{tinza's tiny good things #8}

{tea at Chota House}

Today's #tinygoodthings is to take out a special china tea cup or crystal (or both) and enjoy! This is especially important on a weekend or a holiday like today, Easter Monday, because it makes it feel extra special. And even if you're only on your own, actually even more importantly if you're on your own: it'll make your day feel that just little bit more special. I had a hot cross bun & a cup of tea (& a sneaky glass of prosecco) and it all tasted just a little bit better.

Yesterday I made a big roast lamb just for me (& yes the cat had some too). It felt nice to do it, even just for 1, especially during these crazy lockdown times.
Enjoy! & Happy Easter!

x
L

{tinza's tiny good things #3}

We are now on lockdown here in the UK. Stay home everyone and save lives. So I suggest for today's #tinygoodthings is to find your favourite mug or a special teacup and make yourself a cuppa. Maybe even bring out that silver teapot!

For me, tea is a restorer. I've written about it here and its importance to my family. It was on our first trip to India that we gained the nickname the 'gurrham chai sisters'--given to me and my four sisters by our faithful taxi driver Jaya Kumar. Whenever we get the chance, we still enjoy our cups of tea together! We can't now but I'm hoping we can try to achieve this virtually soon. 

Today, I'm going to try to have some tea in the sun in my garden! 

x, 
L

A few favourite from my instagram account: 

{tea in the sunshine from a few summers ago}

{back in the days we could socialise}

stay tuned for more tiny good things!

{autumn at Chota House}

It's beginning to look a lot like autumn here at Chota House. There's a crispness in the air, and the plants are slowly turning...

 

I picked up these lovely clippings on my walk along the canal. simply lovely.

have a fabulous rest of the weekend!

xo, 

L

{Christmas cheer at Chota House}

Isn't it the most wonderful time of the year?
My little house is cheerful and Christmassy and I wanted to share some pics with you! We had some dear friends over this weekend (instead of doing a party this year, I decided to invite a few people separately to get a proper visit with them!)
My parents are visiting from Canada, so it's all very festive!

{herbs from my garden make lovely nameplaces}

{roaring fire!}

{guests!}

{roast chicken!}

{dessert! my chocolate tart}

Wishing you a joyful Christmas!
xo
L

{snow}

We got snow this weekend & it was just too pretty to not share these pics of Leighton Buzzard I took! There's something very beautiful about England at Christmas time...

{the market cross and the big Christmas tree in Leighton Buzzard}

{the medieval church of All Saints}

{the market cross}

{Mary Norton's house, where she wrote the Borrowers}

{& my little house-chota house}

{snow comes to Chota House!}

xo,
L

{quotable thursdays/garden study}

Hello dear blogland!
I know I've fallen behind on blogging recently. But there's been lots of stuff going on in my life and this weekend marks 2 years since I moved into Chota House! It's been an exciting two years, making this little home my own.
My garden study is now almost done, with replacement light fixtures and some artwork and plants... I've come a long way!
So today's blog will look at the improvements done in the study. What I love most about my study is that all year round I still feel like I've brought the outdoors inside...and that relationship to flowers and birds and plants is calming!

{wild things}

Even on the darkest winter day, the place feels light and I have never had to put the lights on in the day....

{I collected ferns from a nearby walk & pressed them}

{plenty of entertainment for Simla, who watches the birds from the window}

{light and airy, the outside feels like it's inside!}

Before I moved in, the previous owners had done the extension and used it as a breakfast room. The red and stripes was a theme throughout the house (not particularly to my taste!):

{BEFORE}

{AFTER}

{BEFORE}

{AFTER}

The red carried from the kitchen to the study, something I quickly changed with a few coats of paint!

{BEFORE}

{AFTER}

{AFTER}

& those sconces, they really had to go!

{oh dear! are we in a bad hotel from the 90s??}

{after = antique brass sconces + picture frames}

It's now simply a lovely place to work, that ties in with the garden theme outside...

How I feel at home! and what a productive space it's been!!

xo

L