frayed at the edge

Contrast

The other evening, the collared doves enjoyed a quite drink from the birdbath ......

 

....... but it's just as well that they weren't there this afternoon, when we had a sudden downpour

 

I'm glad that I didn't get caught in a shower when I was out for my walk yesterday, as there few places to shelter.  I suppose I could have cuddled up with these sheep

 

I coudn't persuade these two to stand closer together!

 

I don't think that I would want to cuddle up to this one

 

I like horses - but only in the distance - they are a bit scary up close!

 

folklore/old wives' tales say that the severity of the winter is in proportion to the amount of hawthorn berries ....... there are very few this year, so hopefully we will have a mild winter

 

I have no idea what these bits of machinery for, but they make a good photo

 

I would love to steal this gate to refurbish it and put it in the garden

 

on my way out to the studi yesterday afternoon, I was distracted by some butterflies on the buddleia buddleiia buddliea butterfly bush

 

while I was taking photos of the butterflies, there was a wonderful buzz from this shrub - you can't see them, but it was covered in bees!

 

I did some more work on my "Welcome" block - I am delighted with it!!

 

I got out some embroidery threads - and found they matched my drawing

 

there was no patch'n'chat today, but I didn't want you to be deprived of the Friday cake, so I looked out Meredithe's recipe

 

it hadn't been in the fridge quite long enough, so it was a bit squidgy ....... but it was delicious!  There is plenty left over, so we will be having some with our afternoon cuppa for a while, as it keeps well in the fridge.  The forecast is mixed for the weekend, so I think I may be doing a lot of sewing, and Malcolm will be watching the cricket.  Whatever you have planned, I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

Geometry

I really didn't like geometry ........ I didn't mind algebra, it made sense to study arithmetic, but geometry and trigonometry just didn't appeal.  This afternoon I wished that I had paid more attention, as I wanted to draw an elengated triangle.  I knew that I needed to use my protractor (yes, I have a protractor and a set square) but I simply couldn't remember what to do.  So as always, Malcolm came to the rescue (only after I made him a cup of coffee!).

But to start at the beginning ....... I had yet to draw the pattern for the August block for Lucie's "A is for applique" challenge.  I started with this

 

I added some flowers and birdhouses, and decided to use some coloured pens.  I know it looks as if I asked a passing 5-year old to draw it for me ....... Malcolm was warned not to laugh!

 

The triangle that Malcolm drew for me is a template for the bunting

 

I chose these pretty Tilda fabrics

 

the fabric version looks a bit better than my drawing!

 

you know I love to get post from far-flung places - and this envelope has come along way

 

so what had come all the way from China?

 

it was cool this morning, which is probably why this bee stayed still long enough for a clear photo!

 

and to finish, more carrots.  These were grown by Stuart - not bad for his first attempt!!

 

Reward!

We decided to go for a walk round the big park in Hawick yesterday, and as we walked from the carpark to the park I was rewarded for making the effort

 

earlier in the summer, there was only a trickle of water here

 

it is getting cooler in the mornings, and there were signs in the park that autumn is on its way

 

as we have had a reasonable amount of rain recently, everywhere is green and lush

 

this little rabbit was enjoying nibbling on the rich grass

 

Malcolm wanted me to jump in the river to retrieve these fence posts!

 

rusty barbed wire and weathered wood - bliss

 

the last time we visited this part of the park it was a bit neglected, so it was good to see it had been revamped

 

and there was a wonderful suprise in the glasshouse - cockatiels!

 

it started to rain on the way back to the car, so to cheer ourselves up, we went for some serious sconnage

cheese

 

coconut and cherry - unusual, but delicious

 

to finish, something not quite so pretty as the scones!  Maureen has been giving me vegetables from her garden, as shhe has had an excellent crop this summer.  She brought these carrots on Friday especially for Malcolm .........

More cats!!

I don't mind at all including these cats, the latest wonderful quilt from Margaret

 

I was a little bit late getting to patch'n'chat, as the road was temporarily blocked by a tractor which was trying to pull an overhanging branch from a tree!

 

dinner was slightly delayed on Wednesday, as I took photos of this wonderful piece of machinery which wraps silage/haylage bales ..... the joys of a big lens - I was standing in the kitchen taking these photos of the field across  the road!

 

we had pizzas cooked in the new pizza oven for dinner

leek, cheese and pear

 

chorizo and mozzarella

 

of course I had already enjoyed the Friday cake - this week Annette's delicious cupcakes topped with chocolate icing and a Smartie

 

and I have to admit that I had already had chocolate this morning ....... when we have a cuppa in the middle of doing the housework, I have proper hot chocolate .........

