Happily, I managed to finish recording, even with a rather dodgy sounding voice thanks to a spring cold, and episode 2 is now live on my channel.

In this episode I am sharing my journey through The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, a book and creative practice designed to help us rediscover creativity, inspiration, and a more intentional artistic life.

I talk about what The Artist’s Way is, why I decided to begin this journey, and how practices such as Morning Pages and the Artist Date are already encouraging me to slow down, notice more, and reconnect with creativity in everyday life.

Come with me to a vintage market, spend a quiet afternoon crafting a rag wreath, and settle in for gentle conversations about the books I am currently reading and the importance of making space for beauty, inspiration, and creativity in daily life.

If you enjoy the episode please do consider subscribing to my channel.

Blessings to you today…

The post Embracing Creativity: Episode 2 of Seasons of Grace and Learning appeared first on .

I hope that you are all enjoying May so far. I am continually and pleasantly overwhelmed by the beauty of this month. Living out in the country I am so much more in tune with the subtle changes in the seasons.

Along the country lanes Cow Parsley towers above carpets of purple bluebells. Horse Chestnut trees are laden with soft creamy/pink candle flowers and the fields are awash with yellow dandelions that slowly give way to waves of white as they turn from flower to dandelion clock seed heads.

My own garden is bringing such delights, the Clematis is romping away, clearly forgetting it’s manners as it clambers over its neighbouring plants bringing swathes of delicate pink and yellow where it’s dainty feet choose to tread.

The greenhouse has brought me such joy. I love spending time in there planting seeds, potting on seedlings as they grow, dreaming of an abundance of flowers to be enjoyed, picked and displayed over the coming months.

My vegetables are growing beautifully, especially the lettuce. We have already enjoyed quite a few salads over the recent weeks. The more we harvest it the more it seems to grow. I love walking up the path with my scissors and a pretty bowl to harvest leaves for our meal.

The Chives and Parsley are thriving at the moment and have been enjoyed in homemade potato salads.

With all this lovely spring weather, we have been spending quite a bit of time outdoors. Lots of gardening of course but a lot of relaxing too. I pulled out some of my favourite books this afternoon and did a bit of reading and journaling.

I will be sharing a bit more about this in my next YouTube video – which was supposed to be out last week but… we have a lot going on at the moment and time seems to run away with me quite frequently. I’ll share a bit about that too. Thankfully I have a more relaxed week this week and I am fiercely guarding my time so I plan to record tomorrow.

We had two birthdays in our family in April and gorgeous weather so we took advantage of it and enjoyed a birthday breakfast outside. Lilacs are in bloom and they made a lovely arrangement for the breakfast table.

As you can see, the bunting is up too – it will stay there for the summer coming down only to be washed and then straight back up. There is something so cheery about bunting don’t you think?

Finally, who else absolutely loves hanging their washing outdoors to dry? This is one of those very simple, everyday ordinary things that brings a small sense of satisfaction to my homemakers soul.

I am reorganising my studio (post to come) and I found this quilt and a few of my favourite embroidered items that I hadn’t unpacked since our move last year. I really want to get joy from the items I have crafted and I want them on display in my studio, so I gave them a wash and hung them outside to dry in the spring sunshine. Soon they will be back in the studio to enjoy.

Well my lovely friends, I am off to go and enjoy an episode of Miss Marple – perfect Sunday afternoon viewing! Enjoy what remains of your weekend and I shall see you back here very soon.

The post The Seasonal Weekender: Early May appeared first on .

Here in the Welsh hills, it is blustery and rainy with the occasional hail shower. We had wanted to visit Bodant Garden in Conwy today but I think that given the conditions, we may wait to visit in May.

Instead, I have spend the morning baking some lovely Blueberry-Lemon Buttermilk Muffins. The mixture yielded 12 muffins plus enough for a loaf, or you could do 24 muffins.

Make my Blueberry-Lemon Buttermilk Muffins

Here is my recipe if you would like to give them a try – they certainly are delicious!

Down the Spring Garden Path…

This is our first spring in our new home and it is a joy to watch the garden awakening this spring.

