A hidden gem on your doorstep.

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of calling into Washington's new little gem, "The Green".   Florist come tea shop come delightful gift emporium, The Green has something to offer everyone. With a rustic, vintage vibe, The Green owners Kelly and Wayne have recycling, up cycling and promoting local craftsmen and artists at the heart of their business. 

Once home to The Washington Green Library, many locals have fond memories of childhood days spent in the beautiful building choosing the next great adventure to take home. When the library closed it's doors, Kelly and Wayne were drawn to its deep history and the village that was once the heart of the town. 

Their aim was to create somewhere to bring back the community spirit, it certainly has done that in the few weeks it's doors have been open. Local artists, crafters and makers have all brought in their products to sell in the shop, it really is a treasure trove of goodness.

As a tea lover I was thrilled to find that the tea of choice was ' storm tea',  I opted for a fruity herbal while the children enjoyed lemonade in old school milk bottles and a piece of Victoria sponge cake, freshly home baked.  A good selection of coffee is also served. In keeping with the recycling theme,  all the coffee and tea is given away as compost to anyone who would like it! It doesn't get much better than that for keeping your carbon footprint low! 

  Not only are there gorgeous gifts, pretty home accessories,delicious teas and cake on offer but also a stunningly different florist. I love to photograph flowers so  It was like Christmas Day for me with all the vintage style flowers and beautiful arrangements.

  With Mother's Day around the corner, there is an amazing choice to put a smile on her face. 

  Any lady would be thrilled with any of the flowers or arrangements from here, so pretty and individual. 

 

  

 The green have some really exciting plans in the pipeline including           'crafternoon tea' which as the name suggests is a good helping of tea and cake alongside learning a new craft. Keep an eye out for upcoming events. It sounds very exciting! 

Kelly and Wayne's enthusiasm is infectious and they have big plans for the future. I have a funny feeling The Green will soon earn a reputation for itself well outside of Washington Village. I can highly recommend a visit. 

You can follow The Green on Facebook and Instagram by searching "The Green".

   

   I think this seat has your name on it.....

 

   

Corbridge - the best things come in small packages.

Half term arrived and it was time for my yearly R&R trip to Corbridge, the small town with the big heart. 

For the past few years my family and I have made the short trip to Corbridge to the cottage we now see as our second home. Dilston Garden Rooms is owned by the most welcoming lady and from the moment I arrived I felt right at home. 

    I was thrilled to catch up once again with Alan and his six hens. They happily followed us around the beautiful gardens and visited our cottage early morning to let us know the eggs were ready to collect. My children and I padded bleary eyed, dressed in our PJ's to gather eggs for breakfast, a perfect morning ritual.

At the end of the garden was what I can only describe as a hobbit House. Dressed in glowing fairy lights and with a cosy open fire pit and goat skin throws, we spent many an evening slowly toasting marshmallows while planning the  following day's adventures. 

  Each morning after breakfast we would make the 15 minute walk in to Corbridge to meander around the shops and enjoy a coffee at one of the many tea shops. 

I have to say my most favourite shop is the brand new children's book emporium on Watling Street  - Forum Books kids! 

This is a must visit if you have children, grandchildren or simply a love of books. Owned by Helen Stanton, it is sister to - forum books which is, in my opinion, the best book shop in the North East. Helen is so knowledgeable and has a wealth of experience in this field. Forum Kids is a place for children to really love books,  there are so many fantastic books that you won't find in other mainstream stores and children are actively encouraged to pick up and read the books. During half term there was a wonderful variety of craft activities and story times. 

Helen has some  fantastic plans for the shop including revamping the magical garden, I can't wait to see it! I highly recommend a visit, you won't be disappointed - just make sure you clear your bookshelves before you visit as you will certainly not return home empty handed. 

   I had heard very good reports about " Il Piccolo" and decided to visit for lunch on my daughters ninth         

   Birthday.

  Il Piccolo is an authentic, friendly Italian restaurant run by Sicilian born chef Manuele Orto and his wife Pam. From the moment we arrived I felt very well looked after and very much at home. The decor is warm and inviting and the choice of food was exceptional. I must add that while we were there my childhood hero happened to stop by for lunch. Yes, non other than Steve Cram!! I was so tempted to ask for a photo but was well aware that he was out to relax and so I managed to contain myself - I guess I could, at a push say I've had lunch with Steve Cram. 

