Any chance of a good natter?

Hello friends. This is my first full post since my mum's death, and I hope you're not expecting anything deep and meaningful from me today - I'm just longing for a good old natter about anything and everything. Will you join me?

November Country Living, which I eschewed whenever I saw it on Scottish shelves, knowing that my own copy of it was waiting for me at home, is what I'd love a good chat about. It's such a lovely mag - let me know what gets you thinking!

First of all, I've spotted this fantastic canvas shopper which turns out to be designed expecially for the Museum of Rural Life in Reading. I don't think you know that I met Ben when we were both at Reading University, so this on-campus museum was the scene of one of our first dates. Romantic? It seems so to me!

Skipping a few pages, here's a treeehouse dweller.

This wonderful recycled pendant of mine was made by a (similarly easy-on-the-eye) treehouse resident. His treehouse is on a collective farm, on the outskirts of Edinburgh! His stall was full of jewellery made from 'found' items - china, shells, butterfly wings etc. It was also surrounded by women... Was it his jewellery or his angelic blonde curls?

Ah, interesting. Kate Humble is looking good in a French brand of outdoor wear. Sadly, the only Aigle products I ever owned were some super-looking garden slippers, which fell apart after just one year. I'm pretty sure that was a blip on an otherwise great product-range, though.

Country in the City is fun. It always reminds me of my brother in law, who is a wannabe bee keeper and waiting-list allotment gardener in Soho. My sister is less keen, but she did join him on a fungi foray like the one described here.

Yum, swoon, drool.

Ah, plans, plans... yes, I want to make some button jewellery for Christmas this year... Which blogger was it who posted instructions for a simple button crochet necklace last month, does anyone know?

Anyone remember my 'Country Living' autumn photoshoot from last year? I like this year's too - we've got one of those soil-sieves! And looking at the way the lovely Raja graced some of last year's photos, I need to tell you that that she's doing really well on her medication and looking like an elegant hound again, instead of a miserable stray. Such a relief. I'll tell you more about her illness when I'm feeling strong some time...

So, is anyone going to pen them a poem? Go on... I bet there are some bloggers out there who could write a great one! Ah, wool, Cumbrian shepherdess, tweed clothes. We lived in the Lakes when we first got married, and I was training at Charlotte Mason College of Education, Ambleside. Sadly, I can't wear wool next to my skin. (How's that for a non sequitur?)But I did own the most fantastic BIBA tweed jacket when I was in my late teens. I think I must have sent it back to the charity shop when it stopped doing up around me...Ooh, I think I've already seen these fantastic fair trade socks in my favourite online store, Ethical Superstore. Anyone who wanted to buy me a new Christmas present could just go and click randomly in their web catalogue - I think I would be happy with anything!

OK, Living with Wildlife. While we were away in Scotland and the pets were living with kind colleagues and neighbours, the mice took over our sideboard. That's one living with wildlife that we stopped pretty sharpish when we got back... But this was an example I would happily live with! They were nesting on the balcony of our gite this summer. We don't have them here, but we do have bats roosting in our roof. Very pleasing.

Oh, very lovely. But sadly for me, written by Christopher Somerville, with whom for some reason my Inner English Teacher just doesn't get on. It's unfair, I know, as he obviously writes about a million times better than I do, but he's just too self-consciously lyrical for me.

j

My favourite writer is fast becoming Ros Byam Shaw, who penned the superb text for Perfect English Cottage. It's got to the point where I'll buy a magazine if I see she's written for it - or at least I did with Period Living when I was in Scotland, and I wasn't disappointed.

A Thriving Country Town. We are just too close to Toulouse to really thrive, but we are pretty good compared to a lot of British towns, in terms of still having all the basic traders on the High Street. I've been following Niki's Nostalgia shop with great interest, including all her links to 'Turn Back Time: The High Street' programme. Have any of you been watching it? What do you think? We have no UK TV here...

Ah-ha, someone else who likes decorating with autumn colours...

Eek!

Too lovely.

This one looks interesting. And very well written, too. Love the sentence: 'The house sits in the middle of an informal garden, parts of which have clambered up its walls, as snug as a red brick chicken in a nest of greenery'. Hang on - it's by... Ros Byam Shaw! Well there you go...

And I could very likely do that with our oriental rugs, too...

Drawing to a close...Getting to the cookery pages with some very-Flossie one pot recipes from Clarissa Dickson Wright. I'm going to try this one.There we go! I'll finish off the rest of the magazine with some Bacon and Eggs in a Mug!And they were very good, too.

j

Thanks so much for putting up with my natter. Please do natter back, on anything here that took your fancy!