Settling into my new home in 2019

No, we haven’t moved house – I’ve moved to a new blog home – Come and find me over on at  www.viewsfrommygardenbench.com

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This is what you’ve missed so far in 2019:

• Life is short – don’t be a wallflower – 28 January 2019
  I wrote about my awesome brother who died suddenly 2 years ago.  It’s a joyful post, though I miss him every single day and I always will.

In a Vase on Monday

The idea is to pick flowers or plants from your garden or locality every Monday:

• Hellebore happiness – In a Vase on Monday 21 January 2019
• 3 Vases 3 Goals in 2019 – using YearCompass for planning 2019 – 14 January 2019

Goals and Planning

• January goals – plan and focus using the pomodoro method – 17 January 2019
• 3 vases – 3 goals in-2019 using Yearcompass – 14 January 2019

Mental health and wellbeing

• My Mental Health Care Kit – Ideas for self care – 7 February 2019
• Beginner’s yoga – which yoga style suits you? – 1 February 2019

Blogging – why I chose Lyrical Hosting

Note: both these posts have affliate links.

• Why I moved to Lyrical Hosting – they do things differently – reviewing the January Go Getter Bundle – 2 January 2019
• Review September Lyrical Host – limited-edition-blogging bundle – 8 September 2018 – I wrote about how I’m impressed with their hosting – I am still very happy with them.

Photography:

I have been out and about taking photos using my new Lensbaby – some are landscape, some macro.

My new blog header photograph – purple verbena Lensbaby Trio 28 – velvet effect

Follow my adventures on:

• Twitter – @becinmonton
• Instagram – @becinmonton
• Pinterest – www.pinterest.co.uk/viewsfrommygardenbench/
• Facebook – www.facebook.com/viewsfrommygardenbench/

Sign up for my newletter and blog posts

Sign up for my blog newsletter and blog posts, via Mailchimp  using this link Views from my Garden Bench.
P.S. I don’t think my WordPress link to the reader is working properly. 

Work with me

I am open to working on marketing, communications, photography or writing projects as well as events.   More information on my new blog at –  Work with me

Contact me:    viewsfrommygardenbench at gmail.com

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Always plenty of pretty flower photos, mindfulness, yoga and ways to help your wellbeing… 🙂

Life isn’t a dress rehearsal-wear the shoes, eat cake, drink gin, go adventures with those you love

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I hope to see you soon…. over in my new home 😉

Carpe Diem

love Bec 🙂 xx xx xx

 

My September update – new home :-) new adventures?

September has been a hectic month for me in work, blogging and at home – In a good way though.  It was our first wedding anniversary at the end of September 🙂 but more of that later on.

My main news is I’ve got a shorter domain name – I’m over at www.viewsfrommygardenbench.com 

There were a few reasons I moved website hosts, some were for practical reasons, to give me more options to develop my website and writing and I really wanted a more interesting theme for my blog – to show off my photos.  Also,  I was worried I’d run out of room for photographs 😉 – an issue for some of my fellow gardening bloggers I think.

I’ll be writing with more details of why I moved, how I’m finding it all so far with my new host company during October – Lyrical Host. Short answer is: all very good :-).

I ‘think’ people are still getting notification of my new posts in the WordPress Reader and via email. But if you’re not, I thought it would be a good idea to give you an update, in case you thought I’d dropped off the side of the earth….

I have WordPress follow and like buttons on the new domain, and the design is similar, so I hope it is still familiar. There’s also an email subscription button, all my social media and RSS, bloglovin feeds.

Any queries please drop me a line on social media (on right in sidebar) or via email – viewsfrommygardenbench at gmail dot com – including if you want to know more about moving  website host.

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Here’s a summary about what I wrote about in September with links to the new content… do nip over and have a look 🙂 It would be lovely to see you – I’m looking forward to reading your comments.

