21st Birthday

Well today my lovely middle daughter, Karen, turned 21!!!!

I just had to do a post to celebrate it. 

Laura and Emma made her a special birthday cake.  

The fact the Karen is the master cake maker in this house is always a problem - cause anything we do is NEVER going to be as good as her cakes. 

 However, I think her two sisters did a wonderful job.

We went out to our (Dan and my) favourite place to eat in our town. 

It's a really lovely hotel called The Piersland Lodge.  You always get a really lovely meal and the service is always great and it just has a really nice feel to it, if you know what I mean. 

It didn't disappoint - it was as usual very good :))

Here are a couple of pictures of my lovely family before our dinner.

  The birthday girl 

Our three beautiful girls (Laura, Emma and Karen)

Kevin (Laura's boyfriend) and the three girls. I asked Kevin if  he would mind if his picture was on my blog and he said no. My kind of lad :))

 Me and Danny. I don't much care for this picture but it was the best of a bad bunch :(

 Laura had bought special sparklers to put on the cake instead of birthday candles - it seemed like a great idea. But,when it came to lighting them it took so long that the one that was already lit went out by the time the next one was lit. 

It was a shame - it would have looked great if it had worked..

Anyway, Karen really enjoyed her day and so did the rest of us. 

I love family celebrations.

Shades of Green

I haven't wanted to venture very far (apart from work and I really didn't want to venture there either, lol) due to the heavy downpours we have been having. So when I did the pictures from yesterdays's post I did some green shots too so I could post onto

 Fiona from Raindrops and Daisys

 new link up  

Green Day

Our Karen turns 21 tomorrow. 

I can hardly believe it - how do I ever have two daughers in their 20's and one of 17.

Surely I can't be that old!!!!

We are all going out for dinner tomorrow to celebrate so that should be lovely.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend, whatever you are doing :))

The Force of the Weather

I heard on the news today about the fires that are raging across parts of America.  That doubled with the lack of rainfall and very high temperatures is very frightening and I really hope it is under control soon.

At the same time in north of England  and Wales there has been very bad flooding and there are severe weather warning for Northern Ireland. 

We have had a LOT of rainfall here and in fact it has been said this is the wettest June since 1860. 
I hope that everybody whatever their weather situation is keeps safe .

The power of the weather and all it's forces is amazing and scary.

Take care everyone!!!

 

Karen bought herself a couple of baby acer trees don't you just love the colour of those leaves? After one of our very heavy rainstorms last night I ventured out to get some pictures of the raindrops on the leaves. 

Sharing today with

Deb

with

A Little Sprinkling of Clover

Well it's Monday again. It does come around quite quickly doesn't it?

And it's typical, the weather at the weekend was pretty rotten but today the sun is splitting the heavens. Never mind at least the sun is shining :)

Our grass is definitely needing a good cut but before it gets done I wanted to take some pictures of the lovely little clover flowers we have sprinkled around. They are quite pretty don't you think?

I'm sure my neighbours must think I'm a wee bit mad - there I am lying my full length on the grass taking pictures, they must be wondering what on earth I am doing :))

Sharing today with 

Lisa

with 

Macro Monday

Juicy Nectarines

I thought I'd try and prove to you all that I'm not just eating lots of the lovely cake that Karen made :))

I bought some lovely nectarines today and I thought they would make a really nice picture. 

I'll start with my first shot and progress to the final shoot - my goodness don't I sound as if I know what I'm talking about, lol.

I took my faithful point and shoot canon camera and a single nectarine and started with this.

Then I took this one - which is ok but nothing special.

So, I picked up the Canon 5D (you know the one that I couldn't use for Emma's prom pictures)  and with some help from Danny - thanks Dan :) I took this.

I LOVE IT!!!

Don't they look juicy!!!!

This has just proved to me that I really need to learn how to use the DSLR properly

Then I thought I would show you the mess I made while shooting this picture. Water, water everywhere, lol.

Oh and let me tell you those nectarines were SO tasty. ;))

Sharing today with

Nancy @ aruraljournal

with

Green Day

Yay, thank goodness it's Friday.  It has been a long hard week and I'm looking forward to the weekend. I don't really know why 'cause all I'm going to be doing is housework - how much fun will that be!!!

Anyway, today Fiona at raindropsanddaisys has just started a new link up. 

It is called Green Day and all that you have to do is post a picture of something green. Easy!!!  Even I can do that.

So here is my offering. 

