New Playlist

I've been compiling a new exercise playlist….and it's a bit eclectic, to say the least.  There are rousing classical numbers like Land of Hope and Glory and Zadok The Priest; film tunes like The Dam Busters and the finale from Much Ado About Nothing (the happiest music I know); a bit of 40s nostalgia with Glenn Miller and his band playing In The Mood; upbeat rock classics like Queen's Don't Stop Me Now and Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out for a Hero; and even The Tigger Song from Winnie the Pooh ('cause bouncing on my rebounder makes me feel very Tiggerish).

If you have any fave tunes to move to, let me know in the comments.

(Oh, and if you're wondering what the photo has to do with music and movement, the answer's, 'Nothing really'.  Except what you see is pretty much my view when I'm bouncing and hooping it up of a morning.  Not bad, huh?)

Time To Linger

The heather's in bloom on the moors right now.  So it's time to dawdle.  Time to linger.  Time to wallow in the purpley-ness of it all. To gaze at the colour washing across the hills to the hazy horizon.

Time to wear plum-coloured sweaters and bilberry-hued wrist warmers and blend into the landscape.  To sit amongst the springy stems and pretend I'm modelling for a Brora catalogue.

Time to snip dainty sprigs of the ling….to tuck them into ribbon-wrapped parcels or raffia-bound jars of jam.  And send tiny fragments of the fells out into the world. 

The Sea Found Me

I haven't made it to the seaside yet this summer….but that's okay, because the sea has found its way to me.  Sailed here in a little package of goodies from the south coast where my artist friend, Tara, lives.

She's painted me a picture (painted it specially for me - how about that?!) and stamped her LOVE into a tiny clay heart.  She's included a beautiful shell from the beach and a Polaroid of the sun setting over the waves (on the back was scribbled 'From the sea and the studio').  And the whole lot was tied up with nautical-coloured, washi tape bunting.

My shoreline treasures have been sitting on the table for several days now, luring me to the water.  I'll be there before the summer's out.  But, in the meantime, the Dixon Hill kitchen has a bit of a seasidey vibe.  Thank you, Tara!

Wonder Woman

Friends, my life is about to change.  And in spectacular fashion.  I'm about to become a new woman.  A Wonder Woman, in fact.  And all because I have a new bed companion.

That's her above.  She's a tiny, pink pillow - about four inches square - and she's stuffed with Himalayan herbs.  My husband just brought her back from India.

This small pillow promises to make me 'undaunted, undeterred, undismayed and unfazed'.  Better yet, she claims she'll increase my productivity, reduce my stress, foster better relationships and even make for a more pleasing personality.

See?  I'm gonna be transformed.  At the very least, next time I come to write this blog, I shall be wearing red boots and a star-emblazoned tiara.  Prepare to be astounded!

April in August

It's April weather though the calendar says August.  Sunshine then showers.  Sunshine then stair rods, falling from the sky.  

Perfect rainbow weather!