Update

Hi there

I hope everyone is enjoying the Bank Holiday (if you are in the UK).  It's a lovely warm day here in Sussex, so Mark and Matt have gone to play golf, with my dad and Marks dad.  I'll be joining them later for supper.  But, I now have a couple of hours to potter in the garden, and do some crochet in the sun.

I'm sorry I've not been around much recently.  Work has been quite busy, and we've had a few social things in the diary, but mainly it is the final countdown to Matt's GCSEs.  8 days until the first one, and 47 days until it's all over.  I think I've got that right.  

I can't remember if I mentioned, but Matt's school have set up a "Culture of Learning" to try and encourage learning, and to get away from being fixated on grades.  The idea is that children should learn to be proud of learning, and put in place ways to do their best, and keep growing, and the grades will follow. (There is more to it than that - but that's the gist)   I have been working with a group of parents and one of the most motivated teachers you could find, to try and put a "toolkit" together to help other parents, and encourage the same ethos in the home environment.  Not easy as we all have different ideas, and no doubt what works with one child is different to another.  It has been a great experience, and if nothing else, I've really enjoyed talking and discussing education and learning with other like-minded parents and teachers.  We are putting together our final thoughts, before the end of term, and I thought I should ask Matt what he thought the best thing I do to help him.  After all our ideas, discussions, reading etc, his answer - "Your time, Mum.  When I come home from school, you always ask me what my day has been like (I rarely get anything more than "ok"!)  And whilst I'm doing my homework you are always around to support me. And you always check everything is ok again before I go to bed."  It's easy to forget that teenagers still need their parents time, maybe even more so than babies.

Anyway, catching up with what has been happening around here:

A bit of crochet.  Along with many other people, I've been tempted to make a mandala.  I saw one on Attic 24 blog, and wanted to make it.  And very pretty it is too.  But what to do with it?  If I put it on the table, the prettiest part gets covered up.  My step mum suggested making it into a cushion.  I hope to finish it tonight.

A succumbed and made another pot holder!  

I don't think I shared a picture of the finished shrug?  I like it so much I've bought more yarn to make it in blue.  (Mark did mention yesterday when we were at a Spring Fayre and I was looking at the alpacas and wondered if I could learn to spin too, that I had enough yarn to last a lifetime.  Thankfully, in a marquee full of women spinning and making things, there wasn't anyone to agree with him!)

When I've finished this post, I am going to make myself a strawberry key ring fob.

I bought this dancing flower when I was visiting my sister last month.  It makes me smile - bobbing away in the sunshine.  £3 well spent!

And finally, a garden update.  Spring seems to have been replaced by early Summer.

By my greenhouse

By the hedge near the lane

The lane.  The cow parsley was looking lovely until Friday - when it was trimmed!  But at least we can see when driving now.

A couple of bluebells left.  They are nearly over.

 Frothy fennel making an appearance

The last of the trees are coming in to leaf

Still loving the cow parsley (I won't when it spreads even further into my lawn!)

But I love the cowslips in the grass. Thankfully Matt remembered to mow round them yesterday.

I look out at this rose from the kitchen window.  I love it.

Last bit of apple blossom

 The irises are early this year - and are all the same colour.  I can't work out what has happened to the red and yellow ones?

And ending with more cow parley

Are you still with me?  It's a long post for me!

Finally, I would like to thank you for your kind words - it really is lovely to hear from you.  And also kind actions in the "crafty" world.  I know that the internet gets lots of bad press for isolating people, but it does also bring people together, albeit virtually, who we may not have had the opportunity to talk to, if it weren't for blogs. 

Right, I'm off to enjoy the sun with a cup of tea and my hook.

Sara x