Hi Everybody!
On Tuesday we are starting a new challenge at
and the lovely Wendy is our host. Her theme is
🌼Spring Flowers🌺
I love all flowers in spring, and there is nothing nicer than seeing the trees burst into blossom and the window boxes, parks and gardens full of the beautiful colours of spring. I made a hybrid tag using a painted background and various elements from Serif and me:
I hope to see lots of you joining in with Wendy's challenge!
Today is also Elizabeth's T stands for Tuesday, so here a warm welcome to all of the nice ladies of the T Gang.
I received some happy mail recently, some of which is food and drink related, so here it is:
From Jeanie I received this wonderful painting, showing one of my onion pattern cups, after winning a blog candy on her beautiful blog, where she shares her art and photos:
I was totally thrilled, and am looking for a nice frame to hang it. It was accompanied by this sweet card:
Thanks Jeanie!
The second parcel of happy mail came from Chrissie, who sent me one of her delightful knitted creatures with a chocolate orange tucked inside.
After eating that delicious chocolate I am quite happy that they are not sold here, the temptation would be too great!
Thanks Chrissie.
Yesterday G came over for a visit, bearing some of his home baked raisin cake, which I love. I just remembered to take a photo before the last morsel
disappeared:
After fortifying ourselves we went to the old castle at Kalkum for a walk. On our way past the old water mill we saw a big, fat nutria (coypu) sitting on the lawn feeding:
I love the orange teeth!
The castle is still under wraps - and not because of the cold!
Some parts of the moat were frozen:
The ducks enjoyed being fed:
And in the late afternoon, as the daylight was fading, I got a call from my neighbour, who told me that deer were in the field behind the house. I went straight out and got some shots:
All in all it was fun day, even though it was bitter cold outside.
Have a great day, take care,
and thanks a lot for coming by!
I love the flower theme and your tag. Those blooms look like they are just ready to pop right out of the piece.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wondrous day.
Hugs
Lovely wildlife photos Valerie, beautiful tag and happy post!
ReplyDeleteHope you have a great week,
Alison xx
Hello dear Valerie!
ReplyDeleteWow!!Love your Spring Tag and the romantic Paris theme!
Very beautiful gifts you received from your friends!
Gorgeous pictures of the cute Nutria ,the Mallard ducks and the preety deers!
So lucky seeing them in your yard!!
Wishing you a lovely new week!Hugs!
Dimi...
Love your beautiful tag, Paris in the spring is really fabulous. Great photos, it was a wildlife day for you, that is for sure. Those deer must be hungry to come so near to the house. Have a nice evening, keep warm. Hugs, Sarah
ReplyDeleteValerie your tag is so beautiful...so happy and full of spring flowers!!!
ReplyDeleteLove your photos...oooh, that castle!!!
What wonderful gifts you received...so cute!!!
Hugs ❤
I love your Spring tag, so pretty. Great 'happy mail' and the Chocolate Orange is a favourite of mine. Lovely photos of your walk and how lovely to have the deer so close.
ReplyDeleteAvril xx
Hi Valerie ,wow love your tag its gorgeous and love your gifts and boy your pics are a amazing ,but what is a nutria (coypu) looks like some sort of beaver,lol,hope you have a lovely day my friend xx
ReplyDeleteLots of lovely eye candy. Your Spring Time in Paris tag is giving me Spring fever. Temps are to get warmer this week. Though weather dudes are hinting at a Winter storm for the weekend. The happy mail is wonderful. I love your blue and white cups, too. The fluffy puppy with the chocolate orange is adorable. I was given the chocolate orange for Christmas when I was a kid, and I passed that tradition on to my girlies. If that critter had a flat tail, it would look like a beaver. I'll pass him by as his teeth look very sharp. Love the pictures of the ducks and deer. Happy T Day!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like you had a fantastic day out, the photos were all beautiful especially the deer, that must have been a lovely to see them so close to your home.
ReplyDeleteThe cake looked delicious and Chocolate Oranges are a favourite of mine as well.
Lovely surprise gifts, the painting looked awesome.
Your springtime tag looks beautiful, especially when the destination is Paris.
Happy T day wishes Valerie.
Yvonne xx
Great tag and loved all of your photos ♥ Happy T Day!!!
ReplyDeleteI am in awe of your fabulous post. Beautiful tag, lovely gifts, gorgeous photo's and that cute gift from dear Chrissie.....forget the chocolate orange, the gift is sweet enough..
