Tag My Garden

My Week In Books #inthegarden #booklove #bookupdates #MeAndMyBooks

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Welcome to my weekly update of books I have read. We managed to miss the snow but we did have a good amount of rain and some wind. My daffodils have been a bit battered but still, they do look nice and colourful. I have finished getting my pond finished and I now need to get some plants to finish off around it and a couple more to put in it. We are also in the process of laying a pathway, it is a bit too wet it to lay the slabs down that we bought though.

And finally, there is my camelia, I bought this one last year, ermmm I thought it was going to be white. I prefer the colour now it is starting to come out 🙂

Here is what I have read over the past week…

The End of Men by Christina Sweeney-Baird – it is almost a year ago when this book was released. I wasn’t keen on reading it at the time, but a year on and it is a fabulous book. When a plague starts to kill men it is initially ignored, very similar to how Covid was when it was first identified. The author has written a story that has many twists. This story was initially written prior to Covid, and some of the situations are scarily accurate. Full review to follow.

Do No Harm by Jack Jordan – I was delighted to get a spot on the Blog Tour for this book and what a brilliant book it was. A surgeon kills a patient, but it is not as simple as that. The story is addictive and tense and has some very surprising and at times shocking twists. My full review will be at the end of the month.

Hopeful Hearts at the Cornish Cove by Kim Nash – this is an absolute corker of a story and I loved it. I sniggered a few times through this, to be honest, all of Kim’s books have a wonderful sense of humour and her latest one is just fabulous. A new start, some new friends and a bit of romance make for a gorgeous story. Full review at the beginning of next month.

Taken by Shalini Boland – this is the 2nd book in The Vampires of Marchwood series, the third book I am currently reading. I am loving this series and yes you should read them in order as they do have an ongoing storyline. A brilliant story that spans ages and continents with some great characters and involved storylines. Full review to follow soon.

There we go, another fabulous book week.

Happy reading and have a wonderful week,

All the best

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week IN Books (w/e 5th Feb 2023) #booklove #bookupdates #the garden #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 4 Comments

Welcome to another weekly update of books I have read. I cannot believe it is February already! I have ventured into the garden to do a few jobs, one of which was transferring the compost heap, this will rot down nicely over the months while the new one will be added to. It is hard work when you have to turn the compost, but my goodness it is definitely worth it. There are a few signs of buds and things coming into life again, I just hope the colds snap we are due this week doesn’t do much damage.

Ok, so here is what I read last week…

Crow 27 by Matt Johnson – Robert Finley is back and the author has him returning to the barracks to investigate stolen guns. The thing is he has been warned from getting involved with a suicide investigation at the barracks. This is a brilliant book and I adored it so much I couldn’t put it down. Tense is an understatement for this book and if you are a fan of thrillers and procedurals then this is one that you should have a look at. Full review in a couple of weeks.

The Paris Notebook by Tessa Harris – what an amazing book this was. Imagine if there were a set of notes from a psychologist, imagine that one of the doctor’s patients was Hitler being treated for blindness during WWI. What if this notebook came to light as Hitler began his invasion of Europe. Katja has the job of transcribing this book and the auhtor tells her story and of those she meets. This story does have some factual sections to it and there is a fabulous section at the end for further reading. Absolutely stunning story and the full review will be next week.

Band Wagon by Richard Cobourne – this is the first book in a series. I was sent it along with the second book ready for the Blog Tour. Danny is a journalist, Daisy is a PR for the upcoming tour for Martha. One problem, Martha is missing! This is a fabulous story that follows the mysterious disappearance of Martha. There are some shocks for Danny, one of which leaves him suffering a traumatic event. This is a thriller that goes backstage and into the financing of the deals taken to put on a show. The author has done a fabulous job and I am looking forward to reading the next book – Red Light, Green Light.

There we go, three books this week and all fabulous reads.

Have a great week ahead,

Take Care

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 11th December 2022) #booklove #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 10 Comments

Hello and welcome to another weekly wrap-up of books I have read. I have been a bit quiet on social media for the last week and I would like to say a big thank you for all of the shares. It has been an emotional week and one that has left me emotionally drained. My Dad has been in hospital and is quite poorly and we are keeping our hopes up that he might be home for Christmas.

The weather change down here in Cornwall is very cold and we do have sleety showers and ice, but I did have a wander around the garden this morning (Sunday) and managed to get a few photos of some of the flowers that are still hanging on in there. The sun was out but my goodness it was chilly, definitely not as warm as it looked!

