frayed at the edge

No wool in sight!

On Saturday, while I was enjoying all things woolly, Malcolm took the small camera and headed for Whitehaven, where he found a great variety of things to take photos of. 

 

the harbour

 

 

an unusual bench!

 

 

quayside sculpture

 

 

spiking the cannon when the Americans tried to invade

 

 

part of a sculpture marking the end of mining

 

 

a plaque, set in a seat, showing the tax due on tobacco imports

 

 

a little bit of history

 

On Sunday, we went into Cockermouth ....... we had hoped to find a coffee shop to have breakfast, but there was nowhere open.  Fortunately, good old Greggs came to the rescue, and we were able to enjoy take-away bacon rolls, sitting on a bench in the street (several people stopped to ask where we had got our food, as they too couldn't find an open cafe!)

In November 2009, Cockermouth suffered dreadful floods ...... Malcolm stood under the mark which shows the flood level - it must have been terrifying for the residents

 

 

We visited Wordsworth House, which was the childhood home of the poet William Wordsworth.  The house didn't actually belong to the Wordsworth family, so it doesn't have personal items, but is furnished in the style of the time when Wordsworth lived there.  My favourite room was the kitchen

 

 

 

The garden was devastated by the floods, but as you can see from the following photos, a lot of very hard work has restored it

 

 

 

 

 

This morning, I was meandering striding along, when I heard very loud munching from the other side of the hedge.  I was a bit concerned that a family of mutant giant sheep had moved in to the field ....... so I was quite relieved when I came to the field gate to see these beauties!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I can see clearly now!

Yes - at last I have my new glasses ....... but more of that later!  Instead, I'll start at the beginning of the day, with some photos from my morning walk

 

another of the scary triffid-like plants

 

 

a slightly ruffled blackbird

 

 

a tranquil early morning scene

 

Back home, I had my breakfast, showered and got dressed up, as I was heading south to meet Rachel for lunch.  I left early to get away from the mayhem in the garden, so I thought I would stop at the Carter Bar (the border between Scotland and England) to take some photos.  That was a big mistake - indeed it was a VERY big mistake, as the place was heaving with tourists ......

 

 

....... these are just two of a row of coaches

 

 

I know this is very unpatriotic, but I did feel sorry for the tourists being subjected to the bagpipes!!  (I think it sounds like a cat being strangled!!)

 

 

But it was worth it to take these photos

 

 

 

There are no photos from lunch with Rachel - probably because we don't want friends and relations saying 'you ate what??!! ...... whatever happened to the healthy eating plan?'.  But we had a lovely time catching up with all the news (don't tell them, but of course we talked about our lovely sons and their gorgeous girlfriends!!).  Then it was out to our cars, to transfer lots and lots of boxes which I had brought for Rachel - if you don't read her blog, do pop over to find out about all the ups and downs of her on again/off again house selling/buying.
On the way home, I decided that I had time to make a rather large detour to Kelso, so that I could pick up my new glasses (the opticians phoned on Monday to say that they were ready).  Malcolm took so long to take this photo, you might notice that my smile is slightly strained!

 

 

The state of the garden when I got home ......

 

 

...... but an ingenious solution was found to look after the beech hedge until it can be replanted!

 

 

ps - I haven't forgotten about Malcolm's day out on Saturday, and also what we did before heading for home on Sunday - I'll tell all tomorrow!!

So, what did I buy .......

........ of course I bought some yarn!  And of course I bought it from my friend Helen

 

lusciuos sock wool (socks for me)

 

 

gorgeous plain colour (socks for Malcolm)

 

 

divine laceweight yarn

 

These are funny little egg-shaped balls of rug wool - I think I will use it to knit and felt stripey bags

 

 

The other bits and pieces ......

 

multi-coloured bags of wool tops for needle felting

 

 

baby camel hair and silk, for embellishing

 

 

pre felt for the embellisher

 

 

a wonderful Australian magazine

 

I also bought something very special when we were in Keswick - this may look like an ordinary bag .....

 

 

....... but is a padded bag for the camera!

 

 

On to the state of the front garden ........ yes, at last work has begun on our new sewage system.  It took quite a while to get all the permits organised - but finally the work is under way.  There are holes everywhere!

 

 

 

 ....... and just to make things more miserable for me, my bathroom has been tied in to the new pipework, so it's out of use until the whole system is up and running, so I will have to share Malcolm's shower room!!

 

 

 

Woolly thoughts!

Lots and lots to share with you about our few days away - so let's get going!  First of all, our teeny, tiny cottage.  It was part of a converted stable block on a farm.

