We have had hardly any butterflies and bees in the garden this summer, so when I saw several butterflies and quite a few bees on Sunday afternoon, I rushed to fetch the camera ......
garden
08/30/2012
08/29/2012
Second time around
We were sitting in the summer house the other day, when over on the other side of the garden I spotted a flash of pink in the middle of the hellebore. A few snips with the secateurs to take off the tatty old foliage ....... and just look at this - a second flowering (it flowered first in the spring)
isn't this a beautiful rose?
I added my thumb to this photo, so that you can see that it is tiny!
08/09/2012
So, back to yesterday .......
........ and the photos that got left out
handsome horses in the field across the road
I snapped this honeysuckle on Monday ....
...... and again yesterday
the finch hopped behind the leaf just as I snapped - you can just see her beak and tail!
I love this tiny shed on an allotment
I was startled by this horse when we drove past, until I realised it was a model one!
Christmas in August?
no, just the Red Cross raising funds
quilting Twas the Night before Christmas*
the edges trimmed .......
...... and the binding added
and so on to today. When we were in Hawick this morning, I called in at the Reiver's Moon Gallery
and there it was ....... a browser filled with my photos!!
back home, there was great excitement in the garden - our first beans (ok they are only half an inch long, but they are the first we have ever grown!)
this is the back of Tree, showing some of the stitching round the branches
it is very hard to get photos of squirrels, as they move so quickly. I hardly dared to breathe when I saw this one this morning, tucking into a monkey nut - as soon as I took a careful step nearer, it ran off
*if you wondered why there is a piece of card stuck over the touch screen of the sewing machine, the answer is simple! I know that it tells me somewhere in the instruction book how to disable the screen, so that you don't accidently change the stitch if the quilt touches it - but it's much quicker to put the bit of card over it, than find the book and the relevant section!
07/24/2012
Back to me!
Malcolm was delighted to receive so many comments yesterday - could this be the start of a new hobby?
After handing over the blog to him yesterday, I have some catching up to do, starting with Saturday. When I left the Quilt Exhibition on Saturday afternoonn, I was a bit annoyed to see that there was a major hold-up in the traffic. However, I stopped being annoyed when I found out the cause ........ Kelso Civic Week parade
the star of the parade
Yesterday morning I headed out as usual for my walk, although it was a bit grey and wet. These sheep were sheltering against the wall
but the crows and seagulls were busy pecking through this field, which has just been cut for hay
Yesterday afternoon I was busy making jam and chutney, but as it's for next month's Southdean Show, I can't show you the results yet!
This morning was grey and wet again - and it got steadily wetter. I was dripping by the time I got back home! The church looked quite eerie in the mist
However these cows weren't bothered by the rain
I had just taken this photo .......
....... when this curious cow popped its head into the hole in the hedge
I have been busy working on Twas the Night before Christmas. On Sunday I pressed and trimmed the stitcheries
and ironed the fabrics for the blocks
Today, I cut strips
and stitched them together in sets
I then cross cut these sets and joined the resulting strips into ones of varying lengths, which will frame the blocks and go round the edge of the quilt
Next I had two blocks to make
The next stage is to make foundation pieced blocks, which is possibly my least-favourite method. Just in case I get some wrong (it has been known!), I photocopied one of the pattern sheets, so that I have spares
When I am out for my morning walks, I quite often stop at the field gate just past the church to take photos of the Mintos and the Eildons. However, on my way out this morning, this was the view - or rather lack of view
it had improved slightly on my way home - I think the rain had washed the mist away!
but this was last Tuesday ...... just a slight difference!!
When I was sewing this afternoon, Malcolm stuck his head in the door and shouted to me to come and see .........worms, worms and even more worms! The compost bin was full of them - we have never seen so many worms! This photo shows just a few of them
07/20/2012
Gorgeous babies!
I was all set this morning to take some more photos of the exhibition when ....... one of the group members started putting up signs saying photos could only be taken for personal use and were not to be put on the internet (because of copyright issues). However, I can show you this bag, which I donated to one of the raffles .......
....... these cushions which were made by Kay - she's coming to give a talk to the group later in the year, and these cushions show off her exquisite longarm quilting
....... and these cushions which were made by the patch'n'chat ladies and some of the other regulars at Borderland Fabrics (it was when I was on holiday) The cushions are being sold to raise funds for Project Linus
This afternoon I was on the door with my friend Katy, taking the entrance money and selling raffle tickets. A woman came in and looked at me, and I looked at her ...... she said "I know you, how do I know you, where do I know you from?" Eventually, we realised that we knew each other from years ago - maybe ten years or more - when we were members of Stirling Castle Quilters. She was with her daughter, who recently got married and moved to Kelso, so maybe I'll see her again when she is visiting her daughter.