The garden is surrounded by a variety of trees, shrubs and hedges and most of them are in various stages of blossoming. It is so lovely to see colour creeping in to the far reaches of the garden.

While we have had clear blue skies on occasion, April is renowned for its turbulent nature, so to see these pops of colour helps us to remember that better days on most certainly on the way!

In the greenhouse, I have had mixed luck with my seeds. The problem is that I planted a lot of seeds who’s sell by date had come and gone. I couldn’t bring myself to throw them away, they had to be given the chance.

I have cosmos, lupins, poppies, rudbeckia, sweetpeas and sunflowers coming up. I bought some fresh seeds just this week so I will get those sown this weekend.

My YouTube Channel

I wanted to let you know about the trials and developments with my YouTube channel.

I spent hours and hours recording and editing my launch episode only to find that the program I used draws the various clips from a URL and does not store the content on its platform.

This is completely useless because it means that I need to keep the files on my own hard drive on cloud storage which takes up an immense amount of room. If the URL’s are deleted, your uploaded video is destroyed.

So, back to the drawing board. I think I am just going to record again, not worry too much about making it a professionally edited production, and hope that people are happy to connect with me in a simple, unedited manner. Something is better than nothing right?

You will note that I managed to figure out how to get the comments form visible on this new blog home – it’s only taken me about 7 months! So if anyone has recommendations on editing software, I would love to hear from you!

Saturday Afternoon Reading

I picked up The Simple Things magazine yesterday so I am enjoying paging through April’s copy this rainy afternoon.

I am also enjoying this little spring display that I put together for the coffee table in the conservatory. We got this gorgeous Easter card from a dear friend and I love it so much that I’m going to keep it for future spring displays. The little house was a gift from my daughter’s recent visit to Copenhagen and I picked a few of the blooming dandelion flowers from my garden.

I’ve shared before how my husband can’t stand them and how much I love them – they are a hallmark of spring! Fortunately, all the dandelions in our garden appear to be containing themselves to the far reaches of the garden and in the wild boarders, so in my view, they have every right to be there.

Anhyoo lovelies, that’s about it from me this weekend. I hope that whatever you are doing you are enjoying a slower pace and will find some time this weekend to nurture your creativity and home.

The post The Seasonal Weekender: Delicious Blueberry-Lemon Buttermilk Muffin Recipe appeared first on .

In God’s kindness, that decision was rewarded—both girls went on to be accepted into British universities. As I look back, I see how those years were filled with both joy and challenge, and how the lessons we learned remain just as relevant today. This post, originally written some years ago, is one I believe still speaks into the heart of the homeschooling journey, so I’m delighted to share it again from the archives.

From the Archives…

Choosing to homeschool our children has truly been one of the best decisions of our lives. The memories and experiences we’ve gathered are treasures we will carry forever. I feel deeply blessed that I still have two years left of shared learning with my youngest. Our homeschooling journey isn’t over yet, and I intend to savour every single moment that remains.

But today, I want to talk about something that can quietly steal our joy along the way: the “voices” that come at us from every side. Some mean well, trying to encourage us, yet they leave us feeling judged or inadequate. Others are far less external—they are the whispers of our own fears and insecurities, growing louder until they become a flood of doubt that threatens to paralyse us.

These are my own reflections on those two types of voices. Perhaps they’ll resonate with you—or perhaps not. Either way, I share them in the hope of encouragement.

The Voices That Mean Well

Who are the voices in your life? For me, they’ve often come from the blogs I’ve read, the online groups I’ve joined, the books or podcasts I’ve followed, or even from fellow Christians we love and respect.

When you see another homeschool mum’s beautiful blog, complete with perfect photos and inspiring projects, it’s easy to compare and feel “less than.” Or when a popular podcast suggests a particular method, you start to wonder if that must be the only “right” way because of their large following.

Sometimes, it’s even the subtle pressure from within our Christian communities—well-meaning comments that leave us feeling that if we allow our children to read certain stories or watch certain programmes, we’re somehow falling short of God’s will.

