frayed at the edge

It's in the bag

Yesterday morning when we were out for a walk, we came across a plant that looked like a thistle, except for the leaves.  My trusty wildflower book tells me that it is lesser burdock ....... I wonder if that's what is used to make dandelion and burdock, a favourite childhood drink

 

 

Malcolm spotted these bright red berries , but I haven't yet found the tree in my new tree book!

 

 

And the berry theme continued this morning, with a new crop of raspberries

 

 

If you think they look like big raspberries ....... yes, they were (and they were also delicious)

 

 

The hedgerow apples are just about ready to pick

 

 

The rosehips are ripening - I just hope that I get the chance to pick them before the hedges are cut

 

 

If only you could eat conkers - they are abundant this year

 

 

Over the weekend, I have been working on a new design of lavender bags, for my sales table later in the month.  I started with some trial stitching on cotton tape

 

 

Having decided to use the font on the right, I stitched a batch, and then sewed them in the centre of the fronts of the lavender bags.  Then I stitched a 'frayed' label on the back

 

 

I stitched round three sides, then put the lavender in before stitching the fourth side.  I trimmed the edges with the pinking blade on my rotary cutter

 

 

When I showed Malcolm the prototype, he thought it was a coaster ...... so when I finished the lavender bags, I looked out some woollen fabrics and stitched some tape, using wonderful variegated Madeira threads - I plan to make the coasters tomorrow.

 

 

I forgot to do the knitting update last week - I had taken the photo, I just forgot to include it in last Monday's Post!  I have now finished the four sections of the shawl ........

 

 

........ and I've made a start to the miles and miles of edging!

 

Lighting up the sky

When we went through to the kitchen last night, just before we went to bed, we saw this amazing sky

 

The red line could have been made by a spaceship coming in to land ....... but it was probably a contrail!  As I was taking the photo, a dark shape landed on the back of the telegraph pole across the road

 

I didn't manage to get a photo as it flew off, so you will have to take my word that it was an owl!!

 

However, the next photo is quite clear - if tractors can be described as cute, then this one has to be the cutest!

 

 

This one has been at work turning the hay

 

 

While this one was just a little too close for comfort as it passed me!

 

 

Having failed to snap the owl last night, I did manage to capture this goldfinch - but it flew off before i could zoom in (click on it to enlarge)

 

 

I was busy again in the studio today, making another four brooches

 

 

I have also started another little project (I know, I know, I said I wouldn't start anything new until I had finished some more UFOs!).  Remember when we were away at the weekend, we saw a shop with 'patch' in its name that didn't have much patchwork?  Then, when we were in Denbigh we saw this shop .......

 

....... but it turned out to be a children's clothes shop!  Finally, we found a patchwork shop in Llangollen

 

 

I succumbed to a William Morris jelly roll, which opened out to reveal all these lovely fabrics

 

 

Having recently seen several friends working on hexagon quilts, I decided that was what I would use the jelly roll for

 

 

I know you can buy ready cut papers online, but I just draw round a template until I have filled the sheet of paper, then photocopy it - it doesn't take long to cut them out

 

 

The strips are just the right size for the template, and I quickly marked and cut the first strip

 

 

Soon I had half a dozen pieces tacked - just several hundred more to go!

 

 

When I was looking for something to keep this latest project in, I found this box, which I bought very cheaply when Woolworths closed - I think I hadn't used it before because of the rather lurid shade of pink!

 

 

This morning, I was standing at the bedroom window drying my hair when I saw a little sparrow fledgeling land on my car, closely followed by its parent.  Abandoning my hair to finish drying itself, I rushed off to get the camera.  The first shots taken through the window weren't very good, so I ended up standing on the camel stool that sits under the window(very awkward, as I have to stand on the outer wooden edges of the stool and not on the cane centrs), and pointing the camera through the small gap that the window was open (I didn't want to push it open further in case it scared off the birds).  But as you can see, this photo was worth the effort!!

 

Hello deer!

No - I haven't got the spelling wrong ---- this morning I finally saw a deer again, having seen one some weeks ago, when I didn't have the camera with me

 

 

Altgough we are still in July, there was a decided autumnal nip in the air this morning, and some plants have already gone to seed

 

 

 

 

But other plants are still putting out buds and new growth

 

 

 

Next month I have a sales table at the Southdean Show, so I thought it was time to knuckle down and make some things to sell!  I looked out a pile of ready cut circles that I bought some time ago, with the thought that I could make something with them one day!

