Sunday 31 October 2010

Fields - Part 3 - October 2010

I am so late posting these photos, it's been a busy month, but suddenly it's time for me to take the November one's so better late than never. These were taken in the first week of October. I was rushing past one day and the sun was shining so I just took these on my phone.

The pretty field



The busy field (not busy at all... )

Typically, during the second week of October the maize was finally harvested. We went past as it was happening but we were late for ballet so no time to stop and snap. I had to laugh at myself though for being so engrossed in what they were doing!

Oh, and the photo below is of a field that I pass on my way to work and this was taken back in the Summer. These gorgeous sunflowers gradually looked more and more sad as the months went on until finally last week they were harvested too. So it's been a busy time around here lately, I particularly notice the trailer loads of onions (they smell).

Thursday 9 September 2010

Fields - Part 2 - Sept 2010

Gosh, where did that month go? So, here we are with the next set of field photos. It turns out that the pretty field has in fact been a bit busier than the busy field. I kept hoping I'd catch the combine in action on the pretty field but of course I missed the moment. Then I thought maybe I'd see the baler but I missed that too (and had I seen him I would have asked him to place his bales so that there were more in view for my photo too). And all the busy field has been doing is growing. So it has been busy but nothing particularly visible. I am now obsessed with when they are going to harvest the busy field. I take my camera with me on the nursery/work run just in case they are there, ready to take the maize away. But I bet I'll miss it.

The other thing I've realised is that both of my field views face east/south east. Therefore I won't ever have a spectacular sunset option. However, as my photos are going to be a lot more about an agriculatural study rather than an exhibition of good photography I don't think this will be too much of an issue.

Obsessed? Me? Anyway, here they are.

Pretty


Busy

Tuesday 17 August 2010

The Christening

On 1 August 2010 Grace Caroline and Beatrice Martha were Baptised at St John the Baptist Church in Snape. It was a lovely service and a wonderful day full of family, friends and two parents overflowing with pride for their two little girls.

Here are a few of my favourite pictures from the day courtesy of www.spudballoo.com.









Monday 9 August 2010

Fields - Part 1

I've admired the fields in Suffolk since we moved here. A strange obsession to have I know but the fields round here change so much and have so many different things growing in them throughout the year. I know that sounds obvious but to a Wiltshire lass where we have a lot more cows munching on boring old grass it does make quite a change. The prettiest crop I've seen lately has been a huge field of sunflowers - so Provence! But we've had poppies, lavendar and of course gorgeous fields of corn.

Anyway... I thought it would be a nice idea to take a photo of the same field every month for a year and see how much they change. So I roped in the lovely www.spudballoo.com and suddenly we had set ourselves a challenge. The only thing is... she is VERY good at taking photos and I am not. However, I shall try not to let this put me off and will treat it as a good reason to finally learn how to use my camera properly.

We decided that the photo should be taken from the same vantage point in the first week of each month. But there are no other rules than that. Suddenly I wanted to find the perfect field that would a) look nice b) provide monthly variety and c) be somewhere nearby so that I could easily fit it into the children/work schedule. It was like trying to find the impossible pair of winter boots - the one that's good for all occassions. It doesn't exist. So, I've cheated and chosen two fields. Both very close to each other (between Snape and Blaxhall en route to nursery and work) but one is (hopefully) quite pretty and the other will be (hopefully) quite busy. So here you have them, pretty and busy.

The Pretty Field: August 2010


The Busy Field: August 2010


Well, if nothing else it will get me blogging... at least once a month anyway!

P.s - due to the fact that www.spudballoo.com had to spend lots of her time sorting out some AMAZING christening photos for me she hasn't managed to take her photo yet, I'll let you know when she does!

Friday 11 June 2010

Have your cake and...


I'm having a dilemma. The career woman in me is trying to get out. The mummy in me is pushing her back. What to do?

When we moved to Suffolk and started a family we knew that the balance was going to shift between James and I. We'd always been equal earners and enjoyed having a career. Now James wins the bread and I look after the family. We have a fantastic life in a gorgeous part of the country with our amazing girls and we really are very happy. And yet I would just love to sample that feeling again of achieving something not related to childcare, housework or cooking. Does that make me a bad mummy? I think not because fundamentally I choose mummy over career. As the lovely Spudbaloo said last night - do I really want anyone else to take Grace to ballet? Would I want anyone else watching her at swimming lessons? And the answer is, of course, no.

So yes, I am wanting to have my cake and eat it. And that's not possible. But I think it's time to find some kind of balance. I'm freelancing again but only one day a week which doesn't really feel like real work. Spudbaloo thinks I need a hobby, anyone know where I can find one?

(p.s the cake is Grace's 3rd birthday cake - a child-related achievement but I did enjoy it even though I needed a JD & Coke to get me through the icing phase. I did cheat slightly though and I ordered the instructions from: www.bake-my-cakes.com - very handy!!)

Saturday 20 March 2010

Doesn't Time Fly...

Eeek I know, I know it's been 6 months! I am truly rubbish at blogging. But at 4am when I'm feeding Bea I do think of lots of things to say, I just don't have a free hand to write them down. By the way, Bea is the main reason why I haven't blogged for so long so here's a cute little picture of her for you to look at until I get round to writing again. It won't be too long, honest.