Here are the books I have got through this week…

Brave New World

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley – this is a book that I have been wanting to read for years and finally, I decided it was time. When I first started this I was a bit unsure about it, so I put it down and came back to it the next day and then devoured it. It is about a society that is genetically engineered for specific roles and for a happy population. Considering this book was published in 1932 it is a very good one to read. Slow at times, and at others disjointed but once I got going with it I found it to be very addictive. Review to follow soon.

Strangeways: A Prison Officer's Story

Strangeways: My Life as a Prison Officer by Neil Samworth – well this is an absolutely amazing book to listen to. I bought this a while back from Audible and it is a brutal, hard-hitting, eye-opener of a story as the author tells of the things he has seen, and been involved in and also how the Prison Service has changed over the years. This is a brutally honest account and I will share my review soon.

Lost by Leona Deakin – after reading the 4th book, and then the 1st book I decided to read the 2nd book in this series. It is a brilliant series and if you are a fan of psychological thrillers then you should have this series on your list. When a Captain loses his memory it is his girlfriend that starts to raise the alarm bells. What follows is a deeply twisted thriller that had me hooked. Full review to follow.

Snowflakes over Muddleford Cove by Kim Nash – both my Mum and I adore this author and we read this book at the same time. We were chuckling and sniggering over some of the antics in this book as it really did appeal to our sense of humour. It isn’t all giggles though as there is a serious plot to it. This is another fabulous read and one for those of you who love heartwarming and humourous from comes. Full review to follow.

Ther we have it, another week of fabulous titles.

I will try to share posts when I can,

Wishing you all the very best

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 23rd October 2022) #booknews #bookupdates #InTheGarden #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 4 Comments

Welcome to another weekly round-up of books I have read over the past week. It has been a week of mixed weather and I was lucky to have a day out in the garden on Thursday, just as well as Friday was a washout. We do have warnings of thunderstorms today (Sunday as I write this post) and I for one am keeping my fingers crossed for that.

I bought a mahonia a couple of three months ago and I am pleased to see that is starting to bud so I am hoping for a nice display. The yellow roses that I cut back after they had finished flowering have started to flower again and the fuschia’s are looking brilliant. Why on earth my apple tree has decided to put out blossom again is beyond me!

Here are the books I have read over the week…

The Carnelian Tree by Anne Pettigrew – this is a murder mystery that has so many twists and red herrings I was never sure who was telling the truth or how the story was going to come to its conclusion. It was entertaining and a fab read. Full review as part of the Blog Tour.

The App by Stuart James – this is a brilliant book about how a simple app on your phone can turn you into a murderer. Addictive to say the least and a real edge-of-your-seat story. Full review as part of the Blog Tour.

The Cruise by Catherine Cooper – this was a one-sitting read for me and I read this not long after watching the newer version of Murder on the Nile. This is a twisted story that has two timelines, one of which is not mentioned in the synopsis, but it is excellent. Full review as part of the Blog Tour.

The Flock by J.Todd Scott – this is a murder mystery story that is based around a cult in America and how its leader predicted an apocalypse. The signs of the upcoming apocalypse are a series of wildfires! Sounds just like what is going on today around the world, and as it was published at the beginning of this month the author has used our own events to show the relevance to the story. This was a bit long-winded at times but still, an enjoyable read that got better as I got further into the story. Full review to follow.

There we have it, I am still on the dark side as far as reading goes but I am really enjoying the mystery and thriller genres at the moment 🙂

Have a great week ahead,

All the best

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 9th October 2022) #bookupdates #inthegarden #booknews #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 4 Comments

Hello and welcome to another weekly book round-up. Before I get to the books, I have had the week off work and it was a gorgeous week to take off. Me and He had a day out in Falmouth and had Fish and Chips, we can’t remember the last time we had this!

I also managed a couple of days out myself and took myself down to a local beach. Kynance Cove is a site run by the National Trust, a nice stroll down to the cafe overlooking the beach is great on a windy yet sunny day. Not too many people and great to blow a few cobwebs away.

I also spent some time in the garden, and there are still so many flowers in full bloom, especially the Dahlias. I also noticed some of my roses have started to bud up again. It was a great chance to re-establish one of the borders and get the bed back under control again.

Now let’s have a look at the books I have read…

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The Empire by Michael Ball – (yes THE Michael Ball) is a fabulous debut book and one that I adored. The stage, behind the scenes, the rivalry and so much more make the theatre known as The Empire such an addictive book to read. I am so glad I spotted the Blog Tour for this one and managed to get a spot. Full review in a couple of weeks.