#BreatheSeptember2018

I joined Gabrielle Treanor (www.gabrielletreanor.com/) who writes about ‘worrying less, enjoy life more’ – for overthinkers like me.  She runs an Instagram Photo challenge during September about pausing, being mindful and being in the moment. I need to do an update on this – I find photo prompts like this help me focus and reflect.

• #Breatheseptember2018 with Petunias in a vase on Monday – 3 September 2018

You can also see how people interpreted the daily prompts on Instagram #breatheseptember2018/

Blogging Resources 

One of the reasons I moved to Lyrical Host was because of the resources they provide – workbooks, stock photos, checklists and general support they provide.

• Review – Lyrical limited edition blogging bundle (affiliate link) 9 September 2018
• I have a 10% off any Lyrical Host plan code (I receive some commission for this) but I wouldn’t recommend Lyrical if I wasn’t entirely happy.  Enter ‘BECINMONTON10’ at the check out – www.lyricalhost.com

Put ‘BECINMONTON10’ in the checkout at Lyrical Host – http://www.lyricalhost.com to receive 10% off your first payment

In A Vase on Monday 

I’ve been joining up with Cathy (Rambling in the Garden) and all the gardening bloggers for over three years since the very early days of my blog.  I can’t tell you how much joy it’s brought me and how much I’ve learnt about flowers, gardening and flower arranging too.  I still tend to plonk the flowers, but I’ve learnt so much about flower arrangements too.

On the posts below there are some photos of my husband and I :-), my wedding bouquet and my purple floral wedding dress 🙂 Regular readers won’t be surprised that lavender, lilac, purple and pink are much in evidence 😉

• enjoy today my jug is full not half empty – 11 September 2018
• making a pottery daisy miniature roses in a Vase on Monday 26 September 2018

Also, I wrote about making a pottery daisy for the garden 🙂 It’s not finished yet but I’m enjoying pottery very much indeed.

• Pottery – with Create Bolton – www.createbolton.com

 

Six on Saturday

I’ve joined up with the Propagator-  Six on Saturday – a participant guide a couple of times now.  I’ve followed this link up for a while but only recently got my act together to take photographs.  Six things from around your garden, locality – just about anything as long as it’s garden related.  I’ve written about the new Arbour at the bottom of the garden, the salvias and hydrangeas – and Yoda too 🙂

• fuchsias, salvia, lace head hydrangeas,  – 22 September 2018
• Our wedding Virginia creeper glorious reds, lavender, and love – 29 September 2018

The star of the show over the last few weeks is my neighbour’s Virginia Creeper which has gone from green to scarlet.  I’m continuing to take photos as the leaves change so look out for my blog posts as we move into October.

Our first wedding anniversary – #paperanniversary

Here are my wedding shoes which will give you an idea of just how unconventional our wedding was – My Chap is awesome and he thinks I’m awesome too.

Purple floral candy whistles Irregular Choice.

#BeIrregular – wear the shoes

Adventures camping, crafting and many #onehouroutside

Oh and I’ve also been on a wonderful weekend away with my Women’s Institute buddies staying in a beautiful campsite in Cheshire owned by the Scouts.  We stayed in a dormitory, with beside a small lake among the woods…at the bottom of the hill were colourful bell tents and a campfire. We had THE BEST time – crafting, chilling, laughing dressing up and also mindfulness, dancing and singing.

If you want to read more about this and see the photos, there were many mushrooms hop over to the new blog home at www.viewsfrommygardenbench.com

On my new home, you can sign up for updates, follow in wordpress or bloglovin or find my social media.  Always plenty of pretty flower photos… 🙂

Life isn’t a dress rehearsal-wear the shoes, eat cake, drink gin, go adventures with those you love

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See you soon…. over in my new home 😉

Carpe Diem

love Bec 🙂 xx xx xx

 

 

BlogOn Introduce Yourself – about me and why I go to Blogging conferences

Note to self: Don’t join a linkup then move to self hosted two days later – My fellow bloggers is there any chance you could comment on this post on my new site?  – BlogOn – Introduce yourself – and Why I go to blogging conferences/

In a couple of weeks (16th Sept), I’m off to a blogging conference run by the team at BlogOn (BlogOnuk.com) – it’s only down the road at Hotel Football, in Old Trafford, in Manchester – about three miles from my house.