ReplyDeletebig hugs.xx[aNNie' blog]
❤️
That coypu looks almost like a Canadian beaver - with bright red lipstick! Haha! What lovely gifts from your friends; how nice for you.
ReplyDeleteYour tag is splendid. I love the springtime colours and that bicycle is absolutely adorable.
Hugs,
Teresa
You have to know how I love your tag!! What beautiful and thoughtful gifts you received. And- we have those chocolate oranges in my parts too! Yes, they are yummy:)
ReplyDeleteYou really get the nicest pictures of the animals, birds and nature around you. Happy T day!
I love your tag especially with the bicycle
ReplyDeleteGreat happy mail-I love when that happens-enjoy.
I enjoyed all of the wildlife photos-you shared some great shots. Is that first one on the lawn similiar to a groundhog?
we are getting a warm up here this week-Happy T Day Kathy
I am definitely feeling spring from your tag and I am loving it! The colors are vibrant and oh so fun! And the ducks are so cute.
ReplyDeleteHappy Tea Day,
Kate
I was so happy to be able to paint your china cup -- your photos were a wonderful inspiration. Looks like loads of good mail, and fun photos from your walk. Of course, you know I would love your tag. It's Paris! What's not to love?
ReplyDeleteLovely tags! And oh, love that castle! And the ducks are adorable. Such fun walks you have. Happy T-Day!
ReplyDeleteGorgeous spring page and love jeanie's teacup piece!
ReplyDeleteThe tag is so beautiful Valerie and the painting done just for you is amazing as is the card.
ReplyDeletePleased you enjoyed the chocolate and little animal.
What fantastic photographs and looks like a nice walk for your and G. Great that he makes cake as well as it looks yummy.
Have a great day
Love Chrissie xx
Your tag is absolutely beautiful Valerie and such amazing and delightful gifts from crafty friends...you are truly blessed x
ReplyDeleteAmazing photographs as always
Huge hugs
Annie x
waue looks like you had a great day, knitted creatures -journals- that funny Nutria animal, never seen one..and much more.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a stunning tag, I love all the blossoms and the pretty pink colour palette - beautiful! You received such amazing gifts from your friends too and the beer I enjoyed at the beer festival tasted just like your chocolate orange that you received from the lovely Chrissie - yum (grin!). What a super day too with that delicious raisin cake, castle walk and then seeing the wonderful deer 😁. Wishing you a happy T Day! J 😊
ReplyDeleteBeautiful art work as always. And the gifts from your friend are amazing. I love the cup and saucer (I didn't know that pattern was called 'onion' pattern.) The 'creature' with the Chocolate Orange in it is a great present. (I love chocolate orange too).
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely day out: coffee and cake with a friend and then a nice walk. That would be my perfect Sunday afternoon.
I have never heard of that animal. And never seen one. It reminded me of the marmots we saw in Canada (although the marmots were bigger).
Happy T-Day,
Lisca
Valerie, your floral tag is absolutely Gorgeous! It looks like watercolors!
ReplyDeleteSuch wonderful gifts you have received and that teacup painting is awesome!
So glad to see you are out and about ,feeling better?
And WOW I have never seen a real moat before- that is so cool! What water shed feeds it? Is it naturally fed? How cool!Thanks so much for sharing!
hugs,Jackie
Wow-what an eventful week Valerie. I love your tag and the new theme. I think we all need spring right now in the worst way, don't we? And Jeanie painted you a wonderful piece. She is very talented, and it really looks like your cup with a few treats next to it. :) And Chrissie is such a whiz at knitting and crocheting. She is like a machine, her hands must never be still. :) I love it all. And I also love seeing the castle too. I think we call that animal a woodchuck here, or ground hog is another name. Hope your Tuesday has been going well. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteIt's so fun to see the ducks having such a HUGE party, and I want to ride around the countryside on your your awesome bike. This page is filled with so many wonders! Hugs...RO
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful photos Valerie... What a full day!!! Your hybrid tag is lovely and your happy mail too.. What a pretty picture to hang on your wall. And the adorable gift from Chrissie... Funny but i don't like fruit and chocolate together.. I think i must be weird.. Mallards are so pretty aren't they? Nutri...in TX they are a pest.. I think they were imported to try to help control snakes and their population has just exploded.. Happy T day Valerie ! Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tag - your depiction of springtime in Paris is fabulous!! Great photos from your walk. Was that animal a muskrat? He didn't look too friendly!
ReplyDeleteA beautiful tag and photos, I'm not sure about the orange teeth though.
