I bought a little frame from the local charity shop, when I took it apart this little watercolour posy came out from the back, I don't think it is that well done but someone took some time over it and I cannot bring myself to get rid of it so there it sits, on a shelf.

No craft work done this past fortnight, instead some minor alterations and some decorating, I always feel like a change at this time of year as I am sure lots of us do. Anyway my lovely fireplace has gone from this:-

To this:-

We have oil fired central heating and the oil is getting far too expensive now. So we decided to have a log burner to help conserve our oil. We can keep it in all day and night, I like the fact that I can go to work and leave the fire in! In case anyone is wondering it is a Clearview Stove - Pioneer 400. Manufactured in Shropshire - yay!! We have decorated the bedroom, but that is for another post!

An exciting (for me!) thing to happen this past week was to 'win' an old kenwood Chef off Freecycle. I had tried twice before so it was third time lucky for me. It came with lots of attachments and is in good working order. I want to make sausages and mill grain as well and I have found a chap who can supply these attachments too. I have passed several things on through Freecycle but this is the first time I have got something for myself.

My good friend Cath has a B&B in a lovely old farmhouse, she does wonderful cooking with her own hens, eggs, pigs etc , sometimes she shares one of her pigs with me, hence the need for a sausage maker and mincer. I have just thought that maybe I will take my camera next time and show you around her place. There are so many things at the moment that I think would make a good post.

Snowdrops galore

I had to work yesterday morning, it was such a lovely day though that I decided to stop by this place to visit. Several people were enjoying the glorious sunshine and 'The Snowdrop' weekend.

The most notable piece of information I have found about St Mary's, Burford, is that it is the resting place of Elizabeth Plantagenet. She was the third child of John of Gaunt the 1st Duke of Lancaster and was born in Burford in 1363. She had three husbands:- John Hastings, 3rd Earl of Pembroke; John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter; John Cornwall, 1st Baron Fanhope and Milbroke. She had 5 children with John Holland and 2 children with John Cornwall. There is a monument to her at the Church which I couldn't get a photo of this time, she was buried there in 1426.

Burford itself is a tiny parish of 1108 souls according to the 2001 census. It is the southern most place in Shropshire, and furthest from Shrewsbury the county town. This Church is next to my favourite Garden Centre - Burford Gardens, which deserves a post all of its own soon. Luckily for me it is only about 3 minutes from my place of work so nice to go there during my lunch break occasionally.

Every year the friends of the Church have 'Snowdrop' weekends where they welcome visitors to see the carpets of flowers, and offer refreshments in the Church to fund raise. These photos give an indication of the prettiness and peacefulness of the place, but what is missing is the sound of the birds. They are certain it is Spring and were singing as if their lives depended on it. I only hope they are not too far down the nesting/producing phase as there is still plenty of time for Winter to bite back and remind us it has not finished with us yet.

It was one thing to go and see the snowdrops, many different varieties, but it was quite another to see primroses, daffodils, periwinkle and tree blossom out - not to mention these shy and gently lovelies flowering away to their hearts content under an ancient yew.

I took HPC with me too!

I hope you are having a peaceful weekend.