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February’s Son by Alan Parks – is the second book in the series and it now means I am up to date, there are 5 books published by the way. This is another fabulous story and one that has Detective Harry McCoy in the thick of gang rivalry. Full review to follow soon.

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The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho by Paterson Joseph – is a fictionalised look a the life of a man who made history by being the first Black person to vote. Ideal for fans of historical figures, a full review to follow soon.

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The Night Watch by Neil Lancaster – this is the 3rd book in this series and true to form, this is the first one I have read! This is an amazing story set in Scotland as the death of a lawyer and a man recently given a “not proven” verdict. A crime thriller and police procedural. Full review to follow soon.

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Keeping the Christmas Promise by Jo Thomas – I know better than to start one of this author’s books when I go to bed! Once started I could not put this one down until 2am because I had run out of book to read. This is a wonderful adventure story and one that has avalanches, power cuts and friends having to look at what they want to do with their lives. Full review to follow soon.

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The Botanist by M.W. Craven – this is an amazing read in the Washington Poe series, and yes I have read all of the books in the series and in the right order 🙂 This one is about people being poisoned, a close friend being arrested and a killer who can get past the tightest security. Full review to follow soon.

WOW! 6 books this week, I don’t know how I managed that 🙂 just shows what having a week off work can do 🙂

With the exception of The Empire, all these books are from my TBR, a mix of owned and NetGalley ones. All very interesting and I will get the review posted over the next couple of weeks.

Have a fabulous week ahead,

All the best

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 25th September 2022) #bookupdates #booklove #inthegarden#MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 11 Comments

Hello and welcome to my weekly update of books I have read. I didn’t post last week so today I have a two-week catch-up.

The weather seems to have a bit more chill to it and I have noticed that the misty mornings and heavy dew are starting to reappear. While the veg garden is starting to look a little bare, the flowers are still going well. I went and picked a few flowers this morning along with raspberries and blackberries ready for crumbles and pies in the winter.

The garden is producing some lovely autumnal flowers and leaves at the moment. Here are some pics and also one of my Tradescantia, I think this one is called Purple Heart. I’ve included this as I saw Rosie Amber’s post Six On Saturday and was admiring her Tradescantia 🙂

Tradescantia – Purple Heart

There were the plants, now here are the books I have read over the past TWO weeks.

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The Radium Girls by Kate Moore – I first read this book as an ARC prior to its publication in 2017. It is an emotional and heartbreaking history of the girls who painted radium onto clock faces and dials. At a time when no one was aware of the danger. Since reading it I have also bought a copy and as I was wondering what to spend by Audible Credit on, I saw this. A full review will follow soon.

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Tick Tock by Simon May – Oh my goodness this was a riveting read. Full review HERE

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The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly – I adored this one and it is the story of two dysfunctional families. It is sneaky and devious and I also adore the cover. Full review to follow soon.

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Thief by Owen Mullen – this is the 4th book in the Glass Family series and it is another belter. Living the lives that the Glass family do, there are times when they are a target. This is one of those times and it sees the focus shift to another member of the family. Full review in a couple of weeks as part of the Blog Tour.

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A Winter Warmer at the Little Cornish Kitchen by Jane Linfoot – this is the 3rd book in this series and I adored it. A story of fresh starts, healing and grief in this welcoming and wonderful coastal community. Full review in a couple of weeks as part of the Blog Tour.

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The Hike by Susi Holliday – this was a tense and atmospheric thriller set in the Swiss Alps. The author has created a sneakily deceptive and absorbing story about two couples. and there are some wonderful twists along the way. A full review of this will be in a couple of weeks or so as part of the Blog Tour.

The Family Game by Catherine Steadman – was a brilliantly addictive book and if you are a fan of psychological thrillers then you need to read this one. Full review HERE

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Masquerade by Kit Williams – this is a book that gave the author Catherine Steadman a starting point for The Family Game (see above) and so it was obvious I needed to find my old copy and give it another read. This was a book that I loved when I saw it as the artwork is wonderful, it is, by the way, a treasure hunt that was first published in 1979. My copy is a 1982 one and gives an introduction by the author. Then the treasure hunt and the clues you need. The final section is all the clues he had given. Fabulous book and a full review will follow.