Pizza all round was the chosen dish and it was delicious, thin and crispy with just the right amount of topping, following this a visit to the in house ice cream parlour was a must. After the children had chosen their three scoops,  the sundaes arrived and Madeline was even treated to a birthday candle. The pear sorbet has to be the most delicious thing I've tasted. 

  

    After a little visit to the deli to pick up a few Italian delights we left well fed and having thoroughly enjoyed the whole Italy meets England experience. 

If a take home lunch is what you need there are more than enough choices, all of which are delicious. 

Grants Artisan Bakery is mouth watering, everything is displayed beautifully and I have never been dissappointed with any of the food I have sampled. 

I think they make the largest meringues I have ever seen! A couple of doors up is JA Stobo & Son, greengrocer and fruit shop. This is the place for the freshest, largest fruit in town. All the usual fruit and vegetables can be found alongside some more unusual items! 

 

    For more unusual food the Corbridge larder, a delicatessen and coffee shop is a Corbridge favourite. Stocking both local and continental foods it certainly has that something special. 

  And of course to keep the children happy we had the obligatory visit to Skrumshus, the sweetshop in the heart of the town. It really is every child's dream. 

    

    For a little adventure, a short drive away is the Roman Wall. One sunny afternoon we headed off to find Sycamore Gap and the famous tree used in Kevin Costner's Robin Hood.

It was a beautiful walk in the late afternoon sun, we quite literally stumbled upon the tree as we climbed up and over a hill. It is, after all just a tree, but for some reason it is quite breathtaking. 

   The tree stood completely alone, not a particularly big tree but it was magical. My camera worked really hard that half an hour, my boy took a little time out while he waited. This is a must see in my opinion and I will definitely return in the summer. 

No trip to Corbridge would be complete without a visit to RE the renound store stocking all manner of REcycled, REscued and REstored items for the home. 

  

   Think back to being a child in the best sweet shop you've ever been to and you will have some idea how It feels when  entering the store. It is a feast for the senses and you will never leave without something and will always need to come back for more. 

RE opened in November 2003 and has gone from strength to strength gaining a strong following. For those who can't make the trip, there is an online store with lots of goodies to be had.

There are so many other fantastic independent sellers in Corbridge, from jeweller Kirsty Taylor who has made a few beautiful pieces of jewellery for me over the years to Aganthus, a gorgeous giftware, jewellery and soft furnishing store to name but a few. There are also some beautiful walks along the river bank at anytime of the year.

Corbridge is really a hidden gem in the heart of the North East but once you've visited you'll get the bug and will certainly want to  return. 

Hope to see you there soon. XOX

New year Rest-olutions.

Christmas is such a busy and often stressful time. I was determined this year that Christmas would not enter my life until December 1st, that included gift buying, card writing, decoration planning and general Ho,Ho,Ho- ing. I planned to have a stress free christmas. So that was my first BIG mistake. With so many things happening, two weeks with no internet and a nice selection of bugs,  my stress free christmas became a bit of a race and I never did get any cards written, never mind about posted out. 

Note to self - start Christmas planning in August this year....... 

That said we had some wonderful moments and I certainly treasured them. 

The tradition I love the most is the annual choosing of the tree. Careful consideration needs to be given to the shape and sized the tree. It just has to be 'the one'. 

We found ours at a gorgeous little nursery in Leamside, Durham. 

This little tree came home with us for the holidays. 

Decorating one tree just wasn't enough. We are lucky to have a gorgeous forest just next to us and we often go for adventures.  On one of our walks we passed a little christmas tree and decided to decorate it with a few decorations to make a stranger smile. Lots of people walk their dogs through the forest and we all know we have days where we smile on the outside but we aren't smiling on the inside.

 We did this with the hope that is might make someone smile, even just for a minute. 

This really got us in the spirit of Christmas and all that was left was to see the man himself - Father Christmas. After a few frantic phone calls it turned out that you really did need to plan ahead for your annual visit with Santa. Eventually, we managed to book a sleigh ride to a little hideaway, nice and understated, no crowds and our own slot in his gorgeous little lodge. This is one for the diary next year if you have little ones. 

 Look up Knitsley Mill, it has a gorgeous restaurant attached so you can make an afternoon of it.

The letter was written, and posted.

We were well on our way at last, tree up - check. Santa visited - check. Gifts wrapped- check. 

