News & Updates from Christine Dixon · Page 12

Yippee! At the weekend I was able to do one of my favourite things for the first time this year. My friend took me out in a double kayak for a spell on the local Blackwater canal, here in Essex.

The water was really warm and we saw two swan families with gorgeous young cygnets, foals and horses in the fields and lots of cattle coming to the waterside for a drink.

There were also moorhens and ducks with babies and I also saw my first water rat. I don't mind admitting that I was a bit whacked by the end of it and I had two blisters, one on each hand.

Still, I just love it!

I think being on the water heals my soul and that reminds me, I think it's time I went to the seaside to paddle in the waves.

Here's two of my latest designs, lucky cats for the girls and pinups for the boys!

I can't believe the colour of these stunning flowers. In this week's sunlight, they are just breathtaking.

I'm not sure where they came from as the only thing I planted in the centre of this pot was a very boring and tiny holly sprig which I got free from a gardening magazine a couple of years ago.

It doesn't seem to grow much at all. Maybe it doesn't like being potted. These flowers must have self-seeded on the wind or via insects or birds from someone else's garden, making me very lucky to have the privilege of seeing them.

Here's two of my latest designs, shoes for the girls and a saucy one for the boys!

My garden has a lot of day lilies, some pink, some yellow, but mostly orange. The pink ones are always the first to bloom. Only one week later than last year, here is the first pink one.

I thought the very cold start to the year might delay them more than this, but you obviously can't keep a good plant down.

There are hundreds of buds in waiting. These plants are so beautiful, yet so hardy. I never water them in summer, no matter how hot and sunny it is, they clearly survived last year's very wet summer and each autumn we strim them to the ground.

And back they come the next year, as good as new! Here are two of my latest exclusive CUP designs, one for the ladies and one for the gents.

I love birds and think they are all beautiful, but aren't some chicks really ugly? Just what is this? I found it in the middle of my lawn. I almost stood on it!

From a distance I had presumed it was a baby rabbit that had been frequently munching there and that it would flee as I approached.

But no, I found this rather large baby bird, the size of my hand. Couldn't figure out where it came from or what it is - strange large beak and black beady eye. After much surfing on the web I found out that it is a Mourning Dove.

It made no sound, so wasn't going to attract an errant parent to its plight. It started to rain, so I moved it under the shelter of some bushes as it has no proper feathers yet to repel the moisture effectively.

Tried to feed it and left a little water pot nearby, but alas, I don't think it will survive.

From what I've read, it was probably ejected from the nest for a reason. Sad, but I guess that's sometimes the way of nature.

It's official. My grand-daughter, all 14 months of her, has donned very large sunglasses to declare that summer is here. It's an exciting time because she's just started walking, although walking and posing in accessories proved too much, so a sit down was required...

A girl can never be too young to look cool huh?