Thursday 2 February 2012

Keeping cosy but still having fun outside :-)


It is chilly here in the UK at the moment (well not as chilly as over in places like Russia or Canada but chilly for our standards :-)).  This week the temperatures have been going down to -10 degrees in some areas so I have been keeping the woodburner going non-stop and to save a few pennies I have been popping my kettle on top and enjoying waiting for the whistling sound to call me.

Now I don't usually like cold weather but I have been looking forward to some frosty weather so I can have a play with ice :-) 


Some time go I saw an idea for making your own ice art.   As soon as the icy weather was upon us I rummaged through the cupboard for a nice flat based dish and rummaged through the garden for some arty items :-)


I chose some lovely fennel seed heads and holly berries.  I popped them out over-night and waited until morning came to see if my creations had been created for me by Mother Nature.


They look so pretty swinging in the gentle wind - like rubies set in glass.


I love how they look against the sky and with the sparkle they create when the sun reflects off them.  Little Sweetpea has loved this experiment too, she has bought them in and sat then near the fire to see how they melt slowly.  She then popped bits of ice on her hand and is amazed by how it melts because of her body temperature.  She turned to me and told me how it was 'magic'  - she is right :-)   Obviously I told her why it was melting and how but I like the idea of it being magic.  PS if you are doing this with your children please be careful which berries you use, I was very careful to keep an eye on my little one as I didn't want her eating holly berries and being sick.


Another thing making me smile this week is Eldest Sweetpea running past the window with batons of wood.  What was he up to?  When I asked he told me he was making a bee hive.  He is hoping some of Mr Sweetpea's honey bees will see the new home he has made and move house :-)  I went out to the shed and this is what I found.  He has even carved an entrance hole out for them and put wire mesh on - oh how I love his DIY ways - it makes up for his hormonal outbursts :-)


Middle and little Sweetpea have been busy looking after the chickens.  The chickens are still enjoying pottering around the garden, I don't think my hellebore's are enjoying them being out though :-(  We had one chicken jump up at our dining room window yesterday, goodness knows how it got there as it is all locked off.  She was so happy to be re-united with her mates and they were very happy to see her too - you could hear them clucking about her arrival.

I had better be off , I am afraid I am not allowed on the pc as much at the moment due to being diagnosed with tendonitis :-(  I have been told to take ibuprofen 3 times a day and to limit things that exasperate it.  I will keep reading blogs and love reading your comments too but please forgive me if I don't respond or comment as much as usual. 

Take care
Zoe
xxxx

22 comments:

  1. Hope your tendonitis gets better soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That is a great idea, I was out this morning putting fresh water out for the birds and yesterdays water had a couple of leaves trapped in the ice. I use plastic trays (the type for standing plant pots in) as I can't get the ice out of the concrete bird bath.

    Jan x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hope the tendonitis improves soon, it can be really painful. The ice and holly berries looks really good, and a fun way to teach Little Sweetpea about ice. Eldest Sweetpea is so inventive, I wonder what he'll be up to next.

    ReplyDelete
  4. i love your ice art ;0)x fantastic ;0) so you have had snow?
    we were looking at the icy paths on the way to school- i love the patterns ice makes too.
    look at your wood burner...ive always wanted a kettle with a whistle- wonderful x, stay cosy and take care of your throat xx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sorry to hear that you are unwell with tendonitis.
    What a super little wood burner, I have a pretend one.....wish mine would boil a kettle....fun!

    Melxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Loving your ice art! What a clever idea.
    Hope you feel better soon.
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  7. I really love your ice art, the pictures you took of it are amazing! I must try this! I'm sorry you've got tendonitis...very painful and such a nuisance too. Hope it gets better soon.
    Have a lovely cosy weekend, Zoe.
    Helen x

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love your ice art, how creative! And the wood burner looks so cosy in the middle of this minor cold snap.... mmmm toasty.

    Hope you get a break and the tendonitis gets better soon.

    Helen xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a lovely idea with the ice, very pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love the ice art - but not the fact your in discomfort with your tendons - Pants!

    Its been so cold here past few days, its really got me whilst I've bee out visiting patients - never thought I'd get warm tonight - perhaps I need a log burner?!

    Lx

    ReplyDelete
  11. sure is chilly. Nice ice thing to do with the kids !

    Are your chickens laying again yet ? I got 3 eggs today - first ones in about 4 months .... LOVELY :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love this idea for ice art and your photographs are beautiful - am going to go out and experiment while it's still freezing!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love the holly in ice (would look fab blown up!) I've nominated you for a versatile blogger award because I love your blog! Details are on mine and I loved seeing the hens x

    ReplyDelete
  14. love the pic of your stve with the kettle, looks so warm and inviting x

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love the Ice Art and the Photography...I am trying to get batter at that

    ReplyDelete
  16. the ice art is fab, I might even look forward to icy mornings if we did that.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Hope you feel better soon, I suffered from tendinitis following a car accident, I had to have cortizone injections in the end, painful but did work! I love your ice art, such a great idea!!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hello Zoe...Your ice art is so pretty and isn't it wonderful how children see things in such a magical way?....Tendonitis seems to be so common at the moment...maybe the cold weather has exacerbated things...hope it is much better soon,
    Take care and keep warm,
    Susan x

    ReplyDelete
  19. It's most definitely 'bbbbrrrrrrr......!' at the moment.

    I love your pictures,

    Nina x

    ReplyDelete
  20. I love your ice art - so beautiful! Best wishes, Pj x

    ReplyDelete
  21. Wow I love your photographs! The ice art is stunning, you have so many talents, thanks so much for sharing with us, look forward to the next installment

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for spending the time leaving a comment, it really does make me smile :-)