frayed at the edge

On our way back ........

........ to Berwick from North Berwick, we had a small detour to East Linton, to visit Preston Mill and the Phantassie Doocot.   I wonder if you will say the same as us, when you see the mill building?

 

well, did you say - oh, that's like Hagrid's house in the Harry Potter films?!

 

 

I don't think there is a straight wall anywhere

 

and the roof sit at all angles too

 

wheat, barley and oats, which would have been milled in years past

 

oh what a shame, I was denied the chance to go up these treacherous looking stairs!

 

the water wheel still works

 

you can just see the water pouring off the bottom

 

part of the mechanism which controls the flow of water from the mill lade to the wheel

 

inside the mill, there were interesting bits of old machinery

 

looking through to the working bits - I declined to go up the narrow steep stairs to see more of the machinery

 

while I was waiting for Malcolm to come back down, I felt that someone, or something, was watching me!

 

we walked across the river

 

on a nice sturdy bridge

 

to our left, potatoes as far as we could see

 

with poppies growing at the field edge

 

on our right , cauliflowers

 

a squad of pickers following the slow moving tractor

 

there were lots of gooseberries in the hedgerow

 

but we decided not to sit on the bench

 

in case there were some prickly thistles underneath

 

at the top of the field, the Phantassie Doocot (the first link tells you about the Doocot, as well as the mill)

 

I have never seen one this shape

 

with its unusual roof

 

approaching from this side, you wouldn't know what it is

 

we came back to the mill on a different path

 

to views of the mill reflected in the mill pond

 

 

Bankrupt!!

Oh my, the phone woes continue!   Briefly we can receive calls and use the broadband, but we can't make calls.  We spent (literally) hours on the (mobile) phone and online, trying to get it sorted.  When I got to the point of shouting at people, Malcolm would take over, and vice versa ........ and at one time I was on the landline (they had phoned me) and Malcolm was on the mobile.  An engineer was supposed to visit this morning ........ and I'm not going to bore you with the rest of the sorry tale, but I am now bankrupt from putting money in the swear box!!

 

So, on with yesterday's post!  On Saturday, we took a run back up over the Border to North Berwick.  There were lots of little boats in the harbour

 

and all sorts of boats out on the water - paddling

sailing

 

motoring out to their yacht

 

but I turned down Malcolm's offer of a trip on this boat and not just because it meant getting dressed up in very unflattering yellow and blue survival suits

 

now that's my kind of boat - I would quite happily sit in it watching the world go by, safe on dry land

 

I also declined to cross this bridge and go up the rickety stairs

 

but I was happy with the view from where I was, looking out at the Bass Rock

 

and this view is for Anne Lee - yes, Anne, the sun always shines on Fife!!

 

it would have been nice to sit at one of these quirky tables, made with lobster pots, but we thought lobster was just a little bit too fancy for Saturday lunch

 

so instead we headed to the Seabird Centre, pausing on the way in to admire the sculptures

 

we sat outside on the balcony to have our lunch, watched by this cheeky chappy

 

traditional lentil soup, with bread and butter - delicious

 

there was someone else keeping an eye on us as we ate

 

his beak would have made short work of the bread!

 

our next stop was at the remains of the old church

 

the front of the porch

 

and the back

 

the remains of an old gravestone

 

you can just make out some of the words

 

I was rather startled by this little green man

 

before I realised that he was a sculpture

 

the next two photos are for my mad quilting friends The Squealers, perhaps you can guess where they live

 

as for the name of this street, you can just imagine the road-naming committee sitting having a great discussion as to what to call it ....... then settling for the obvious  (if you can't read the sign, it says ........ Bank Street!)

 

rather worn tiles in the entrance to a shop - a quilting design perhaps?

 

we walked back along the beach ........ it is addictive, picking up interesting bits and bobs

 

what a lovely seat - if only I could have one like this in the garden

 

another little green man

 

click on the photo to enlarge it, to help read the plaque

 

and of course we have to finish with the wonderful Andy, who played the most amazing tennis to win his second Wimbledon title - I didn't need to shout at him at all!!

