frayed at the edge

A work of art!

As promised, a few more photos from our trip to Peebles.  When I saw this melted wheelie bin, I wanted to bring it home so that I could sell it to the Tate Modern, or enter is for the Turner Prize ....... well, it's as much a work of art as some of the stuff they inflict on us!!

 

Down by the river, one of these wonderful pine trees had come down in last week's storm

 

The centre of the tree was rotten, so it obviously just wasn't strong enough to withstand the high winds

 

This morning we popped into Hawick as usual - and as usual we walked round to see if the heron was on the River Slitrig.  Yes, there he was, basking in the sun

 

Just as I took this close-up  ..... he stuck his tongue out!!

 

I went out for a walk after lunch (Malcolm was rearranging the furniture in the back lounge and declined to accompany me!)  This was the first photo that I took ......

 

........ no, it's not a slightly fuzzy shadow shot, it's a completely out of focus shot - this is what it should look like!

 

These two women were enjoying a gentle potter on their horses

 

but this one went past at a trot!

 

So, I mentioned yesterday that we got a bargain in Peebles ...... and what a bargain!  A pair of pinch-pleated, double width, full length curtains

 

with thermal linings

 

They will replace the basic, cheap Ikea curtains which we put up as a temporary measure when we moved in more than five years ago

 

Malcolm has almost finished putting up a new rail for them, so hopefully we will get them hung tomorrow.  How big a bargain were they?  They cost us £35, which was a fraction of the original price ........ I couldn't even buy the fabric for that!

 

One last photo from my walk - and of course it has to be a sheep!  This Jacob's ewe should have her lamb(s) this month

 

It must be nearly Easter ........

....... as the shops are full of Easter goodies (I think we saw our first Easter egg on Boxing Day!)

 

We had a bit of discussion after breakfast this morning about where we would go for lunch today ..... we decided to go a bit further afield and went to Peebles.  When we parked in the main car park, we didn't take our usual route to the High Street, but instead headed in the other direction and crossed the river by this footbridge

 

Although this avenue of trees has a certain stark beauty, I want to see them in the spring to see if they have blossom, when they would look truly beautiful

 

We have never noticed this bead shop before, so were a bit surprised to be told it has been there for four years!

 

It was full of all sorts of beads and findings

 

We rarely see old-fashioned shops with their wares out on the pavement ...... perhaps the shops are worried that someone might trip over something and sue them!

 

Do you remember the last time we went to Peebles for lunch, when Malcolm had a delicious meal and I had the terrible chicken soup and dumplings?  I didn't show you the restaurant/deli last time, buut I'll show it to you this time ........

 

....... as we had the same meal that Malcolm had last time - toasted muffin with Ayrshire bacon, poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.  Delicious!!

 

After lunch we went for a good long walk along the river.  This was the second fishermen that we saw - it must have been a bit chilly standing in the water, waiting for a fish to bite!

 

Can you see at the right hand side of the footbridge, there is a dog walking across, followed by its owners?  It was funny when they got to the other side - the couple walked down the steps, but the dog, which was rather old, walked round the disabled-access ramp!

 

Walking back along the High Street, Malcolm spotted this sundial on a building across the road - it's just a pity the sun wasn't shining!

 

On the way home we stopped in Walkerburn at this new coffee shop ........

 

I was going to have my usual tea, but Malcolm suggested that I have hot chocolate ...... and he also got a chocolatey traybake .......you won't be surprised that we decided not to have the planned dinner this evening, and instead had a bowl of homemade soup!

I'll show you more photos tomorrow, when I will also tell you about the amazing bargain that we got.  But to finish,  this is what I bought in the bead shop

teeny tiny charms for me

 

a charm for shoe-mad Alison to add to the charm bracelet we gave her for Christmas

 

Stretching our legs

We haven't been for as many walks as usual. because of the weather, so we were glad yesterday to get out and have a good walk at the Leaderfoot viaduct .......

 

....... crossing the river by the old bridge - you can see the ugly modern replacement behind it

 

As we started to cross the bridge, we could here someone using a chainsaw.  Looking across the river, we saw a man cutting up the smaller branches of an enormous tree, which probably blew down in last week's storms - compare the size of the man with the size of the tree trunk!!

 

When we last saw this bridge, there was major repair work being done.  The workmen have made an excellent job of the stone walls - they just need to weather for a year or two to blend in with the old stonework

 

As we walked back through the woods, we wondered what this black blob was

 

but then we saw this, and realised that it was some sort of fungi.  I poked it with the toe of my boot, and it felt quite hard and woody

 

On Saturday, I added the borders to the Hawiian block.  I was going to make it up as a small quilt for Project Linus, but I like it so much, it is going to be a wallhanging for me!!