 

 

The cottage was 'upside down' .... so we went in the door into the bedroom ........

 

 

....... then on up the stairs (past the door to the shower room) to the lounge/kitchen

 

 

 

It was a very cosy, comfortable little cottage - you can find out more about where it was here.  However, we had such a busy time, we didn't spend a lot of time in it.  Of course the main event was Woolfest - we went together on Friday, then I went again on my own on Saturday, as I was meeting friends (more about that later).  On Friday morning we only had a cuppa when we got up, as we knew that we would have the most delicious roll and sausage for breakfast when we got there

 

 

Suitably fortified, we plunged into the sights, sounds (and smells!) of the show floor.  When I reviewed my photos to decide what to include, I realised that on Friday, almost all the photos were of the animals - but I did take a shot of Jenny Pepper's stall (with permission) - lots of gorgeous felty things!

 

 

I tried earlier to make a mosaic of the sheep and alpaca photos, but the whole thing was taking so long, I gave up!!  So here are the individual photos ....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I mentioned that no doubt we would have fish and chips for dinner one night - and that's what we did on Friday ....... we went to Keswick - and tucked into a delicious meal ........

 

 

....... sitting by the lake

 

 

On Saturday morning, Malcolm dropped me off (he went off for a day out ...... and of course he took a camera - more about that later in the week).  I headed to my friend Helen's stall, to have a blether with her and our mutual friend Lizzi.  While we were chatting, someone else joined us ...... and she turned out to be Jill (no blog) from New Zealand, whom I had arranged to meet later in the day!  Jill is originally from Scotland - she still has her accent!  It was lovely to meet someone who until now I have only known through comments and emails.  I then did a spot of shopping, and returned to Helen's stall, where I had arranged to meet my blog friend Emily, who was there with her friend Emma.  They had yet to have breakfast, so we headed off to the restaurant, whre we met another of their friends, Tracey.  While they tucked into breakfast, I was very good and only had a cup of tea!  We had a lovely time chatting and swapping bloggy stories ...... then it was back to shopping!

After a while my feet were complaining, so I went to have a seat and listen to the musical entertainment ..... and had a lovely chat with a super knitter from Yorkshire, named Heather

 

 

Suitably revived, I returned to the fray, and stopped to watch Owen Jones making his wonderful baskets (photo used with permission)

 

 

Ingrid Wagner (fresh from being featured on the cover of Outlandish Knits) was happy to have her photo taken too

 

 

So ...... what did I buy?  I'll tell you tomorrow, as now it's time for the weekly knitting project update!

 

I am delighted with the scarf!

 

 

I've skipped the lavendar bags and baby hat, to do the cushion next!

 

ps, the front garden looks as it it has been invaded by giants moles - I'll explain tomorrow!!

 

 

 

Here, piggy piggy!

It's almost time for Woolfest, so at the weekend I got out my assorted piggy banks, to count out the money I have saved up to spend on all things woolly  (the piggy with the blue bow oinks when you put money in it!)

 

 

I soon had all the small change counted, and in bags ready to change at the bank, which I did on Monday morning

 

 

Although Woolfest doesn't start until Friday, we are heading over to Cockermouth tomorrow, as we are renting a (very tiny) cottage until Sunday, so that we can get out and about and make the most of our stay.  Malcolm has just made one of his fabulous lasagnes to take with us for dinner tomorrow night, but I think fish and chips could be on the menu for either Friday or Saturday!

Although it was a bit grey this morning, I took the camera with me, to have another play with the new lens.

 

I was far enough away from this lamb not to scare it!

 

 

the horse stopped and posed for me!

 

 

what is the dark shape on the horizon?

 

 

a cow!

 

On Sunday, I had remarked to Malcolm that I would need to get the stepladder out to take photos of the clematis, as the flowers were all above my head.  However, this afternoon, with the help of the new lens, I was able to take these photos, without the aid of the ladder!

 

a bud just starting to open

 

 

this bud is half open

 

 

a glorious flower

 

The climbing rose on the back wall has also started to flower

 

 

When I stopped to take this last photo, I thought it was of a bee - there were a lot of them buzzing about.  But when I looked more closely, I decided that it was a wasp - and moved on swiftly!

 

 

As far as we know, there isn't an internet connection in our cottage, so this may be my last post until Monday - but hopefully I'll find somewhere with wi fi, so that I can let you know what we're up to on our little holiday!!

 

Rain stopped play .......

