frayed at the edge

Still a bit poorly!

Hello my dearest peeps!  Thank you so much for all your lovely good wishes for a speedy recovery.  Unfortunately the horrid nasty flu is reluctant depart - most evenings I am in bed at 8pm, sleeping through to 6am!!  However, I thought I would pop in and share some photos.  We start with the first snow on the winter

 

it did get a bit deeper than this

 

but the roads were clear, so there wasn't much disruption

 

I took this photo of the full moon in the early morning (of course that is through the window, I didn't go outside!!)

 

Malcolm has had to do most of the packing - fortunately I had packed these before the flu struck

 

I had to raid my secret emergency chocolate stash - even the awful flu doesn't seem quite so bad if you can eat delicious chocolate!!

 

I'll be back soon with my first report on 17 in 2017!

 

It's beginning to .......

........ smell a lot like Christmas, as I baked the cake this afternoon.  As always I used the recipe in this book, which I have had for years

 

as I always make the same size, I long ago highlighted the column, to make it easier to follow

 

is it just me that is getting a bit bah-humbug about the Christmas-isation of so many things ..... I just don't see why the butter has to have special packaging!

 

the ingredients assembled

 

I washed and dried the cherries, then cut them in half.  I added them to the fruit, which had been soaking in brandy since Monday.  I then stirred in a spoonful of flour - this helps stop the fruit from sinking to the bottom of the cake

 

the cake tin buttered and lined, and wrapped in brown paper to stop the outside of the cake from cooking too quickly

 

a little tip - before you put the cake in the oven, poke a hole in the middle - this helps keep the top of the cake flat

 

testing the cake with a skewer, to see if it is cooked in the middle

 

the cake tin is a loose-bottomed one, so standing it on a tin makes it easier to remove the outer ring

 

cooling on the wire rack, before being wrapped first in baking parchment, then foil.  Over the next couple of weeks, I will feed it with brandy before I ice it

 

it got rather overcast and dull later in the afternoon, but then we had a glorious sunset

 

with the dark clouds contrasting nicely with the pinks and oranges

 

hopefully the clouds will stay, and it won't freeze overnight

 

Little Miss Smarty Pants sorry, I mean my dear friend, the lovely Meredithe, is now on her 16th pair of socks, while I am on my 15th, so we should both complete our "16 in 16" challenge by the end of the year.  When I showed Malcolm my latest effort, he said what you are no doubt shouting at me ........ you numptie, you forgot the heel!!

 

but this is a pair of "afterthought heel" socks.  The pink stitches were knitted with an oddment of wool, which I removed to reveal the stitches for the heel

 

and here is the sock with its heel

 

I will be back tomorrow with an extra post, to make a very special announcement, so please do pop in to read all about it!!

Just a little bit chilly!

We got up on Monday to a world turned white.  Fortunately it was white with frost and not snow.  I wrapped up in my big winter jacket and ventured out into the garden to take some photos.  This is the top of a fence post

 

there wasn't any sun to show the time on the frosty sun dial

 

the frost made the lambs' ears look even more fuzzy than they usually do

 

so what is this frost on?

 

the old wooden garden furniture

 

this is an unopened bud on the passion flower

 

a little toadstool in the grass

 

frost patterns on the windows of the summerhouse

 

I remember windows in our house looking like this when I was little, in the days before double glazing and central heating!

 

I told you it was cold!!

 

a delicate edging of frost on a rose

 

this is a bud on the miniature rose - it is about the size of a pea!

 

a dusting of frost on a clematis flower ......

 

........ and on the pot of sage

 

in the front garden, the rowan berries are loosing their colour

 

the owl is looking grumpy - but I would too if I was frozen and had a hole in my head!

 

This little bird looks a bit happier!

 

this is a colour photo, but the green of the conifer is covered by the frost

 

the frosty Minto Hills in the distance

 

later in the morning, when I went to put the weekly food shopping in the boot of the car, I noticed these little icicles hanging over the number plate!!

 

yesterday we had a flying visit to Stuart and Alison, stopping on the way for lunch at Manderston's

 

Malcolm had delicious mushroom soup

 

and I had a tasty cheese and chutney toastie

 

this morning, instead of heading back to Hawick, we pottered down the A1 to Berwick.  Hopefully the weather will stay dry and bright (if cold) and we'll be out and about ....... there may even be some sconnage consumed!