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Now You See Me by S.J. Bolton – I recently read book 5 in this series and adored it. I was gently nudged by a fellow Book Blogger ( @FictionFan2 ) that I should immediately backtrack and read them 🙂 So I did, it was great to start at the beginning and this case is dark and dangerous, and is a cracking read. I will be definitely reading the others in the series, hopefully soon! – Full review to follow.

I am pretty pleased with 9 books over two weeks.

I wish you all a great week ahead,

Happy Reading

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 28th August 2022) #booklove #bookupdates #mygarden #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 5 Comments

Hello and welcome to my weekly update of books I have read and also the final one for August! I know many look forward to Autumn, and to a certain extent so do I, but there is still plenty going on in the garden. I did spend an afternoon deadheading, weeding and chopping. It was lovely out in the sun, just the right temperature for a change. I found plants that had been buried under more rampant growing plants and also some that I had forgotten about. Plenty of flowers to cut for in the house as well as plenty for the bugs, bees and butterflies.

Now for the books,

The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty – this is the 20/20 book on the #20booksofsummer reading challenge. What a fabulous book to finish the challenge with. Intense, fantasy, adventure, magic, power and control. Full review tomorrow.

Mythology – Norse & Viking Mythology, Myths and Stories by Ron Carver – This was an audiobook and it was a brilliant one to listen to. It is a historical book that does go into the detail, living and lives of the Nose and Vikings. It is the later section that focuses more on the mythology side, but as I do like history this was a great one to listen to. Full review to follow.

Vendetta by Edie Baylis – This is the 3rd book in the Allegiance series and it just gets better and better. Ideal for readers who like crime, thriller and gangland stories. Full review as part of the Blog Tour on Friday.

Another three books read this week, I am still a little behind on my Goodreads target for the year but not stressing about it.

Have a great week ahead,

Happy Reading

Take Care

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week IN Books (w/e 14th August 2022) #booklove #bookupdates #inthegarden #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 2 Comments

Welcome to my weekly update of books that I have read. It was a definite mixed bag for the book this week, but before I get onto that…

Is it hot enough for you!!! If you are like me and struggling with the heat (thank you very much menopause 😦 ) then you are also hoping that you will be one of the lucky ones to get some rain. Yes, bring on the rain, please. If it does rain, you will probably see me sitting in the middle of the garden in it, unless we get the lightning that is also forecast! Then I might just wait a bit 🙂 I do think that working nightshifts is a slight blessing, but not much as the doors and windows have to be closed apart from the smaller ones.

Green grass seems to be a memory, instead of walking on nice cooling grass, it’s now a case of tiptoeing over crispy, rough and brittle stems. There is the odd green patch, but I don’t want to walk on them as I think they are green due to the dogs watering those areas!!!!

I don’t know how my flowers are still blooming, admittedly the flowers are smaller and they are not lasting as long, but they do have flowers to help the bees and other insects.

The books I read this week were…

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The Dark by Sharon Bolton – is a brilliant psychological thriller, and police procedural and I loved it. This is 18/20 in my #20booksofsummer reads. Full review to follow soon.

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Rule, Nostalgia – a backwards history of Britain by Hannah Rose Wood – this is one from my NetGalley shelf and it was a fabulous book to read. It discusses how the nostalgia of the past can be used and manipulated for present times. Different perspectives, opinions and uses give this a very thought-provoking read. Full review to follow soon.

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100 Plants to Feed the Birds by Laura Erickson – this is a fabulous and gorgeous book that was on my NetGalley shelf, I didn’t realise when I requested that it is based on birds in North America, but it didn’t matter. Full of tips, advice, plants and birds of which some can be relevant to the UK. A wonderful book that I have been dipping in and out of over the past couple of weeks. Full review to follow

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Botanic Folk Tales of Britain and Ireland by Lisa Schneidau, Narrated by Joan Walker – this is a brilliant audiobook to listen to and the narrator is fabulous. A mix of folk tales. some of which I knew, some slightly different to what I thought they were and many that I had not come across before. Ideal for readers young and old. Full review to follow.

There you go, I did say it was a mixed bag this week 🙂

Happy Reading,

Take Care

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 24th July2022) #booklove #bookupdates #inthegarden #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 7 Comments

Another week done and dusted, I hope all of you #booklovers who went to Harrogate had a great time. I say this every year, and I will probably say it a few more times as well, but ” I will go one year!” 😉

The weather has finally cooled for the time being and I have to say I am enjoying the fresher cooler air. It also means I can spend a bit of time outside in the garden getting caught up on a few jobs and looking to see what has been growing.