...... but not at Wimbledon!  I woke up in the early hours to hear heavy rain, and when I got up it was very grey, damp and misty, with just a little bit of drizzle in the air.  So there was no point in taking the camera with me on my walk - I didn't really think you would want photos of low cloud and dripping trees.  However, I did get to play with the new lens a little later on in the morning, trying to capture raindrops landing in a puddle in the front garden!

 

 

 

 

Rain was going to feature in yesterday's post ...... but first, some of the other photos that got left out!  I finished the knitted cushion covers (having finally remembered to buy foam pads for them!)

 

 

I was putting something away in the airing cupboard on Saturday, when I found cushions which I made about ten years ago.  I thought they would be ideal to put on two of the kitchen chairs

 

 

The centres of the cushions were practice pieces for free motion quilting

 

 

 

 

Now to return to the subject of rain.  On Sunday afternoon, it suddenly started to rain.  This was no ordinary rain ...... this was rain of biblical proportions ....... and I was out in the studio!

 

wet,wet,wet

 

 

the rain bouncing on the summerhouse roof!

 

So until the rain went off, I had to stay in the studio ........ but at least I had Bruce Willis to keep me company

 

yes, he did once have hair!!

 

Fortunately I had taken some photos of the front garden before the havoc wreaked by the downpour

 

the climbing rose has just started to flower

 

 

our new peony

 

 

a teeny, tiny alpine

 

 

a bee on the honeysuckle

 

To finish, an update on Malcolm's sore finger!  The awful black bit on his nail has gradually come off - fortunately leaving some nail underneath.  Although the nail is a bit lumpy and bumpy, hopefully over the next few months it will grow ok

 

 

Abandoned!

I had more or less planned today's post ....... but then a very special parcel was delivered!!  I have mentioned that we will celebrate our Silver Wedding at the end of August.  Malcolm got his present from me last week - a Kindle (sorry, I haven't taken a photo, as it's not very exciting to look at!)  My present isn't just for our anniversary, it's also for my birthday and my Christmas ....... a new lens for my camera. As I'm not at all technically minded, I'll just let the photos do tho the talking!

I was so excited, I didn't even go outside - I just took some photos through the lounge window.  The first one shows the garden seen through the existing lens

 

 

This is with the existing lens extended

 

 

Next is the new lens  ........

 

 

......... then with the lens extended

 

 

The next photo had me jumping up and down and sqealing with delight (after putting the camera down!)  This is with digital zoom .......

 

 

The photos were all taken standing in the same place - except for the last one ...... I had to kneel down and lean my elbows on the coffee table to keep the camera steady, as the least movement is hugely magnified!
I don't want to turn into a camera bore, so I'll just show a couple more photos which I took during a quick walk this afternoon

 

I took this 'close-up' from about eight feet away.  I am amazed at the clarity - the apple is only the size of a cherry ...... and did you spot the fly?

 

 

I was leaning on a gate to capture this thistle, which was about six feet away - I love how the background is hazy, and you can see the little bit of spiderweb.

 

Back now to a quick roundup of what should have been the main events of today's post!  As I mentioned on Friday, I took Malcolm out for breakfast yesterday morning

 

absolutely naughty, but very delicious (I couldn't finish mine!)

 

Monday means the knitting update.  On Saturday I pressed the pencil case, and chose a fabric for the lining

 

 

Then yesterday I made it up

 

 

I quite often have a mug of hot chocolate when I'm busy in the studio at the weekend, but on Saturday I forgot to take my mug back into the house, so yesterday I used this mug

 

 

This week's project is one that I have been looking forward to - a lacy scarf

 

 

I have also made a start to the pink blanket for Linus ........

 

 

....... and a baby shawl, which I hope to have finished in time to put into the Southdean Show in August

 

 

To finish, one more photo taken with the new lens.  This is our neighbour's tiny horse (it's about the size of a sheep).  It lives in a paddock way back from the road, so up to now, any photo I took of it wouldn't show what a cute little thing it is!!

 

 

 

 

 

Shadow Shot Sunday

The week has just flown by, and it's time to join in the fun again over at Hey Harriet, where fellow shadow addicts will be sharing this week's crop.  When I went out for my walk on Wednesday morning, I took the camera, although it was a bit cloudy.  Fortunately the sun came out, and I was able to capture some good shadows

 

early morning shadows on the road

 

 

shadows in a neighbour's garden

 

 

horses grazing in the shadow of the tree

 

 

this horse was lazing in the sun

 

 

long shadows in the old cemetery

 

A silly photo to finish - these sheep ran off when they saw me - but there is just enough shadow to qualify as a shadow shot!

