These are a few of my favourite things #5

Lifestyle:

Spotting a Broom Plant

I found this bright yellow, happy looking plant in bloom on a recent walk. 

My Mum told me its name, and I did some research into it when I got home.

‘Broom plants golden vanilla-scented flowers appear for a couple of months from late spring to early summer. As an evergreen, it should be planted more often in gardens, as it is easy to grow and beneficial to local wildlife. It is a bright and cheery plant that gives pleasure to onlookers with its beautiful yellow flowers, in stark contrast to the rough windswept places where it is often found growing, such as moors and heaths.’

Books:

Vintage Fashion by Emma Baxter-Wright

This is a stunning coffee table book, taking you through different eras in fashion from 

the 20’s to the 90’s. The information included is very extensive, yet the writing is kept 

readable and interesting. If you appreciate the topic of fashion history, this is a must read.

The Usborne Book Of Pop-Ups by Ray Gibson

It was a wonderful surprise when a friend lent me this as it was one of my 

childhood favourites. The crafts are fairly straight forward, showing different 

ways to create pop-up cards. One of the nicest card-making books I know of.

Joy by Corrinne Averiss

A beautifully told and illustrated children’s picture book about Fern, a young girl 

who is worried about her Grandma, and wants to capture some joy to give it 

back to her. Lovely, heartfelt, and perfect for family reading time.

Hello, is this planet Earth? by Tim Peake

Written by Tim Peake the astronaut, he shares his experiences while on 

the international space station and the collection of photographs 

he has taken of earth from above. This is one of those books that 

really makes you appreciate how wonderful and fragile planet earth is.

101 Ways to Save the Earth by David Bellamy

This is a picture book introducing environmental topics to children in the style 

of a friendly magazine, with lovely illustrations. I found the tips helpful in 

making positive changes around the home, garden and beyond.

Films:

Dan In Real Life

'Comedy starring Steve Carell as advice columnist Dan Burns. In his column, Dan appears to be an expert on relationships, but in real life he struggles to succeed as a brother, son and single parent to three precocious daughters. Things get even more complicated for Dan when he discovers the woman, he has recently fallen in love with is already in a relationship with his brother.'

This was a really interesting film, and I enjoyed the look into family life on a vacation. At times it felt a bit melancholy but there were bursts of hope as the main character finds his way. Steve Carell is a good actor; I’ve seen him in a couple of other films.

Have you picked up a good book recently?

What have your favourite things been this month? :-) Xx