Hunker |ˈhə ng kər|
• take shelter in a defensive position
We’re thinking of hunkering down now.
The days are still warm but there are leaves on the lawn nowadays and the mornings and evenings are CHILLY!
I’m not prepared to bring all of the toys in to the garage for the Winter just yet as I absolutely believe there are many weeks left to play with them outside. Although I may introduce a leaf rake as a toy and hope the twins pick up on the hint.
I’ve also been making progress on my dining room. I’m trying to get it almost finished in time for our Halloween party on the 27th of October as this is where I’ll serve the food.
I’m getting there, sort of. The window at the end of the room has almost been transformed with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and, apart from the edges, the walls have almost all been painted. The top of the table now has an undercoat on it and I am going to top it off with some Farrow & Ball floor paint as I want a smooth and hard wearing finish to it.
I’ve hung some ill fitting muslin curtains as an experiment. I wanted to see what it did to the huge amount of light that comes in to this space. I’m pleased with result, a soft diffused light that actually makes it brighter but in a more heavenly way, if that makes any sense at all. As opposed to simply being drowned in harsh sunlight bouncing off of glass.
And at the same time I am creating corners and deciding on a look and feel that I can play with constantly according to the occasion, season and mood.
Spiders webs line the tops of the window frames which reminds me that they are all heading inside as we speak. They trouble me when I don’t expect to see them but I can usually cope with them. What I can’t cope with is just how filthy the windows are. I blame weeks and weeks of rain and then an absolute refusal to be cleaning the windows when the sun finally did come out.
But there’s something about a change in season that also changes my opinion of certain jobs and tasks. Where I once would have seen cleaning the windows a waste of time, much preferring to be on the grass or in the paddling pool with my kids, I now see it as part of the hunkering down process.
And it is a process.
Our clothing begins to alter, we think about bringing logs in to make sure they are completely dry in time for the first fire and I go in to lighting overdrive. Lighting is important to me in these months, so yesterday was spent distributing candles and candle holders just in case some of them wish to be lit in the coming weeks.
I’m seeing this house as a protective cover, one that will keep us safe and warm until we can once again run free in the sun in nothing but our denim cut-offs, t-shirts and nappies.
Nine days ago this was us…..
Will we get another just as warm, god, I hope so!
But, there’s the temptation to listen to radio 3 in the morning again as it’s just a leeeeeetle bit cosy and yesterday my son wore a sweater!!!! This is a boy who has a very big problem with wearing anything and I’m rather convinced he will emigrate to become a tropical fish of sorts simply so he won’t have to wear a stitch. But he looked delicious nonetheless.
* exhale *
Ahhhhhhhh, I hope you’re well. I hope everything you could ever want or wish for is appearing in your life right now. If I could sum up my entire mood right now it would be contemplative excitement. I am expecting peace in my home and I am expecting goodness and hilarity. Of course I’m going to give those things away first because that is simply the way it works.
And I’m looking forward to it.
I love you and thank you so much for reading.
Cherry x
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I hope those precious little ones find raking a task they must master.:)
Our temperatures are lowering a bit here, and on a week-end trip through the mountains, I saw some color in the leaves! We have had a rainy day today, and cooler temps are predicted. I believe Autumn is knocking at the door.:)
Your progress is amazing, Cherry! Thank you for the inspiration that is found in this blog!
xo Nellie
Dining room starting to look fab. For me hunkering down starts with putting the garden to bed and getting the big throws out of the airing cupboard. In respect of the spiders – conkers! They hate the smell.
Love to you and yours.
xx
Hi Cherry,
Your dining room is really starting to take shape now! Just wondering where the muslin curtains are from? I have an almost identical window arrangement to dress and this is exactly what I am looking for as they do not have a tab top which so many do. Would love you to help me out on this one!
Big thanks,
Nina x
Love the table cherry! !!!have a great evening and week agead
Can’t wait to see this room finished and in full Halloween regalia! Love the beach photos. There’s nothing like a day at the seaside, for children and adults.
Perhaps you could leave the spider webs in place for your Halloween party.
Strange to think of you preparing for colder seasons as I’m getting excited about Spring and the warmer days of Summer!
I love love love that you are painting your window frames! i started mine some time ago and EVERYONE thought i was crazy… i can now point them to your site and say ‘you see I was right, you can paint pugly pvc frames’ lol
You have made some much progress in your short time Cherry you put the rest of us to shame – must get going on my list(s)….
Love Gillian xx
Its funny our 22 month old twins love to pick up the rake in the garden & we’ve still got plenty of autumn leaves even though we’re heading into spring here down under! I’m also in the middle of redecorating & rearranging, lime wash painting a desk top, making room for more toys (we are being overtaken!) and porting new herbs. Life sure is busy at the change of the season!
I’ve just been outside given the girls playhouses a bit of a scrub and spider removal. Feels like I’m getting them ready for their winter snooze, but they have one more time to shine on Thursday, when Girly Girl has two friends round for tea and – weather permitting – a bounce on the bouncy castle and fun in the houses.
Love the family fun on the beach photos! The weather has certainly changed suddenly. But I like it!
Totally get the sheer fabric at window. It gives the same glow as when it’s snowed outside. When I put together my craft room, I went for sheer instead of curtains for that very reason. And get thee down to Ikea, they have sheer fabric curtains, pair of, £6! They are super long, so you cut them to length or not. I did in the bedroom, but not in the craftroom. Love the little puddle of fabric on the floor! When I worked in window dressing we used to call it ‘a happening’. Really not sure why! ha ha!
Anyway,curtains can be seen here. http://cottonrose.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/just-about-finished.html
Enjoy your day. And the cooler weather!
x
I fancy a bit of hunkering! Downton and an open fire heralded the new season last night! Can’t believe how much your sister’s girls have grown! Family beach time looked great. Have a good week x
We are feeling the same! I LOVE autumn, it is by far my favourite time of year. Foraging, pruning, getting all the apples off the trees in our garden and storing all this free food to see us through the winter! Not to mention the build-up to Christmas (eeeek!) I have already been in my skinny jeans & knee-high boots
However, this autumn, I have a 36-week (HUGE) bump and a 2yr old boy so I am nesting like crazy – boys’ room is fully re-decorated, office re-decorated, all baby clothes out of the loft & washed, bathroom being decorated as I type, and all my Christmas cards are written and addressed and half the Christmas shopping done! *phew* … *drinks last glug of tea before heading off to next job on the list*
Oh I am sitting here writing with freeeeeezingfingers and that just looks like heaven. It always surprises me how the chill sneaks into the air in September. And this new Victorian house seems to come with added Victorian atmosphere (for which read it’s blooming freezing everywhere except the attic, which is going to be the birthplace of book no.2). Yours, from within a blanket with a hot water bottle, refusing to put the heating on yet, R. x