 

it's mine, all mine!!

Crabby

On the beach on Sunday morning, there was a bit of cloud about, and a bit of a breeze, but after heavy rain on Saturday evening, the air was fresh and clear

 

there was a much clearer view of Lindisfarne, way in the distance - usually it is very hazy

 

there are lots of rock formations on this beach, providing nooks and crannies for stones and shells to collect in

 

and for new shells to cling to the remains of old shells

 

I had soon picked up a handful of small shells

 

but I set this large one adrift in a rock pool

 

whoever had walked along the beach before me has somewhat bigger feet than me!

 

a rather large crab claw

 

another large claw, and two smaller ones

 

suddenly there were the remains of crabs everywhere I looked

 

this empty shell still had its claws

 

twins!

 

I had just arranged an arty pile of crab shells when a puff of wind blew some of them away

 

ok, enough crabs, let's play with driftwood, shells and stones instead!

 

I wonder if someone put these stones in this shell, or if they were just left behind by the tide?

 

then Malcolm found these two tiny pale crab shells

 

turning round to walk back along the beach, we could just make out the lighthouse in the distance

 

and to finish, one last little crab ....... or is it an owl!

 

back tomorrow with some sewing!

 

 

 

A sunny day out

Yesterday, we took a run up the A1 to Dunbar ....... this is a quote from Wikipedia about the town

Due to its geographical location, Dunbar receives less rain and more hours of direct sunshine per year than anywhere else in Scotland (according to the Met Office). The town has begun to be referred to by locals as 'Sunny Dunny', after a local radio host popularised the term.

You can read more about Dunbar  here.  Our first stop was for a cuppa

 

we sat on a raised section at the back, on very comfortable, squashy sofas

 

tea for me, coffee for Malcolm, and we shared a delicious toffee apple crumble pie

 

Malcolm had placed our order at the counter and had chosen the pie - it was only as we were leaving that I saw the Irn Bru tiffin ........ if I had seen it when we went in, I would have to have had a piece!

 

we had a potter round some of the excellent shops.  I can't show yet you what I bought in this one, as it is for Malcolm for Father's Day

 

but I'll show you what I bought here at the end of the post

 

our next stop was at the John Muir Museum  We didn't spend as long here as we might have, as it was full of schoolchildren!

 

if you get the chance to go to the museum, it a fascinating story, the boy from Dunbar  who founded America's National Parks

 

most of the photos are of him as an older man with a bushy beard, but the statue shows him in his prime

 

I have seen a similar tiled doorway in a shop in Selkirk - I will have to look next time I am there to see if it is for the same firm

 

the tiles on the step would make a wonderful quilt!

 

we meandered on down to the harbour

 

this little cannon was on the wall of a house overlooking the harbour - I wonder if I could get one, to repel visitors I don't like the look of

 

those of you who have been reading the blog for a while (thank you!) may remember that Malcolm went on a dry-stone walling course.  He declared this wall to be well built!

 

having carefully studied this warning notice .....

 

we didn't trip over the fishing nets and fall off the quayside

 

we didn't get trapped in a lobster pot

 

or tangled up in this enormous chain

 

and we didn't fall over these two stacks of fish boxes - which have come from far and wide

 

as we walked on round the harbour, Malcolm chose this boat

 

and I chose this little one in the foreground.  The man working at the stern of the other boat is the Harbour Master (according to the back of his shirt).  He was having a good tidy up while the tide was out

 

I guess this is where the expression "keeled over" comes from

 

the same boats seen from the other side

 

I wasn't very happy walking over this bridge (yes, that's the Harbour Master still hard at work), as it looks a bit neglected

 

but on the way back, I was reassured by this car which drove over in front of me

 

a reminder of one of the warnings!

 

by this time it was us who needed to be fed - and if you are at the seaside, you have to eat fish and chips (I am sure there is a law that says you have to!)