 

 

Bits'n'bobs

I realised that I hadn't taken any specific photos for today's post, so here is a selection of oddments!!  First, our passion fruit.  The last time you saw it, it was still on the plant and was green.  It started to turn yellow just as we were threatened with frosts, so I picked it and popped it in the fruit bowl.   It slowly turned a darker colour, and then, as it was going a bit squidgy, I decided  ........

 

....... to cut in half, to see what was inside.  There were seeds, but different to the ones that are inside the more usual dark purple passion fruit.  As I knew you would want to know what it tasted like, I bravely had a little nibble on a few seeds.  There was only s slight flavour of passion fruit - but then, the fruit was a bonus from growing the plant for its stunning flowers, so the taste didn't really matter

 

suddenly, amongst the small purple clematis flowers, there appeared this much larger, paler, patterned flower

 

it has a very striking centre.  There is such a tangle of stems, we can't see if this is a rogue flower on the existing clematis, or if it is an entirely new plant that has somehow grown through the existing one

 

this is all the leftover stuff from Saturday's Santa class.  It is now all sorted out and put away

 

Meredithe and I are working on a very secret project ........ a challenge for next year, which we are going to invite you to join us in.  Could all these unfinished projects on my work tables be a clue??!!

 

on Saturday the 19th, I am going to a Pat Archibald workshop.  I thought I ought to sort out the requirements list

 

Malcolm found me wandering about the studio saying "where are you Riley, stop hiding from me Riley, where are you Riley?".  But don't worry, I didn't have a handsome toyboy hidden away, I was looking for a piece of Riley Blake fabric which I knew would be the perfect colour for the elephant!

 

in the kitchen, the "Christmas" cactus is flowering.  I have had several of these over the years, and every one has flowered earlier and earlier

 

on the kitchen windowsill, the little chilli plant is thriving

 

these chillis may be tiny, but they are VERY hot!

 

snow was forecast for last night ........

 

but it didn't quite reach us.  I took the photos from our front garden, looking across the valley to the higher ground on the other side

 

and to finish, a piece of advice.  Don't sit the accessory box of your sewing machine on top of a slippery polythene bag, on a chair ....... or you will spend along time picking up all the sewing machine feet, sorting them out and putting them back in the proper slots!!

 

 

A touch of frost!

  It was decidedly chilly this morning, with frost on the deck

 

and the sky was full of contrails from early morning flights

 

now, before we get to the rest of the day, we need to rewind to Sunday afternoon, when I was busy working on Santa Stop Here - this is the wallhanging ready to be pinned before quilting

 

it doesn't take long to pin something small like this

 

I started by stitching the applique in place, using monofilament thread, which of course you can't see, so this is the wrong side

 

I then quilted the background with a small meander

 

again, it shows up better on the back

 

trimming the edges after quilting

 

the binding stitched on the front, ready to be hand stitched on the back

 

lots of buttons and beads sewn on (you can click on the photo to enlarge it, to get a better look at the buttons)

so now we have arrived at this morning, when we set off over the Border to Morpeth, to deliver the walhanging to Sue for the shop (you can read about the shop in this post), along with copies of the pattern (and one has already sold!)

 

just look at these luscious new fabrics

 

delicious colours

 

oh, I could have brought all these batiks home with me!  I may have bought a little something, I'll show you on Friday

 

I had taken Mrs Billings with me to work on ....... and you can see how pathetic mine is, compared to Sue's.  (stop laughing Meredithe, just because yours is brilliant too!!)

A selfie!

When I was sorting through my photos for today's post, I came across this one.  I took it on holiday with my Kindle, which I was trying to set up to take photos of our meal, to email to Stuart and Alison.  I don't usually take selfies - but I rather like this one!

 

I used to have two lovely, delightful friends in Melbourne ......... Meredithe and Helen.  But when they were recently at a quilt exhibition, they not only took lots of photos of nasty little beasties cats, they then arranged them in a collage to send to me.  I have told them I may start speaking to them again in about a zillion years time!! (M & H, you know I love you, really!)

