The most wonderful time of the year ....

I really love this time of the year, decorating my home and for some years now a new tradition, making an English Christmas cake.

And of course buying a Christmas tree ....

I still remember very well that when I was a child, every Friday at school before we went home, all the kids went up the stairs. The headmaster then lit an advent candle on the chandelier high in the stairwell.

It seems that the older I become I love to revive some traditions, because this year I restored the advent ritual at home.

I found this lovely (advent)candle holder in a little shop near my hometown you can also buy at House Doctor ....

Another wonderful purchase this year is this beautiful book. I'd already seen this so many times on Pinterest and Instagram, and I'm over the moon to have a copy of my own now.
It's a naturalist's diary, The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady , describing the changing seasons of the year in words and illustrations ....

Every year I try to minimise the decorations, ending in a hopeless attempt, as this is just a corner in my kitchen ....    

And again, like every year, busy making Christmas ''cards'' ....

Although red isn't really my colour, this is "a must have" in December at home ....

Meanwhile in the garden my viburnum is in full bloom, and by the looks of it, the only promise for a "white" Christmas this year ....

This time last year it was a coming and going of this one. I think by the mild weather, there's enough food in the garden. She hasn't been near the feeder and only visit my garden for a daily bath and playing hide and seek ....

But this one on the other hand can't get enough of the food in the feeder and isn't shy at all ....

As Christmas is filled with the family we've had a lovely early Christmas dinner with friends ....

After seeing this gorgeous handmade Advent lady (made by Rosie's Armoire ) on Instagram, I just couldn't resist to buy one for myself.
Not only she's so very pretty, but also reminded me I had to make haste with writing the last Christmas "cards" ....

Just like last year, we have two small Christmas trees, of which one is decorated with the old ornaments from my late mum ....

And this, slightly battered, little bird on the top looks very at home together with those on the wall ....

Not only this year has flown by but also this December, can't believe tonight it's already Christmas Eve.
About time, like every year, to share my Christmas card with you and thereby my best wishes.
This year I found the perfect model for it to display ....

Thank you so very much for joining me this past year and all your heartwarming comments.

Have a lovely Christmas Eve, a wonderful Christmas and all the best for 2016!

Love Anita

~xo~

Living the Cotswolds dream at home ....

For those who follow me for some time now there's no need to explain my love for England.
Although I've visited a lot of - all beautiful - areas, one of them made an indelible impression on me, the Cotswolds

I already dedicated a blog post to this wonderful part of the country you can read here 
How much as I would love a second home in England, sadly this will remain a daydream in present circumstances.
Therefore - and because my visits to England are every time such an inspiration - it makes me want to create a bit of that typical English atmosphere at home.

During our stay in the Cotswolds not only I fell in love with the gorgeous landscape and nature, also with the beautiful cottages and in particularly the paint colour of most of the woodwork.
For example, this (one of many) door I saw in the fairytale village Bibury ....

This was definitely the view I wanted for our home entrance, but had really no idea what kind of colour paint (or brand) it was.
That question, which I shared on my Instagram account was quickly answered by one of my lovely followers (thanks Loraine) which shows again what a lovely community this is.

So the next step was browsing on the Farrow & Ball website in search for the colour Bone, which gives such a calming and neutral tone.
Luckily my husband needed not much convincing (even suggested we should also paint the garage doors!) and not long ago we've said goodbye to our plain white door ....

And I'm so very pleased with the outcome ....

To complete my dream I planted the gorgeous white (David Austin) rose named Glamis Castle of which I can't wait until it climbs around my entrance next year ....

And therefore, for the moment I'm .....

Whatever you do, never stop dreaming.
                                       Darren L. Johnson


Have a lovely weekend all!

Anita
~xo~

Autumn musings ....

Although writing this post on a gorgeous sunny Sunday morning, Autumn is definitely upon us.

Not only through the change of colour in the garden but also by the greater presence of all living creatures.

For example this silent ones .... 

And those who make a little more noise ....

But what really made my heart beat faster, the return of this one ....

And obviously the opportunity to have this on the menu surely has something to do with it ....