All that was left was to have fun and enjoy it!  We enjoyed a lovely little celebration on Christmas Eve with special friends and the children made reindeer food, cookie Christmas trees and Christmas muffins. 

We watched Santa fly past the moon as we walked to our local church for a family friendly carol service. So much fun.

   All the children enjoyed making cookie Christmas trees. 

  Lots of varieties of reindeer food were concocted! 

    Finally the day itself arrived and we had a fantastic time, lots of fun, love and family time. 

As the new year approached I did what most people do and started to think about what I could do or change in 2015, I'm not one for resolutions as such, but my father came up with the best idea - a New Years  'rest-alution' - I loved it! I'm so bad at taking time out to rest and always find something that needs doing.  So I'm really going to try hard to do this. I sat with my little  notebook and a cup of tea  and wrote down a few little things that would help me get more rest and relaxation but were also realistic. 

I'm quite happy with my ideas so far but  I'd love to hear some of yours - things that help you relax or time saving tips for a busy mum of two. 

Leave your comments below, I look forward to adding some of your ideas to my list to ensure I do a lot more of this.............

A happy and healthy 2015 to you all!

XXX

I will remember him. 🌺

Remembrance Sunday is upon us and it is 100% years since WW1 began.  For many of us alive today that really is another life time. For our children, it's history, a story about something that happened in the past made real by a few old photographs and the odd love letter between a young soldier and his lover back home. 

This year my daughter's homework was to prepare a timeline of events and people in our family over the past 100 years and gather any information about family that served in either war. 

We are lucky that my uncle is an historian and has the most amazing family archives I've ever seen, including my Grandpa's life story ( reading it was life changing).

So he happily gathered some information and together Madeline and I began to read it.

    My Grandpa in WW2

That's when it hit me. These men that we are reading about are young boys, their whole life is in front of them. They have dreams, they have a wife, a mother, a daughter. They really aren't just a single red poppy in a field or a name on a list. 

Close your eyes for a moment, think of the man closest to you in your life, the one you love with all your heart, there may be more than one. 

How old is your son? The boy you would lay your life down for? 

Think about them for a moment. 

So tomorrow they are told they have to leave, you don't know how long for and you don't really know where they are going but they HAVE to go - and no, it doesn't matter that their wife is pregnant, their mother is ill, their baby will be one next week or they are in the middle of building you a new garden shed. 

So off they go. Just like that..... Gone....... Only the void of emptiness left. The uncertainty of when you'll see them again. The fear of the unknown. Loosing a part of yourself. 

So here are the men I will remember today. 

James Joy, my great Grandfather was born in Ireland in 1885. When war broke out in 1914 he became a solider in the 1st Battalion of Irish Guards, an old and proud regiment.

In 1915 he went to France and served in the trenches. (aged 30) Although he never talked about it we do think he served for the first few months at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. The cold, wet lonely trenches. At 30, he should have been out with his friends, enjoying life and dreaming big. He was lucky enough to survive the war, but what he didn't know as he served in the trenches was that he was almost half way through his life already. 

Toward the end of 1916 he transferred to the Royal Military Police. And the rest is another story. 

He died in 1951 aged 66.

So me and Finlay and Madeline are living legacies of this battle he fought. He saved us, gave us the life we live. Gave us freedom. 

My Grandpa.

Where do I begin with this man.

Without the war he was my hero. 

He was called Ronald Joy or Ron as he was mostly known. He was born 1925, and was at school,when the war began.  He was well over 6ft, so as a child he was very tall. People thought he was older than he actually was and thought he was opting out if going to war, this used to insult him terribly. 

    Grandpa in 1940, aged 15. 

In 1943 ( aged 18) he joined the Royal Navy where be eventually became a petty officer. 

He served in some scientific research places before joining HMS Devonshire. During this time he  traveled to the Far East and Australia. His ship's job as a minesweeper was to clear old mines from the sea to make it safe for other ships. 

After the war he never liked to travel far. He never talked much about that time either. In those days there was no councilling, no charities set up to support returning service men, help them with the traumatic experiences. They simply came home and carried on, at least on the outside but who knows the battles they fought inside their head for the rest of thier lives.

He died 2000 aged 75. Always a hero. 

Writing this post, really remembering people who fought for us, has left me with a heavy heart, a sadness for those young men who really gave their lives for us, family they didn't even know yet. Such a selfless act. And pride, pride in family ties, the human spirit and mostly in love. 