 

However, I will give this one to Linus.  The photo doesn't really show it at its best - the dark fabric stands out in the photo, but doesn't when you see the quilt

 

Yesterday afternoon I finally sorted out my scrap basket.  I am much too embarassed to show you a photo of what it looked like, spilling bits of fabric out on to the floor, but here are the scraps all sorted out and put into labelled bags

 

Later this evening I will start knitting my first fairy - I am looking forward to having something on the needles after my short break

 

And now to the swap ...... I put the names in my best velvet hat (I had to turn the pieces of paper over, as they also had the addresses on them!)

 

So here is the list of swapees

http://cathyholtomdustylane.blogspot.com/     and me

http://mytategallery.blogspot.com/   and Caroline

http://www.lovethosecupcakes.typepad.com/   and Lisa

Yvonne (sorry Yvonne, I've lost the link to your blog!)   and Linda

http://sweetmarynz.blogspot.com/   and Karen

http://www.mousybrownshouse.typepad.com/   and http://www.bunmountain.blogspot.com/

http://www.lloydsgirl.blogspot.com/   and http://www.cheviots.blogspot.com/

Dee and Carol

http://www.leemills.typepad.com/   and http://circles-of-rain.blogspot.com/

http://www.fraiing.blogspot.com/   and http://www.rattlingon.typepad.com/

Emma and Judi

 

If you asked to join in and I've left you out, please let me know ....... and it's not too late to join in ..... just email me (link above right) before the end of the week and I'll do another draw.  I've sent out emails with your swap partners, so if you haven't received your email, again, please let me know.I didn't include email adresses in the email, as they aren't really needed, and I would still be there typing if I had!  However, you will have seen that I have shown the blog addresses for those who have one  in the above list.  One last thing - instead of setting up a flickr group, I thought it would be easier if you could just email  me a photo of the postcards you send, then once they have all arrived at their destinations, I will do collages to share them with you.

 

To finish, I haven't shown you one of my quirky photos of a falling down fence for a while ......

The final countdown!

Perhaps I should have amended the blackboard to say two and a quarter days to go!!

 

A Christmas card for all of you  ..........

 

 

I'm going to have a little break, but I'll be back on the second of January, with some exciting news about celebrating my third blogiversary!!

 

The weather co-operated ......

....... so this morning I met Lorraine in Jedburgh.  I left my car there and she drove the rest of the way.  First of all we stopped in Coldstream for a cuppa.  The Calico House was the perfect choice, as it is filled with wonderful fabrics and gifts, as well as the very pleasant coffee shop (if you click on the link, we sat at the table in the corner by the window).  I had a pot of tea and a scrumptious piece of carrot cake

I would have shown you Lorraine's cheese scone, but I haven't quite got her trained yet about taking photos for the blog and she had taken a bite before I could take a photo!  Then it was on to our destination - the Northumberland village of Longframlington.  We were going to see our friend Anne D, whom we hadn't seen since we visited her in her new house in the summer.  But this time we weren't going to the house, but to her new shop!!!

 

Yes, her brand new fabulous quilting shop (the 697 refers to the road the shop is on, the A697).  Feast your eyes on these delights

 

 

 

 

 

 

After oohing and aahing (and perhaps buying things) we left with promises to return very soon.  The last stop of our trip was at the Maelmin Cafe for a late lunch.  I had the most wonderful hot beef roll with chips ......

 

and Lorraine had a panini with brie, apple and something else that I have forgotten (still not trained, she had started eating the first piece of panini before I took the photo!)

 

So what did I buy?  A very cute stitchery pattern ......

 

...... and the most wonderful bundle of fabric - I'll see if I can get a better photo tomorrow in daylight

 

I also bought two things from Lorraine - first, some of her wonderful marzipan fruits to decorate the Christmas cake with

 

and these amazing marzipan penguins, which are for Stuart's girlfriend Alison (she loves penguins and pandas!)

 

And to finish, today's wallhanging.  This is just a small one, about the size of an A4 sheet of paper

Looking both ways

On Sunday we went to the Waterwheel Cafe for a cuppa, which of course meant we also went to see the owls.  They are awkward things - as soon as you get close, they turn their heads right round the other way   

Malcolm went round the other side to get them to turn back towards me

 

 

Yesterday morning, when I went to Hawick for the usual grocery shopping, I also had some things to do in town, so I left the car in the supermarket car park and walked across the footbridge over the River Teviot.  I was hoping to see the heron, but he wasn't there.  But there were several gulls like this one......