The danger is this: if we give those voices too much weight, they drown out the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit, the only voice we should ultimately be following.

The Voice of Fear and Doubt

Then there’s the inner voice—the one fuelled by our fears and uncertainties. I’ve wrestled with this deeply, especially when I’ve found myself without a community of like-minded homeschooling mums.

More than a decade ago, God called us to homeschool. He placed on our hearts the desire to raise our children to know Him and live for Him. By His grace, that has been our guiding light. Yet even with that assurance, the world’s expectations can press heavily. We wonder: What if my child’s path looks different? What if it doesn’t align with what is considered “normal”?

Community makes all the difference. When we walk with others who share the same vision, we can pray together, encourage one another, share ideas, and remind each other of God’s faithfulness. Without that, it’s far easier to slip into fear-driven decisions.

Here’s a real example. A while back, I found myself in knots because my daughter would finish her A-Levels at 19 instead of 18. For reasons I can’t quite explain, this consumed me. I stressed about university applications, worried about being “behind,” and allowed fear to overshadow peace.

Then God graciously intervened through a simple conversation. I was speaking with a fellow homeschooling mum—someone who had already graduated two children and was calmly guiding her son through his A-Levels, also to finish at 19. She answered my questions with wisdom and reminded me that this was not unusual. More importantly, she reminded me that God’s plan for each child is unique.

I left that conversation both refreshed and repentant. I realised I had been listening more to fear than to God. And I was reminded how vital it is to stay connected with others walking the same road.

Since then, I’ve made a conscious effort to build that fellowship again. A few local homeschooling mums and I now meet monthly, simply to encourage one another. It has been life-giving.

Guarding Our Hearts

Fear and doubt creep in quietly, but they take root quickly. Guard against them by surrounding yourself with voices that strengthen rather than weaken your trust in God’s calling. Stay connected with people who point you back to Him, and keep His gentle voice louder than all the rest.

Wishing you God’s richest blessings today.

The post Lessons for the Homeschooling Mum appeared first on .

God’s Guidance and Restoration in the Spring Season

At this time of year, it is easy to see God’s love and care reflected in the awakening spring world around us.

The fields around our home are filled with freshly born lambs. They frisk about, leaping and headbutting each other with such carefree abandon. Their mothers watching and calling when they stray to far. A guiding motherly voice that her lamb recognises. Even though that mama sheep watches over her lamb, it does not mean that she always makes sterling decisions in watching her own ways.

A Straying Sheep: When we Lose Our Way

Just last week I was driving home and noticed a ewe stuck in a barbed wire fence. She had scrambled over a drystone wall in an effort to get to the green grass in a small adjacent field only to become entangled in the barbed wire just on the other side of the wall. I don’t know how long she had been there, but she was well and truly stuck.

Hind legs scrabbling to get a grip on the now collapsing dry stone wall. Her middle caught securely between two strings of barbed wire, fleece caught up, ensuring that she was not going anywhere. Her head and front legs on the other side trying to pull herself through.

She was certainly in a tricky situation and all because she was focused on what she wanted rather than on what she had in the rolling fields behind her.

Fortunately, the field in question happened to be right opposite the farmers house, so I pulled in and informed the farmer’s wife of the ewe’s predicament. She was soon rescued although it could have been easy trying to disentangle the fat, struggling ewe!

Chasing What Lies Beyond the Fence

There have been many times when I have been like that ewe. focused on what is ahead of me. Worrying that I need to find a way to provide for my own needs or perhaps convinced that I should be in an alternate field to the one I am in. I listen to voices other than that of the good shepherd, only to find myself stuck.

The Good Shepherd: God’s Gentle Rescue and Restoration

We have all been there. It is usually about that time that we start looking for the shepherd to come and rescue us from trappings of our own making…and he does. His concern is for our well being. He wants us to be safe, provided for and content. He does not wish for us to become entrapped and struggling unable to get free.

I can picture the farmer of that struggling ewe coming out and seeing her in that predicament. “Not again! What a silly creature”, he would have muttered as he rolled up his sleeves and set the struggling animal free.