 Today we remember their greatness, the great ones. The ones who saved us. We also remember those who continue to do just that.

Our troops around the world fighting for us and sacrificing their lives. 

    X🌺

 

Backpacks and those who help lighten the load.

This post has a slightly more serious feel to it than usual. It has been inspired not by negativity but more by the pulling together and kindness of others in difficult times. I hope it will help us believe that there is hope..... Always.

I've had this idea for sometime now, about a backpack. It's what we wear to carry our troubles in big and small. We all carry pebbles. Some days they are heavier than others, the daily worries, juggling family life, work pressures, family pressures - you know the ones.  But what happens when sometimes we carry rocks for a long time. Great big heavy rocks that take our breath away and cause physical pain inside. Cause our backs to ache and our hearts to break. 

How does that impact on our daily lives and how is the burden made a little lighter.

Yesterday was a very sad day for a special friend. This friend is one of the most lovely people I know and means a lot to me. They had some tragic news.  As I sat with another lovely friend making sense of it,  I talked about the backpack analogy and how lots of us carry these unseen weights. We spent a little time just quietly being with each other and it was in those moments that I realised the key to helping carry a friends backpack isn't in trying to take it off and empty it, it's about walking beside them and holding the strap for a while as they catch their breath. The unsaid support can be the most powerful.

I am lucky. I have some special people who've helped me carry my backpack this past few years, some in ways so quiet that no one else would see. They've all helped me to make my backpack invisible in many ways to those not so close. 

It's easy during these difficult times to feel alone, maybe that no one cares or understands because their lives appear to go on as normal, but if you step back and look carefully,  you will often see the love and the help that your nearest and dearest offer. Tiny stars twinkling brightly in the darkest sky.

I am about to embark on a little project of interviewing people who carry these heavy backpacks every single day and yet somehow manage to carry on with life,  appearing to the outside world that they are "ok."  This, " I am ok" is important for self protection and to enable us to work through grief and other powerful emotions whilst also continuing a normal life for ourselves and most importantly for our children. 

I hope these coming posts will do two things. Firstly allow those who are living with difficulties or who have been through difficullt times to express how they feel, to be heard, remember a loved one or tell their story. 

Secondly, to give hope to people who maybe aren't as far on in their journey, to let them know there is hope, there is light. I think we all need to be reminded sometimes of the strength of the human spirit and the kindness of both friends and strangers.

If you feel you have a story to tell and would be happy to share it with others, please contact me via my email address maria101@sky.com

If you would like to leave a comment please do so on the FB page underneath the blog post.

X

Precious moments for them....... And us!

Hurray for the summer holidays again! I am lucky enough to have six whole weeks with my two partners in crime to enjoy some wonderful adventures. 

My main aim this holiday was to slow things down and do less. Life has been pretty hectic and I felt time was passing  by in recent months in a bit if a blur. 

I felt my most said phrases had become "hurry up" and " if we have time". 

Not great.

So with school out for summer we began our adventures, I was biting my tongue to stop the above mentioned phrases making an appearance.

We took time over breakfast and I asked my two questions, simple questions about what they had enjoyed the previous day and why. They began to teach me what I already knew in my heart. It really is the little things that make the wonderful, memorable moments. They loved the days in late July we had in the garden, the late evening strolls followed by hot chocolate, playing out in the street, meeting friends but mostly they loved the fact that they had their best vacation in the world this year.          ( again)

 "Where did you go?" I hear you ask..... We spent five days in the lake district, with lots of rain and a chilly August breeze. That melted my heart. 

All this aside, all these wonderful days, two happy children....... I am exhausted! I'm not complaining, but it is hard work being a mum 24/7. Anyone who says anything other isn't being 100% honest. It's the best thing and the hardest thing. 

So what about us mums? When do we get five minutes to recoup?

 At this point I hear you snigger, especially those of you with under fives. 

 

Here are my top ten tips for soothing body, mind and soul when time is of the essence. 

1. A cup of tea and a giggle friends. I'm really blessed to have some very special friends and we make time to do this on a regular basis. They probably don't realise but it always lifts my spirits. The tea helps too. 

2. Read a book. I'm guilty of doing this less when I'm busy. But actually it's a real soul soother, I find I disappear into the story and sometimes am genuinely upset when the story is finished!

