I had an idea

I worked it backwards.

It's my day off today. I got up later than planned at about 9.30. It was nice to have a little lie in. I'm taking some antibiotics so I have to take that first thing and wait an hour to eat. In that hour, for the last week, I've been drinking black coffee, reading the paper and knitting. It's allowed me to finish some socks that have been WIPs since January... I am really enjoying my hour but now the clocks have gone forward I can't seem to wake up with the hour spare, I wake up when I did before and have just enough time but nothing to spare. But because it was my day off I took the hour even if it wasn't really my hour. Know what I mean? So, I had my hour. 

My morning hour sock (the other was just hiding in this photo): 

Then I made an omelette with lots of fresh veg and coffee with milk. Then I trotted off to the local Co-op. It was a lovely walk in the sun and I bumped into one of the lads from the Jamaican shop next door which was unexpected but nice seeing as he carried my heavy bags (manners are big in Jamaica apparently :)). We talked about all the veg in the shop now and that led on to us talking about fruits and then flowers. He dropped me off at the Co-op and lent me a pound coin to get a trolley and off he was on his way but he left with me images of delicious, glistening fruits and bright, tropical plants. I kept thinking about this poem which we studied in my GCSEs - I wasn't fond at the time and I'm not a massive fan of poetry now but I love all the vivid colour she describes. Right here, at this moment in time, is when I came up with my idea

I bought what I had to, which was veg for a jokey but hopefully delicious dinner (I bought a packet of 'Cock Soup' mix from next door...). Then I wandered. The spring sunshine led me to the clothes store at the back of the shop and my eye fell on these little stunners: 

The dress was £5! The sandals a little more but I'm trying to avoid buying throwaway flip flops this year and I only have one other pair of sandals. Lovely summery stuff ey? Perfect for holidays! :) 

Then I nipped to the toiletries aisle. I won't bother you with a description or photo of what I bought but it's all for summer and for pretty-fying as my new hair has made me conscious of not looking like a mad old bag lady... 

And right next to that aisle was the sweetie aisle and right next to that aisle was the dilute drinks aisle. So I set myself up for lunch:

which I ate outside on the decking.

As I'd already read the paper and my hands were too full to knit or crochet all I had to do was look at the world around me waking up for spring. I saw my first big fat bumble bee and countless ladybirds as well as fresh new buds and daffy-down-dillies in all their sunshine gorgeousness. So after lunch I grabbed my camera and had a wander around the garden and then, because I was so excited that the world seemed to agree with me about my idea, I wandered around the house. Photographing this and that. Here is what I saw:

You'll have to forgive the empty tile, I've no idea what happened.

Ladybirds:

Can't see him? Look a bit closer... 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a big ladybird fancier, but I do love a little splash of colour amongst the strawberries which grow wild in the cracks of the paving. 

I took this photo which I thought was great. It's a big old tree, covered in ivy now, that stands between ours and our neighbour's garden. God only knows how long it's been there but it was an established tree when we moved in nearly 25 years ago. When we were kids, my sister and her friends used to climb up it and sit in its branches eating a picnic-y kind of lunch. I like the pure sky intermixed with the crazy tree branches. 

I thought this was very English:

I took a photo of the very beginnings of my latest beady project. It's a big project with two facets and I didn't realise but it will look just perfect with my new £5 dress and perhaps my new idea.

The final photo I took, as I was about to head upstairs to the office, was this:

It's our front door and I love it. Stained glass is one of the most beautiful things to me and when it's in combination with a beautiful English spring day - is there any more lovely thing? From this photo I took the idea of light, dark and shadows.

I also ought to add a link here to a song that I've been listening to like a mad woman for the last few days. It's been with me as I wake up and when I go to bed and every minute in between. Apparently it's been number one for weeks but I don't give a fig for pop music so I had no idea. I've just discovered it. :) (I might also like it because the first bit is surely, 'Baa Baa Black Sheep'). 

I like the simplicity. 

And finally - the yarn that was my biggest inspiration being the first thing I saw when I woke up: 

Our fabulous Patons 4ply Cotton. Tonight, I shall swatch. Tomorrow I shall buy:

Yellow : Neroli : Nectarine : Red.

And then we'll just have to see what happens. 

So there's my backwards idea. It popped fully formed into my head and then I spent the day being persuaded by the world and the universe that actually, this is just what is needed. It'll fit in splendidly. 

One day I'll tell you what the idea is. :)

Love Eleanor.

P.s. This was written yesterday but I haven't the heart to change all of the tenses so it sounds like it was yesterday.