ReplyDeletexxx Hazel.
A delightful tag you've created...gives me hope for Spring! Lucky you to receive such lovely gifts, and love all of your photos. happy T day!
ReplyDeleteIt's Spring! -in your post anyway :) I love the flowers. The nutria is an invasive pest species here, but I've never seen one as close as this. Cool! Happy T Tuesday
ReplyDeleteI love the cookie sitting on Jeanie's saucer:)
ReplyDeleteIs the nutria the same as a groundhog?
Hope your day is filled with sunshine, sparkle and good health.
Hugs,
Oooooohhh was für ein zauberhafter post heute,deine paris seite ist großartig und hat soo schöne farben,die bilder von den ganzen süssen tierchen sind einfach toll,ich mag tire sehr,ich finde es toll das du uns von deiner heimat das schöne teilst,ich freue mich immer sehr wenn ich bei dir reinschaue,das alte schloss mit dem see darin ist so schön,das weiße knuffibärchen ist total süss und ich mag das bild mit der cafetasse,einfach toll!
ReplyDeleteeine schöne woche,liebe valerie.
hugs jenny
Your tag is wonderful and inspires me to take part! You certainly received some lovely gifts- love how you are celebrating T Day today! Great photographs- especially the deer being so close! Chocolate Oranges are T's favourite and I don't feel the need to join him at all! Now, Maltesers....I would eat them all!!! Happy T Day! Hugs, Chrisx
ReplyDeleteA wonderful page, full of spring colours, I so can't wait for sspring to arrive, but we have just been hit by the Siberian weather and snow and hail are blowing against my windows as I sit and write.
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolutely amazing collecction of photos today, that furry creature with its orange teeth, - I had never heard of them before, amazing! But the other photos are stunning too, how wonderful to have deer right in your back yard! Happy Tuesday!
Your spring piece is so lovely! The gifts you received are also quite charming. What beautiful photos too, I think you have revealed the solution to a mystery for me - I have an animal calendar and there was a mystery animal, I think it's a nutria, thank you!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely spring-themed tag, Valerie. I love the whole scene: Paris, bicycle with baguettess, cherry blossoms ... very evocative.
ReplyDeleteJeanie's onion pattern teacup painting is really well done, I clicked to her site. Congratulations on your prize! Jeanie's very talented and her little boy is something special.
Chrissie's knitted dog (?) is darling.
The nutria resembles our North American beaver, which used to be hunted for its pelt. I have a photo of my dad wearing a beaver coat when he was about 3 years old in Prairie de Chien, Wisconsin, c. 1915.
Happy T-day! Hugs, Eileen
So ein schönes frühlingshaftes Tag mit französischem Flair hast du kreiert. Super1
ReplyDeleteDas kleine Gemälde mit Tasse ist wunderschön und verdient es aufgehängt zu werden.
Deine Fotos von Biber und Reh, zwei scheuen Tieren, sind dir prima gelungen.
Liebe Grüße
Sabine
I am back from Missouri, where I spent two very sleepless days and nights. After returning, I crashed. Finally awake and drinking my first coffee of the day, I am thrilled to see you shared your T Tuesday experience.
ReplyDeleteLooks like you and I think alike when it comes to spring. Your tag is a genuine beauty. I love it. And I was so impressed with Chrissie's chocolate orange stuffed animal, too.
But what got me most was Jeanie's painting of your coffee cup. It was heavenly, and I know it must have pleased you immensely.
Thank you for all the contributions you make to T Tuesday.
I love your colourful tag, and your photos wonderful as always. I have heard of the coypu but never seen one. Lovely gifts as well.
ReplyDeleteHugs Wendy xx
I love your art piece! It's so pretty!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on all your happy mail! That painting is beautiful and I love the stuffed animal with the chocolate! Yummy cake too! LOL! Loving all the photos! That toothed little guy looks like a beaver! Enjoyed the ducks and deer! Big Hugs!
What a fabulous tag, there's just something about the Eiffel Tower and push bikes that means it has to be Spring. I want a cup of coffee and a chocolate orange now lol, a full one, all to myself! xx
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos, Valerie. I really love your Spring Flowers tag with a Parisian theme - picture perfect!
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love the Parisian TAG. I have always wanted to go to Paris and this makes me long for a visit there even more. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteWhat an adorable parcel you received. What a fluffy cutie pie.:)
Loved seeing all your pictures too. Thanks for sharing.
~Jess