This is a wee stream that runs not far from my mum and dad's house.  In fact I did a picture a few days ago with a fallen tree in a field,  well this stream is not far from there. I quite like how the fence zig-zags against it. 

You should pop along and and say hello and perhaps join in. 

Hope you have a great weekend.

A Birthday Cake

You are probably sick to death of seeing me post pictures of Karen's cakes but I just had to put this one up (and also I told my mum I would, lol).

One of Karen's workmates, who is a chef, had asked her for a cake for her daughters 1st birthday party.  She gave her an outline of what she wanted and this is what Karen produced.  Now I know I am biased but  I think it is rather good.

Here is a wee butterfly she made.

And a teddy - so cute!!

It is always nerve racking for  me until they are delivered to the customer because they sit in the house and I am worried that it gets dropped or  falls from the kitchen counter. 

Can you imagine it???? 

Anyway it is being delivered tomorrow night.

The only problem with Karen making these lovely cakes is there is always cake left over  and it is soooo scrummy you just have to have a bit.  

I am TRYING REALLY HARD to lose some weight 'cause I really need to - what's a girl to do!!!!! :))

Sharing today with

Deb

with

Awards

Well,  Emma survived the day after her prom. Although by the time she finished work and got home it was about 6 pm and she was exhausted.  So she went for a lie down and instantly fell asleep for about an hour and a half when I had to finally wake her up for her dinner.  She had her dinner and decided she wanted to go out and visit her friend - where do they get their stamina from. I wish I had just a wee bit of  it.

It turns out that everybody had a great time and really enjoyed their prom.

I was surprised and delighted to be nominated for a couple of awards at the weekend.  First of all Jeanne at thebutterflymetamorphosis nominated me for The Versatle Blogger Award.

Jeanne has a lovely blog and she takes some wonderful pictures. Her blog is definitely worth a visit.

The rules are to give seven piece of information about yourself that may be unknown.

Here we go:

1. I seriously considered doing a course in midwifery after my 2nd daughter was born but finally decided that I wanted to have three children and never took up the training.

2.  I am a fully qualified massage therapist and reflexologist - I had to give it up a few years ago due to carpal tunnel syndrome.

3. I'd love to do a bit more travelling around the world - we will have to see about that one!!!

4.  I was a big fan of Donny Osmond when I was in my teens (I'm blushing now - did I really let you all know that!!!) lol.

5. I lived in a town called Gwelo in Rhodesia in the very early 1970's when I was a wee girl.

6.  It is no secret but I am very proud of my girls and how they are getting on in their lives. 

7.  I married the boy that lived across the road  from me (still married to him too)

Phew that took me ages to think of these things. It is quite hard work you know!!!

Not only was I nominated for the above award but pembrokeshirelass  awarded me these:

Pembrokeshire Lass lives in Wales and has some tales of her life there along with some beautiful pictures. Her blog is also definitely worth a visit.

For the Sunshine Award

I have to answer some questions:

Favourite Colour.... Blues and yellows

Favourite Animal...  Elephant (don't ask)

Favourite Number... Not sure I have a favourite number

Favourite Drink.......I do enjoy a good cappuccino coffee

Facebook or Twitter........ Neither

My Passion........My lovely family

Giving or Getting Presents........I love to give but I also like to get ;) !!!

Favourite Day.......Saturday

Favourite Flowers.........Fuschia

Now with both of these awards the rule is to pass on to other bloggers that you admire.  But the trouble is I admire you all and find it difficult to pass on to just a few. So if you feel so inclined please feel free to join in.  I hope that you don't mind me doing this.

Many thanks once again to the two lovely ladies who nominated me for these lovely awards - I am truly touched. 

The Belle of the Ball

Here at last are the pictures of Emma getting ready for her prom.

We went out  for lunch at about 12pm and excitment levels were very high, lol. 

Then I dropped her at the hairdresser at 1pm

Here she is after the the hairdo!!! 

The shoes.

How on earth does anybody walk in these things????

And the finished product - lump in throat time. 

Isn't she beautiful??? 

And I've given her the red carpet treatment :))

 We went down ino the woods to take some more pictures.

 They left at about 5.30pm to go to a lovely hotel in town for a meal and music, then on to an 'after party' at one of the girls houses (apparently there were 78 invited, eeek).  That went on until 4am (yes you read right 4am!!!) 

A few of them spent the night there - Emma being one of them - and I picked her up at 9am this morning. She was looking a little (read very) tired but having had a great time.  