Is he angry? Disappointed? Fed up?

Does he turn his back on the silly creature and say, well she will just have to find her own way out, serves her right?

Of course not!

Not Abandoned, But Pursued in Love

He recognises her vulnerability and her ignorance. He knows that his ways and thoughts are so much higher than her own simple frailties.

He does not hold a grudge against the ewe. He simply comes to her rescue, concerned that she is well and unharmed. Perhaps he hopes that that she will not undertake such a venture again, but if she does, he will once again roll up his sleeves and release her from her prison. He is a good farmer, he cares for his sheep and will do what needs to be done to ensure that they are well.

Guarding Our Hearts: Choosing Whose Voice We Follow

It is the same for us dear friends. In today’s modern world where there are competing voices and messages, especially with the advent of social media, it is easy to consume information and messaging that is wrong for us.

Psalm 1: A Life Rooted in God’s Guidance and Restoration

Blessed is the one who does not walk in the step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither – whatever they do prospers

Psalm 1:1-3

What the Righteous Do Not Do

In today’s verse, the Psalmist explain why a righteous person (one who is in a right relationship with God and has a heart that responds to him and his word), is blessed, first negatively and then positively.

In verse 1 he declares that the righteous are blessed because of what they do not do.

The do not live in way that results from following the counsel and advice of the wicked.

Who are the wicked?

Anyone who does not align themselves with people who rejects or is scornful of God’s ways. People who are willing to do anything to advance themselves or find enjoyment at the expense of others. Those who say, “look after yourself” or, “it’s just business”. People who live contrary to God’s ways.

It is easy to seek counsel from these people, they are closer than you think. You potentially spend hours scrolling through their social media accounts where they are counseling you in sharp bite-size form on what you should be aspiring to or how you should be living.

Be cautious about what you consume.

Delighting Daily in God’s Word

The verbs in verses 2 and 3 we see how we are affected positively should we take this very defininate stance of NOT walking, standing or sitting in the ways of the wicked, sinners and mockers. We see that nothing about the life of the righteous withers and that all who see this person’s life behold his/her ‘fresh leaves’ and observe the abundance of his/her life.

The thought is not of prospering physically in the sense of becoming rich, but of achieving God’s ends, of doing well what she sets her hand to so that God causes it to prosper for the advantage of all. It is of having a fulfilled life, a worthwhile life, contributing to the good of mankind. She is like a fruitful tree. She prospers in fruitfulness.

Note the change in tenses between verse 1 and verse 2.

In verse 1 the verbs are ‘definite’. The righteous [wo]man has taken up a definite attitude towards these things. [S]he is set in her ways.

In verse 2 the verbs are ‘indefinite’, indicating continuous action. [S]he continuously delights in, and ponders on, Gods Word.

Isn’t that just such a wonderful encouragement?

With the memory of our recent Easter celebrations and of the Lord’s immense sacrifice firmly in our minds, think of how you can move forward with purpose.

When we chose not to ‘walk in the counsel of the wicked’, we are making a deliberate choice to do or not do something. It is choosing to have an attitude that determines the direction we take, and then to follow it through continually.

Growing Like A Tree: The Slow Work of Spiritual Fruitfulness

This is not an easy choice, I know. It will take time and practice. Afterall, a tree that ‘bears fruit in season’ does not produce instantaneous growth and fruit. In spring we watch it flower and bud, then it takes all summer for the fruit to develop and grow before we finally enjoy the picking and nourishing.

It is the same with the word of God, it does not immediately bring us to maturity and fruitfulness. It takes time. It is a process.

Don’t be discouraged. We need to be faithful in the everyday. In the resisting. In the delighting in God’s Word, before we finally start to see the fruit and experience the flourishing and prospering.

A Gentle Invitation to Return to the Shepherd

Perhaps the time is now to re-evaluate how life is going and if there is something that needs to change.

Do you need to confess that you have strayed, got caught up in a fence and needing the intervention of the good shepherd?

Do you need to say sorry for trying to be fiercely independent and following your own path?

