frayed at the edge

Water, water everywhere!

Yesterday, we went out to the Waterwheel Cafe, near Selkirk.  We were going to park, go for a walk, then have a cuppa.  However, just as we got there, it started to rain heavily, which meant we had to change our plan.  So first we had a cuppa, then just had a short walk.  First stop, as always, was to admire the owls

 

 

Just as I took the photo, the top owl turned its head away.  When it turned back, I took another one, just as the bottom owl turned its head - I'm sure they were laughing at me!

 

 

We were very glad that we hadn't been walking under the tree when this branch came down

 

 

As we approached the cauld, we could see a section of new fence, where we normally stand to watch the water - never mind the branch, imagine if we had been standing in our usual place when this happened

 

 

There was a lot of water in the river - the noise was amazing!

 

 

On the way back to the car, we spotted some daffodils - these are the first we have seen

 

 

On the way home, we had a detour to

 

 

There were lots of swans, both adults and cygnets

 

 

The swans look so graceful as they glide through the water

 

 

This one was making sure all its feathers were in order

 

 

When these ducks realised that we didn't have any food for them, they lost interest and swam off across the loch

 

 

It's Monday, so of course that means an update on my knitting challenge.  Last week's project was a cushion front.  I finished knitting it through the week, then on Saturday, I stitched it to the front of a cushion that I already had

 

 

This week's project is flower pot covers.  You will see from the photo that they should be knitted in different colours, but as each one only uses a small amount of yarn, I am going to knit them in the same yarn.

 

 

I have also started (yet) another pair of socks!  Rachel's friend in Canada liked her socks so much, Rachel asked me if I could do a pair for her.  I was delighted to say yes, as payment will be in the form of more of Rachel's wonderful baking - lemon drizzle cake was mentioned ......

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!!

 

 

Please take a seat

I'm not the only one who has been busy with material things this week.  Recently I bought a fabulous remnant of furnishing fabric (it was so cheap, as we left the shop Malcolm said 'quick, run, before she realises how little she charged you'!!).  So, on Monday, Malcolm put the fabric to good use, recovering our two big chairs in the back lounge.  The chairs occupants seem to be pleased with the results ....... first the girls

 

 

..... and then the boys

 

 

Recently I haven't been buying as many knitting magazines, but this one found its way into my trolley in the supermarket on Monday

 

 

It came with two frre gifts, but I nearly didn't get one ...... the knitting pattern, as Malcolm thought is was just packaging and was on his way to put it in the recycling

 

However, after I had read the pattern, I put it in the recycling ..... because all it amounted to was cast on, knit the required length in garter stitch, cast off!  Did you notice the pattern in the top left corner of the magazine cover ....... I said to Malcolm I would knit it for him - on condition that he then looked like the handsome male model.  I won't tell you what his reply was!!

 

Well, it's Friday again, and I am almost embarrassed to show you more cakes, after the amount that has been featured this week.  Annette didn't bake us a cake this week, but she popped into a local business which produces wonderful cakes, and bought the same two that she bought for us recently

 

a lovely rich fruit cake

 

 

raspberry and white chocolate

 

When I stood on the scales this morning, I had to steel myself to look down ...... but to my delight, I saw that I have lost half a pound this week.  Maybe I should just have a cake diet!

It has been wet and very windy today, but hopefully it will improve for the weekend and we will get out for a walk on Sunday.  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

Don't blog with your mouth full!

Just because all our delicious goodies that Rachel gave us were theoretically freezable, didn't actually mean that they all went into the freezer ....... some were kept out to be enjoyed over the course of today (I didn't freeze the gingerbread, as I know that it will keep well for the few days it will take for us to eat it)  Such wonderful treats deserved to be put on a special plate, and I got out another of my Granny's embroidered traycloths. 

 

 

Like the other traycloth, this one is also very old.  I can remember it being in regular use during my childhood - and it just went in the washing machine with the rest of the washing.  The only special treatment it got was to be ironed on the wrong side, so that the embroidery didn't get flattened.

 

 

We had the cupcakes with our morning cuppa - we had half each of the two flavours ...... marmalade and raspberry jam - delicious

 

 

We shared the biscuit after lunch (choc chip, with, we decided, a hint of lemon).  The gingerbread was guzzled eaten with our afternoon cuppa - I spread it with the remains of the lemon curd ...... it was so delicious I will have to make another batch to have with the rest of the gingerbread!

Rachel modelled her new socks yesterday, so I thought I would show you my latest pair - but they are rather plain and uninteresting compared to hers

 

 

I finished knitting the basket last night - I had got a lot done in the car yesterday

 

 

I pinned it together and put some books in it, to give you an idea of how it will look

 

 

Over the weekend, I will block it, then make a lining - I am sure I'll be able to find suitable fabric in my stash!  So it should be finished by Sunday night, and I can start the next project on Monday.

Two adventures

 

I didn't have far to go last night for my first adventure - just down the road to Southdea village Hall, where I was Guest Speaker at the Rural (the Scottish version of the WI).  It is only a small group - and I used to be a member, so I wasn't too nervous!