This little chiffchaff, so very quick and therefore almost impossible to photograph, is the most frequent visitor of all ....

Last Friday my husband and I went for a lovely lunch and a walk in the woods afterwards.

The road to it was already so worth while as I love this typical dutch view ....

At our lunch location we were surrounded by sheep of which this one came to greet us personally ....

While the rest of them, so it seems, was very busy with a 'group hug' ....

After our lunch we went to the National Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug where we took a stroll under magnificent weather conditions ....

And we were impressed by the variety of size and colour of all mushrooms ....

But slightly disappointed though, because the one I wanted to photograph for such a while now we did not see, the fairytale Agaric . 

But still there was so much to enjoy in a wood where we were almost alone, with only the sound of silence .... 

I think you can imagine how happy and surprised I was about our discovery when we were already on our way to the car.

Just one, but so very beautiful in all its enchanting glory ....

Just can't beat those days, especially when it ends with this wonderful sunset as nature's finishing touch ....

Have a lovely Autumn, happy new week!

Anita
~xo~

My wonderful September ....

Can't believe it's October already, maybe because September was such a busy month. Ever since we came back from our holiday in France, we went from one activity to the other.
Mainly pleasant ones, so I'm not complaining!

One of them was a wedding. The invitation already was a feast for the eye and an indication of what to expect on the wedding day.
Love how the bride-to-be also shared it on her beautiful Instagram account blondhout , especially the way she has displayed her love for flowers so beautifully ....

And then there was the dress code, 'tenue de ville' in pastel shades.
Something that kept us busy, even on our holiday. One of our sons even bought a suit in Nimes and finding myself "desperately" in search for something to complete a purchase I did earlier to wear on the wedding.
 
When I read pastel shades it was the ultimate reason to buy the skirt I was drooling over for months. The gorgeous Pink Polka Dot Francesca which to my great excitement was included by their sale on the Cabbages & Roses website.
Already in love with the, now so fashionable brogues, I was so very pleased finding a matching pare by these white brogues from H&M ....

I was really hoping to find anything suitable to wear on the skirt during our holiday, but instead I fell in love with the beautiful fall fashion at Zara in Nimes. This happens to me every year at the end of the summer and I just can't wait to put on a warm sweater and boots, longing for Autumn again.

So instead of what I was looking for, I bought this blue sweater together with this skirt and my favourite at the moment, these blue flat shoes which now also appears to combine very well with my skirt. Even when the trees drop their leaves by now ....

Back home the "problem" was easily solved by another look at the always inciting Cabbages & Roses website and the buy of this Pink Polka Dot Clara Top .

So after all the men were foresee with a pastel shirt, we were more than ready to attend the wedding we looked forward to for weeks.

It was such a magical day in a most wonderful setting where flowers had the leading role, besides of course the beautiful couple ....

And as I already mentioned, gorgeous flowers in almost every detail .... 

But also in my garden flowers were still very present, because this was where I came home to after our holiday.Three simple Cafe au Lait flower bulbs has given me so much pleasure and they still do as I'm picking them still ....

Isn't this a stunning peace of art ....

Everything I've sown (my first time ever) this year has done so very well, also  -so it seemed- my unstoppable sweet peas ....

But September was also about having dinner with friends and not only putting food but also flowers on the table ....

And other kind of beautiful garden details like this dragonfly between my laundry ....

I've really missed this one, clearly in search for food and feeling a bit guilty I wasn't really prepared for this yet ....

Another highlight certainly was celebrating my 30th wedding Anniversary with this lovely man, it sure is true that time flies when you're having fun ....

There were lovely gifts including this -I think very unique one- beautiful hand drawn card in a gorgeous frame made by a dear friend who knows me so very well ....

Thirty years ago we gave a great party but nowadays I prefer to keep things small and to celebrate this milestone in the company of our family.
So we had a lovely meal at Loetje aan 't IJ with this heavenly view, all in all the perfect surroundings to me ....

September has been really good to me .... I want to wish you just the same for this month, have a wonderful October!

Anita

~xo~