Happiness is....

 Ok, so lets start out with the apparent:

I may have neglected this little escape space I have created for a couple of weeks...

*BUT*

Here I am!

 Reason being; final semester is hard and I'm terrified of falling behind! The early mornings, coupled with the full time working hours, assignment writing, exam revising and lambing (oh GOD lambing!!) have left me wanting to do nothing but curl up underneath spring themed bed sheets and forget about having an actual life.

 Having said (moaned) about that, I am feeling rather happy. Life is like a whirlwind but I actually feel like I have a grasp on what's happening and what needs to be done. So much so that I've been able to notice the little snippets of happiness that pop up between pockets of stress and have taken the time to not only acknowledge them, but cast a little wave and smile in their direction.

So here they are, my little happiness snippets:

These retro beauties were a spur of the moment purchase after feeling very disgruntled that FatFace didn't have the ones I wanted in my size. These are a New Look jobbie and not only were they cheaper (ever the student) the lighter denim goes much better with my hair and skin tone! Win win!

Being on placement means a complete lack of makeup- something which normally would make me become abit self conscious and want to do a Mrs Doubtfire and plunge my face into sticky cake to cover the horror. But having not worn any make up AT ALL for the past few weeks my skin feels pretty wonderful and I've found that just a little moisturiser is all I reach for on my days off!

(Yes, I am aware that this photo is perhaps a little too close for comfort, however I am an over sharer and its not very often that I have a significant lack of friendly visitors (spots).) 

This is perhaps my biggest source of happiness at the moment. I got a job!!!

I cried when I was told by my very lovely new Matron that I was to be offered my absolute dream job for when I finish my nursing studies. It's based in an area of children's nursing that I have long since held a passion for and in a hospital that is very close to my home. 

I still burst with pride and happiness when I think about it, this is confirmation that I am able to aim high and climb up to reach something I had always thought was beyond my grasp :)

Yet another letter of good news!

I went for my first cervical smear test the day before my 26th Birthday. I received the reminder letter when I was 24 to book for when I was 25. I put off going for nearly a whole year because- like many others- I was afraid it was going to hurt, but my boyfriend became very blunt with me in the end and told me in no uncertain terms that I'd be a bloody idiot not to get checked. So I swallowed my niggling concerns and booked an appointment.

Now, I'm not going to sit here and bend the truth to you. It's uncomfortable. It was not a pleasant experience at all for me. However it was done and dusted in less than 30 seconds and I wont have to do it again until 2019. Most of all, I know every things ok. I have peace of mind and that is far more important than worrying about a 30 second experience where you have to bare all!

These wonderful wooden wonders are hand turned by my clever cloggs boyfriend. He is indeedy a farmer, but he is also a trained mechanic (very handy when Mini Moo doesn't behave!) and a self taught carpenter. He baught these home yesterday and I got very excited when I saw them because I am forever being treated to handmade, unique goodies..... however I am now at a complete loss as to what to use them for!

And finally....

Cornish Bloggers!

I have always loved Cornwall. The first time I ever visited was when I was a few months old with my Mum and I've been back to visit countless times since. If I was in a position to move down there I would, in a heartbeat. But my home is on the farm with Ash and that has its own unique and equally beautiful lure. That doesn't stop me dreaming away the hours I spend reading such blogs as:

On Serpentine Shores 

The Salty Sea Blog

The Cornish Life

Jessica-Cece

There are many, many more and I'm thinking of doing a blog post specially dedicated to them. But just to whet you appetite, have a little looksy at these and I'm sure you will waste no time in becoming as hooked as I am! These accounts provide me with little holidays on either my stupidly early and long commute, my delicious day off lay-ins and the evenings where 'American Pickers' just aint gonna cut it (not that it ever does, I just didn't win the evening remote scramble!).

Until next time, be happy :)

Image sources are available here, here , here and here 

The Process of Springing

 So just incase you didn't know I'm training to be a children's nurse, I'm in my third and last year and have just started my final *silently has a meltdown* placement. This is a 12 week block of working in a hospital on a children's ward. The shifts are long (12 and a half hours) the commute is a killer (2 hours each way) and the work is hard (I don't think I need to explain this- you know nurses are run off their feet). So after two days of getting up at 4:45 am and getting home at 10 pm, today was my lay in day...... I didn't get up till gone 10 this morning:

Blisssssssss

 But isn't it just sods law that they day I choose to snooze, Spring bursts into full bloom behind my closed eyelids!

 It is absolutly stunning out there today. I've got freshly washed towels on the line which are going to just smell so beautiful when I get them in, I've opened all the doors and windows in the house to let the breeze freshen up the winter must that settles in no matter how many 'Meadow Flowers' scented candles you burn. The kitchen is absolutly baking as the Rayburn is still lit- it's not yet warm enough to let it go out, so I'm hanging out in the front room with First Aid Kit melodying in the background and my latest book in hand. 

 To celebrate this sudden burst of Springness I've donned a favourite skirt and I must say, the swishy feeling of the fabric is so welcome after being confined to jeans for the last few months.

 For a winter baby I am such a summer being. I do not like to be cold, I do not like the cumbersome clothes that I have to wear in winter, I do not like to wear socks and boots, I really, REALLY don't like snow and I despise grey days. 

 My wardrobe comes alive in summer, it's full of (admittedly clashing) colours, beautiful patterns, swishy materials and quirky peices. I'm very proud of my spring/summer wardrobe and get very excited when these warmer days make an appearance because I know that as my clothes become brighter, I become more alive. I genuinely think I go into semi hibernation during the winter months, it's the time of year I have alot of down days, stress and zero energy. 

 I cannot wait for it to be warm enough that I don't have to wear anything on my feet, I do own flip flops but I am very happy to wander into the village barefoot with them swinging in my hand. I like to feel the ground, to feel connected to it. I will drag out my bike and disspaear for the day, phone left at home (I don't know what I'd do in an emergency, smoke signals perhaps?), headphones in, singing my heart out along the country lanes that serpentine through the Marsh.

 Evnings are spent eating paella on the decking with cooled rose to accompany, the fire pit that my clever cloggs boyfriend made will be roaring as the moths bumble around the candles in jars and the sunsets are on another level during July and August.

 Does this sound abit like I'm bragging? I promise I'm not, I know I am incredibly lucky to live where I do and I want to share this life with you. I hope you like it, I hope you see the beauty I do in Farm life.... even if all of these wonderful events are punctuated with hours in a hot and dusty tractor in a hot and dusty field, very long days and late nights during harvest and while there are some amazing times there are an equal measure of very difficult times when things go wrong (stupid combines straw walkers). 

 But for now I'm going to treck outside and say hello to the daffs, visit our crop fields to encourage the little shoots to grow strong and be kind to us this year, wander round my garden and feel slightly overwhelmed with the up keep that needs to take place at some point and totally ignore the mountain of uni work I have to do.

Because today, it is Spring.

Cardigan New Look not exact but pretty close

Tank Top H&M

Skirt Thrifted

Necklace Accessorise Sold Out