 

I hope it really is an old wife's tale that lots of berries in the autumn means we are in for a hard winter, as our rowan tree is laden .......

 

....... with pink berries, which the blackbirds love

 

the climbing rose on the front of the house is still flowering

 

and this clematis in the back garden is flowering for the second time

 

this fuchsia has been flowering for weeks and weeks!

 

after pottering round the garden with the camera, I had a stroll along the road.  There are sheep in the field across the road

 

I think this one was saying "who are you looking at" in a picking a fight sort of way!

 

a little further on, the donkeys were out in their field

 

I was surprised they didn't have their coats on, as they seem to wear them for most of the year

 

three of them stood nicely for the photos

 

but this one just would not turn round!

 

the horse sharing their field just has such a superior air - look at me, I am sleek and handsome, unlike those shaggy donkeys!

 

after spending the summer out in the hedgerows, the sparrows are back in the garden

 

I didn't mind this one turning its back, as it means you can see the striking patterns on his feathers

 

these three were deep in conversation

 

while this one ignored them

 

for every successful bird photo ........

 

........ there are a lot like this

 

and like this, where the camera has focused  on the metal bird, instead of the robin (yes, I am blaming the camera, not my photography skills!) (according to my spell check, both focused and focussed are acceptable spellings, but neither looks right)

 

it's Friday, so that means cake!  This afternoon, we shared a slice of banana bread, which was delicious

 

we are visiting Stuart and Alison this weekend, going out for a belated dinner to celebrate our Anniversary ....... I even have a new dress to wear!  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

Basking in the sun

Butterflies don't appear in our garden in any numbers until September, when they congregate on the buddleia

 

these ones were way up at the top of the bush ......

 

........ which meant the photos were of the underside of their wings (is this the butterfly equivalent of sheep turning their rear ends to the camera?!)

 

there were also dozens of bees, but they never stay still long enough for a photo

 

the last clematis of the year is flowering - these flowers are just opening

 

then these ones are fully open

 

and this is what is left when the outer petals fall off

 

 the everlasting sweet pea has decided to flower this year, after sulking for several years!

 

I love how the tendrils curl round themselves when they can't find anything else to grip

 

the climbing rose on the pergola is still flowering

 

this bud is on a miniature rose - it is only the size of the tip of my little finger!

 

the osteospermum has decided to flower again

 

and the olive tree is looking very healthy

 

although I don't think we will be harvesting these olives any time soon

 

I could have been naughty, and said these olives were on our tree, but they were on a tree we saw down in Hampshire!

 

we have lavender bushes all over the garden - I brush past these ones going to and from the studio, which fills the air with a delightful smell

 

I spotted this the other day.  Do you know what it is?

 

here is the plant it is growing on ....... yes, we have our very own passion fruit!!

 

when we walked over to town this afternoon, I paused on the bridge to take this photo of the Money Pit, on the other side of the river, in case there were workmen about when we walked past

 

but there was no-one there, so I could take a close up of the very serious scaffolding which has been put up since last week

 

as we walked along the river, there was suddenly a great sound of flapping wings, as some swans took to the air

 

we were very restrained when we went for a cuppa, sharing a delicious piece of lemon drizzle cake .........

 

........ as, unusually for a week night, we were going to have pudding!  Maureen had given me some plums, so this morning I added some strawberries, a teaspoon of sugar and a drizzle of vanilla, and after a quick zap in the microwave, had the base for a crumble

 

as we have limited space in the kitchen in the flat, I don't have a big store cupboard of ingredients, so I bought a crumble mix

 

just out of the oven

 

delicious!!

 

whether or not you are eating delicious puddings, I hope you have a super weekend, love Anne

 

Checking out the fibre

 No, I wasn't closely examining some fabric ........ we popped over to the flat this morning, as Malcolm had signed up for fibre broadband, and it went "live" today.  It's not quite up to speed, as is to be expected on the first day, but it is FAST!!  As it was a lovely morning, we went for a walk round the old walls (on top, this time).    You can just see people walking out to the lighthouse

 

it was very clear, and way, way in the distance, you can see Bamburgh Castle on the right, and Lindisfarne  on the left

 

there were lots of people enjoying the sunshine on the beach

 

we are used to seeing weeds growing out of the top of the wall round the allotments, but this is a small raspberry cane (and Malcolm may have pinched a ripe raspberry from it!)

