morning sunlight through a climbing frame silhouette

Project 365 2015 week 52 – the final week

It’s week 52 plus some, of Project 365, and we’re at the end of the photo a day for a year challenge. All done for a second year.  Bring it on for a third year and this time it’ll be back with The Boy and me for #366.

N loves wrapping presents, so I gave him one of my cheap rolls of paper to play with.  On Sunday he spent quite a bit of time playing pass the parcel with his teddies.  Really sweet.

playing christmas pass the parcel with teddies

On Monday I was working from home, but had to head into town in the afternoon to pick up N’s Christmas present which was a bike.  I was later than planned because I’d had to stop at the tip on the way in to clear out the car boot, and the traffic in town was a nightmare. But it was a lovely to see all the lights as I drove through.

christmas lights in town

On Tuesday I got out the baking gear in order to start making homemade Christmas foodie gifts.  The first was chocolate candied oranges (well, clementines and tangerines).  I love making these, they’re so simple.  Just slices of orange, sprinkled with sugar, and baked on a low heat in the oven for hours.  Then once they’re dried out and sweet, they can be dipped in melted chocolate.  Delicious.  And cheap – in Lakeland, packets of these will cost over a fiver!  I’d also planned to make biscotti but I overdid those so the cranberries were a touch burnt! Fudge was my back up.

chocolate candied oranges

On Wednesday I wanted to get off the farm, and took N and his youngest cousin to one of the parks in town.  We went out before 9 o’clock, when the sun was still rising and I got some great photos against the bright morning sky.  I loved these ones of the cousin on the climbing frame. From this photo, you wouldn’t believe that if I turned round it was a stunning bright blue sky.

morning sunlight through a climbing frame silhouette

On Thursday it was Christmas eve.  N was determined to have a mince pie to put out for Father Christmas. As I don’t eat them, and the OH is really fussy about shop bought ones we don’t have any in the house.  So it meant a trip over to Granny’s to get one of her homemade ones after we’d got back from our Christmas eve meal at the pub.  N just can’t resist touching the tree decorations!

getting santa's snacks ready by the christmas tree

On Friday it was Christmas day.  The OH hates me snapping away, so I didn’t take many photos.  Those that I did take weren’t that great.  We tend to stick with the same colour scheme for lunch because I’ve got all the props and it works well.

red and white christmas day table scape settings

After a lovely Christmas day, boxing day came and N was determined to get out on the farm.  Of course the men are working all over Christmas anyway, feeding the animals. But they’ve also been spending time out clay shooting because one of the nephews was given a clay trap for Christmas.  N showed me how well he could get on with his new bike (I was worried thinking that it was a bit big for him even though we’d already been in a while back to try out sizing.  But it’s a great size for him in shoes).

But then we heard the nephew shooting, and ended up comforting our labrador.  She’s meant to be a gundog, bought as a pup from a good line of shooting dogs for the purpose of training up.  Except she’s gun shy. Nightmare.  She was trembling like anything, even when we were stroking her and talking to her. She wouldn’t go in her kennel which might have been best for her. Poor thing. N was really good with her as usual.  I’m sure in a couple of years he’ll be hassling us to let him have his own dog.

looking after a gun shy dog

On Sunday I wanted a treat breakfast before I get back on the diet.  I had the Simply Nigella  recipe book for Christmas and had spotted her version.  I only had granary bread, but it was still delicious.

cinnamon french toast

On Monday I woke early to see this really deep colourful sky.  I took some photos, went back to bed, then got up in time to see the tail end of it as well. There really have been some beautiful sunrises in 2015.

sunrise over the farm

On Tuesday came the day that N had been waiting for for so long.  The chance to go out for his first shoot as a beater.  He was given his beating stick by our plumber last year, and usually can’t go out on the shoots.  They usually clash with his swimming lessons, so this was his first chance to have a go for a couple of stands.  We spend most of the morning loitering around waiting for his dad to collect him in time for sausages at break time, and then for him to go out with him for an hour or so.  N had a blast. He really loved being outside with the men, and supposedly did everything he was meant to in his job as a beater.  He can’t wait until next year!

first trip out beating on a shoot

On Wednesday we’d arranged to have a playdate with N’s best friend from his old day nursery.  They go to different schools but have ‘written’ each other snail mail cards, Christmas cards, and both talk about each other still.  So it was lovely to meet up, and nice for me to have a catch up with S’s mum.  It turned out to be too windy to go where we wanted, so we went ten pin bowling followed by a cycle and scoot in the park.  Shame it ended up raining as we walked, but the boys loved being together again.

riding a bike in the park

Thursday I wanted to get out of the house again. I decided we’d be ok to nip out for a walk at Burton Dassett country park near us.  It was so cold and blowy though – a little bit scary being on the top of a hill with a drop.  I made sure I kept hold of N!  We didn’t stay long but N loved being outside and wandering.

Burton Dassett country park

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10 Comments

  1. the first image of playing pass the parcel with teddies is so sweet and innocent. Love the playground dramatic light and dark scheme.

  2. Well done on being a beater, have to say its a bit ironic that your gun dog is scared of the gun fire, shame as there is nothing worse than a scared dog.
    Before 9am is early for children to be going to the park, but then in your line of work you will be up early anyway, and it would be quieter at that time of the morning.
    Love the laid table, that does not work with two two year olds so no posh laid table for us. and like you I did not take many pics on Christmas Day as it was about the memories not the pictures.

    1. He absolutely loved it. Boring for me because he wasn’t going to be out long enough for me to go out and do something, so I couldn’t leave til he was back.

  3. Gorgeous photos, the sunrise, the climbing frame and the last one in particular. Sounds like you’ve had a good break over Christmas. Wishing you a very happy new year Emma x

  4. sounds like you had a wonderful Christmas. I love the photo from Christmas Eve with N trying to reach for the tree (and the food left for Santa and Rudolph). The chocolate candid oranges are a great idea by the way, must remember the one.
    love the photo of N on his bike too – always great to get out after a few days indoors eating and feeling sluggish.
    wishing you a happy new year x

    1. The candied oranges are delicious. I must do a post before next year on all the sweet treats I did this year. But the oranges are so simple and versatiles – for food or decorations.

      Thanks for stopping by Jenny.

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