 

 

I sorted some of them into pairs

 

 

I took the first pair, and ran a gathering stitch round the edge of each circle, and pulled the stitches tight, to make yoyos (Suffolk puffs)

 

 

I stitched the two together and added a brooch pin to the back ......

 

 

......... and added a large button to the front to complete the brooch

 

 

I had an unexpectedly large meal at lunchtime yesterday, so I didn't want any dinner when I got home.  As Malcolm had already cooked it, that meant there were some leftover vegetables to use up when I made dinner tonight.  I also had a bit of stale bread to use up

 

 

I got out my trusty processor (it's about 12 years old!) and made breadcrumbs

 

 

Mashed the veggies

 

 

Mixed the veggies and breadcrumbs together, and added seasoning and a beaten egg

 

 

I divided the mixture into four portions, and formed it into potato and veggie cakes

 

 

I shallow fried them in sunflower oil - the trick is to get the oil quite hot, so that when you put the cakes in the surface cooks quickly and seals, so that they don't get oily

 

 

So what else were we having?  On Wednesday mornings, the fishman comes to the house in his van.  I'm usually in the bath when he arrives, so Malcolm gets to choose what fish we have.  Today he chose breaded haddock, which I cooked on the griddle, with just a spray of one-calorie oil

 

 

To complete the meal, I made a very quick sauce with low fat creme fraiche and blue Shropshire cheese - simply warmed until the cheese melted

 

 

After all that effort, I thought I should get out the fish knives and forks!

 

 

The verdict ....... delicious!

 

 

 

 

 

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!!

 

 

 

An unwelcome visitor!

I should have shown you this first photo on Friday - but because I was redoing Thursday's post ...... I forgot!  This twig tree is usually out in the studio with the hearts and butterflies on it but I bring it in to the house and add the little eggs at Easter

 

 

I made the felt flower for last year's Southdean show - I won second prize with it (modesty prevents my telling you that I also won first prize with a needle-felted picture!)

 

 

On Saturday morning, I headed off down the road to Chesters, for the Easter 'Market Day'.  I took with me the leftovers from the Christmas Fair and some cards that I have had printed from some of my photos.  It didn't take too long to set up my little stall

 

 

I didn't sell a lot - but enough to have made it worth going ....... and I had a delicious bacon roll and lentil soup for lunch!

We went for a walk in Jedburgh yesterday morning.  We were intrigued by this little figure that we spotted on the gable of an old house.  He looks as if he is playing some sort of musical instrument (click on the photo to enlarge it for a better look)

 

 

Back home, we found we had a very unwelcome visitor in the summer house ...... a wasp

 

 

As you can see, he was aiming to move in permanently, as he worked away on his byke (nest).  He had already completed the first layer, and was working on the next one

 

 

As we didn't fancy sharing the summer house with him and his family, Malcolm removed his efforts (with the aid of a long stick)  The byke is made of a paper-like substance, which the wasp makes by chewing tree bark

 

 

However, these visitors, making their very noisy way up the road to a new field, were very welcome!

 

 

Malcolm reluctantly modelled last week's knitting project, the lovely pale green gardening gloves.  After posing in them, he gave them back and said he didn't really think they were practical gardening wear!

 

 

I've chosen another small project for this week, as I am still resting my hands and wrists (which are much better)

 

 

 

 

Birthday girl!

It is Jennifer's birthday in a few days time, so we we went down to Morpeth this morning, to take her out for lunch.  I can't tell you what we gave her for her birthday, as she hasn't opened her present yet ..... but I can tell you all about lunch!  We went to The Country Barn at Widdrington, where there is an excellent coffe shop and farm shop.  As it was a special occasion, we had a bottle of wine with lunch.  Both Malcolm and Jennifer hate having their photo taken so this was the best I could do!

 

 

There is a wide choice of food, so it took us some time to decide what to have.  Jennifer and Malcolm both decided to have quiche .....

 

 

..... while I plumped for the baked potato with coronation chicken

 

 

The food was delicious, and we lingered over cups of tea and coffee (of course you know that the tea was for me!!)