 

made with hot milk, some of which gets frothed to top both the hot chocolate and Malcolm's coffee

 

Malcolm says to thank you for all the beehive love - I don't know what he can do now to equal, if not better it!  Rain is forecast for the weekend, so he will have plenty of time to plan his next project - perhaps something using his large stash of driftwood?  As usual I will be in the studio.  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne<

Goodnight John Boy, goodnight Jim Bob

I had to retune my little tv in the studio last week, as some of the channels were being changed.  On Saturday I was scrolling through to see what was on, when I found one of the new channels ...... and look what was on - The Waltons!

 

John Boy was not amused when his siblings invaded his bedroom, when he was trying to write

 

yesterday morning we headed to Newtown St Boswells, to go for a walk.  As we headed towards the River Tweed, there was a lot of traffic noise from the main road above us

 

this plump bee wasn't bothered by the noise

 

however we soon left the road behind and meandered through the trees

 

  We stopped to admire this new wooden bridge ........

 

......... which looks so much better than this old one

 

it has obviously been a good year for the ducks, as we saw several pairs shepherding their broods along the river

 

we thought it rather strange that this boat had a plastic chair in it .......

 

then on round the bend we saw another one!

 

we missed the turn-off to take us away from the river and back to the village - as you can see the vegatation is somewhat overgrown.  I don't think I would sit on the bench, in case a strange creature jumped out!

 

my legs were complaining by the time we had climbed these three sets of steps!

 

I don't know why this sheep has a traffic cone in the field!

 

we couldn't decide what these three old buildings were for

 

of course, after such a long walk we were in need of a cuppa and sconnage.  We went to The Jammy Coo, where we enjoyed a cheese scone ......

 

....... and a fruit scone

 

I'll be back tomorrow, not only with a sewing update, but also with a beehive update!

Warning : cake overload!!

Maureen brought in her chicken wallhanging

 

funny face!

 

elegant double prairie points

 

Katy was working on an diamond shaped log cabin block

 

then it was time for tea ....... and cake!  First, my orange teabread was well received

 

opinion was divided on the salted caramel shortbread - some of the ladies weren't aware of the current popularity of salted caramel

 

Maureen brought in these wonderful courgette and cocoa muffins

 

but I wouldn't want you to think that everything I ate today was naughty ...... I had a bowl of fresh fruit for breakfast!

 

several of you have guessed that Malcolm is making a beehive ...... however we are not going to be keeping bees!  It is an ornamental one, which he intends to use for garden storage.  I think he is going to paint it to match the summerhouse.  Hopefully he will finish it over the weekend.  As usual I will be busy sewing, and weather permitting we will have our Sunday morning walk.  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

Salty!

Some of you guessed what I was making with yesterday's ingredients - it was indeed my version of the salted caramel shortbread.  But of course, being my version, it is a cheat's version!  I started with shortbread fingers (do you like the plates - a packet of them cost a whole 10p when they were sold off after last year's Jubilee celebrations!).  I put them on two plates, as I was going to top half of them with plain chocolate, and half with milk

 

I spread some caramel on each finger, then sprinkled a little salt on top

 

after chilling them in the fridge to firm up the caramel, I melted the chocolate and covered them.  They might not look very elegant, but they tasted good (we have been very restrained and only had one piece each!).  I think if I made them again, I would use a bit more salt.  I'll take this plateful tomorrow - we will have the even less elegant ones!

 

I do have a proper recipe for caramel shortbread - I wrote it in my little notebook years ago, when I still had neat handwriting!

 

I baked the cake this afternoon.  The recipe came from this book, which was published in 1977!

 

it's a very easy recipe.  Having soaked the fruit and orange zest in tea overnight, this morning I added flour and a beaten egg

 

just out of the oven, and it smells delicious.  Of course you will have to wait until tomorrow for a report on how it looks and tastes

 

while I was busy in the kitchen, Malcolm was doing more of his project.  I think you may now guess what it is

 

out in the garden, the flamingos are settling in.  Maybe we should turn the water feature on for them!

Although Garfield is a cat ........

........ I always laugh at his cartoon, and yesterday's made me laugh more than usual

 

when we were out and about today, we popped into Lochcarron for a bowl of soup for lunch.  We had hoped that their wonderful Spicy Thai chicken soup was on the menu, but it wasn't.  However the lentil soup was delicious, as was the sun-dried tomato bread

 

over the weekend, I got on with a lot of sewing, working on my two pieces that I started at the Gail Lawther workshops.  I quilted the  Mount Fuji wallhanging (don't worry about the bit of bias tape hanging off, I ironed it back in place after I finished the quilting!)

