Making jam...
It's a bit of a tradition in my family. I saw my grandma 'mémée Zonzon',
my mother, my aunts making jam, so it seems very natural to do just the same.
I find it very therapeutic, relaxing and highly satisfying.
I adore eating it too!

les moments doux de cette année / this year's very special moments

• not having to return to work at the beginning of the year!
• having Thomas at home for 3 months while he was doing his CE2/French school year by correspondence.
• Luciebelle's arrival - a dramatic one but what a special moment when I finally got the chance to see her.
• the renovation on our house finally completed. We love our house.
  
• crafts, crafts, crafts, and the beginning of our crafts group. Love it!
• the new skills I learnt this year (my knitting and sewing in particular) brought fulfillment, happiness and a real sense of achievement.
  
• my birthday was very special this year. Nicholas was away and my closest friends organised a little party for me. We had fun!
• my birthday again - having high tea with Sandra in some beautiful location - extra special.
• the closest people in our life were so generous with their time to make sure that I would cope during Nick's travels this year when Luciebelle was a tiny baby. I don't think I could have done it without you all.
  
• Hannah introduced me to the delights of op shopping, it's so much fun.
• all the special times spent with my kids and their father.
• watching my children grow up.
• coffee with a friend.
  
• friends. I feel so lucky to have such close friends. They have a very special place in my heart.

My wee Luciebelle

Major milestone for wee Luciebelle: she is sitting up.
Yeaaah!
I'm very excited for her.

And I had to post this photo too because I find her sooo cute there!
And because her grandparents have gone on holiday and I know they'd love to see her.

Stress and the beach

Apparently, stress has a major role in the ageing process.
Learning to cope with stress and doing activities that reduce it (like meditation) will help slow down the ageing process.
My own solution (amongst others): going to the beach.
It works every time. (and the kids just love it!)
What do you do to reduce the stress in your life?

Agapanthus

I find it easier to come up with a picture a day
than a thought a day.
What's going on with my brain?
Is it on holiday too?

A photo and a thought a day

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. " (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

I only started my blog a couple of months ago, and since then I have wondered which direction my blog should/would take. In my profile I say that I wanted to try and inspire people in some way, but I have since realised that this is no small goal, and it is harder done than said. (So I congratulate all of you who manage to do just that, inspiring others).

I loved crafts, but my passion is photography. So I thought maybe that's where I should start and I have therefore decided that I am going to post a photo a day. I will make sure that this photo is of the highest standard I can achieve that day. I know from experience that even taking one good photo a day is actually a difficult task, but what makes me excited about this project is the fact that it is going to help me a lot with my photography, and make me get out there and shoot (which I haven't done so much since Lucie Belle's arrival 7 months ago).

So a photo a day, for this whole year, starting today.

And just to make it more interesting for people who may come across my blog, I am also going to post a thought a day. Why not? It will give me something to think about, and something to share with others, and something for others to think about hopefully. These thoughts may lead to interesting discussions, new friendships, who knows...?

Happy New Year to you all!