 

....... and one lonely duck!

 

However, when I walked on over to the River Slitrig, I found the heron that patrols that stretch of the river sitting on the bank

 

 

Just inches from the heron, this male blackbird was poking happily through the grass

 

After lunch, I went out for a walk.  I didn't have to go far before meeting my first ewe ...... she just stood watching me until I took the photo and walked on

 

In the field beyond the church were these wonderful ewes with their striking faces

 

 

At the start of the year I had to climb over a fence and struggle through bushes to take photos of the Jacob's sheep, but it was a bit easier yesterday with the long lens

 

 

I walked on round to the other field where there are sometimes more Jacob's sheep, and found that not only were the Jacobs there, but also this ewe .........

 

........ the old donkey

 

...... and a goose!

 

This next photo is for Rachel and Sarah, just to show that I'm not completely biased against cats - this one crossed my path as I walked back home

 

There are still a lot of apples on the trees in one of the neighbour's orchard ....

 

The only things that stops me jumping over the low wall to pick some? ........ it is a long way down on the other side!!

 

To finish, another of the Christmas wallhangings - Santa and Rudolph

 

Warning - more food!

I know there has been rather a lot of food this week, but we had such a delicious lunch at our patch'n'chat Christmas party, I am sure you will enjoy seeing it!  We all took a plate to share ......

 

We also had a small glass of wine, and a cracker

 

You might recognise the bags of painted pine cones - I took along the ones left from the Christmas fair and gave everyone a packet

 

Then it was on to the desserts - pavlova twice in one week ...... I don't think I'll get on the scales any time soon!

 

After lunch, Sheena bought a piece of this lovely fabric - she doesn't have a specific plan for it, she just couldn't resist it (it actually has a white background, but as always the strip lights make it look slightly yellow)

 

We then played a very entertaining game ......

 

We were all so full of food, the title of the game probably was a good description of our efforts to play.  To end our enjoyable afternoon, we all got our 'secret santa' present.  I was delighted with this strip of quilt labels and the pretty spotted scissors

 

My cold seems to have gone as quickly as it arrived - it was a great relief not to have to blow my nose every two minutes.  Thank you for all your good wishes!

I hope you all have a good weekend - I am planning to put up our Christmas tree and decorations.  Love  Anne

There was a slight panic this morning .......

....... as we had more snow last night, and the road wasn't looking too good.  So why the panic - because this was the day for my housegroup Christmas lunch!  However, Lorraine, Tricia and Anne all braved the elements - although poor Tricia did have a slightly scary moment when her car skidded.  Unfortunately Ali was poorly and Lizzi had a prior appointment, so perhaps we will have to do it all agin in the New Year. 

The snow may cause travel problems, but it does make things look pretty

 

Of course Christmas lunch means pressies, so I had these little parcels ready

 

Then came the best bit of the day -  usually we have our lunch in the kitchen, but today I laid the dining table with Christmas placemats, the best cutlery ....... and

 

lots of lovely food - we all contributed a dish (although perhaps I should have taken the photo before putting the bottle of chilli sauce on the table!).. That's Lorraine's hands on the left, dressing her caesar salad

 

For dessert, Anne brought the makings for a pavlova.  When we finished the main course, I carefully put the cream in the middle of the meringue, then tastefully arranged the strawberries round the edge before filling the centre with raspberries ..... then forgot to take a photo!  So you will have to make do with this photo of the leftover portion (which Malcolm had after dinner)

 

Anne also brought some chocolate teddies - Malcolm has already eaten his, but I am saving mine!

 

I sat the teddy on my coaster to take the photo, so it occurred to me that you might like to see it (there may be a glass of wine sitting on it as I write this!)

 

so of course that means that showing you Malcolm's coaster too!

All the fun of the fair!

On Saturday morning, Malcolm headed off into Hawick as usual and I packed all my goodies in the car and headed down the road the Southdean Village Hall.  There was a moment or two of panic when I saw the size of my table - how would I ever fit everything on it!  I wasn't the only one with that concern, but the idea of the organisers was to have lots of small tables to provide a wide variety, rather than just a few large tables.  Eventually most things were squeezed on

 

with the bargain basket on a chair in front of the table

 

Then I realised that the bunches of dried lavender were still in a poly bag - oops ...... so that meant another photo!

