them.  I was lucky enough to be chosen as the recipient and collected the fabrics on Friday morning from a village about 8 miles from here. 

Here is the first one..

Such a sweet pattern with butterflies, dragonflies, birds and fans.  100% cotton about 5 yards of it.

Then there was this one which will definitely find a use here :o)

Beautiful heavy Laura Ashley linen, again about 5 yards - I LOVE it!

Then of course I have been paying visits to my local charity shops, where I have found some more bits 'n bobs.

With Easter not far away I thought these three items may come in useful....

A large, cute 'bunny' tray, with a painted wooden framework in lovely condition just sitting there waiting for me to walk in ;o) and a bit of a bargain for £1.50

This chocolate brown bunny sits about 8" high, and cost just £3, on the same shelf there was also nestled -

Two baby bunnies, such a sweet pair :o) also costing £3.

The next time I 'popped in' to see what was on offer, the manager (who by now knows my taste), called me into the back room saying she had 'something to show me'  I was knocked out to see this GORGEOUS large vegetable tureen and cover

There are no back-stamps at all, but is is very old and in superb condition.  The pattern is similar to Asiatic Pheasant.  The inside of the base is so lovely...

no chips or crazing at all.  The cost?  £6.50 :o)))

The same day I 'discovered' a lovely old pair of 4"crystal knife rests

I'm pretty sure they are Edwardian.  £3.50 the pair.

Then, on another visit I found this -

Kirstie Allsopp cake server complete with it's pretty presentation box

It's delightful china handle :o)  It's great price £3.50!  (I think they're about £12 new)

Now, back to 'old stuff' ;o)

I love this stoneware glazed preserve jar, standing about 8"and only 75p

Lastly, there were some small stoneware bottles, this one was the smallest at only 3" tall

50p.

Hope you like some of my latest hoard, please leave a comment and let me know.

Sending my very best wishes to all you lovely folk.

Happy Birthday Vicky!

Today is our dear daughters special birthday - I'm not allowed to remind her how old ;o)

So this is just a quick post to wish her a wonderful day, we'll see you tomorrow sweetheart.

Lots of love

Mom and Dad

xx xx xx xx

A dirty secret, a disappointment, and other stuff........

I'm afraid I've been a bad little gardener...I had a dirty secret.....I had bulbs that I didn't get around to planting in the Autumn - I bet you're shocked! 

All sprouting, not planted :o(

I hang my head in shame...

But, I'm pleased to say that FINALLY they're all tucked up in warm, moist soil in the garden, ready to pop through and make a glorious display - though it'll probably be in June LOL!

(It's been such a wonderful warm, sunny day that I could not put off the planting any longer.)

I purchased two large RED Amaryllis flower bulbs before Christmas, and I DID plant them up ;o) but I'm sorely disappointed with them as glorious as they may be.............

  They are WHITE!

There's just no pleasing some folk is there?

I found a few things this week too :o)

A lovely Wedgwood pot, 4" high and 5" diameter, in perfect condition at the perfect price of £3.  I was amazed at this as they're normally much more expensive.

A perfect Masons Mandalay pattern clock, standing 6" tall.  (I've just realised that the face was sightly off centre, now remedied.)

This has been in our 'expensive' charity shop for over a week, and each time I picked it up I looked at the tag and put it down again.  Then, on Friday I went in again thinking if it's still there I'm going to buy it - and there it was.  I feel I must have had a blow to the head as I payed £25 for it.  Still probably quite cheap, but much more than I usually splash out!  I realise must have a 'thing' for clocks, from where I sit I can clearly view eight of them.....

I also love books, no Kindle in this house I like the real thing I'm afraid.  Here's a brilliant one I found a few weeks ago and forgot to post.

A large, fascinating country book containing recipes, remedies, information on livestock, gardening, sewing, spinning, cats, dogs, beekeeping and much, much more. £2

I'd love to keep bees, but as hubby has an extreme allergy to stings it's just not going to happen, still I can dream :o)

National Trust Fruit & vegetable cookery, lots of olde lore too £1

The cover says it all, looking forward to reading it. £1.

And Finally folks....

Yards of voile for £2.50.  I already have this against my bathroom window and I love it, but it's so old that the gold pattern is fading badly - now I can replace it :o)

Hope you've had fun reading my dirty secret ;o)

Thank you to all those who read my last post and removed the dreaded Word Verification from their comments :o)

Have a great week, best wishes to all.

Please...

Dear friends

I wonder if you would consider removing 'word varification' from your blogs if you have it? 
I along with many others are really struggling to read the 'new' version.  I believe it's all to do with the recent Blogger updates - (why fix it if it aint broke?)  I'm finding a lot of it hard to de-cypher and am giving up leaving a comment on some blogs.  I didn't realise that mine had been updated/altered and have now removed it but left on comment authorisation on to vet for spam.

Thank you for your kind consideration.

Family pieces.

Hello Folks!  Hope everyone is in fine fettle.  When I went to bed last night I was surprised to see it was snowing heavily and about an inch deep covering already.  This morning it was still on the ground, but a lovely crisp morning.  I was up at around 7.30 and after feeding and fussing Sid I made sure all the birds had a good breakfast too, within minutes of returning to the house there were blackbirds, starlings, great and blue tits, a robin and a sweet little wren hopping about.  Sorry no photos, I'll try and remedy that over the week though.

Last week I FINALLY made room for the lovely Indian Tree dining set I found in November, which incidentally was used for out Christmas dinner setting.  It's been on a tray on the dining table ever since!  The only place I could house it was in the Welsh dresser cupboard (after sorting it out).  Whilst going through all the crockery that was in there I re-discovered three pieces that I've known since childhood.
My Aunt (Mom's identical twin) sadly died just over four years ago, I must take after her as she too was a collector (this gene missed my Mom completely!).  My cousin isn't a collector and really had little interest in Aunties treasures.  Most were bound for various charity shops, though he did tell me to have anything I wanted.  Here are three of those items....

A sweet pair of bunnies on a Hornsea Pottery Daisy jug.

The Cyclamen was a gift back in October from my dear Brother and Sister in Law, it's been blooming it's heart out ever since!

In close up

This back stamp was used by Hornsea between 1956 - 1962. 

I'm pretty certain it would have been an early one as I was born in 1956 and can always remember it!

Then there was this...

A Hornsea Fawn Posy log

Sweet isn't it?

Again, this was an early piece.  The back stamp was used between 1962 and 1967.

And finally,

A SylvaC 8" Swan vase from their Riverside Range.

and the back stamp

This style was used from 1969 until 1982

but again this is a 60's piece.

I do like them, and they hold many memories but I rarely display them - do you have pieces you rarely display but hold happy memories too?

Just a quick note,  I took the photos in the conservatory on the floor as the light was so much better in there.  The cream woollen rug they're standing on was rescued a couple of years ago.  During one of my (many) charity shop visits it was rolled up in the sorting room doorway, as I was after a cosy rug I asked if it was going to be put out for sale?  The manager said it was too dirty and they were going to 'skip it'.  I asked to have a better look, and realised it just needed a deep clean.  I asked if I made a donation could I have it?  They said yes, and suggested £2.  It came up a treat and is 100% pure wool - bargain or what?

Thank you all for your continuing visits and lovely comments, I feel really honoured to have such sweet blogging friends :o)

Have a great week!

p.s.

Pam at Bayside Rose has posted about a precious family piece too :o)