 

looking through the trees to the church

 

we went to Lowrie's at the Chandlery for lunch.  Malcolm had egg mayo sandwiches

 

and I had my favourite Coronation chicken

 

back home in the garden, yet another clematis is flowering

 

the passion flower produces a new flower almost every day

 

and the hellebore has decided to flower again!

 

when I was sorting through my photos, I realised that I had forgotten to show you what I bought last week at Sue's shop.  I didn't bother taking a photo of the stitch'n'tear, as that would be a bit boring!  So first we have this delicious charm pack

 

just look at those scrummy fabrics!

 

then something practical - tape for joining odd bits of wadding together.  Yes, I could stitch them together, but this is the equivalent of the tape that lazy people non-sewers use to hem their trousers!

 

I do love receiving happy mail, especially if it from my wonderful friend Lee (Just like Martha).  There are birthday cards for Malcolm and me, and a wonderful set of inspirational cards - these are just a few of them

 

to finish, we pop back over to Berwick.  This is the back of the Money Pit.  As the front is accessed from the walls, it is only 3 storeys high, but, as you can see, the back is 5 storeys (and the van and wheelie bins help with the scale)

 

and this shot of the fire escape shows just how big it is

 

but even bigger is this old school, which has been lying derelict, home only to pigeons.  But this morning there were workmen busy about the place, so it will be interesting to see what happens to it.  I have named it the Very Big Money Pit!! 

 

I shall be back tomorrow with some very special news!

What would we do without .........

......... potatoes?  On Sunday afternoon, I settled down to watch The Martian, while I did some hand sewing.  A large part of the story revolves around the main character, Mark, growing potatoes, after he has been left behind on Mars.  I was interested in this part of the story, as Albert Bartlett, from my home town of Airdrie, gave technical advice on growing potatoes

 

I did some quilting on my hexies

 

but then decided that I ought to get on with Mrs Billings

 

Malcolm made sure I had enough energy for all the sewing I was doing

 

and after The Martian finished, the Minions made sure I kept on stitching!

 

so here is the latest progress on Mrs B, after another session this afternoon (Meredithe and Sue, please stop sniggering!)

 

I finished stitching this small hexie border in place

 

and pinned this one in place

 

I stitched together all the hexies for the other two borders, and pinned them on

 

next, I looked out a pile of scrappy pieces ......... as you can see, the sun was shining brightly through the velux on to the table.  I also got out the acrylic template and some tiny paper diamonds

 

the first batch of diamonds cut out

 

and stitched over the papers

 

the diamonds stitched together and pinned on one of the big hexies

 

the little ears will be tucked in when I stitch the diamonds in place

 

the second lot pinned in place - and now you can see the little oops.  I hadn't paid attention, and used the same fabric for the first diamonds as the neighbouring hexie, so I will have to do another one

 

to finish - in the garden this afternoon, I noticed this little tree was looking a bit bare ......

 

........ yes, the dreaded caterpillars have returned!

The continuing saga ........

........ of the war with the neighbours' many horrid nasty cats!  We have tried so many things to keep the cats from using the planters at the edge of the deck as a toilet.  We used to grow vegetables in the planters, but who would want to eat something that a cat might have messed beside.  Some things just don't work, some work for a little while.  The teasels which Maureen gave me last autumn kept them away for the winter, but then in the spring we realised that they had gone soft and were no longer a prickly deterrent.  So Malcolm came up with the plan to gather a bag of flat stones every time we were on the beach, and here is what we hope will be the ultimate cat deterrent

 

the garden is blooming, with yet another clematis flowering

 

there is still a flush of colour at the tips of the pieris

 

my Lace Lady tree seems to have doubled in size this summer!

 

this shrub, and the lambs' ears below it, are always buzzing with bees and hover flies

 

the climbing rose in the pergola is pretty in pink

 

this is to the right of the studio door - shame about the drain pipe!

 

a riot of colour in one of the many pots on the deck

 

and more colour at the edge of the little cobbled area under the pergola - Malcolm made the chair and beehive from pallets!

 

some of the many lavender plants - they too are always buzzing with bees

 

and to finish - two beautiful red roses