The veg is doing really well at the moment, and the flowers are really starting to show their full blooms.

Now for the books I have read…

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The Sanctuary by Andrew Hunter Murray – this is a story that surprised me, I didn’t expect it to take the route the author decided upon, but I am very glad he did. This is one for fans of crime, thriller and mystery novels and one I would happily recommend.

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Bloody January by Alan Parks – I have already read some of the books in this series, but not the first or second ones. s I have been enjoying further books in this series, I did want to go back to where it started. While I do wish I had started this series from the beginning, I am also glad that I have read it in the wrong order. I know very convoluted, but it was great to have knowledge about what is to come. Definitely recommend this one.

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The Last Thing To Burn by Will Dean – I know of this author from some of the Tuva Moodyson series, but this book is very, very different to that. This is a stand-alone story that is shocking, heartbreaking and so very addictive. Brilliant reading and one I would definitely recommend.

These three books will have their reviews published here on my blog in the next week or so. They are all part of the #20booksofsummer reading challenge.

The next book is for an upcoming Blog Tour.

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Rough Diamonds by Gillian Godden – this is part of a series that just gets better and better. The Diamonds are a tough family, but after the death of a family member, things change. A gritty tough, gang-style thriller that is brilliant. Full review in a couple of weeks.

There we go, four books this week. I have also been watching Stranger Things on Netflix. Yes, I know many of you have been watching it but I never really fancied it. I decided to give the first series a go last week. I am now about to start series three! I can see why it is a favourite for many viewers.

Have a great week ahead,

Happy Reading

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx

My Week In Books (w/e 19th June 2022) #booklove #bookupdates #inthegarden #MeAndMyBooks

yvonnembee 5 Comments

I have just realised I didn’t do a book update post last week!!! To be honest I didn’t actually read that much so I will update on what I have read this week.

It has been a good time for the garden flowers and veg. We have a week that had some of the highest temps on Thursday and Friday, followed by rain, wind and a thunderstorm. Not a major storm, just a few rumbles and that was it, quite disappointing really as I do love a good bit of thunder and lightning.

I cautiously went down the garden this morning (Sunday) and was surprised to see that there wasn’t any damage to the flowers. Plenty of loose petals and a few leaves and that was it. Suprised, becuase the foxgloves that are getting towards 6 feet tall and not supported are still upright! Also, from what I can see, the apples are still on the tree 🙂 The veg is looking good, nice and clean looking now the rain has given them a good dousing.

Here are the books I have read…

The New Doctor at Peony Practice by Christie Barlow – this is another Love Heart Lane book and I adore this series. Full review tomorrow.

The Ballad of Perilous Graves by Alex Jennings – a weirdly, quirky and brilliant read about magic, and demons, set in New Orleans. Full review on Thursday.

On The Scent by Paolo Totaro – Interesting book that is quite topical given the number of people, me included, that had or still have lost the fifth sense due to Covid. Also a more in-depth look at the sense of smell and the impact or effect it can have on your life. Full review on Friday.

They Called Him Marvin by Roger Stark – I have read this book as part of the month-long read-along with #lovebookstours over on Instagram. I have been answering set questions and I will post my full review here on my blog at the end of this month. Historical account based on letters between Dean and Connie Sherman during WWII.

There we go, another week bites the dust.

And, here is a thing… do you know it’s the summer solstice tomorrow! Yes, 21st June is the longest day! How on earth did we get here so quick?

Here are a few facts –

  1. This year it falls on Tuesday, June 21 – when the UK will enjoy 16 hours and 43 minutes of daylight. The sun will rise at 4.43am and set at 9.22pm. This year, it will fall at exactly 10:13am in the United Kingdom.
  2. Also known as midsummer or the estival solstice.
  3. There are two solstices each year – one in the winter and one in the summer. The summer solstice occurs when the tilt of Earth’s axis is most inclined towards the sun and is directly above the Tropic of Cancer.
  4. Under the meteorological definition, which splits the year into four seasons of three full months each based on the Gregorian calendar, winter starts on 1 December every year, and summer starts on 1 June.
  5. Earth isn’t the only planet with solstices and equinoxes, any other planet with a rotational axis would see them, too.

All information was gathered from the internet 🙂

Have a great week, enjoy the longer day, I was going to say enjoy the sun! But, as we all know the weather does its own thing 🙂

Happy Reading,

All the best

Yvonne xx

Many thanks for reading my post, a like or share would be amazing 🙂 xx