 

they are looking at the Chairman, as she welcomes me

 

I knew they wouldn't be particularly interested in the technical ins and outs of quilting, so I just took along a big pile of quilts and wallhangings and blethered about them!

 

 

Then it was time for supper - never mind the savoury things, just feast your eyes on this gooey chocolate cake!

 

 

My last duty of the evening was to judge the two competitions.  First, choosing my favourite three brooches from the lovely collection that the ladies had brought along

 

 

Then, judging the knitted squares

 

 

This morning, we set off for Newcastle for the second adventure.  Now, you know we can't travel for more than five minutes without having to stop for a cuppa!  So when we got ot Belsay, we stopped here

 

 

When Malcolm ordered our cuppa, he somehow managed to order a cherry scone for us to share as well

 

 

I was lovely and warm, sitting in front of the stove - but on closer inspection it turned out to be a gas one!

 

 

Then, it was on to the The Biscuit factory

 

 

We were there to have lunch with Rachel, and to give her her socks.  While we waited for her to arrive, we had a look at the menu, and tried to ignore the special offer chocolate fondue!

 

 

When Rachel arrived, the socks were duly admired, then the food was ordered ........

 

a chicken pesto roll for Malcolm, broccoli and stilton soup for me

 

 

an egg mayo roll for Rachel

 

Having polished off that lot, we then went off to Rachel's house for pudding - a wonderful pear tart!

 

 

Then, the absolute highlight of both adventures ....... getting to meet the gorgeous Flossie

 

 

and the absolutely fabulous Tosca

 

 

There was one more delight to come - in return for my knitting skills, Rachel had used her baking skills to make these yummy treats for us

 

biscuits, two kinds of muffins - and the parcel at the front was unwrapped to reveal

 

 

the most wonderful rich, dark gingerbread

 

ps - don't worry, we won't be gorging ourselves, Rachel assured me that it can all be frozen!

 

 

When life gives you lemons .......

....... make lemon curd!!  When I did the weekly food shop yesterday, as always I bought lots of fruit

 

 

But before I could put the new fruit in, I had to remove three slightly sorry lemons from the bottom of the bowl.  I was wondering what I could do with them, when I thought 'I'll have a go at making lemon curd'.  Not having the least idea how to make it, I turned to my favourite Delia book, and quickly assembled the ingredients

 

 

The recipe turned out to be very simple, and I had soon done the first stage, adding the grated lemon zest to the caster sugar, beating together the eggs and lemon juice and cutting the butter into pieces

 

 

It all then went into one bowl, which I put over a saucepan of barely simmering water

 

 

Then it was just a matter of stirring it until it thickened

 

 

So guess what we had for breakfast this morning ......... tasty soda bread

 

 

spread with lemon curd - delicious!

 

 

Now that I have mastered lemon curd, I will have to make some more, for one of the recipes in this excellent book, which I bought on Sunday

 

 

The book is being sold in aid of the same good cause as last year's naked man calendar.  So, the recipe using lemon curd?  I will have to invite lots of visitors to help eat it!

 

 

This morning, I took the socks out to the studio to wrap them

 

 

I added a little extra parcel for Vee, then popped them into an airmail envelope, ready to send off to Canada

 

 

When I went to the Post Office, the woman who served me told me that I would have to write my name and address on the top left hand corner on the front of the envelope (I always put it on the back).  She said that Canada is the only country who insist on this, and have been known to return items which don't comply ....... strange!!  As I left the Post Office, there was a great deal of noise ...... which was coming from this machine trundling along and holding up all the traffic

 

 

When I was out in the garden this morning, my eye was caught by a little flash of colour under one of the shrubs - which shouldn't be hanging over the front of the border like this, it was flattened by the snow which came off the neighbour's roof

 

 

It turned out to be a little polyanthus

 

 

I made a start to the first knitting project last night

 

The hole is one of the handles of the basket, and the two extensions will become the sides.  However, I won't get any work done on it tonight, as I am going out.  I will tell you all about it tomorrow ....... and I will also tell you about the special day out that we have planned!

All things woolly ......

....... with a bit of sewing in the middle!

On saturday, I washed the socks

 

 

rinsed them well, squeezed the water out (remember, never wring your knitting!), then rolled them in a towel

 

 

Once I had given them a good squeeze to remove as much water as possible, I took them out to the studio, put them on a dry towel and eased them into shape ...... then put them in front of the stove to dry

 

 

I'm still determined to finish the Christmas projects, so I layered up the Angel wallhanging

 

 

then free-motion quilted the background

 

 

When I was quilting round the letters, the foot was reluctant to move over the gold thread, and kept catching on the French knots (note to self, do the French knots after quilting!!)

 

 

Yesterday morning, although it was a bit grey and damp, we went out for a walk, and were rewarded with these two ponies posing for photos!

 

 

 

Remember I had started a pair of plain blue socks for myself, which were put aside while I was doing all the snazzy, jazzy ones.  I finished them yesterday ........