Accept the Lord’s help. His loving kindness. His provision.

Put your trust in him and ask him to plant you by streams of water.

Delight in his Word daily and watch how God establishes fruit in your life and how he will cause your life to flourish in ways you may never have dreamed of.

The post The Good Shepherd and the Straying Sheep: Finding God’s Guidance in Spring appeared first on .

Ours was a little different this year. Quite unintentionally, I had booked a few days away for my husband and me in Croatia—only to realise, rather too late, that our trip fell directly over the Easter weekend. It is such a sacred and meaningful time in our home, as we gather to reflect on the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour and to celebrate together as a family. I must admit, I felt a quiet sense of disappointment when I realised.

And yet, the Lord is gracious in all seasons. We had a lovely time away. It was restful, restorative, and filled with beauty…and it has made our return home feel all the sweeter.

There is something about April that invites us outdoors again. The air softens, the hedgerows begin to stir, and if you are near water, whether a garden wildlife pond, your local lake, or a quiet pond, you may notice one of spring’s most delightful signs of life: frogspawn.

Looking over the years of homeschooling, our frog and tadpole nature study remains one of the most memorable and joy filled projects we undertook. It was simple, deeply engaging, and full of wonder. Today, I want to share not only our experience, but also guide you in creating your own frog and tadpole study with your children.

One blustery spring day, amid what felt like near gale-force winds, we wrapped ourselves in coats and made our way down to the lake, Handbook of Nature Study in hand. That book became our quiet companion, offering both structure and freedom as we explored.

Armed with a small aquarium, curiosity, and a sense of adventure, we waded into the flag iris and bull rush encrusted banks of our local lake and gathered a small amount of frogspawn and pond water to bring home. This would form the beginning of our very own tadpole aquarium.

If you are doing this today, I encourage you to keep it simple:

• Take only a small amount of spawn
• Collect water from the same pond
• Handle everything gently and respectfully

This is not just a project, it is an introduction to stewardship.

Creating a Tadpole Aquarium at Home

Setting up the aquarium was wonderfully straightforward, and that is part of its charm.

We used:

• A small aquarium we had at home. You could use a glass bowl
• Pond water
• A little pond weed for oxygen and shelter
• a rock that breaches the water just a little as your tiny frogs will need somewhere to rest out of the water in time.
• A place indoors with natural light (but no direct sun)

And that was it.

The beauty of this kind of learning is that it asks very little of us as mothers or educators. We create the conditions, and then we step back an allow nature to teach.

Unexpected Discoveries Beneath the Water

Even before we placed our frogspawn into our aquarium, we noticed something remarkable: movement.

On closer inspection, we discovered a rather fierce little creature among the spawn we had collected, intent, it seemed, on making a meal of it. Naturally, this caused great excitment.

We carefully removed him for observation and later identified him as a diving beetle larva, often described as a formidable predator even at this early stage of life.

Alongside him, we found a quieter presence, a caddisfly larva, engly encased and altogether less dramatic in its habits.

Both were placed in separate containers so we could observe them more closely.

This, I think, is where nature study truly comes alive, not in the plan, but in the unexpected.

To Interfere or Not? A Lesson in Nature Itself

When it came time to assemble our aquarium, we faced a small dilemma: should we include the predator?

In the end, we chose to do so.

Our reasoning was simple, we wanted to reflect nature as it truly is, not as we might prefer it to be. Life in a pond is not tidy and controlled; it is dynamic, sometimes harsh, and always facinating.

This decision led to some of the riches conversations we had:

• About ecosystems
• About balance
• About life cycles and survival

And yes…a little drama unfolded before our eyes.

Ultimately, we were successful and managed to raise a little groups of teeny tiny frogs which released into the same lake where we had gathered the spawn.

Nature Journaling: Capturing the Moment

As the days passed, we turned to our nature journal.

• We sketched
• We observed
• We noted changes, tiny at first, and then unmistakable.

