Wednesday 18 April 2012

Its all in the name...



Have you ever found out what you name means?

I vaguely remember learning about names when we were at school and Victory sticks in my mind but after a little day dreaming out the window, I googled 'Nicola'.

Here is what Wikipedia told me...

Nicola is an ancient (but still very common) Italian personal name (from the Greek and Byzantine Νικόλαος) derived from Nichos meaning "victory," and laos meaning "people," therefore implying the meaning "winner of the people." The English form of the same name is Nicholas.
Nicola was a frequently given male personal name among the traditional Italian nobility, and was used often in the Middle Ages. In the UK, Poland, and Germany, the male form Nicola has been used as a female name, which originally came from incorrectly presuming the name's vowel ending 'a' was the female form, as has also occurred with the male given name Andrea (also an Italian male personal name from the Greek meaning 'manly.') The female form of Nicola in Italian is Nicoletta.

Ah my memory serves me well! I am victorious :)

What does your name mean?

Thursday 12 April 2012

Robin Update

For those of you that follow me on Twitter will know this as old news now...

We got home from work at about 7.30pm last night and noticed that the nest was empty. I was a little sad that they had chosen the one day this week that I wasn't working from home to fly the nest.

I started making dinner and could hear daddy Robin screeching from the telephone line above the garden - I knew something wasn't right! I went out with my torch to have a look and ended up chasing a black and white cat out of my neighbours garden where I had found one of the chicks - headless :(

I came back home and wiped my eyes to hear Rigby whining in our garden. I again went out with the torch and he had found and was nudging another dead chick with his nose then looking at me as if to say 'what's wrong with him?'

I am not sure where the other three chicks are but when I hunted round my garden today in the light (before it started to tip it down) and couldn't find them.

Friends and family have said although it sad, its nature.

I have a little solace in the fact that I think the robins actually have a second nest not too far away, as I can hear them calling each other and see them in a tree a few houses away. I have read that they have two or three broods in the spring. So, fingers crossed.

As I said in my post yesterday, to have robins nest in my garden felt like an honour and made me feel very special. I hope that one day they will return.

RIP baby robins x

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Tweet Tweet

Ever winter/spring we have a lone Robin who flies around our garden. Well imagine my surprise when in the garden a couple of weeks ago and two Robins perch side by side on the fence.

Robins make me smile.

And at the moment I am beeming, as the pair of Robins have chosen our tiny garden to nest!!


We have five Robin chicks!
(nesting about seven foot from our backdoor in a climber on the side of our shed!)

 
 

Mum and Dad take it in turn to feed the chicks (which appears to be constant!!)


The chicks must be about 10 days old now. Their eyes are wide open and they have fluffy feathers. You know when they are being fed by the squawking that comes from the nest!

I am not sure how long before they try and fly but I do hope that all five survive.

I feel honoured to have a bird choose to nest in my tiny gardens but for them to be Robins makes it extra special! :)

Happy Birthday Rigby!!

Today is Rigby's birthday... he is 6 years old.

Here are a few pictures that I took of him the other day. He looks knackered because he had been running round the garden like a loon playing tennis with us!








This is my favourite!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FURRY ONE!! :)

Wednesday 4 April 2012

MUA (Make Up Academy)

I recently read a blog post of Mrs Thrifty's (a fashionable thrifting icon) about a fabulous new make-up range called MUA (Make Up Academy) stocked in Superdrug, which was not only good but cheap as chips too.
Always one for a bargain, went in search...

I sought, I found, I bought...


Pressed powder £1 - shade 3;
Eyeshadow £1 - shade 1 - pearl;
2 nail varnishes £1 each - shade 15 (hot pink) and shade 3 (mauve)

Well so far so good... I am lovely the eyeshadow, which is staying where it should - always a good sign!

I really like the pressed powder too, great coverage. I am not really one for foundation, I only where powder. My only gripe is that there is no sponge in the compact...

I have only tested the hot pink nail varnish at the moment but the colour is so summery... going to paint my toes this evening :)
Definately worth the £1 price tags! Well done MUA and Superdrug :)

Tuesday 3 April 2012

Sweater vest update...

I am loving knitting the sweater vest... :)

But as this is a first for Fair Isle I have discovered that you really have to pay attention to what you are doing. I have had to frog several rows once I get to the end and realise that the pattern is out by one stitch. And it is so noticeable, not the kind of mistake you can get away with.




I have just started decreasing for the arm-holes, which means I have to pay even more attention. Decreasing and different coloured stitches eek!

Dresses and yarn

Pay day has been and I needed a pick me up as the last week was a little manic and fraught at work.

So here they are:

M&Co Bird print dress.
I was looking for a mustard blazer that I had seen in a magazine, which upon seeing it in person did not like at all. Then I clocked this dress and loved the print :)


It reminds me of Orla Keily prints.

Apricot floral print dress.


Apricot chunky knit. I have always wanted an oversized snuggly cable knit (I am not that great at knitting cable!)


I first spotted this gorgeous Fawn Poncho or Fawn-cho over on One Sheepish Girl's blog and I fell in love! I ordered the pattern from Tiny Owl Knits and today I got the yarn. I couldn't get the Debbie Bliss Chunky Tweed so am going to try the Rowan Felted Tweed Aran instead.


My yarn


My circular needles (circulars are new to me, so we'll have to see how I get on!)

I am, as always, always looking at the next project but will have to pack these away in the yarn box until I finish the Rowan Fyne vest.

What finds have you recently bought?