On the way back to Jennifer's, we passed this wonderful sculpture, which has been nicknamed 'Robin of Pegswood' - you can read about him here.  I'm sorry it is not the best of photos, but as I was sitting in the back seat of the car, it was rather difficult to capture Robin in all his glory!

 

 

Before we left this morning, I had to take these photos in a bit of a rush.  This explains why the bathroom cabinet, which Malcolm has made for his other sister, Judith, is standing on the kitchen worktop!  We were taking the cabinet to Jennifer's, as Judith will collect it next time she visits her.

 

 

Judith had given him the measurements, and a rough description of the style she wanted

 

 

I don't have a cabinet in my bathroom - I shall have to put in an order for one!!

 

A coincidence and a cake

As promised, I took photos today of the wonderful goodies that Julie gave me yesterday in return for knitting the socks.  She had found some vintage knitting things, and had also made me a very lovely boot, stuffed with very fragrant lavender

 

 

This knitting pattern made me smile - three of the socks have manly props in the photos ....... the ladies'  pair has a dog collar and lead!

 

 

I can't imagine a modern pattern starting like this (and I don't think I would want to knit with Nylox!)

 

 

To go with the pattern was this circular kntting needle, in it original packet

 

 

And to encourage me in my efforts to improve my crochet skills, a set of hooks

 

 

Finally, two very old postcards.  The lady knitting a sock on this one looks like my Granny!

 

 

When Julie saw this one, she remembered that I had said that I washed the socks when I finished them .........

 

 

But this is where the coincidence comes in - the card was sent to someone in Hawick - but Julie didn't know that's where I live!

 

 

The card was sent to her by her nephew

 

 

If you look very carefully at the middle of the photo, you can discern the postmark - I think it says Edinburgh, 2AM, AUG 2 10 (1910)

 

 

And now for the cake!  This afternoon I organised the ingredients for the blueberry and lemon curd cake.  First of all, of course, I had to make a batch of lemon curd, then weigh and measure out the dry and wet ingredients

 

 

This is my kind of recipe - throw everything into the bowl of the mixer .....

 

 

......... a quick mix

 

 

and it's ready to go in the oven

 

 

An hour and ten minutes later

 

 

All that remained to do was spread a thick layer of lemon icing, then cut a slice (as you can see, I didn't wait for the icing to set!!)

 

delicious!!

 

 

A tale of two men in Morpeth

This morning, we headed south again so that I could meet another blog friend - this time is was Julie.  We were meeting so I could give her the third pair of socks.  They are for her daughter's birthday in May, but as her daughter doesn't read this, I can mention them!  We headed off for a spot of lunch, and amid much laughter, Julie handed me a paper bag from a bakers' shop.  Inside was a 'Morpeth Gadgie' bread (a gadgie is a man, perhaps of slightly dubious reputation!)

 

 

Julie also gave me some wonderful things in return for knitting the socks, but the light wasn't good enough to take pictures when we got home, so I will show you those tomorrow.  We had a lovely lunch, although perhaps we didn't do justice to the lovely food as we were talking so much

 

 

When Julie left, I had time for a little retail therapy before I met up with Malcolm and Jennifer, who had also been out for lunch.  There is a wonderful new shopping arcade in Morpeth, with some of my favourite shops.  First stop was .........

 

  I still have a beautiful dress and jacket that Malcolm bought me for one of our wedding anniversaries way back in the 80s.  It is somewhat too small for me now, but it is so gorgeous, I could never part with it (I must remember to take a photo to show you).  However, after a brief look at the clothes, I headed for my favourite part of the shop - the remnants basket.  I was very restrained, and only bought two pieces, which both cost £1!

 

 

The next stop was the one shop that I really miss, since we moved to the Borders

 

I have, for many years, bought my undies in Marks and Spencers, but today they let me down, as they didn't have the item I wanted in my size.

I decided to have a look round this shop ..........

