Star Forever Young

 I'm a bit of a scatty blogger really. I seem to have so much going on all the time that it's difficult to settle on one thing. My garden has been lush this summer because we had lots of rain in June. The trees grew and grew, so much that we are going to have to part with one of them because it has just got too big. It's an ash tree - I didn't plant it; it planted itself and it loves it just where it is - about 7 feet from the house and 4 feet from the neighbour's bedroom window. It is a beautiful shape and gives much needed shade in the height of the summer, but it will grow much more and completely dominate the gardens, neighbour's and ours so when the leaves have dropped, we will have to take it out. Watch this space.... I've also been busy with my penpal group - Junk Journal Penpals Group on Facebook. We have 555 members now, although not all of those post regularly, if at all. Lots of people drop by to see what's new, but it often doesn't occur ...

It's been a while!  I always say that when I suddenly realise that time has flown and I haven't visited here for months.  Why is that? Perhaps it's because other things come along and along and along....  Dylan is now 12, nearly 13 years old! How can that be? and his sister, Ruby is 7 already. I'm very happy to say that both are well and doing fine, enjoying life and school and holidays. Here in England the children break up for the summer in the third week of July and return to school on 5th September, most years. Already the shops are full of 'Going back to school' items, clothes and stationery. The children here wear school uniform so they all look alike.  It gives a sense of identity and is cheaper for parents if the children aren't all trying to compete with each other as to who wears the most trendy clothes. Even so, I remember from my own school days, that even in school uniform, some girls managed to look more fashionable than others! I went to an al...

  This is one of my favourite books. I just love the Thrush Green and Fairacre novels. They are beautifully written and full of detail about the countryside here in England. They are the books I turn to in the morning, when I'm not quite up to a taut thriller or a ghost story. I have almost the whole set now so I read them in order, over and over again. I think I know the stories by heart, almost!  The other day I discovered that I had two of the above books so I need to pass one of them on to someone who thinks they may enjoy it. If interested, please say below :) Throughout the years I would look in the bookstores at Christmas to see what the next book would be. Miss Read always published a new book at Christmastime.  I never received a new hardback one - they were too expensive at the time, but if I could be patient a bit longer, the paperback version would be out later in the year. I read them all. 'Dora Jessie Shafe was born on 17 April 1913 in London, the younger of...

This is a new blog and a hello from England. My other blog is no more because I was getting far too many anonymous comments of an unwelcome nature on it. I hope that my old friends and some new will join me here in my new home and follow along as I share my life in the sixth decade. During the lockdown I have been sewing a lot and making my junk journals so my hands have not been idle. We have been lucky, so far, that the virus hasn't found us. We lead a quiet life and don't go out much, but even so we have to be careful. Larry has now been living in England with me for 7 and a bit years.  It doesn't seem possible that it is that long. He now has his permanent leave to remain, which is a relief for both of us and we are very settled here with my family close by. Sadly, Larry does not see his own family, but they keep in touch on the internet, which is a blessing for people who live on opposite sides of the globe. Here are some pictures of a rag doll I made recently. Her nam...