The poor thing has to work at 11am this morning. So that is where we are about to go. She is due to finish around 5-6pm - I hope she can last the day!!!!

I am really disappointed in the quality of my pictures - I used the big canon camera which I'm not really used to and the results are less than great. What is it they say - "a bad workman always blames his tools". Well, I'm blaming my camera,  I think there was a strange setting in there, lol.  

I've decided though I quite liked shooting with it - so I'm going to learn to do it properly.

Hope you enjoyed my quick tour of her day!!!

The Red Carpet!!!

Well, as promised, here are the pictures of my newly decorated  hall - and my lovely new red carpet :))

Pretty boring pictures but I'm just dying to show it off, lol.

 This is the view from the downstairs hall - I'm lying all over the floor shooting this one. I'm not sure what anybody looking in the window must have though hee hee.

Our walls have all been painted and the woodwork painted white.  It is so fresh and clean looking. 

 

This is the view from the top landing. 

Danny has worked SO hard this weekend to get this finished - I'm very proud of him. 
It's not easy doing all this with the full family of 5 and a guest here (Laura's boyfriend was here for the weekend).

Now though Karen is away on holiday for a few days, Laura and her boyfriend are away with work. So it is just Emma, Dan and me here to enjoy it.

I hope this post isn't too boring for you all!!!!

I'm going to share my post with 
Nancy 
at

Ellie's Ramblings

It has been a really miserable day here weather wise!!!  Rain, gusty wind and very chilly. I don't know what happened to our wonderful temperatures of 3 weeks ago.  But it definately feels like autumn now.  

Here is a horrible thought - maybe our summer was the good weather of 3 weeks ago. Nooooooooo!!!!!

As a result of this not so good weather, I've not been out to take pictures and I'm feeling just a wee bit stir crazy. 

I found these pictures of some lovely wild flowers from recent  walks and decided to post them.  

A post just doesnt feel right to me if I don't have some pictures to put up!

Dan is in the process of laying our lovely red carpet at the moment and should be, hopefully, finished by Sunday evening.  I have to say it is looking rather good, I just knew a red carpet would look good. 

 I can't wait to show you all :)) 

Karen is away tomorrow for a few days to Alton Towers which is a theme park near Stoke-on-Trent in England.  She is fair looking forward to it. I'm sure she will have a great time. 

I've got Monday off work to help Emma with her preparations for her prom.  Well, what I mean by that is I am her taxi driver for the day!!!!

Anyway enough blethering (chatting) from me - I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Beautiful Planet

 You must know by now how much I really enjoy my evening strolls along the beach.  Well the other night I took myself off to se what I could see.

I have to say the sky looked amazing and I saw this and just had to take a picture.

I just LOVE it!!!

You can even see the sky reflected in the water.  Sometimes this world of ours is amazing. 

I'm so glad I went for my walk, it definately ended the day beautifully for me :))

Even the seaweed looked quite nice
(or as nice as seaweed can look) maybe it was just the mood I was in :)) 

 I really like how this was just laid out on the ground just waiting for me to come along with my camera. 

Karen got the news today that she has passed the course that she is doing and can definately go to University to do her degree in Digital Arts.  Yay, I am so pleased for her.  

She has put soooo much effort and work into it.

Now we are just waiting for Emma's results to come in August.  Speaking of Emma, it is her prom on monday night. 

 You just know I'll take pictures of her :))

Exciting times lie ahead I can tell!!! 

Sharing today with

Deb

with

Chilling Out

 

I am on a day off today . I've done all that I need to, the washing is hanging on the line, hoovering, tidying up (the best I can considering we are in the middle of laying carpets and the house is a real mess!!!). I've been to the shops and done some grocery shopping. 

Everybody is out of the house but me - and it's great!!!  

Don't get me wrong I love having my family around me but sometimes it is so nice to have the house to myself to do what I want.

So here I am blogging and listening to my favourite CD.  Raising Sands by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.  

I think it is brill!!!  

The song I've been listening to just now is called "Killing The Blues".  

The lyrics are great  - here is an example.

Leaves were falling just like embers

In colours red and gold they set us on fire

Burning just like a moonbeam in our eyes

Somebody said they saw me

Swinging the world by the tail

Bouncing over a white cloud 

Killing the blues

Wow, chill out music or what!!!

 I hope everybody is having a good day too - whatever you are doing :))