This is Mrs Cockalarum, who arrived last Christmas complete with name. She is, in her regular domestic life, a decorative paper weight, only, most of the time, she decorates a chest of drawers and no paper comes near her. 
She has a few animals to keep her company, including some of her own kind. However, every now and again, even a paperweight can do with a change of scenery and a new point of view, so I decided to take Mrs Cockalarum on an autumnal excursion.
Starting indoors, we tried out the floor,
then a higher perch, 
but her view was obscured so we went outside, where she dusted her feathers with the scent of alyssum and
pecked at the sweetest red berries. 
After which she looked at the world from a seat made of corn and silken tassels
and took a swing in a hanging basket.
Today, the world was full of surprises for me and Mrs Cockalarum, not the least of which was finding this in the tree outside my house!
Footnote: The berries are called New Zealand cranberries. They are delicious but are not much like any cranberries that I have ever tasted. Their real name is Chilean Guava ( Ugni molinae (Mrytus ugni)). Apparently the berries were a favourite with Queen Victoria. Mrs Cockalarum and I have given our unroyal seal of approval too.
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This is so sweet! so you just further proved my point — er, gentle suggestion.
Right! I will get on with that second cup of coffee and get my brain ticking.
What time is it there now? I should know these things, but as you know, I have enough problems just finding my sense of time in Canada….
I am ashamed (but only a very little) to say it is 1pm and I am not long out of bed. I am not an early riser anymore, and especially not in winter.
You’ve worked long and hard to get to a point where you can rise when you wish!
It’s just past 9 p.m. here right now.
And it made me smile to remember that it is your winter now. So when I talk about flowers, herbs and vegetables, does that feel really out of place for you?
Yes, one of the great luxuries of life is being able to rise and sleep when one wants to. And now I see my elderly mother struggling with sleep, and lack of it, I am more determined than ever to make the most of my freedom to sleep, as I wish ,whilst I can.
I love reading about your flowers and vegetables and your summer time. It helps with the bleakness outside my door. I am not a ‘winter’ person. I struggle with cold and dreariness.
Being able to sleep is a blessing. I didn’t quite realize that till I was in so much pain that I couldn’t sleep at all, for days on end.
I feel for your mom.
And am glad you are enjoying your sleep!
I hope you sleep more easily now. Ten years ago I had 4 months of unremitting, sleep-destroying pain. It was not a happy time but it gave me a small insight into the world of pain and for that I am grateful (in hindsight!).
This is such a charming post,. and the colours and the pics are gorgeous…
Thank you. It was fun to write. It was very spur of the moment.
That’s so sweet. I think this could be written as a children’s story, and made into a book! 🙂
That would be fun. Mrs Cockalarum is a sweetie.
Those wise old birds would certainly give The Tiger Who Came For Tea a run for his money! 🙂
Yes. And isn’t the Tiger who came for Tea, a great story?!
An enduring classic if ever there was one!!
I love the way you have matched tonings as you have gone about in the garden. I also spotted embroidery from another time and a circular place mat that I grew up with as a child. Many times I have traced my finger around and around and around.
And to discover an unexpected “find” in the known garden is always a great thing.
Ah, you have spotted the details! I used to love tracing my finger round the table mats too. And spinning them on the table! And stacking them and balancing them and doing all sorts of things which probably weren’t appropriate. My table mats are only about 20 years old but we had similar ones in my childhood home. The embroidered cloth is very old and in a fragile state but it has been part of my life for so long that I can’t bear to hide it away. Thank you for joining us on our surprise outing.
Mrs Cockalarum really gets around! What a fun excursion!
It’s her first time outdoors. I hope she won’t want to go much further.
🙂
very cute! thank you for the introduction 😀
I am glad you find her as cute as I do.
Nice excuse for a wander round. We have guavas here as well, but they’re not doing too well at present. Hopefully they’ll ripen up later
I have one lot that seem to have been struck by a bacteria or fungus. The others are doing really well. I usually have far too many each year; I make syrup and jelly till I am almost drowning in it. And, yes, anything for an excuse to clown about in the garden.
How beautiful, in all the different places, Mrs Cockalarum loves it , surely!
I think so! And when I was writing the post, I thought, this will make my friend Ute smile 🙂
You were right! 🙂
I know Mrs Cockalarum must be related to or good friends with Beatrix Potter’s Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle. They have so much in common!
Yes, of course. I was also wondering about the Little Red Hen you mentioned the other day.:)
Oh, what a tea party that would be…