Tuesday, December 17, 2013

52 Weeks of Happy - Week 50

Well, here we are at week fifty already just two more to go in this year of searching for the small things in life that make us happy and that make us smile.   My four happies from the last week are..........

1.  Birds - (again) - on Sunday we visited the Blackbrook Zoological Park to see how they were getting on since our last visit as there was talk a while ago about them having to close due to lack of funds.  Things had changed quite a bit some for the better and others not but all in all we had a great morning taking photos of some of the super birds in their collections.  At present they are charging just 99p per person for entry and you do see lots for your money.

2.  Meerkats - also at Blackbrook - so cute and always guaranteed to make you smile!

3.  Festive Windows and Lights - three seasonal windows I've seen over the last week.  The one on the left in Getliffe's Yard in Leek, the top right in Ashover, Derbyshire and the bottom one in Shrewsbury.  Below left a huge stag in Shrewsbury town centre, I bet it looks wonderful in the dark and the festive lights at Ashbourne.

4.  Pomanders -  I always enjoy making them - the ones in my photo need finishing off.  I love the seasonal smells of the oranges and cloves, it always seems like Christmas is on the way when I start pressing the cloves into the orange skin and that wonderful scent wafts under my nose and coats my finger tips. 


Linking up with  Little Birdie  where  '52 weeks of Happy' started. Each week you find just four things that have made you happy to share.

32 comments:

  1. Looks like a fabulous week.
    I would love the zoological park ~ to see Meerkats too so neat !

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    1. Thanks, Willow - the meercats were very cute:)

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  2. Two of my favourites there, birds (don't ever worry about 'again'!) and meerkats. I can almost smell those pomanders from here. Gorgeous scent.

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    1. I always seem to feature birds or cats or squirrels but they all make me smile. The pomanders do smell wonderfully festive:)

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  3. I second what rusty duck says - your week's happies are spot on

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  4. Beautiful photos there Rosie and it looks as though you had a lovely week. I really like the festive windows and lights.
    Patricia x

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    1. Glad you enjoyed them, Patricia - I love festive windows to gaze into at this time of year:)

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  5. I love all the birds and the Meercats always make me smile. I love to see the festive windows, too - especially old shop windows when they have that Victorian Christmas look.

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    1. Oh, yes - those old style windows always look great at this time of year - it's like stepping back in time to a less 'glitzy' festive season:)

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  6. Might just have to go visit the zoo, those meercats are too cute.

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    1. It is worth a visit for 99p Amanda with lots of birds to see. Didn't go in the cafe so not sure what the standard is now but it looked full around lunch time:)

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  7. I love birds and especially like the look of the one in the top left photo. Your bows on the oranges are so neat - I do like a nice finish! Some lovely happies at week 50! Where did that year go? x

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    1. Not sure where this year got to! The bird top left is a pelican - I always think they look quite prehistoric a bit like a pterodactyl:)

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  8. They have Meerkats in Wentworth now - I've not seen them though. I shall have to treat myself. xx

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    1. Ooo - for a minute I was imagining the meerkats off the adverts living in the hall!!! I hope you seek them out - they are very cute to watch - the reals ones that is:)

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  9. We have two reindeer like that in Liverpool City Centre. They're enormous!
    We often make similar pomanders in school for Christingle ... imagine the scent of a roomful. Wonderful x

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    1. Wow, the scent of loads of pomanders must be wonderful! We walked under the reindeer a couple of times - they are huge!:)

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  10. I love the meerkats Rosie! They are adorable. That dolls house outside the shop is amazing! I would have dithered over that one, to buy or not, but where on earth would I put such a thing!! xx

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    1. It was a lovely dolls house, in fact a lovely shop full of vintage goodies and a tea shop unpstairs:)

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  11. Seeing all the different places you visited you must have had a good week. I'm surprised the zoological park charges so little since there are so many different birds there. Hope it stays open. Love the pomanders.

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    1. We do seem to have been buzzing about a bit this week. The zoo usually charges quite a bit more than 99p in Spring, Summer and Autumn but they always open for that amount over the winter:)

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    1. Are you going to make some, Michela? Happy Chjristmas to you:)

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  13. Love that giant reindeer, not long now!

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    1. No, not long - I liked the reindeer and it is quite huge, we walked under it a couple of times:)

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  14. Hi Rosie,

    I can almost smell the oranges and the cloves from here. I've long been intending to have a go at making pomanders, but it is still on my list!

    I love the festive windows. It is always a cheering sight in the daytime, but even more so after dark.

    Marie x

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    1. Hi Marie, Hope you make some pomanders! I love to see shop windows after dark but am rarely out at that time of day - I'm a get up and get out early to beat the crowds person so I'm ususually home before lunch time:)

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  15. Lovely happies- The bird pictures are great. I used to love making pomanders- forgot all about these until I saw your pictures:)

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    1. Thanks, Amanda - the pomanders are easy to make and smell so Christmassy:)

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  16. Great happy things - we are planning to visit Blackbrook soon (ish) - we usually go when they do their winter price deal! I love the festive lights and window displays. I've only ever made pomanders at school myself or on school trips with children so it brings back memories of school for me to see them!

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    1. Blackbrook has changed a bit - there seems to be a new area in the middle to attract local birds in - there were loads of greylag geese. Lots of the larger animals had gone, the reptile house was closed until next year and some of the birds had moved but we still enjoyed it - didn't try the cafe though as we had put a flask in the car:)

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