 


 

Blurred at the edge

This tale of woe started back in March.  I went to have my routine eye test, and although I was surprised when the optician said that my right eye had changed a great deal (he actually said it had gone from being short sighted to long sighted), I assumed that he knew what he was doing.  The new glasses duly arrived, and after struggling with them for a few days, I decided they just weren't right and took them back.  To shorten a very long story, I got a refund and went to another optician, who completely disagreed with the first optician.  So today I went to collect the new glasses ..... and they have to be sent back, as they have not been given the proper coating ........ aaaargh!! 

On to happier things!  The other day, when I was reading Meredithe's blog, she mentioned the town of Tyabb.  I then had this conversation with Malcolm

me : we went to Tyabb when we had our Melbourne holiday, didn't we

him: yes

me : that's where Magic patch Quilting was

him : if you say so, I don't remember what all the quilting shops you visited were called

So I googled Magic Patch Quilting - up came its entry in Yellow Pages - and yes, it is in Tyabb.  So I left a comment for Meredithe saying I had been in the shop and had bought a kit.  Meredithe replied, asking if I had made the kit ........ well, almost!!

 

I liked the box so much, I kept it!

 

 

I have done all the stitching, but haven't made anything yet!

 

 

a closer look at the friends shopping

 

 

I used French knots for two of the flowers  ........

 

 

and tiny beads for the eyes

 

 

I wonder how much fabric she has in her shoppping bag!

 

I hadn't done any work on my Baltimore block since last Friday, so this afternoon, I stitched and stitched until I finished the petals on the big flower

 

 

Of course I had to have a short break for my cuppa and cake ....

 

 

....... I chose this one with little sugar hearts

 

 

As you enjoyed last week's round-up of sundry photos, I thought I would do the same again this week

 

honeysuckle in the front garden

 

 

an interesting piece of bark and lichen I found the other morning

 

 

this lovely grass escaped the verge mowing

 

 

this is the first foxglove that I've seen in the verge!

 

I hope you all have a great weekend - it's Fathers' Day on Sunday, so I will be taking Malcolm out for a full Scottish breakfast!  Love, Anne

Astounding!

I've just been sent a review copy of this book .....

 

 

........ and I'm enjoying it so much, I thought I would share it with you now, rather than waiting until I have finished it (I have skimmed through to the end).  It is full of all sorts of knitted wonders, lots of facts and figures about the design and construction of the projects, and profiles of some of the knitters.  Some of you will recognise the knitter on the cover, as she has been at Woolfest.  Ingrid is famous for her large scale knitting - read more about her here.  The next photo shows one of her amazing creations - a 21-foot historical coble boat ....... and Ingrid looks charming as a mermaid!

 

 

At the other end of the scale is this teeny, tiny sweater knitted by Annelies de Kort, which fits on the head of a pin

 

 

This tiny cardigan is also one of Annelies' creations - you can see from her hand just how small it is

 

 

How much do you love the man in your life?  Would you spend ten months knitting twelve miles of yarn to make a Ferrari for him!  That's what Lauren Porter did (although it was a project for her degree)

 

 

It was very difficult to pick things from the book ....... but I think everyone will go aaaah at the next photo!  There is even a pattern for the jumper if you want to knit one for the penguin in your life!

 

 

Having recently killed off two cacti in my bathroom, perhaps I should simply knit replacements, like these amazing ones by Irene York!

 

 

The last piece of knitting I picked to show you has me completely bamboozled!  I have just re-read Alasdair Post-Quinn's explanation of how he has a different pattern on either side ....... and my brain is hurting!

 

 

If, like me, you enjoy knitting and somewaht daft things, then pop the book on your wishlist!  (The photos were used with permission from the publishers)

 

I am almost embarrassed to show you my knitting - it doesn't really stand up to comparison with the wonders in the book!  I have finished another baby blanket for Project Linus.  For this one I used a lovely yarn in white and blue (I also have a ball in white and pink!). 

 

 

I like the diamond pattern, but I had to pay more attention to knitting it, comopared to the other blankets with the squares

 

 

A rather sad little tale to finish (and if you're squeamish, don't scroll down to the photo!)  I was in the kitchen this morning, while Malcolm was through in the back lounge.  I heard a bit of a commotion, then he appeared holding something, saying ' you'll never guess what I've just found'.  I could have gone on all day with guesses - but this wouldn't have been one of them ........ he had found a tiny dead bat in the big plant pot that the yucca is in.  We have no idea how it got there, and it must have been dead for some time, as it was completely dried out (don't worry, I washed my hands thoroughly after taking the photo!)