 

...... although I was rather put off by the sign on the door which said something like 'we are open, but we keep the door closed to protect the environment' - but I won't have a rant about selling imported clothes (think of the fuel used to transport them) and all the lights used in the shop (all that electricity!).  The clothes were lovely, but as I didn't really need anything, I just had a look round, before going on to

 

 

This is where I encountered the second man of the tale ...... and he had designs on my gadgie!  I was looking at the craft books when one of the staff commented on the bread peeking out of my bag ..... he hadn't yet had his lunch, and was rather peckish.  When I showed him the gadgie, he had a good laugh at it - but said he wouldn't want to eat him, it would just be like eating a person!  I'm afraid I succumbed to a book - what can I say, I think I need a 12-step programme 'my name is Anne and I'm a bookaholic'

 

 

I was served by the same young man - very bright, cheeery and efficient,  I think he will go far.  He was delighted to tell me that as I had spent more than £10, I could have one of the books displayed on the counter at a (very much) reduced price.  Yippee - one of the books was the next in the 'No 1 Ladies Detective Agency' series.  I love these books - if you have never read them, get down to the library, or visit the dreaded Amazon and prepare yourself for delightful tales of Mma Ramotswe, a lady of traditional build, and her husband, Mr J. L. B. Matekoni

 

 

ps, my friend Lee in Sydney will be suffering from severe book envy - she is such a devotee of Martha Stewart, that her blog is called Just Like Martha!
pps - we ate some of the gadgie with dinner, and he was delicious!

A special day out

This morning, we set off for Carlisle, to meet someone here

 

 

So whom did we go to meet?  Of course it was a 'blog friend' ........Lynne.  We have been reading each other's blogs for some time now ...... and we had discovered that Lynne's husband played football with one of Malcolm's cousins many years ago, and Lynne had worked with another cousin's wife!  She now lives in Germany, but is over for a holiday staying with her sister in Carlisle, so it was the ideal opportunity to finally meet

 

 

Some weeks ago, we had organised a swap (you have already seen the crocheted snowflake that Lynne sent me)  ..... and today she gave me another parcel. 

 

 

Inside were all these lovely things

 

a lovely fat robin

 

a delicate wooden ornament

 

intricate crocheted mats

 

For Lynne, I knitted two pairs of fingerless mitts - a pair for her and a pair for her daughter

 

 

We had a lovely time chatting (Malcolm had a cuppa with us and then went for a wander round the garden centre), then later Lynne's sister Christine joined us and we blethered for a while longer, before heading back home.  It was quite foggy for a large part of the journey, but it cleared just in time to see these sheep on the hills - yes, the little white marks way up at the top are sheep!

 

 

In contrast to the fog on the way home, we had a lovely clear sky when we got home with, later on, a wonderful sunset

 

 

 

In the car, I started on the second sock for Rachel ...... but I forgot to take a photo!  Do pop over to Rachel's blog, to read about the stray cat that she had taken in and what happened today ......

 

 

A double celebration!

As the weather has been a little bit better, we went for a walk on both Saturday and Sunday, and on both days I took my own advice to look up for things to take photos of.  On Saturday in Hawick I was rewarded with this beautiful stained glass window, which I think I might adapt into a wallhanging

 

 

 I was also looking down, and spotted this first sign of better days ahead - daffodils just peeping through

 

Yesterday we went to Melrose, and on an old building which is now home to the Scouts, I spotted this (I think the Duke of Buccleuch is the richest man in Scotland, Malcolm thinks he is the biggest landowner .....perhaps he is both)

 

 

Then Malcolm saw this wonderful date stone, which looks as if it could have been carved yesterday, not a hundred and eleven years ago!

 

 

This clock is magnificent ...... wouldn't it be good if more buildings had such decorative things on them!

 

 

It's almost time to take the Christmas decorations down, and if you would like some ideas of things to do with your cards, then have a look here at a tutorial I did this time last year.

 

So, finally, we come to the reason for today's heading!  Saturday is a very special day ....... not only is it my second blogiversary, but it will also be my 600th post!!  That can only mean one thing ..... yes, a giveaway.  I wanted to make it a special one, so I have decided that I will either knit a pair of socks or make a small wallhanging for the winner.  All you have to do is a leave a comment between now and Friday the 14th, when, as always, I will ask Malcolm to randomly generate a number to pick the winner - who can then decide which prize they would prefer.  There may be second and third prizes as well!  All you have to do is leave a comment between now and the 14th ...... the more comments you leave, the more chances you will have in the draw, so why not leave a comment every day!!