Encourage your children (and yourself) to:

• Draw what you see (not what you think it should look like_
• Record dates and observations
• Write a few simple sentences

There is no need for perfection. The Journal is not a performance, it is a record of attention

A Simple Guide for Your Own Frog & Tadpole Study

If you feel inspired to begin your own study this April, here is a simple rhythm to follow:

Week 1: Collect and Set Up

• Visit a local pond
• Collect a small amount of frogspawn
• set up your aquarium

Week 2-4: Observe Daily Changes

• Watch for hatching
• Note movement and growth
• Introduce journaling

Ongoing: Ask Questions Together

• What are tadpoles eating? (we fed ours tulip leaves which they loved)
• How are they changing?
• What else lives in the water?

When Ready: Release Back

• Return froglets to their original habitat.

A Final Reflection

Looking back, this was never just about frogs.

It was about slowing down. About paying attention. About allowing my children to witness life unfolding in real time.

In a world that rushes us forward, a simple bowl of pond water can gently call us back to wonder, to patience, and to learning that is both meaningful and lasting.

If you do try this in your own home this spring, I would truly love to hear about it.

The post Frog and Tadpole Nature Study in Spring appeared first on .

Can you quite believe that we have arrived at April already? There is something about the turning of the month that feels like a threshold…March quietly slips behind us, and suddenly we find ourselves stepping more fully into spring.

And what a lovely March it has been.

Stepping into April

The bumblebees have returned, moving slowly and purposefully from flower to flower, gathering what they need after the long winter months. There is something so reassuring about that familiar hum. It feels like a promise that the season is truly changing.

The daffodils have come into their own too, and are still blooming beautifully, their bright yellow heads catching the light and lifting even the greyest of days. They never fail to bring a sense of cheer to the garden, quietly announcing that spring is here.

The Pond Awakens

And then there is the pond.

It is beginning to stir again, almost imperceptibly at first, and then all at once. The frogs have returned from their winter rest and have filled the water with spawn. So much so that it has become a little nursery of its own. I find myself drawn to it each day, pausing to observe, to notice, to wonder at the steady, hidden work of growth taking place beneath the surface.

The spawn is looking healthy, and thankfully untouched! I am watching closely as it begins its gradual transformation. There is a quiet anticipation in this stage, knowing what is to come, yet allowing it to unfold in its own time.

Seeing it all has taken me back to our homeschooling days, when we gathered frogspawn and carefully nurtured it at home, watching it develop from tiny dark specks into tadpoles, and eventually into the smallest of frogs. It was one of the simplest studies we ever did, and yet one of the most memorable. I will share that post again later this week, in case it might inspire you in your own homes this season.

We also discovered, quite unexpectedly, that we have newts in the pond, a small but delightful surprise. It seems our garden is becoming something of a haven for wildlife, which brings me a quiet kind of joy I find difficult to put into words.

Blossom and Light in the Garden

One of the quiet joys of living in our new home is watching the garden reveal itself, little by little, as each season unfolds. It still feels, in many ways, like an introduction…each week bringing something new into view, something we had not yet noticed or fully appreciated.

At the moment, so many of the shrubs and smaller trees are dressed in white blossom. It has come upon us almost all at once, softening the edges of the garden and catching the light in the most delicate way. There is a freshness to it that feels unmistakably like spring, clean, hopeful, and full of promise.

I find myself lingering a little longer outdoors these days, noticing how the light falls through the branches, how the breeze carries the petals, how everything seems to be quietly coming back to life.

Back to the Kitchen

I have also found myself spending more time in the kitchen again, returning to the quiet rhythm of baking our own bread. There is something deeply satisfying about it. The steady process, the simplicity of the ingredients, and the sense of care it brings back into the home.

This week, I made a batch of lemon and blueberry muffins from one of my Amish baking books. They were quite delicious! Light, fresh, and full of flavour, and felt just right for this time of year. There is something about the combination of citrus and berries that seems to capture the essence of spring so perfectly.

It is these small, ordinary things—the tending of a garden, the watching of a pond, the baking of bread—that seem to mark the season most meaningfully. Not in grand gestures, but in the quiet, everyday moments that gently shape our days.

