Little Pleasures + Have a Lovely Weekend

A peaceful walk around a lake. {It doesn't matter what season you visit. It's always beautiful.}
Photos with a twist.
A visit to Duck Island Cottage. Swiss Chalet for a British Bird-Keeper,  St. James's Park, London, UK.

{This pretty cottage was built in 1841 as the home of the bird-keeper in St. James's Park.
It also had a club room for the Ornithological Society of London, which once helped to look after the park's ducks and geese. The design, like a Swiss chalet, was intended to be the contrast to the grand architecture of government buildings nearby.
The cottage has been altered several times and its use has also changed. It was once a store for bicycles confiscated in the park but it is now used as offices.}


Dandelions are easy to love and always make me smile..
Chocolate Birthday Cake.
My hot, steamy cup of coffee is part of my morning ritual. Sometimes it seems like my brain can't function without it.
Chocolate Chip Muffins.
 Ride  a bike!

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving." Albert Einstein.
With all this wintery weather, I am in need for some colour. Nothing can brighten up winter like a bunch of beautiful flowers.

"To show a child what once delighted you, to find the child's delight added to your own-this is happiness."
JB Priestley

They say it's the simple little things in life that make all the difference.

My dears, what are your simple pleasures? I'd love to hear.

Hope you have a beautiful weekend! xx

Update: I hope everyone up in the north is warm and safe from the storm Nemo.

89 comments:

  1. Lindos momentos e deles destaco o girassol! beijos,chica

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  2. My mouth watered when I got to the cupcake photo... oh my. All lovely shots, Betty. Yours always are.

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  3. all of these are little pleasures but big in my book.. that cake is awesome and the swan makes me happy

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  4. Absolutely inviting! Your pics make me want to take a garden walk and then relax with a good cup of coffee or tea. Have a great weekend, Betty!

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  5. ♥ Beautiful photos! Happy Weekend! xxx Riitta

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  6. Beautiful....enjoy a happy weekend.....love Ria...xxx...

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  7. Your blog always makes me smile! Love that cottage - I'd love to move in. :)

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  8. It looks like you have had a lovely day.

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  9. How wonderful, today you have shared photos of some of my very favourite things.
    Wishing you a good weekend also.

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  10. Have a lovely weekend as well, loved these pics!

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  11. Delightful ... enjoy your weekend!

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  12. so much beauty and joy in these. LOVE the tree in reverse. and WANT me a muffin! :)

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  13. I love that cottage and the chocolate chip muffin. A simple pleasure to me is reading.

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  14. Great, fun post for the day, Betty! Thanks for sharing! Hope you have a great weekend! Enjoy!

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  15. Fabulous photos, Betty... Your photography just keeps getting better and better.... Yeah!!!

    Love that cottage... Too bad that Birders in that area can't claim it --and turn it back into a Bird Study and Gathering area...

    Think I could smell your muffins from HERE.... YUM.

    Have a tremendous weekend.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  16. Yes, I like those pretty lights and shadows in all, but each with its own particular charm, beautiful compositions. A hug.

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  17. You have some wonderful pictures here, and I like the feelings they evoke. (I'll forgive you for making a dandelion look pretty, even though they kill my beautiful lawn.)

    Simple pleasures? For me, that would be letting a Dove dark chocolate square melt on my tongue as my taste buds meticulously study and savor the experience. I do the same with a sip of dry red wine.

    Ever since grade school, I have been fond of being leaned upon. Back in the 4th grade, it was when a pretty classmate rested her head on my shoulder during a long bus ride. Now, my wife does the same, and even our pets like to jump on my lap and be held while I watch a DVD at home.

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  18. Absolutely beatiful.

    One of my simple pleasures is sitting at my computer on a Saturday morning when there is no time constraint, sipping coffee and typing all the stories that have collected in my head.

    Have a great weekend!

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  19. As always such beautiful photographs! The negative ones I love!

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  20. That little cottage is too sweet! And love your dandelion macro.

    Happy weekend Betty!

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  21. I definitely like the twist of the second photo! :-) Spooky. Many thanks.

    Greetings from London.

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  22. Un feliz fin de semana, que encanto de él, me gusta la visita a Duck Island Cottage.
    Un abrazo

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  23. What a charming cottage!

    One of my favorite simple pleasures is a hot cup of tea. Mmmmm!

