Blue skies and a Roly Poly

Exactly year ago this week, we were being battered by the 'Beast from the East', a ferocious snow storm but for the past three days this year, the sun has been warm, the skies blue and daffodils and blossom are starting appear everywhere. It seems there can be no predicting our British weather!

We're enjoying early Spring sunshine this week!

Having fun in the sun at a local Woodland Trust with my Grandson.
We climbed a tree together, so this photo was to celebrate us not falling off our perch!

Needless to say, I have been making the most of this unexpected sunshine by going out and about with my dogs and my Grandson. After all, how often are we ever able to enjoy warm sun in the UK in February?!!! We have enjoyed some lovely local walks together and have all been feeling relaxed and happy in the Spring sunshine.

12" Roly Poly

Happily, I also finished a cheerful new bear for my website between walks. I hope you will agree, he is a cracking little chap!

'Roly Poly' is now available for adoption from my website, so if you would like to know a little more about him, please click the link below ... thank you!

 www.allbearbypaula.com

:-)

Update: Roly Poly has now been adopted.

Our Garden of England

That feeling when the sun comes out after a long, hard Winter!

We took the girls for a long ramble through our local woods, around the perimeter of the pear orchard and across a huge 'scrubby field' yesterday. The sun shone, it was warm and we noticed a gentle hue of fresh green cast over the landscape and tiny buds on trees ... we were left in no doubt that Spring is close by.

And of course, there is nothing quite like owning Golden Retrievers to help you fully appreciate the joy of Spring as goldies positively bounce with excitement whenever the sun comes out!

Sadly, like so many areas in the South of England, our local green spaces are now under threat of development. What was once a beautiful field full of wildlife, birds, berries, crops and happy memories of beautiful evening sunsets, is now bricks and tarmac. We watch helplessly each week as yet more trees are torn from our lovely pear orchard to make way for a community centre and with our hearts sinking, await the inevitable moment when diggers plough ruthlessly through our ancient bluebell woodland to lay an approved road. Dear old 'Scrubby field' will also eventually be built upon, as we fear, will our favourite 'Pea field'. These are sad, sad times for this county, historically celebrated as 'The Garden of England'.

Naturally as a walker and a dog owner, I enjoy our natural environment at all times of year, but in Spring, nature's moment for rebirth, somehow this loss seems ever more poignant ...

:-/

I also write a blog called 'Polly's Progress' and almost six years ago, wrote the post below ... 

I hope you enjoy sharing these happy memories of 'our field'.

A field for all seasons

:-)

First Crocus of Spring

Today was a beautiful sunny day and I spotted the first crocus of Spring ... they are such delicate little flowers pushing through the earth and after a long Winter, are a welcome sight. I have had a nasty bout of 'flu recently so to find Spring just around the corner, cheered me no end!

11" Crocus

Today seems the perfect day to share my latest little teddy girl with you and yes, I have named her Crocus!  

If you would like more details, this sweet 11" bear is now available to adopt from my website:

allbearbypaula.com

:-)

Updated: Crocus has been adopted and will be living in the US!

Away with the fairies

It has been quite some time since I last played with my art materials, so when I saw the #janedavenportinspiresme #fairyuary challenge, I decided I ought to revisit my inner aspiring artist and give at least one of the prompts a try ...

After teaching myself to draw and paint for the past couple of years, I think I have at last reached the conclusion that my favourite drawing medium is pastel pencils, with the addition of a little watercolour and sparkles now and again for good measure.

I find it very relaxing to sit quietly blending layers of chalky colour in front of the tv and love the soft, pretty effect it creates ... so perfect for fairies!

:-)

Pretty in peach

It has been a snowy week, so beyond my daily dog walk, I have had very little inclination to leave my workroom. Happily, my self-enforced hibernation has resulted in the production of this rather lovely teddy bear..

17" Ottie

I think she is pretty as a picture in palest peach mohair and when I woke this morning, Ottie had been adopted overnight ... a very pleasing start to this wintery Sunday!

:-)