 

My friend Lorraine had the table next to me  - and she sensibly had brought an extra little table to add to the front to give her more display space for her wonderful, cakes, jam, chutneys, liqueuers ...

 

..... and her fabulous marzipan fruits

 

So how did it go?  Quite well ...... of course I would have liked to have sold more, but I did sell a reasonable amount (and then spent a large part of what I had made buying something for Malcolm's Christmas!)  There is still rather a lot in the bargain basket, but the rest of the stuff is now packed into one box (except for the painted pine cones - I only sold one packet of them!)

 

And I may just have bought something for myself ....... well, could you have resisted this!  It's only about two inches tall - I think I will put it in a little box frame

 

Yesterday we went to Melrose, as we had a voucher for free entry to Melrose Abbey.  You can read about the Abbey here and here.  Although there was a chilly wind, the sun was shining and the sky was a brilliant blue.  Most of the photos will be appearing in future Shadow Shot Sundays, but here is a little taste

 

 

Back home, by the time I had tidied away the leftovers from the fair, I just had time to do a little bit of sewing.  You might have noticed that I didn't do my Farmer's Wife blocks last week, so I thought I had better get one done!

 

Then a quick fmq ....... a little bit of background filler

 

...... and back to basics with a little bit of stippling - I love this variegated thread

 

Now to the knitting update.  I have finished one sock .....

 

..... but haven't done the heel on the other one, as I knitted (yet) another pair of Cranford mitts.  I finished them on Friday morning, just in time to take them to patch'n'chat to give to my friend Jane - sorry, i forgot to take a photo!  I have also finally made a start to the Glimpse scarf.  Although it looks complicated, it is fairly simple to knit.  The blue edge at the top is the provisional cast-on.  This will be the centre of the scarf.  After knitting the first half, I'll pick up the stitches from the cast-on edge and knit the second half

 

To finish, two photos which I took on the way home yesterday.  The first one isn't too clear, as I was pointing the camera towards the sun .......

 

....... but in this second one you can see that it is a shepherdess, complete with crook and two sheepdogs!

 

I have so much to tell you ......

....... that I don't know where to start!  So I guess it makes sense just to work through the weekend in chronological order.

On Saturday, Malcolm discovered that he had been given a 'foreign' coin, although at first glance it looks like one of ours - if you read the wording round the edge of the right-hand coin, you will see it is from New Zealand ........ perhaps we could go there on holiday to spend it!

 

 

Having finally received my slider, I lost no time in fitting it to my sewing machine.  It really does make a difference - the quilt sandwich moves much more easily under the needle

 

I also unearthed a different embroidery hoop to use.  As the hoop is used upside down, the screw for tightening the outer ring was on the bottom under the quilt sandwich, and would occasionally catch on the edge of the extension table.  Although the slider now covers the edge, I thought using this smooth plastic hoop would help too.

 

When browsing through the fmq patterns, this one caught my eye - mussels - which I thought went well with my sea anenome

 

I looked out the things I had made for previous fairs, and marked them down to half price - well, we all like a bargain, and I really don't want to have to bring it all home again!

 

The collection of new stuff is growing

 

Yesterday morning, we went to a craft and design fair in Kelso.  There were lots and lots of wonderful stalls, but as it was a much more formal sort of event than next week's fair, I didn't like to take photos.  However, when I was talking to one of the stallholders whom I know, she mentioned that she had forgotten to bring her camera to take photos of her stall.  I offered to take photos for her, and she was happy for me to share one with you (you can see more of Linda's work here)

 

We had a pleasant walk along the river - but the rest of the photos have been filed for a future Shadow Shot Sunday!

 

Back home, I stitched some more mussels, and tried a little filling of pebbles

 

Looking round the studio, I thought that perhaps it was time for a tidy-up!

 

I was threading string through holes with a large needle when this happened - oops!

 

After the delay in receiving the slider, I was pleased today when this parcel arrived within the one hour time-slot given on the delivery firm's tracking page

 

a little clue to the contents .......

 

...... no, not jam jars, but super bottles to put the sloe gin in (but I will be buying jars and labels and more bottles - there are all sorts of goodies on the website!)

 

The knitting update ...... another pair of Cranford mitts -I only started these on Friday night, and finished the second one at 10pm last night!  This pair is for my friend Cath

 

another pair of afterthought heel socks ...... just the heels to do.  You can see where I have picked up the stitches on one side, and started picking them up on the other

 

To finish, another silly photo!  Malcolm spotted this yesterday ....... but was the car really on top of the fishermen's hut?!