3. Excercise. I'd love to say I run four times a week and do Pilates.... If you'd asked me five years ago if have said I do. Now I lack time and energy BUT I do power walk as many days of the week as I can, for about an hour and until I'm breathing a little faster. My two go on their bikes or scooters so I have to work a little to keep up! Not the most intense workout but it helps me relax. 

4. Drink lots of water. I drink gallons of the stuff, I always have a bottle in the car, one on  my desk at work and it's the first things I do when I wake on a morning. Try it. Not drinking enough can leave you tired and can cause headaches. 

5. Meditate. Just a few minutes a day can really help. Take a look at  "headspace" they do a great APP and it's really easy to do. Helps you escape for just a few minutes a day. 

6. Pamper yourself. In an ideal world a massage every few weeks and a fortnightly facial and massage would be top of my list but it just isn't a possibility. So home pampering is the way forward. A face mask, an overnight hair mask,       ( I'm really into using Lucy Bee coconut oil at the moment) and a file and  polish. It's amazing how much better you feel just with painted nails! 

7. An early night, or two or more! This without a doubt makes you feel better. Lack of sleep and sleep deprivation really makes you feel bad. It's difficult when you have hungry babies that like to snack in the night! But little naps when you can will help just a little bit.

8. Write. Even if it's a one line diary entry, a one off page about how you feel or a debut novel! I write all the time from poems to one off pieces to a few novels!! It really helps me switch off. After my beloved Grandpa died I was privileged to read his life story that he had written. It blew me away on so many levels. I'm sure it was used as an outlet to him too. My uncle also writes fantastic things.  Writing is in my family's blood. I love it. Try it. 

9. Connect with nature. This is like marmite. You will either love this or truly hate it. Give it a try, you might surprise yourself. Take your shoes off at the beach and walk on the sand. Go into the garden in the dark and watch the moon and stars, walk in the forest. Paddle in the sea or a river. I know it's sounds cliched but you really do realise how small you are and a sense of calm washes over you. 

10. Take a break. This isn't always possible for various reasons. A night away can really clear the head. If this isn't possible a long day trip does the same thing. Pack up snacks, a camera and head off somewhere you've never been,  take pictures of the things that interest you or of the people you are with. 

Enjoy the journey and use it as a chance to converse. Leave all your troubles at home...... They'll be there when you get back! 

I would love to hear your ideas- I'm always looking for quick and easy ways to clock off for short periods of time!

Happy relaxing after your summer adventures! 

Sunshine a plenty

As we packed up the car Sunday afternoon and headed toward the beach I felt the weight of the working week bearing down on me and the apprehension of the busy week ahead film my soul. 

"Mum, have we got the buckets?"

" shall I take my swimsuit?"

" have you got the snacks?" 

And so it went on...  All the while I rushed around the house grabbing everything we may possibly need and in the back of my mind dreaming of evening when I could climb back into my bed and shut off. 

At last we were in the car, I breathed that sigh of relief.... You know the one..... It's almost like a relief to be finally headed off, a peaceful thirty minute journey began.

As we neared the chosen beach for the day, one we had never visited, my eyes saw a sight that made us all squeal withy just a little excitement.....

There in the distance were two little rows of brightly coloured beach huts. 

As we neared we decided we would have to have one for the day and promptly set about finding out how to obtain one. 

Ten minutes later, keys in hand, we entered our little beach hut for the day and as we opened the door, I also opened my heart and packed up all the baggage I was carrying, looked around and knew right then this was going to be a good day.

My two were quick to test the deck chairs and promptly gave them the seal of approval. 

Fine minutes later we were running find to the sea, splashing each other and jumping waves. 

We had such fun, had our lunch outside our beach hut and of course took many photographs. 

We also met lots of lovely people who stopped as they passed, marvelling at the beach huts. " come inside, have a look" became my favourite line, " I should be on commission" I giggled. But for me, there is nothing sweeter than sharing something wonderful with others. 

By now I felt relaxed, had switched off from the weekly grind and was genuinely enjoying some quality time with my two. 

It is hard, when we are busy, to connect with our children, talk to them and most importantly listen to them. I am guilty of that all too often. 

As we drove home, the late afternoon sun hovered low in the sky, we all chatted about the day. The consensus was " we'll definitely go back" and guess what, in late August we are! X