 

a detail of the sky and the top of the mountain

 

and the foot of the mountain

 

I then got out my mini iron

 

to iron on the rest of the bias tape

 

all that's left to do now is trim the outer edge to match the shape of the inner border, then back and bind the wallhanging

 

then it was on to the vineyard piece.  I did some of the machine quilting

 

I then added more of the bias tape

 

all that was left was the four strips round the border.  I looked at the amount of tape I had left, and thought that I might not have enough.  I measured it, and found I only had enough for three sides!!  I sent an emergency email to Maureen, as we had shared a reel of the tape when we were at the workshop.  Back came the answer that she had a piece left that might just be long enough, plus a couple of smaller pieces - if I have to have a join I can put a button over it!

 

Yesterday I got out this box

 

which contains the latest project for Anne - Nice people, Nice Things

 

it is a double-sided quilt,  but I am doing it as two quilts, as there isn't anywhere to hang it in the shop that would show off both sides.  One side has stitcheries of little pictures, the other side has stitcheries of sayings.  The pattern comes with iron on transfers, so I sorted out the fabric and transfers into two bundles

 

there are six stitcheries on each transfer, and after a great deal of ironing-on, I had eighteen pieces of fabric, ready to be layered up with thin bamboo wadding

 

I wound the embroidery threads on to plastic bobbins, and decided to use my cute sheepie tin to keep them in

 

I forgot to include this photo yesterday - Malcolm had kept it for me on Friday, when it was in his newspaper (we read different papers!).  Perhaps I could offer to do another review of all the wonderful scones they didn't mention?

 

I made a start to my cake today, as the mixed fruit, orange zest and brown suger has to soak overnight in tea ( I used Earl Grey)

 

I also made something with these ingredients - I'll tell you what tomorrow

 

while I was busy in the kitchen, Malcolm was starting a new project in the garage ...... can you guess what it is?

Take two!

Fingers and toes firmly crossed that it all goes to plan tonight!  So what vanished yesterday?  On Sunday we went to the Philiphaugh Estate, for a walk by the river.  The waterwheel isn't working at the moment ......

 

........ because major work is being done beside the river

 

I want one of these

 

in a few weeks' time these little berries will be big, fat, luscious brambles

 

we have had many walks here, but this was the first time we have taken this path, along the edge of the run-off from the waterwheel

 

we thought at first that the concrete edge was just on one side, but a bit further on we realised that it was on both sides.  The other bank had been hidden by the vegetation

 

after an enjoyable walk, we popped in to the Waterwheel Cafe, to enjoy some serious sconnage (I'm delighted to see my word (a combination of scone and tonnage) appearing elsewhere.  Should I contact the OED to tell them I invented  it?

fruit scone

 

cheese scone

 

we stopped in Selkirk at the Studio on the Green, but we weren't there for a dance class.  The Nomads Tent (I think there should be an apostrophe in Nomads) were there with a selectin of goodies from their shop.  We had seen them several times before at Chesters House and we had always bought a little something.  And it was no different on Sunday.  Some of the goodies were displayed in the beautiful garden, and I was delighted to be given permission to take some photos

 

so what did I buy?  First, there was an addition to my collection of shopping bags

 

and then there were these very cute flamingos

 

we have lots of birds in the garden - both real and ornamental- and the flamingos have settled in with these wonderful birds which I bought in Indonesia, way back in the late 90s

 

I'll be back tomorrow with a big sewing update, but to finish tonight ........ do you remember some weeks ago I mentioned that the cherry tree had very little bossom?  Well, on Sunday I took a photo of this year's crop of cherries

yes, one cherry!!

 

ps - Susan has asked about buying a Country Cottages pattern.   If you would like a copy, send me an email (there is a link at the top of the sidebar) with your name and address.  I will send you a Paypal bill (you don't need to have a Paypal account to pay it).  The price : in the UK, £10 incl p&p, elsewhere £12, incle p&p.

One thing leads to another!

I was busy sewing on Saturday afternoon, when the sun came out from behind a cloud and shone right on the needle area, making it hard to see what I was doing.  I glanced up the velux, and saw that it was in serious need of being cleaned (as was the other one).  So I thought I would clean them while waiting for the sun to move round a bit.  Having cleaned the insides, Malcolm offered to clean the outsides, an offer I gladly accepted as it's very awkward to do the outsides.  When he had finished, I thought I might as well do the two sets of French doors, then as I still had soapy water left, I fetched a scrubbing brush and gave my chair a good scrub, ready for repainting

 

back in the studio, I admired the lovely clean veluxes

 

Typepad has just thrown a major wobbly and I have lost the rest of the post, so I'm sorry but you'll have to wait until tomorrow, as I can't face doing it all again!!