As I look forward to April unfolding, I am reminded how closely the rhythms of home and nature mirror the deeper truths of our faith. There is a quiet unfolding taking place all around us—in the garden, in the pond, in the small, faithful work of our hands within the home. Nothing hurried, nothing forced, and yet everything moving steadily towards new life. After the stillness of winter and the reflection of Easter, this season feels like an invitation: to notice, to tend, and to trust in the gentle work of renewal. And perhaps that is enough…to live attentively in these days, to care for what has been placed before us, and to rest in the assurance that growth, both seen and unseen, is always at work.

The post April Seasonal Living: Signs of Spring in the Garden, Pond & Home appeared first on .

I know that many people only herald the start of spring at the Spring Equinox, but I am more than ready to embrace the small hallmarks of the new seasons arrival and so I am officially embracing that spring has arrived.

To mark the turning of the season, I’m sharing a short video filmed this weekend – a gentle celebration of this threshold moment between winter and spring. It also marks the beginning of something new for me, as I prepare to launch my YouTube channel, where I will be sharing reflections of seasonal living, the beauty of the countryside, the quiet rhythms of everyday life, along with the books I’m reading, thoughts from my nature walks, and glimpses of traditional homekeeping and creative pursuits that bring meaning and calm to the days.

If you enjoy this glimpse of early spring in my garden, I would be delighted if you would subscribe to my channel and join me as this new creative chapter unfolds.

So how did you spend your first day of spring?

Garden: A greenhouse in time for spring

My husband and I spent the day finishing off our greenhouse. We started building our greenhouse late December. Then the snow arrived and put a stop to our progress. The temperatures remained too cold to get any significant work done. February seemed to be a month of eternal rainfall and this is not a job that you want to do in the rain.

This weekend, we decided to get it finished.

It is time to sow my spring seeds, so when I suggested that my husband bring in a few of our fold away tables into the conservatory so that I could get on with my spring gardening tasks, it proved to be just the motivation to get the greenhouse finished.

It took us the better part of the weekend but by Sunday afternoon it was done, complete with staging. The pelargoniums were moved out of my office where they have been overwintering, and into the greenhouse.

I have wanted a greenhouse for as long as I can remember and finally, I have one of my very own and I am looking forward to spending a few days this week in the greenhouse, planting my spring seeds. I have dreamed of lavishing seasonal touches on my greenhouse so I will be hanging bunting and perhaps a seasonal wreath too. Adding small seasonal decor touches is a way to celebrate the season and I find such joy in this small practice.

What are you doing to celebrate the arrival of spring?

The post Getting Ready for Spring Gardening: My Greenhouse Journey appeared first on .

I have been keeping our birds in good supply over these past wintery weeks and have been rewarded by a constant stream of feathered visitors. I’ve taken to throwing monkey nuts on the lawn each morning which is much appreciated by the Magpies and Crows who swoop down and gather as many nuts as they can carry before retreating to a nearby tree branch to retrieve the nut from inside the shell.

With all this activity, I am hopeful of recording healthy numbers to submit as part of the RSPB’s annual citizen science project. I was secretly hoping for a snowy weekend as the weather tends to drive the birds to the feeders as they try to keep up their energy to cope with the cold weather. But I’m sure they are happier with the milder conditions of the week or so.

If you plan on participating then have a look at my recent post on preparing to participate in the Big Garden Birdwatch.

I’ve prepared my nature journal page, the first one since 2019! I’m looking forward to developing this page and sharing it with you.

I wanted to share something very exciting with you, we have installed three bird boxes in our garden ahead of the spring and guess what…

Within 24 hours we have prospective tenants viewing our properties. How exciting! I don’t think we were expecting such interest at such an early stage.

We are not talking about a little peek here and there. They have been doing the full tour. Popping in, disappearing from sight, and popping out again. I wonder how tenancy is decided in the avian world?

As I look ahead to the weekend, I find myself feeling quietly content.

There is something deeply grounding about pausing to notice who shares our space. To sit, watch, count, and really see the life unfolding just beyond the window. The flutter of wings, the sudden stillness, the familiar regulars and the unexpected newcomers. It slows me down in the best possible way.