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  24. Such lovely photos! I agree - simple pleasures are the best. Lately I've been making my own homemade granola and eating it for breakfast with pomegranate seeds, banana, nuts, chia & hemp seeds. Starts my day out right and makes me look forward to breakfast. Of course spending time with my chickens and other animals tops the list as well :)

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  25. Anonymous2:55 PM

    Exciting visit to Duck Island Cottage.
    Great explanation of this beautiful landscape.
    Wonderful Weekend.
    I have not much time, but I love your blog and I always visit him.
    Hugs and kisses.

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  26. Anonymous2:59 PM

    The danelion is so pretty. Such detail. Wow!

    Good work!

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  27. Życzę wspaniałego weekendu i dziękuję za śliczne zdjęcia. Pozdrawiam.
    Have a great weekend and thank you for the beautiful pictures. Yours.

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  28. Amazing photos!My simple pleasure is to see the sun every morning.

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  29. I love the color and tones of all of these. The contrast in the first couple photos is amazing

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  30. A wonderful collection of photos dear Betty, my favourite simple pleasure is the cool of my garden in the very early morning.
    hugs
    xoxoxo ♡

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  31. Love your post of your favorite simple things. Coffee is definitely one of my favorites. Lovely images! Have a great weekend, Betty!

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  32. Great texture! I love dandelions too. I don't understand why they're called weeds, they've always been lovely to me.

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  33. sweet, the last shot was amazing!



    Sending YOU Aloha
    from Honolulu,
    Comfort Spiral
    ~ > < } } ( ° >

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  34. Interesting shots. The white tree has me bamboozled. Reading in bed with rain pitter pattering on the roof is one of my little pleasures in life

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  35. Encantadoras fotos! Fascinam o olhar!
    Bom carnaval!

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  36. Una entrada muy variada. Si tengo que elegir, me quedo con las dos primeras con su acertado blanco y negro.
    Un abrazo.

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  37. σου εύχομαι και εγώ ένα πολύ πολύ όμορφο ΣΒΚ Μπέτυ μου.Τι τέλειες φωτογραφίες....ειδικά η πρώτη είναι εντυπωσιακότατη!!!!
    πολλά φιλιά

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  38. great photos! Love the negative of the tree!

    I watched that movie you had recommended, "The Lives of Others". Wow - fantastic! Thanks!

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  39. º° ✿彡
    Olá, amiga!
    Belo post. Amei a primeira foto a pesar de todas estarem lindas.
    Bom fim de semana.
    Beijinhos do Brasil.
    ✿ °•.¸
    ¸.•°♡⊱彡

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  40. Τί πανέμορφη ανάρτηση καί υπέροχη η βόλτα πού μάς πήγες αγαπητή μου Μπέττη!Φανταστικές όλες οι φωτογραφίες σου!Πρωινό ξύπνημα χωρίς καφέ,δέν γίνετε!!Συμφωνώ!!Καλό Σ/Κ φίλη μου!Φιλάκια!!

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  41. φανταστικές φωτογραφίες!!!!!στο δεύτερο σου μπλογκ δεν μπορώ να αφήσω σχόλια γιατί δεν βρίσκω που είναι το γκάτζετ για τα σχόλια!!σε ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ για τα καλά σου λόγια και για την επίσκεψη σου στο μπλογκ μου!!!!!!!!!! <3 <3 να περνάς υπέροχα!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  42. Nice pictures you show. Wish you a good Sunday :) Hanne Bente www.hbt.finus.dk

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  43. Oh, wow, I like these...specially the second one. On Thursday evening there is a meme that opens up at Life According to Jan and Jer called Friday's Fences...you should link this to it. I don't always get to participate, but it is fun when I do.

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  44. Lovely shots! Hope you'll find time to visit my entry.

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  45. Muy buena fotografías Betty.
    Que tengas una feliz semana.
    Un abrazo.
    Ramón

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  46. Beautiful shots on everything, my favourite is the Duck Island Cottage, superb.

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  47. You really have a way with a camera, Betty! Beautiful shots!

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  48. wonderful pics! love the white tree :)

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  49.   Yes, no doubt I love chocolate, felizcumpleaños. Beautiful photo. A hug.

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  50. Anonymous9:23 PM

    What beautiful shots. Love that fluffy dandelion!

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  51. I really like that these are in black and white. They're especially impressive this way.

    Hugs to you, Betty.
    xoRobyn

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  52. Loved these pictures.

    Hope you had a great weekend:o)

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  53. That is such a cute chalet.I like the old houses like that.The muffins look good too!

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  54. welcome on board, annnightflyer!

