Make me.

This time of year is perfect for snuggling up in front of the TV in the evening with a nice pile of crafty bits to play with. Since my little one has come along I've felt really inspired again, a holiday in St Ives helped, as did Instagram but the funny thing is I've much less time and energy to really get stuck in nowadays. Having a baby has really made me wonder what one earth I used to do with my time. A free hour these days is utterly precious and not to be wasted. . . .

It feels really special to be making Christmas gifts for my girl and these little finger puppets from the Mollie Makes Christmas book are great fun. Missy will probably be too little for them really and they'll no doubt end up being chewed but I'm so proud of them and my tiny stitches.

Pop bang whizzzzzz.

Homemade leek and potato pie, sparklers, River Cottage and Masterchef. Excitement she wrote.

Crunch crunch crunch underfoot.

We had a lovely walk in the park today and we're lucky enough to live just a minute away. The air was cold and crisp and the sky was bright so we on went coats and hats and off went. I kind of love it now the kids are back at school and we selfishly get the park to ourselves. Hope they sort the playground out before my girl is old enough for the swings though, it's shocking. Looking at the changing leaves and crunching them underfoot makes me realise just how quickly my year of maternity leave has gone. Happy to watch my little one grow and learn and explore but sad that it's all happening so quickly. . . . but hey, no time for Winter blues, not with the colours exploding on the trees and that magical smokey smell that lingers.

Boo.

My steampumpkin.

Fried green tomatoes..........

Well we had something of a harvest and I still managed to feel supremely pleased with myself for all the herbs we've grown and used in cooking this year. Unfortunately I don't have a real plot of ground to call my own as of yet but it's high on my wish list.

There's nothing like the peace I feel when digging about and planting, the warmth of a greenhouse and the sweeping of a path. I do love being outside, although I stress that I'm not in the least sporty, I'm more of an Autumn walk and cuppa tea afterwards kinda girl. As soon as the rain stops I need to be out there tidying up the dead bits and readying things for next year. . .I had a funny little imagining the other week, of me, much older and wrinkled and enjoying my garden, not that unusual I guess but it was more the fact that the idea didn't horrify me as thoughts old growing up usually do. Think it's something to do with me being in a happy place.

Walk a miles in someone else's shoes.

Always nice to have ones pedicure appreciated.

Summer, please restart yourself.

Much as I love September with its promise of cool evenings and quiet misty mornings with the park back to ourselves, I find it's only a treat if I've had a few midday heat headaches and melted ice creams. Goodness, this was supposed to be special summer for the little one and I but we've been trapped by torrential rain, thunder storms and flooded yards. I did manage to grow a little garden but unless the sun makes an appearance soon my tomatoes will fall green from their stems.