The Big Garden Birdwatch is, of course, about numbers and trends and data that really matter. But for me, it is also about attention. About learning to look more closely. About gratitude for the small, persistent lives that carry on regardless of the pace of the world around them.

I like the idea that, for one hour this weekend, thousands of us will be doing the same thing. Standing in gardens, peering out of kitchen windows, wrapped up against the cold, notebooks or printouts in hand. Ordinary people contributing to something bigger, simply by noticing.

And perhaps that is the quiet lesson woven through it all. That caring begins with paying attention. That stewardship doesn’t have to be grand or complicated. Sometimes it looks like a handful of nuts scattered on the lawn. A thoughtfully placed bird box. An hour set aside to watch and wonder.

Whatever the results of my count, whatever numbers I submit, I already feel richer for having taken part. More connected. More hopeful. And very much looking forward to seeing who else might drop by this weekend.

Here’s to shared skies, small joys, and the simple pleasure of watching life unfold—one bird at a time. I hope that you all have a wonderful weekend.

The post The Big Garden Birdwatch 2026 appeared first on .

In our homeschool we have enjoyed participating in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch each year. It’s a fantastic way of being part of a nationwide citizen science project while helping out the birds in your area to survive these cold winter days.

What Is The Big Garden Birdwatch? 

Every year, people take part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch by counting the birds they see in their garden.
It’s been going for 45 years already! Can you believe that?
The Big Garden Birdwatch provides important data on how our garden birds are faring across the UK.

When Does It Take Place?

The Big Garden Birdwatch happens once each year over the last weekend in January.

Who Can Take Part?

Anyone! Even if you are not ‘scientifically minded’ this is a great way to participate and a countrywide citizen science initiative!

How Can We Take Part?

• Register on the RSPB website to take part. You will be able to download your Big Garden Birdwatch guide and tally chart. This includes a handy bird spotter identification sheet.

• Save the Date: The next Big Garden Birdwatch takes place 23-25 January 2026
• All you need to do is make sure that you keep your feeders well stocked for your feathered friends. 

• Then spend just one hour watching and recording the birds in your garden or in your local green space. Then send your results to the RSPB by submitting them on their website.

Start By Getting To Know The Top Ten Birds Reported In The Big Garden Birdwatch 2025

If you are just starting out on your Big Garden Birdwatch adventure then you may want to familiarise yourself with last years top ten Big Garden Birdwatch birds. Many of these birds may already be known to you and be regular visitors to your garden, they certainly are regular visitors to my garden.

• House Sparrow
• Blue Tit
• Wood Pigeon
• Starling
• Blackbird
• Robin
• Great Tit
• Goldfinch
• Magpie
• Long-tailed Tit

Prepare Your Feeders

You will want to ensure that you are feeding the birds well in advance of the Big Garden Birdwatch. Word does get round quickly but in order to have a good turnout for your count you want it to become known amongst our feathered friends that you are a reliable source of food!

• Place your bird feeders and tables in a quiet spot where the birds won’t be disturbed. Don’t place them too close to bushes, you may think that you are doing them a favour but you are not. Cats love to hide in shrubs and pounce on our poor unsuspecting feathered friends.
• Provide a variety of food. There are lots of different foods available but try to avoid foods that have ‘fillers’ such as dried peas and beans. The birds don’t usually eat those.
• Don’t forget to provide water, birds get thirsty and would welcome a good drink of water, especially if you have had a prolonged period of ice and snow.
• Remember to keep your feeders clean. A good clean once a week with warm soapy water is all you need. Make sure that the feeder is completely dry before refilling.

Nature Journal Your Big Garden Birdwatch Experience

The Big Garden Birdwatch is a great nature study project. You get to learn about the birds that visit your garden in preparation for the big weekend and you can create a lovely nature journal page to record your data. here are some of my own nature journal pages from previous years…

The post The Big Garden Birdwatch Homeschool Resource: Everything You Need To Know! appeared first on .