Hedges, Books & Berries

I enjoy the fresh air and quiet of gardening, before the rhythm of breakfast, chores and home educating begins. Collecting plants and bulbs, I settle in hebes, including an Andromeda Blue Ice. Then some box hedge, daffodils and tulips. Over the years, I've planted flowering evergreens, perennials and trees. I love planting varieties of lavenders, …

Launching STAR & BARK

Children's collection STAR & BARK - Soothing Stories for All Ages is out now! Inspired by wildlife, science and history, the 8 timeless stories are available now... Doodling and colouring are so much fun. In recent years, their therapeutic and calming benefits have become widely known. Each book is a unique collaboration of the reader's …

Into the Garden…

Autumn has arrived - brisk, breezy and bright! I'm loving it. How about you? With cooler days, comes more energy. I've 2 projects set for launch in the coming months. Weeks flow in a fulfilling rhythm of work, studies, writing, gardening and hobbies. Rather than play catch-up, I've created simpler plans, that remain flexible and …

Keep Digging

I'm focussing on creative projects through Summer, so an older entry revisited... enjoy the rest of July and August 🙂 "Dig inside yourself. Inside there is a spring of goodness ready to gush at any moment, if you keep digging." - Marcus Aurelius There are those whose words echo, far beyond their lifetime. I return …

Me to You

Today the journal is 5 years old! Thanks for reading & I hope you continue to enjoy it 🙂 Embedded in the days, there are moments that we can share with others, to help with the practical aspects of life. Optimal began as three separate items that I wrote to help me work through different …

Roaming (Into Nature)

Went wandering... and it was bliss. Sunshine greeted our party, as we visited an old favourite - Baddesley Clinton. Once home to four writers, it is the sort of setting in which you imagine inspiring great things. I'm light on words today, sharing the photos and leaving space for you to enjoy them... I've begun …

Lately…2

Mornadoodle* beautiful people. I'm writing in a brief flash of sunshine, while bursts of sheeting rain and rough winds, "shake the darling buds of May," as Shakespeare wrote. Lately, I've been planting and writing scenes for my latest novel. This week is 'Mock Move' - rummaging in a dozen areas around the home, that if …

Launching Optimal – FREE journal

Today I’m launching OPTIMAL – a journal of growth. This FREE ebook has been useful to me, time and again, so I’m excited to be sharing it with you. The journal has three sections: Part 1 enables the creation and resetting of habits and systems, freeing time and space for what matters most. Part 2 …

Antique Bag

Made from bri-nylon underskirts in the 1960s, this item is a living testament to the “mend and make do” culture of previous decades. A lady that knew my grandmother crocheted and sold them. They were her side hustle for extra income. I was very happy when Mum gifted it me last year. I’ve known this …

Lately…

Afternoodle lovelies, how are you? I've had my head down writing or looking up, enjoying the blue sky. It's gorgeous to hear birds chirping. Weather and lifting of restrictions this week, has meant sunshine and more time in the garden. The sweet scent of Spring is like catnip for inspiration. I've been creating a download …

Let Harmony In

Over the years, I've navigated periods of anxiety/stress by using focus. Prolonged periods of stress, such as we are all experiencing, can see focus impaired or amplify hyper-fixation, as a way to cope (focussing intensely on one thing). Here are some small actions to carve some slow living into life. Any one will add a …

In The Embrace

As a meditation sometimes, I draw a tiny circle with my index finger, in the palm of my other hand. The slight ticklish sensation is a distraction for sometime, against a surge of emotional overwhelm or pain. I love mixing the deeply reflective intention with a burst of action. We can be both things. I …