Dartmoor Hares

With all the hopping around you have been doing over the last few weeks.



Be layed back and enjoy the Easter Holiday



Have a fantastically good Easter time.
There are so many rabbits around this Easter.
For a change, I thought you might like to see some Soggibottom Dartmoor Hares.

Fit as a flea

I'm back from the Vet's and as you can see as fit as a flea.


I never said you had fleas Frank..


Bet that freeloading squirrel has though !

Mappin - Swans and a little fellow cherub thing

This might not appeal to everyone so I will forgive you for clicking away.

This was my Great Grandmother's Wedding Present.
It has a Mappin stamp and number on the bottom.
In 1858, (or thereabouts) Johnathan Mappin invited his brother in law George Webb into his silversmith business. Becoming Mappin and Webb. Mappin and Webb had a Royal Warrant in 1897 ( they still make things for the queen).

All that, and all it ever means to me is that I remember it sitting on a shelf when I was small.

It tends to come and go in the cottage, relegated to the attic. Then it comes down again, has a clean and is put on the shelf.
It should have a glass dome over the top, unfortunately, one of us (NO MENTION WHO) accidentally knocked it and it shattered. Pleased it wasn't me that broke it !


Lots of things in our attic, probably enough to fill another couple of cottages.



We've had a new rug up there for ages, tucked away out of the view of the moths.

We have a bet on how long it will take muddy wet paws to give it a make over, or half a sticky dog chew sticking to it. Amie only ever sucks her chews which make them something you would rather not find in one piece.
Or possibly a dirty old catnip mouse or something the cat has brought in tucked away under the table.


Still not sure about the white on the fireplace wall.
Suggestions for another colour would be welcome.
We are both painted out for this week.
Before anyone asks about Amie. She does move occasionally.

Bear Change time and yielding a paint brush

Haven't changed the bear for a few days.
Thought maybe he would like to wear his pirate togs for a change.



We've been busy doing other things like covering up the fire place.
Yielding a brush to splash the downstairs walls of the cottage.


Covering chairs and "things" helps when you splash as much paint around as we do.



The most prized and cherished possession in the whole place, is covered up first.
She was asleep when we covered her up, we didn't like to disturb her, she only ever gets it all over herself by leaning on the wet walls anyway and dabbing her tail in the paint.
No, sorry that's me who leans on wet walls.

Fur friends forever

Always good to have someone to cuddle up to when you don't feel well.............



Amie and Mew were both well enough to be left this morning.
We toddled off to Totnes as it's Friday.
The market was in full swing even though it was raining.
Good post behind the bag display, almost had it in the centre of the picture !

To Croak or head for the pond.

Thank you very much everyone.... for all your emails and your comments on the last post.

What a thoughtful bunch you are X X X

This is the snap taken of Amie and Hannah a few moments ago. You can see for yourself Amie doesn't look quite herself at the moment, she has the tired look of someone who snores so much they wake themselves up. I relented last night and she slept beside me. Ear plugs don't work.




Mew on the other hand seems fine and is recovering well, as you can see.
You could say she is in the pink, not quite, but she soon will be.
Before anyone asks. NO SHE IS NOT HAVING KITTENS..... she does have a problem, not just being overweight. She is the kindest silliest cat you will ever meet. She has another car trip back to the vet for a post operative check tomorrow with Ames.
THEY BOTH TRAVEL WELL. Amie always thinks she is off to the beach anyway. Mew on the other hand has never been to the beach.
Don't think Mew will miss the feel of sand between her toes.

Thanks again everyone. x x x
If Mew had kittens, she is so lazy she probably would get Amie to look after them !

Patchwork quilt Cavalier King Charles

They both look and feel rather sorry for themselves this afternoon.
At least they shared the experience at the vets together.
A few days and I am sure they will both feel better.

23 stitches and shaved bits all over where her warts were resemble a patchwork quilt
(warts look better on Frogs Amie).
If she starts to rivet and croak and keeps heading for our garden pond then I will have to take her back to the vet.


The vet note that came back with Mew :-

Due to having the anaesthetic your pet may feel a bit sick and not want to eat tonight.

Mew went straight to her food dish. Don't think the notes were intended for Mew, even minus one tooth, she still has the rest !

The best way to start the week

When one has a problem with one's teeth.....
It's always good to drag your best friend along, even if they don't want to go.


When you get the opportunity to have your eye's, ear's and warts inspected, best to take it Ames.