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  55. Olá Betty; Excelentes fotografias....
    Cumprimentos

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  56. Your photos are so stunning!

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  57. You've got some great photos in this post. I really like the second and fourth pictures. Both are absolutely beautiful.

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  58. Wow, your photos are amazing!! The nighttime one is totally cool. And the amazing cottage and the up close dandelion. I have seen you around commenting on my friends blogs for a long time, thanks for visiting me!!

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  59. Really nice photos Betty! At first glance I thought that swan was playing tennis...

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  60. I love that second one with the illuminated tree.

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  61. oh what lovely images, each one so special and joyful. i did have favorites, but it kept changing as i read....

    i loved the tree and the sweet little cottage (cool that you had the history), the cake was awesome but my favorite was the bike. i love photographs of my favorite mode of transportation!!

    thanks for the visit and the very sweet comment!!

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  62. Sweet pictures, Betty, I especially love the dandelion and purple bike! My simple pleasure is to walk outside when the weather is nice. :)

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  63. Dandelions make me smile too. :)

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  64. Very creative photos my friend.

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  65. What a lovely set of pictures and you are right the simplest pleasures are sometimes the best. :)

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  66. My simple pleasure is a walk in the woods. As simple as that.

    Wonderful photo of that bike!!

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  67. Hi Betty! Beautiful post and captures !

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  68. wow a fine selection of images. I'm enchanted by the second shot, very impressive!
    Léia

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  69. Happy Valentine's Day to you, too! -)

    Greetings from London.

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  70. Happy Valentine's Day dear Betty!!Περαστικά καί γρήγορα καλά!!Φιλιά από Ελλάδα!!
    Dimi..

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  71. Gosh you are a lovely blogger and true heart!




    Thanks for YOUR aloha that I know you share every day.


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  72. Περαστικά σου αγαπημένη μου φίλη, κρύωσες...
    Τι όμορφες φωτογραφίες!
    Σε ηρεμούν, μόνο που τις βλέπεις!
    Όσο για το βίντεο αυτό, κλαίω όταν το βλέπω.
    Με συγκινεί πολύ, γιατί μια αγκαλιά, είναι φάρμακο!

    Σου στέλνω κι εγώ το βίντεο μου με τα καλύτερα από τις Cinque Terre.
    Σου εύχομαι να πας, είναι υπέροχα!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PYeIUr2EGE

    Σου στέλνω μια ζεστή αγκαλιά και πολλά φιλάκια, για να γίνεις καλά!
    Σου εύχομαι καλό Σαββατοκύριακο και πολλή αγάπη γύρω σου!


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  73. glad you linked up to FF ... such great architecture & views. ( :

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  74. Lovely photos...love the cottage...so charming. Welcome to FF

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  75. A lovely post, and I do hope you're feeling better by now.

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  76. Wonderful series of photos!

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  77. Wonderful captures.

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  78. Hope your cold goes soon Betty. Try a spot or two of amber liquid in the brew.

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  79. ...hello Betty, I hope you have spent a Valentine's Day under the covers. Me too, I was warm next to the fireplace. Here I have dropped a lot of snow and very cold. your photos are always a pleasure to enjoy. A warm hug ...

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  80. I always enjoy your perspective...in photos...on life...

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  81. My dearest Betty,

    I'm so saddened to know you're not feeling well. I hope you get better very very soon. And, I hope you enjoyed a beautiful Valentine's Day! :-)

    I have so missed your photos... all of them beautiful... always.

    May your days be filled with joy... and healing, my dear!

    Lots of love and hugs,
    Nevine

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  82. Hope you're feeling better when you read this, Betty. No fun being down with a bad cold.

    Love that 2nd shot btw.

    Hope your week is off to a good start.

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  83. Such gorgeous pictures doll!!! Very talented! You have a really nice blog hun and it would be nice if you could come over and check my blog out as well and maybe we could follow each other!
    Aimee
    www.new-yorkdoll.blogspot.com
    xxx

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  84. Hi Cutie, Just stopping by again to say HI. We were in Arkansas all last week --and had a marvelous time. Am trying to catch back up with my blog friends.

    Sorry you have been under the weather. Hope you are better now.

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  85. Wonderful, lovely photos. Happy weekend! :)

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  86. I love your awesome photos!!

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  87. Ashley Newton8:42 AM

    Beautiful moments you share!
    Hugs.

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  88. thank you all for the great feedback! xo

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  89. glad you liked the photos.

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