Summer is coming :)

We don't need to go on holiday. Holiday arrived to us. Lets enjoy the weather :)
Pepper

Runny noses and pretty shoes

...and all of a sudden you are called Mama!

I just love it when my mini-me calls me Mama, Mama. This is one way of showing me her love. By calling me she wants to show me something new or she wants my help or she just wants my attention ;-). For example she points at something and I tell her the word and then she repeats it or she invents a new one. Her own creations are so much better: "messije" for butterfly (actually for the German Schmetterling) or "attitti" for XBox. She knows about 100 words now. Maybe because we always read books and sing songs together. My mini-flavour likes looking at her books with me. She turns the pages and starts pointing at things. And sometimes she starts telling me stories when looking at the pictures - well in her own language.
I like reading too. Since having my daughter I am reading a book about baby's first three years - development, health, eating, sleeping, etc. But I also read stuff on the internet, which my hubby always says is the better way as the information are up to date. Well, I don't agree with that. But anyway. Children have colds. You think you finally got rid of it and hey runny nose again :-(. It doesn't seem to end. So as my little Toblerone seems to have a constant runny nose I went on google and asked for advice. Over 50000 matches. Great. I read a bit especially in mum's forums. It is boring and annoying. Some people basically say you can treat everything with paracetamol while others are against all medication. Puuh, so I decided to carry on doing what I already did and what my book told me as well: buy nice wet wipes, giver her some sea salt nasal drops and offer loads of water during the day. I still don't know why she's got the runny nose though. I make sure she's wearing a hat when its windy outside (so she basically always wears it) and she's dressed a warm enough for the outside temperature. I probably won't find an answer and just carry on chasing her with my wet wipes when she is blowing bubbles with her nose. It is probably something that is part of growing up...
But having a toddler is not only trouble ;-). To be there and to experience their development into little individuals is absolutely unmissable. And you can buy pretty shoes for them. Nowadays I prefer shopping for her clothes although my little one gets fed up quite quickly. It must be overwhelming to see so many new things in the shops. I still managed to find these two cute pairs within 20 mins.

When we got home she wanted to show her Papa the new shoes so with my help she put one on each foot and walked with me to the kitchen saying: Papa, shoes. Hihi, so cute and so very like me.

Cinnamon x

Friendship

What is the friend, if not someone you feel close to, someone you like being with, someone you can confide in and share pleasure with.

                                        Jeremy Malory

Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.

Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow. 

Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Albert Camus

Vanilla xx

Keiki- good or bad sign?

First of all what keiki is..From Hawaiian keiki means a child. We could say that keiki is a clone of its parent. Orchids keiki grow when growth hormones are accumulated  at node on flower spike. You can also buy special paste to induce keiki. So when keiki grow, it needs to develop at least 3 leaves and 3 roots about 2 inches long to survive. Although still you have no guarantee that your keiki will grow, they very fragile. But once you have your keiki big enough use sterilize and sharp blade to remove keiki from its mother. Once you have done it on your plant as well as on you keiki remains an open wound so you should apply cinnamon on it to prevent fungal infection. Obviously you have to pot your new plant separately or with mother plant.  Normally it takes about 2 years for keiki to flower. It is very exciting when you have your first keiki but quite often it is a sign that your mother plant is in a bad condition and is just trying to continue its species. For example look at the pictures below. I found this poor orchid at my friends house, she wanted to throw it away, but obviously I couldn't let that happen and I'm planning to save mother orchid and its child. So once your keiki appear watch your plant carefully.

Pepper xxx

To write this article mostly I based on my experience with orchids but because this is my first keiki I have used source from American Orchid Society : www.aos.org

Sunny Monday

Today I supposed to have a day off, but always when is my day off I have to do something. For today my husband planed for me to take a car for service.  As he is having a man flu I didn't have choice but to take the car and have it done. But luckily turned out I had a company, my friend went with me and another joined later. So we left the car at the garage and went for shopping and coffee :)))) 

So it could be a wasted day, but my girls, lovely weather and coffee actually made my day. And the car is fine :P

Pepper xxx

The Millennium Trail in Alresford

Walking in Hampshire.


Alresford is lovely little town, with unusual shops and nice pubs ....
What a beautiful day it was today....

We went around water cress beds...Healthy stuff ;)

 Walking The Millennium Trail in Alresford.

Watching ducks having fun 

 And afternoon Tea in the sun after the walk with my Darling ;D was a perfect end to our relaxing day.

Vanilla xx

Grand National 2015 - tomorrow.

2 years ago now... when we were invited to my friends Birthday...She decided , she wanted to go to Horse races . We went to Newbury  and made a wonderful day of it....

My friend T. enjoyed her special day.

We put few bets on. Well, boys did ;D...they didn't mind standing the queue , while me and T. enjoyed celebratory drink ;D

My friends brother won quite a bit of money....Lucky...The rest of us watched him showing off his winning ticket :D hoping, we will win the next race...but...we didn't !

Me and my Darling watch The Grand National every year, it is tradition now.
Tomorrow, is the big day - and we need to choose the winner or we will bet each way ? We will see.
I am just checking for my favorite 5 horses.
Am I going to go by lucky number?
Or the colour of the jockey's dress?
Or, should I read a bit on it?
Doesn't always work, as it can be any of 40 horses....it is unpredictable, it is a big race, every horse has a chance...
Or, will I dream of the winner?
My darling once won , when he bet on the name of the horse, that he dreamed of....That was bizarre.
He read all the names before he went to bed...and believe or not, that was, how he won the money !!
If you have any tip or idea, please let me know....I could do with some spare cash ;D ha ha
I will update this post later, when I have had a proper look at horses and give you my tips ;D for tomorrow.
See you

Vanilla xx

Hi again. So, I think I will go for :                         SOLL - N.38
                                                       NIGHT IN MILAN -  N.15
                                                       ROYALE KNIGHT - N.40
                                                       GAS LINE BOY - N.31
                                                       OSCAR TIME - N. 27

My Darling is having                   BALTAZAR KING - N.6
                                    GODSMEJUDGE - N.19
                                    SAINT ARE - N 24
                                    CHANCE DU ROY - N.32
                                    SPRING HEELED - N.10

Wish us luck ;D
I wonder, if my flavours are going to have a go too...?