Beach - New Year's Eve

Beach from Bella Mills on Vimeo.

Dear blog friends, near and far - Happy New Year!

We spent our New Year's Eve at a little beach with our puppy Coco. The sun shone proudly and the sky was the brightest blue. Short bursts of coastal breeze softly blew my hair as Coco and Byron raced along the shoreline to the sound of waves crashing onto the sand.

This is a short video for you, we've only just joined vimeo and you can follow us on vimeo here. This is our first attempt at a HD video and we hope you enjoy it, we certainly had fun recording it.

Music credits to the late, great Israel Kamakawiwo'ole for his rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Simple pleasures in nature. Love, endearing friendship and sandcastles.

Please come back soon, we love visitors and you're always welcome.

Love Bella xx

Tweet

Patience

This year is drawing to an end and 2013 seems to be hurtling towards us at an unfathomable speed.

There is nothing I can do to change time from flying right by us in bright, blurry flashes but there is something I can do with the time available to me. I can seize it. I can learn to be more patient with myself and others. I can learn to better express the gratitude for the people and things in my life that are important.

I can put myself out there and not be afraid of the risk of losing, but rather be proud of myself for taking a chance.

As the sun finally sets on 2012 I will remember who it is I am and who I want to be. I want to be the best version of myself.

2012, I tip my wide-brimmed hat to you. At times we didn't get along and I wished for your brutal end to come but as patience has taught me, sometimes the hard times are worth the ride. In your final hours dear 2012 and as the sun kisses my ankles and the sea tickles my toes for the last time with you, I want to thank you for all the time you could offer me. I have made new friends, I've visited new places, I've learned more about myself and how to best respect and manage what I have.

I hope my dear family and friends out there can enjoy the transition from 2012 to the new year. I hope 2013 brings everything you wish for and as we bravely step forward into a new morning, I hope you are surrounded by love and support.

With love,

Bella xx

Tweet

That Crazy Shooter... Brain Damage... Not for the Faint Hearted

I'm not certain many people would have been drinking shooters on New Years Eve. We happened to try one, but only because I wanted to see if I could actually make it work.

Firstly, you pour some butterscotch schnapps into a shot glass ( I used an old port glass), next you slowly pour some Baileys over the back of a teaspoon to float the Baileys on top of the schnapps. To create the 'Brain Damage' (MU HA HA HA!), you carefully drop a few drops of grenadine through the Baileys. The idea is to make the grenadine appear marbled , like a bloodied brain (see what I mean? Not for the faint hearted).

The results were somewhat strange, particularly if you zoom in.

This is what mine looked like...

And this is what it is meant to look like..

I know mine is a bit darker, but it's nowhere near as creepy and they were ok. Please don't drink too many, otherwise you'll definitely end up with a few issues, as the name suggests!

When I come back I'll share a cake recipe :o)

Off to work. Have a good day.

Bella

xx

Tweet