autumnal

Now as autumn draws in at Little Acorns - the acorns are falling .............fast!

We still have visitors coming and going but it is getting colder , the nights are drawing in and the shadows getting longer by the day.

But Little Acorns is a s cosy and welcoming as ever ...........perhaps even a little better - a little cosier and a lot more welcoming.

Now is the time that we are talking about building on to the cottage and the alterations that we will make before next summer season begins.

We will make the cottage larger possibly double in size ..................but what we dont want to do is to lose the charater of the cottage.

So a lot of time is spent discussing , drawing and thinking ...........where to go now ?

Plans need to be made ........................

really quite exciting

Zaz;-)

and the garden

When we bought Little Acorns the garden was so overgrown it was impossible to tell what exactly was what. In actual fact the garden is fantastic and laid out with stones bordering every possible flower bed, path and areas. It is also walled with dry stone walling - but it had all been so abandoned that it was impossible to work out the weeds from the grass, from the flower beds.

Having spent the summer holidays working and working we have uncovered an amazing garden that was once lovingly laid out and planned. The sad thing is, is that the flowers and shrubs have long since been allowed to get taken over by weeds and wild berries.

One day it will be resumed to its previously beautiful self - I will plant lavender, rhodedenron bushes and azalea. We will have lupins, clematis and wonderful tulips that will make Little Acorns the pride of the area ..........one day - just one day that day will come ! I promise.

Zaz;-)

Lillies and roses

Our next guests have just arrived! Little Acorns is spick and span - shining in its cosiness.

I often wonder what people think when they arrive at Little Acorns .......... it is so tiny but cosy. I would love to spend some time there, just mooching.

For our new guests, who come from London, I picked some roses and lillies - these are lillies that have a glorious scent and now fill the cottage with a heady fragrance.

And the roses are red of course, for love, because I hope they will love Little Acorns - and who wouldn't huh?

After these guests we are free for a little while until my sister arrives for her tour of inspection - but will Little Acorns come up to meet the standard of big sister?

Of course it will............

Zaz;-)

satisfied customers

Well our first residents have been and now gone back to the UK. Satisfied ...........at least thats what they said in our visitors book!

Pleased as punch and delighted with the cottage. What a relief! All behaved as it should - the hot water stayed hot, the drains drained and the cosy cottage just .......cosied.

In fact they were so pleased they left us a lovely bottle of red! Cheers..........!

Meanwhile heres the clean and fresh, wind dried laundry ready for the next couple that arrive on Saturday........

Zaz;-)

guests installed

our first guests have arrived ! and it is such excitment at Little Acorns! Does everything function OK?? will they like everything??

I really tried to make it as homely as possible - even down to the handmade soaps in the shower room ...........I am quite nervous about all this.

Little Acorns is my baby - now occupied by strangers ........will I cope? Crumbs!

Zaz;-)

new arrivals and the final touches

Just now we have two bookings for Little Acorns .........and the teds are waiting for our guests imminent arrival with anticipation.

So much excitement..........

Zaz;-)

visitors

So our first summer visitors are arriving next week.............. I so hope they love this cottage as much as I do!

We have worked so hard to get it ready for our guests and most of my five week holiday from week - now sadly coming to an end - has been spent painting and buying stuff to kit out the cottage.

All I can hope for is that the weather is kind to our guests................. and now I am off to put in those finishing touches - flowers, candles, and make the beds with wonderful clean linen!

Zaz;-)

angels and bridges

About a 5 minute walk from Little Acorns is the residents association's own bathing beach - so peaceful as the only way one can reach it is on foot ! Now just how wonderful is that?

And down at the beach is a boat pontoon where the local residents keep all their boats. Now , as at this moment I do not have a boat , but I do intend to buy one shortly. The boat will of course be included in the hiring of the cottage ....................I feel it is just one more step to forgetting the stresses of the 21st century and going off fishing for the day - or visiting one of the otherlocal islands..........

On the island opposite my island, lives my bank manager ...................Hej Sofie! Neat huh?

and the angel?? well of course Sofie is an angel because she helps me with my finances ..........but this one is also one of the angels that lives at Little Acorns ............... enjoy...............

Zaz,-)

in the china cabinet

I love nice things ..................and particularly lovely china! I love the shabby - slighty worn out look of a bygone age.

Little Acorns will provide just that - the soft colours of the old china, the wonderful shape of the strawberry drinks jug - perfect for those home made summer lemonades............and the blue cross stitch table cloth...............

With no television, no telephone - but a radio, a few jigsaws and some unfinished embroideries ..........I want to live there

................and this little fellow looks out over the garden ............................does that grass really need cutting again?

Zaz;-)

lazy days ............and painting

whilst still on holiday - most of my days are spent at Little Acorns. The house is a dream - and is beginning to fill up with my precious things that make it a little idyll.

Soon , now very very soon , it will be on the market for hiring ...........shall I vet the guests first ?? Will they love the little cottage as much as I do?

My embroideries hang on the wall in the kitchen together with an old stitched sampler. I have collected some beautiful blue and white antique china - and the linen napkins have been washed and ironed........................

will my guests appreciate them?

Zaz ;-)

painting painting painting

'Little acorns' needs a whole deal of painting and that is what we spend our time doing. But we are making progress and the lounge, and bedroom alcove is now finished as is the kitchen!

Clean fresh and white ..............French Country style - thats my style - and Little Acorns is just that - the little country cottage - clean and fresh and cute as home baked pastries!

Tomorrow we install the new bed and rehang the nets ............

Zaz ;-)

the new funiture

I thought I should show the new furniture acquired yesterday - this lovely bookcase to hold those jigsaws and unfinished embroideries ................we are going to be television free zone at ''Little Acorns''. They fit in perfectly with my cottage theme and I am delighted with them both.

Today was more painting - the bedroom alcove, the windows and the bathroom window.

Also planning stage for the new extension ..................

But I will leave you with a close up of my wonderful cushion.......

Zaz;-)

continuing delight

today at "Little Acorns" was painting day.......... The kitchen has now been painted, and smells - so wonderful and clean and fresh - but its the little details that continue to delight me

just look at this cushion I bought somewhere, second hand - a 50's embroidered cushion - but I love that image

the little boy poking his tongue out at the girl passenenger and just see how affronted she looks ........ so sweet

and the window boxes at "Little Acorns " - I just love that lobelia and white petunias .........

This cottage is unbelieveably wonderful

We also bought a super bookcase - to house those jigsaws and unfinished embroideries that will be available to my renting visitors - and a sideboard. '

I am loving this journey

Zaz ;-)

a real little pearl

correct - that is what we described 'Little Acorn Cottage' when we first saw it ...........a tiny cottage on the island of Tjörn in Sweden.

Twenty nine cubic metres - comprising of a main room with sleeping alcove - kitchen - shower room and toilet............

somewhere to dream away reality - write that poem - finish that book - sketch and draw- paint - do a bit of embroidery ..............just somewhere to unwind and take it easy. Somewhere to relax.

And so we bought it ........

and now its in the process of renovation - rediscovering the garden path that leads up to an artists studio - long since abandoned but waiting to be rediscovered .................................

a journey of sheer pleasure and joy ...................

and just like "Little Acorns" mighty oaks will eventually blossom forth

Zaz ;-)