 

but we didn't need any persuading to share a wonderful fish supper (no matter what time of day you eat it, it is called a supper)

 

I still have lots more photos, which I will share with you tomorrow, but for now I will finish with what I bought.  Although Malcolm's birthday isn't until September, when he said he liked this clock, I got it for him ....... and I haven't made him wait for it!

 

this is one of a set of two coasters by the same artist

 

and this wonderful wooden hare, made from recycled wood, had to come back to the flat as well, where there was a playmate waiting for it!

Bits and bobs

As always, I brought back some little bits and bobs from our holiday.  I think this little owl is supposed to be a child's purse, but it is just the right size to put my house keys in

 

I found this keyring in a very smart gift shop - perfect for my keys for the flat

 

I don't think  I will keep tea in this box.......

 

....... I shall probably fill it with some of my thread stash

 

over the last two or three years, several of the shops where I bought quilting magazines have closed, and the ones that are still open don't stock as many magazines ....... but I did manage to buy a few

 

who could resist this owl bag (and you can never have too many owls, and too many bags!)

 

my lovely friend Maureen has just given me two owly gifts.  She brought me this extremely cute ceramic tile owl from Italy, where she was recently on holiday

 

and this little thread holder was from her day out at the Knitting and Stitching Show in Edinburgh - for some reason Malcolm said I couldn't fly home from Majorca for the weekend to go to the show!

 

we came over to the flat this morning, bringing with us this little chair, which Malcolm has painted with chalk paint.  The fabric for the seat has been in my stash for years and years!

 

we had a potter round town this afternoon, then just for you, we ate large amounts of cake ....... this is Malcolm's fruit loaf

 

and my rocky road - we will have to do a lot of walking on the beach to work off the calories!

 

the forecast is reasonable for the weekend - despite the fact that it a Bank Holiday, which usually means it will pour with rain!  So hopefully we will be out and about, enjoying the sea air.  Have a good weekend, love Anne

 

A grand day out

Maureen came over at nine this morning, and we set off, not in my little car, but in Malcolm's bigger and better car (thank you, dear, for lending it to me!).   We were off to the spring quilt show at Ingliston.  You know the form, I can't really show you the quilts because of copyright issues, so this is just a general view of quilts based on Church Saints

 

but then, what is this ....... our very own Kay Bell had a display of her quilts, and when I asked her if I could put some photos on the blog, she said of course I could (thank you Kay)

 

this is Kay's description of the white quilt

 

 

and this is her description of the lavender quilt above it 

 

I could quite happily have taken this one home with me

 

Kay makes it sound so easy!

 

I love the way the straight lines of the centre are softened by the applique

 

she doesn't mention the beautiful scalloped border!

 

unfortunately the lighting wasn't very good on this stunning quilt

 

Kay mentions her free-motion quilting

 

here is just a little sample of it

 

you now by now that when I go to the quilt show I have macaroni cheese and chips for lunch.  I was delighted that they have gone back to using proper plates, after serving it up in nasty polystyrene containers

 

I met up with so many friends that I think that I spent more time blethering than looking at the quilts!  All too soon it was time to head for home, but we stopped off at the garden centre for a cuppa, and we shared a rather tasty cherry and coconut scone

 

amazingly, I hardly bought anything ...... come back on Monday to see what I got!  Have a good weekend, love Anne

 

The wind is still blowing ......

......... but there are signs of spring in the garden

almost ready to flower

 

new growth on the clematis next to the summerhouse

 

new growth on the pale hellebore

 

a battered flower on the dark hellebore

 

an unfolding alchemilla mollis leaf

 

a flower on the ornamental quince

 

the hawthorn hedge in the front garden

 

new growth on the ceanothus

 

and now, the moment you have been waiting for ........ cue fanfare, roll of drums etc!!  The random number generator (aka Malcolm) has done its stuff, and I am delight to announce that the winner of my blogiversary giveaway is sustainablemum.  Congratulations, and I will be in touch to get your address.  But, I hear you cry, what has she won?  Well, I had a good hunt round the studio, and came up with this collection of goodies.  From the back left, a lovely card by local artist Keli Clark, one of my cards with a snowy scene that I can see from the house, knitted bunny eggs cosies and a bookmark (from when I did the Debbie Bliss Knitter's Year project), a handbag tissue holder (made by me), a cute little notepad (which I bought on one of my trips to Houston), a pattern for a Jelly Roll quilt and a scissor charm (made by me)

 

I'll be back tomorrow with lots of sewing!