Then, we had a very special visitor ....... Katy's gorgeous new grandson Aaron! His Mum, Lucy, was going shopping, so she popped in to leave him with Grandma, knowing that Katy would have a wonderful time showing him off to all her friends (there was a queue to ooooh and aaaah and say what a gorgeous boy!) He is now seven weeks old ..... but he was born five weeks early! However, he has steadily put on weight and is a healthy bouncing boy (Lucy was quite happy for me to take his photo for the blog)
back home, there was another baby to admire. We have a large sparrow population in our front garden, and they are busy raising their second brood of the year (if the weather improves we might even get a third brood, as we did last year) You can see that this young male hasn't fully lost his fluffy chick feathers
Of course Friday means cake, and although I wasn't at patch'n'chat, I still had some. I had shared my lunchtime sandwich with Katy, as she had slept in and didn't have time to make her lunch, so we then had a little selection from the cakes for visitors to the exhibition (there are always cakes at quilt exhibitions!) The first is my plate, the second is Katy's - but she didn't have less, she was already eating her first one when I took the photos!
The sun is shining and there is quite a lot of blue sky ........ fingers crossed that it stays like this for the weekend! Love, Anne
07/11/2012
It stopped raining ......
........ for about five minutes this morning, and for the first time in days, the Mintos weren't hidden by mist and low clouds
but the Eildons were only just visible
I stopped at the church to take photos of the new information notice (click on the photos to enlarge them)
and here is the man himself!
since the morning that we saw the fawn, I have kept a lookout as I have come past that field, and this morning I was rewarded with a glimpse of an adult deer in the long grass
I must have made a noise as I leaned on the field gate to take photos, as the deer's head came up, and I just had time to snap one more photo before it leapt off back to trees
the new owners of the neighbouring farmhouse are having some groundworks done. Does anyone know how to hotwire a mini digger ......
....... or even better, a big dumper truck!!
by the time I got back home, the rain was on again, and this spider web in the front garden had captured some raindrops
later in the morning, we drove up to Selkirk, to have lunch at Lochcarron. The closer we got to Selkirk, the heavier the rain came down, so a large bowl of spicy Thai chicken soup with delicious bread was very welcome
back home, we settled down to watch cricket on tv ..... the West Indies v New Zealand. They were playing on the island of St Kitts, and we delighted in seeing lots of blue sky and sparkling seas!! While Malcolm wrestled with the crossword, I got on with my knitting, finishing the body of the tea cosy
the pencil is through the steek stitches for the spout
I have just pushed the steek through to the inside, but it gives you an idea what it will look like once it is cut to make the opening
the next stage is to work another vikkel braid, before shaping the top of the cosy,then finishing the edges with i-cord ...... and there should be enough wool left to make one in the reverse colourway!
to finish, I assumed the sheep in the old orchard were ewes (they are usually lying down when I see them), but after taking this photo this morning, I'm not so sure .........
07/05/2012
Ungrateful goldfinches!
All winter I put out niger seeds in case any passing goldfinch was hungry ...... so you would think that when a pair appeared in the garden this afternoon, they would have waited until I fetched the camera!!
So instead of wonderful bird photos, I'll start with a knitting update. The good news is that I sailed through the vikkel braid ......
first stage
second stage
ready to start the next section of the pattern
........ but then I ran into a slight problem! The pattern said cast on using the backward loop method - oops, I had no idea what that was. I went on to Ravelry, where I found a reference to a video clip on Youtube. I had a look at the clip, to discover that I did know how to cast on that way - I just didn't know that was what it was called! The extra stitches are for the steeks ...... pay attention, I shall explain this only once! Knitting on the circuar needle means that I am knitting a tube - but obviously for a teapot you need openings for the spout and handle ........ so, you cast on extra stitches where the handle and spout will be, then when you have finished knitting the tea cosy you ....... CUT through the middle of the steek stitches. I have never done it before and I am slightly apprehensive, so I will be studying Kate's tutorial ery carefully before I wield the scissors!
one set of steek stitches
When I was sitting in the summerhouse this afternoon having a cuppa, I had a little play with the camera, as I had put the long lens on in the hope that the finches would return. Its amazing what you can take a photo of without leaving your chair!
raindrops on a hosta
the clematis flower lost its outer petals in the strong winds last week
the ring where Malcolm hangs his hammock
the honeysuckle flowering on the pergola
I did get up to take these photos of the lavender - I couldn't see it from my chair!!
Ali has received her swap parcel, so I can show you what I sent her - actually I can show you half of what I sent her, as I forgot to take a photo of the little bits and bobs from the studio that I added to the parcel. So this is what I got at Woolfest for her ..... lots of little bits of nuno felt, and some beautifully coloured mixed fleece curls
To finish - Malcolm took this photo of me in the town centre this morning (I don't know why I look so anxious!)
The little plaque set into the wall to my left shows the height of the flood waters in July 1846 .......
..... just as well I wasn't standing there then!
06/28/2012
No comment!
Thank you to everyone who let me know that there was a problem yesterday with the comment form (otherwise I might have thought that you didn't like me anymore, and I would have sat in a corner and cried!!). Hopefully all is well - although in fiddling with things I managed to move my sidebar from the right hand to the left hand side!