 

 

....... and then got everything ready to start the first of the fifty two projects this evening (I like to look after my books, so I have photocopied the pattern)

 

 

And now, for the last of the woolly things ...... yes, more photos of the lambs!  After lunch I wrapped up well, as there was a nasty cold wind, and set off up the hill.  I squeezed through a gap in the hedge, climbed over a fence, crept through the trees, got ready to get a reasonably close photo ....... and stepped on a twig which snapped, causing the ewes and lambs to trot off to the other end of the field.  So I had to backtrack and creep up a farmtrack to get close again - but then I was rewarded with these photos

 

 

 

While I was taking the photos, three pregnant ewes were keeping a careful eye on me

 

 

I walked on round to the other end of the field, where I saw two ewes, with what looked like a very big goose between them ......

 

 

........ but it turned out to be the gander and the goose!

 

 

A bouquet of daffodils ....

........ well, that's what it said on the label, but I don't think this bunch that I bought this morning quite qualifies as a bouquet!!

 

 

Yesterday we went out for a walk - although it was above freezing, it still felt quite raw, so we weren't in the least bit tempted to join these canoists on the River Tweed

 

 

On the bank of the river was this wonderful old mill

 

 

We think this must have been the water supply to the mill race, but it has been closed off

 

 

When you drive over this bridge, all you see is the small wall on either side of the road, and have no idea what a magnificent structure is underneath you (the man crossing the bridge gives you an idea of the scale)

 

 

Of course all that walking in the cold meant we had to go for a cuppa - we popped into the Main Street Trading Company in St Boswells.  As well as a cuppa, we shared a piece of cake - a delicious orange drizzle

 

 

I have sorted out the the yarn for the first twenty six projects ...... but I forgot to take a photo before I put them in these two boxes!

 

 

I have chosen this notebook to keep a record of my progress

 

 

I was at the dentist this morning.  My mouth is healing well where I had the tooth out on New Year's Eve ..... because it was such a big tooth, it will take some time until the socket fully contracts.  Because I have had several teeth out recently, I have to get partial dentures - oh dear, that makes me feel old.  The dentist took the first impressions today - and he also repaired a tooth that a bit came off recently, while I was eating my lunch.  He said it would be best not to chew anything on it for the rest of the day, so instead of a delicious dinner of left over roast pork, I had macaroni cheese!

When I came home, I found Malcolm was busy drawing - how I wish I could do this!!

 

It may look like snow ........

........ but it is very heavy frost - this was the front garden this morning

 

 

and of course the cold weather means lots of visitors to the bird feeders

 

 

 

 

I remembered finally to take a photo of the sock progress!  Julie's socks are still the same, waiting for the kitchener stitch on the second sock.  I finished Rachel's second sock last night - except for the kitchener stitch, and I have finished the first of Vee's socks.  I think I could now knit this sock pattern in my sleep!

 

 

As always, I spent the afternoon at Borderland Fabrics.  Cathy has been working on a design for a small wallhanging, which will form the basis for a workshop.  She has used my favourite sorts of fabrics and colours - perhaps I will have to sign up for the workshop?

 

 

Ruth was working on her Grandmother's Flower Garden, which is made with hexagons.  She is very organised, and has her prepared hexagons arranged by colour in a storage box, ready to sew

 

 

 the hexagons will make more flowers like these ones

 

 

There were two parcels delivered to the shop during the afternoon - which were opened to reveal ..... beautiful fabrics

 

 

 

Now to the best bit of the Friday post - cake!  Annette was a bit under the weather, having caught a very nasty cold from her grandchildren, so she hadn't baked for us.  But she knew there would be a riot if we didn't have cake, so she had bought not one, but two lovely cakes

 

rich fruit

 

 

raspberry and white chocolate

 

I've just seen the weather forecast for next week on television - very cold, but not quite as cold as in December ....... I think I will just stay in bed and pull the comforter over my head until the spring!!

I hope you all have a good weekend, love Anne

Stash busting!

I have made a start to getting organised to do the project-a-week knitting.  First I bought some resealable freezer bags

 

 

Then I had a look at my stash ...... can I just say that almost all of this yarn was bought in sales - or even better, from the 99p bargain basket!  (I bought the shelving from my friend Fiona, when sadly she had to close her wool shop)

 

 

I couldn't decide whether to work through the book in order, or to pick which ones I like best to do first.  But we recently watched 'The Sound of Music' ...... and I could here Julie Andrews singing 'Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start'  ....... so this is the first project

 

 

A quick look in the stash produced some lovely pure wool Aran, in almost the same colour as used in the book

 

 

I labelled the first twenty six bags, and found yarn for several of the projects.  Once I have finished the sock knitting, I will get started and show you each what I have completed.

 

 

I have also been doing some sewing. I embroidered 'angel' on the wallhanging, so it is ready to layer up and quilt .........

 

 

...... and I've stitched the vines on the top border of the row quilt (the flowers are pinned on)

 

 

 

When we were in Hawick this morning, we had one of our regular looks in the Oxfam shop  - yes, I bought something!  But could you have resisted this fun biscuit barrel ........