Happy New Year!

What better way to wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2016, than with some braw laddies in kilts!  From left to right, they are Fraser, Paul, Stuart and Brian.  Stuart has known Fraser and Paul for over twenty years (they were at school together) and he was at university with Brian

 

we had a lovely early Christmas celebration with Stuart and Alison, then we had our usual lazy Christmas Day, watching some good films on tv, eating chocolates and drinking a glass of two of wine, then tucking into a delicious dinner cooked by Malcolm.  

Stuart&Alison and Malcolm know what my favourite toiletries are ...... and bought me the same set!

 

Malcolm and I had a chuckle when we opened our presents ....... not only had we given each other the same car air fresheners, but we had both cut the price off the same way!

 

we also gave each other a map from the Berwick Tourist Information Centre

 

but for some reason I didn't give Malcolm a cute little owl .....

 

....... which opens to reveal a pot of lavender-scented hand cream

 

and now I can reveal the secret Christmas sewing!  First, a Christmas lap quilt for Alison

 

and a Star Wars lap quilt for Stuart ...... he has grown up with Star Wars, and has already seen the latest film

 

on the Wednesday before Christmas we were over in Berwick, and popped into the Garden Centre to see the donkeys ...... who looked rather bored!

 

and to finish ....... when Maureen gave me my Christmas present, she said there was a little extra present - something which she had seen in a shop window in Edinburgh, and had promptly thought of me.  She said she knew it would make me smile ......

 

...... a lovely little tin with shortbread in it - and one of those nasty beasties on the front!!  I didn't just smile, I laughed out loud ....... and I am now plotting my revenge!

 

 

It's definitely looking .......

...... like Christmas now!  The tree is up

 

and there is, of course, a driftwood tree too

 

and some other cute decorations

 

the mirror in the kitchen is looking festive

 

and the cake has been iced and decorated

 

Stuart and Alison are coming down for the weekend, and we will have a somewhat topsy turvy celebration ........ we will have Christmas dinner tomorrow, and Christmas breakfast and present opening on Sunday!

 

All that remains for this year of blogging is to wish you a Happy Christmas, and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Love Anne

 

Fairy Twinkle!

It was our Christmas lunch at patch'n'chat on Friday, and Margaret as always had decorated the tables

 

she had also brought along her latest Christmas quilt

 

and she made a raggy wreath with the leftover fabrics from the quilt

 

I din't manage to take a photo of the delicious buffet lunch, but I did manage a photo of our afternoon cuppa

 

Betty's mince pies, which were served hot, were delicious!

 

but the highlight of the day was a visit from Fairy Twinkle.  To protect her reputation, I won't tell you who dressed up as her* (but Margaret used to own a fancy dress business .......)

 

it rained rather a lot on Saturday in Berwick, but yesterday was dry (and rather chilly), so we went up the coast to St Abbs for a walk.  I think it is probably obligatory to take a photo of a seagull when you are walking round the harbour!

 

there were lots of lobster pots on the quayside

 

as always I found some interesting things to take photos of

 

I don't know what these small trolleys are for - moving lobster pots perhaps

 

several boats had been lifted out of the water for the winter

 

although there were still some in the dock

 

we went for a cuppa and a sandwich for lunch ....... as usual I had a plain white cup, saucer and jug for my tea, while Malcolm had lovely decorated ones

 

we had ordered a sandwich to share, and were delighted when it arrived on two plates, both with a little bit of salad, coleslaw and some crisps - excellent service!

 

to finish, a message for Santa.  If I can't have a yellow machine .......

 

...... can I please have a big red truck (I've been a very, very good girl!!)

 

*I should point out that there was a "fat suit" underneath the fairy dress!!