I may have mentioned once or twice recently that we have had a lot of rain! The River Slitrig this morning was crashing over the rocks, but the heron was quite unconcerned
a handsome fellow
I'll just straighten a feather
have a little scratch
perfection!
It rained most of the afternoon - the birdbath was in danger of overflowing!
there were puddles on the path
then late in the afternoon, the rain went off and the sun came out! The water in the birdbath was so still you can see a reflection of some leaves in it
the lupins and poppies have been spoiled by the rain
and the honeysuckle, which has only just flowered, is looking rather sad
The light was so poor for most of the day that I was worried that I wouldn't be able to take photos of the Hope Love and Friendship stitchery (which has still to be pressed)...... but the late gleam of sun came just in time
working the bow in chain stitch means that it stands out nicely in the centre
The knitting needles that I had ordered arrived this morning, so after I had finished the ironing this afternoon, I sat down and made a start to my Sheep Carousel tea cosy
This shows the first few rounds of the corrugated rib (I have worked a few more since taking the photo). Next comes the vikkel braid, something which I haven't done before. I've read through the instructions, and I think I understand them ........
06/19/2012
The best restaurant in town!
When we moved here (almost six years ago) Malcolm gave me a bird table for my birthday. It sat out in the front garden in all weathers, and unfortunately the legs rotted, then one stormy day it blew over and the legs broke. Malcolm put a new stand on it, and that's the version you have seen
Then the top started to rot, so he has been busy in the garage making a new one. He was just putting the finishing touches to it yesterday when I came back from my walk
I think the birds will be delighted to have this new place to dine, when I start feeding them again in the autumn
Last night I handstitched half the binding on the back of Lilly Pilly
it's only by chance that there is a stripey section under the tree ......
....... as I had to restitch half of the mitred joins to slope the other way as the dark stripes showed through on the right side
I am enjoying stitching the "hope love and friendship" stitchery
Now that Lilly Pilly only has hand sewing left to do, the next job in the studio is "life is beautiful" ..... remember I made the top for it some time ago
Anne has finished all the stitcheries, and I spent the afternoon turning the pile of squares into circles
The final stage will be to stitch them on to the top using Dawn Cameron-Dick's method of invisible machine applique ....... using that invention of the devil, invisible thread!!
When I was shopping yesterday, I spotted this new magazine ........
tasty recipes
country crafts
informative articles - I will have to look out for the next issue!
I mentioned some days ago that I had been making something for a friend, but couldn't show you until she received the parcel. Well, Rachel received the parcel some days ago - I simply forgot to show you what I sent her!! Two cushion covers with stitcheries in the centre and log cabin patchwork round them
06/18/2012
A busy weekend!
It was Fathers' Day yesterday, and I took Malcolm out for breakfast to celebrate ....... but we actually went on Saturday, as I wanted to take him to the new cafe at the mill, but it doesn't open on a Sunday at the moment (it starts opening on Sundays next month). Malcolm had a roll with links sausages
and a large americano, to which he added hot milk
I had a bacon roll
and my usual pot of tea
It may only have been about 9.30, but other customers were already ordering cakes and scones!
Back home when I put the tv on in the studio, I became engrossed in the Trooping the Colour ceremony. It is an amazing spectacle ......
I wonder if the Queen ever wishes she could just stay at home with her feet up watching a dvd and eating chocolate?
but at least on Saturday she had her beloved Duke back at her side
Yesterday we went to Melrose for a walk
As there had been so much rain on Saturday, we decided not to have our usual walk along the river, as it would be muddy underfoot. So instead we walked through the town, enjoying glimpses of beautiful gardens ...... and unusual buildings. This first photo is a bit out of focus, but you need to see the back of this rough wooden building ......
....... to appreciate the surprise we got when we saw the front, with its delightful leaded windows
I liked this urn on the top of a gatepost ...... unfortunately we don't have gateposts to put something similar on!
A wonderfully dilapidated barn!
I went out for a walk after lunch (having already had my usual early morning walk!) When I went to take a photo, the camera promptly beeped at me and switched itself off! Fortunately I hadn't gone far, so I nipped back home, put the battery on charge, and collected my little Fuji Finepix, which I haven't used for months! I was able to take lots of shadow shots, which have been in short supply here recently!
As I strolled along, I heard a bellow, but couldn't see the animal responsible for it. Then minutes later I heard the thunder of hooves ..... I turned to see a large black bull galloping down the field .......
....... startling not only me, but also these sheep, which had been peacefully grazing
big bull(y)!!
Back home, the battery for the big camera had recharged, and I set it up on the tripod in the summerhouse, to take photos of the tits feeding the chicks
I decided to move the camera, to take shots from a different angle .......
...... so of course the birds disappeared! So I went over to the back gate, and had a look at the swallows' nest
Then, oh joy, oh bliss ..... look what rumbled into a view - a gorgeous tractor, cutting the hay
Malcolm hasn't spent the whole weekend sitting in the sun, reading the paper - I'll tell you tomorrow what he has been making!