I’d heard about these conferences which have been held twice a year since 2013 – everyone said how great it was.  I went to one of their Conferences in May; it was really well run and very useful.  I learnt so much that day, especially about Pinterest  It was lovely to meet people I’ve known on Twitter/ Instagram face to face too.

My highlight of the conference was hearing Jason Todd from the Art of Brilliance talking about positive psychology in life and work.  For example:

‘Every day is a Special Pants Day – Life’s too short. QUIT waiting for happiness’

• www.artofbrilliance.co.uk
• www.artofbrilliance.co.uk/meet-the-team/jason-todd 
• Twitter: @beingbrilliant Jason: @jasontoddtalks

This led me to attend their first Festival of Happiness in at Victoria Warehouse in Manchester in June.   They’re holding another Festival in Birmingham on 29 June 2019 – info.  I thoroughly recommend following them on twitter and attending their conferences.  Such a wonderful, optimistic and positive day.

 

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BlogOn – Sunday 16th September 2018 – 10-5pm, Hotel Football Manchester

I hear there are some tickets left – Ticket Information

It’s not just for parent bloggers either.  The goody bag was massive with loads of useful things.

Whether you’re a new blogger or been writing for years – There’s so much to gain from attending a blogging conference:

• update your knowledge – technical topics, photography.
• no need to be shy we are a friendly bunch…
• opportunity to talk to relevant brands
• and you never know what it might lead to…

More about me: 

We’ve been asked to write a bit about ourselves and link up… So here goes… You can also have read about other people attending the conference here

Our Shepherd’s hut, Old Brampton Derbyshire – In a Vase on Monday

Definition Glamping = a form of camping involving accommodation and facilities more luxurious than those associated with traditional camping.

“glamping is likely to satisfy any city slicker seeking a little refuge in nature—without foregoing any of life’s luxuries”

There aren’t many things My Chap and I disagree on but CAMPING is one of them.  He’d love to be out in a tent in the middle of nowhere, with a campfire and basic facilities – he’s camped since he was a small child.

I like the great outdoors –  I like walking, hiking and gardening, of course. Definitely, I like getting away from it all, with a beautiful view, preferably by the sea.  I like eating outside when it’s warm, BUT I like my creature comforts.

When I was a child I camped with the Guides, usually in fields or orchards rather than on organised campsites.  I loved the campfire and cooking outdoors (still do), but I hated sleeping on the floor even with blow up mattress. Also, I hate being cold or wet -so this is a hazard of camping.  Generally, I’m not a fan of noisy campsites, with a club/bar etc.  Since I developed osteoarthritis, I need to sleep in a proper bed.  My Chap roles his eyes about my fussiness but understands why I’m like I am.

Six on Saturday – Old Brampton and Chesterfield 25 August 2018

We are away for a few days staying in a Shepherd’s Hut in Old Brampton, near Chesterfield in Derbyshire.

I am joining in with the #sixonsaturday hosted by the propagator www.thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com.

He’s got some beautiful clematis, petunias, cyclamen and a yellow potentilla this week. He lives in Reading, Berkshire close enough to hear the music from the weekend festival – his teenagers are at the festival but likely to be raiding the fridge and using the showers.   This really took me back as I went to school in Reading and often listened to the ‘sets’ from friends’ gardens.  It was a heavy rock festival then (1970s/1980s).  I’ve been now and again since then but the last time was 2007 – the band’s appearing there for the last few years haven’t been our music taste.  We still go to gigs in Manchester often 🙂

In a Vase on Monday – fuchsias, 5 favourite NW gardens

So the hot, sunny weather is over for the moment.  It’s been raining on or off in Manchester all day, so I ran out into the garden to pick some flowers for the vase, you can still see the raindrops on the fuchsias. It’s a good thing it’s been raining, as the reservoirs, the farms and the gardens need it.  The drawback for me is that my arthritis starts aching again; it’s been glorious having three months pain-free.