They are both heading back to the vet's again in the morning. At least they will be together.
Fish for tea tomorrow girls.
The cottage is going to be far too quiet in the morning until they both come back.

Happy Mother's Day

It doesn't matter where your kids are... as long as you know where they are !

Have a very happy mother's day...................

Divining light

I suppose some things don't really suit an old cottage. Some things really don't go.
Our stair well is in the middle of the cottage, and has no natural light. Even with spot lights and a hanging light with a Tiffany shade it always looks dark.

I have yearned for a chandelier light to be at the top of the stairs. I have looked in envy as we pass light shops during dark Winter nights.
Chandelier's glittering in all their brilliance. Pedants of light, twinkling glass everywhere.


If you were around Cathedral Green in Exeter this morning. We were the ones eating pasties and surrounded by pigeons.
The real reason for being there was because "one of us" wanted to buy a pastry brush.........
What "one of us" really wanted to do was go and buy some shower gel from the soap shop and wouldn't go in there on his own.



Just to remind you my favorite soap shop is behind the row of houses.



Every time I put pictures on here of Cathedral Green I forget to show you what is around the side of the building.
Exeter Cathedral looks as if it has been plonked in the middle of a village green.
Not the case really, as I am sure you can guess what is under the grass.



I love going to Exeter and watching the world go by, watching balloon sellers and street musicians.



Oh.... look at that .....

Pretty expensive pastry brush.....

Squirreling away Lace Bobbins

I wish I knew how to use the lace bobbins I have.
I found them in one of my squirrel hide aways in the cottage.
There are many squirrel corners in here.
Surprising as it may seem to some of Soggibottom readers.
To others it comes as no surprise at all.
Squirrels of the world unite.

I love the poem Leisure by William Henry Davies.
It's one of the poems that you always remember the first line.
Then your mind goes blank. Well, alright mine goes blank.

For all that never remember the rest of the poem, here it is.

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to seem in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care We have no time to stand and stare.

For Allie, as I remember commenting on one of her posts and couldn't remember the verse

Also for Amie's good friend TWEEDLES. .

If you haven't met Tweedles yet you can find him by clicking on the above link. If you haven't met Tweedles...you don't know what you are missing. Make sure you take something tasty in your pocket.

Shopping in Totnes - Devon

I always love to visit Totnes, except the climb up the main High Street.
As much as I love living in Devon,
why are there so many hills ?



The intended shop, with lots of crafty things inside.


Sometimes the market is on.


Going home can be a tight squeeze along the lanes, unless you are lucky enough to find a lorry to follow.


But then some of us, are wiser than most and never venture far from the fire.

Do they Mew ?

Waving the flag for the Gold medal that England won at the Winter Olympic Games

Waving the flag for the medal that England won at the Winter Olympic Games

Village stocks and Chiltern bear

A conversation in the cottage yesterday turned into a conversation about the village stocks.
Here they are. Our village's lovable village stocks.

Who would you like to put into them ?
Endless conversation, about who, might have suddenly filled your mind.

I have posted the stocks on here before, it was a long time ago.
Luckily you can see they need a good dust so they couldn't have seen any "action" for ages.




Bruce is back by demand of my overflowing email box.

My own fault really as I should have told you that I believe him to be a Chiltern bear.
An English bear. I did, once take him to an expert. Who didn't know who made him !

As always with a bear with no label, I decided to do my own detective work.

By the shape of his head and ear placement, nose, body shape. Comparing him to other Chiltern bears helped more than anything. Although I am no expert either, so if you know, I would love to hear from you.

Chad Valley toys took over Chiltern in 1967. Then Chad Valley was taken over by Palitoy in 1978. For some reason all Chad Valley records and catalogues were destroyed, so dating isn't easy I think Bruce was made around 1953. He is older than me....
Thank goodness some one is.

Spring under the hedge in Devon

St David's day today.


I grew this.


These are in the hedgerow outside.


Snowdrops are now in the Soggibottom garden


The tree's outside by the stream are in flower.


For all that are still under snow, take heart Spring isn't far away.



The Soggibottom bear looks good in his new Cossack outfit, although I should have changed him into something green today. I have left him to be admired from passers by.

Here is the rest of Polina's parcel from Russia.
Special to me because she made them. Thanks again Polina, they are treasured.



The bear at the top of the page ?

I haven't made a small bear for ages and thought you would like to see him.
Also because I have email's asking me to show more bears.
It takes me longer to make smaller bears than bigger bruins.

Do you think he will put his own toys away ?