Goodbye to the Snow?

On the way to Sumptuosity Towers this morning I was pleased to see that it was raining and that the snow and ice was (fingers crossed) finally starting to go - yes, I know that this makes me sound like a grumpy old curmudgeon! However, walking to work has taken twice as long as it usually does, the lovely Alanna has had to fight her way through ice and snow on her drive from West Yorkshire and my little Sophie has been looking more and more like 'Little Nell' as she wraps herself up in her winter coat, hat and gloves. One day last week, Alanna was snowed in (although it did mean that her and her Mum could make a snow man) and on another day Sophie was late because her front door had frozen up and she couldn't get out of the house! No, I am glad to see the back of the white fluffy stuff!

The walk to work this morning was slightly Edgar Alan Poe'ish, not because we were being followed by a Raven crying 'Nevermore' but because we felt like we were being constantly followed by an annoying teenager who wouldn't pick up her feet. All along Gilly Gate and down St.Peter's Gate and half way across the city was the never ending sound of slouching boots being dragged along the flooooooooorrr and always the same distance behind us.

I have been on the internet and found my ideal Beehive - it is called a 'BeeHaus' and is a modern design of beehive. It is just as well as I have recently finished a book called 'A World Without Bees' and it looks like they need all the help that they can get - if not then it is a bit like we are 'allllllll doooooomed'.

In the meantime it is business as usual at Sumptuosity Towers, with sewing, tea drinking and listening to Radio Four....

3 B.T.'s

1: I like to see bird footprints in the snow - probably Blackbirds.

2: On Saturday morning Sophie came into the Studio and said that the River Foss had frozen and that Ducks were standing on it and that we had to come and have a look - so off we all trotted with our hats, coats and boots. It was great and again I saw bird footprints (this time belonging to the Ducks) on the ice.

3: The BeeHaus beehive is fabulous and I have ordered a brochure, so that I can mull over it at my leisure.

Bye for now,

Love Ruth xx

Alanna Banana's Cakes

Alanna came into the Studio this morning with even more of a smile on her face than usual. Hello she said I've got a surprise for you! She had baked some gorgeous fairy cakes for all the Sumptuosity Fairies and John. Each cake had lots of butter icing and some pink sprinkles. She is such a sweetheart, she said that she felt guilty about giving Barbara (and to a lesser extent me) the Cold that she had last week - which she in turn had got from her brother's girlfriend... Anyway, I think that the cakes must have had some magic properties as not only were they absolutely delicious but we all felt much happier and were raring to go after our elevenses. I asked Alanna if she was like 'Tabitha' from the television programme 'Bewitched' and then we all got into a silly conversation about how it would be good to be able to wiggle the end of your nose... So another busy and fabulously silly day at Sumptuosity Towers.

John and I have stayed late at the Studio tonight because we are going straight to the cinema.

We are going to see 'The Vanishing of the Bees', which is a documentary film about the huge decline in Bee populations and possible reasons that might be causing it. I am a real bug fan as many of you know and I especially love Bees. I had a great time in July when I went on my Bee-Keeping weekend and am looking forward to the day when I can have my own hive.

3 B.T.'s

1: I saw a Bat flitting in the sky above the river Foss as we walked home - I was surprised as I thought they would be hibinating by now? But I still liked to see it.

2: It was misty at the weekend and the sun appeared as a faint silver orb in the morning sky.

3: John and I have been looking at the phases of the Moon (John now has it on his Google homepage) and we have been discussing the wonderful terms 'Waxing' and 'Waning'.

Time to go the Cinema,

Bye for now

love Ruth x