In a Vase on Monday – Raspberry (jam) and custard

‘Happiness is like jam, you can’t spread even a little without getting some on yourself’ Author: Unknown

The weather in Manchester has made a return to its usual Summer windy, soggy-ness but that’s a good thing as you almost hear the plants sucking up the water. Everything is looking a bit more chirpy than last week. I’m still pottering along gardening in the shade, sorting out the house and making changes – it’s been a good summer so far especially as my arthritis pain just about disappears when it’s very hot.

I’ve been pondering a few things this week – in the garden as out and about. We’ve got a few trips planned including a trip to Derbyshire at the weekend and a WI camping trip in September. It was jam making of all things, that inspired my In a Vase on Monday.

In a vase on Monday: yarrow and marguerites

Six on Saturday – out and about around my garden – 11 August 2018

I’d been thinking for a while that I haven’t taken many photos or described what’s happening in our garden – so I looked around for a linkup to prompt me to join in, and found Six on Saturday – hosted by thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com  (participant guide) who lives in Reading, Berkshire. That’s where I went to school, though I’ve lived in Manchester for over 20 years – so it’s a small world sometimes.   I’ve been following various contributors and, as usual, been inspired by the plants they grow and what they write about – but hadn’t got my act together to take photos on a Saturday.

So I’ll be covering what’s been happening around our garden, the locality in Monton, Eccles, Greater Manchester, the North.  Mostly gardens and places we visit with an emphasis on plants.  Knowing me, I doubt I’ll be contributing every week as time runs away from me, but I’ll try my best 🙂 I hope this post covers the Six on Saturday brief. 

Wordless Wednesday – Halle St Bee-ter A chorus of industry – #beeinthecity

Halle St Bee-ter’s A Chorus of Industry – No 3401 – #beeinthecity

Location: Cutting Room Square, Ancoats – with Halle St Peter’s in the Background.

#beeinthecity

In a Vase on Monday: be present with yoga

“Calming the mind is yoga. Not just standing on the head.” Swami Satchidananda

This week, despite the heat in Manchester, I’ve done quite a bit of gardening in the evenings, when most of our North facing garden is in the shade.  I notice my mood is better if I’ve spent time outdoors, especially pottering around and watering the plants.  I’ve rationalised my plants into bigger pots, pushed together so that I can water everything I need to and bigger pots retain the moisture.  It’s also the first summer I’ve watered shrubs in the garden. It takes me about half an hour to water the pots (with a watering can and water from the water butts).  We have had so little rain here – and the temperatures have been in the high 20s for a couple of months.  Also, I’ve put succulents, sedums and drought tolerant plants in my hanging baskets.  Gardening helps me be mindful – as does yoga.

7 August 2018 – posy of sweetpeas, lavender and dianthus – with The Book of You and a Be present yoga print

How yoga helps my mind, body and spirit

I’ve been practising yoga, on and off, for about 12 years, starting completely by accident.  A friend of mine had a pal who was learning to be an Iyengar yoga teacher so needed people to practise with.  It was right next to work, straight after work so it seemed a good thing to do. It changed my life.

When I was younger I had poor spacial awareness and was always tripping over, which lead to some hilarious incidents including my Steve (my former partner) pulling me out of a peat bog as I’d sunk up to my knees and was slowly falling face forward into the bog.  Another time I went flying, just as a busload of tourists came round the corner in very rural Ireland.  I was always collecting bruises from bumping into things.

It’s a long time ago, but the first things I noticed doing yoga was that it helped me stretch (especially my hamstrings), helped calm my brain as I was concentrating on breathing and the position of my limbs.  I learnt to do corpse pose (Shavasana) not ‘banana’ pose as my first Yoga teacher Jacky named it.  Yoga isn’t a quick fix – it took me about 6 weeks to see the real benefit. I carried on with Jacky’s classes and then John Aplin for years until my work pattern changed.