frayed at the edge

A perfect day!

This morning dawned bright and clear, and although Sarah and Andy were arriving mid-morning, I still got up and went for my walk.  I was glad I did when saw these beautiful boys - the pale one stood and posed for the photo, looking at me with his great big eyes!

  

I was slightly nervous waiting for Sarah and Andy to arrive - what if we didn't like them - we had invited them to spend the whole day with us!  I needn't have worried - from the moment they got out of their car we got on fine (Sarah did say later they had similar thoughts!)  Malcolm was the perfect tour guide, taking us to all sorts of wonderful places.  I have previously blooged about some of them (one day I'm going to learn how to put in a link to previous posts!!)  Malcolm took this photo of Sarah and me, with the wonderful Victorian railway viaduct, which crosses the River Tweed, behind us.  I'm squinting a bit as the sun was in my eyes!

 

We had a wander round the shops in Melrose (Sarah was delighted to find a shop which sold cake glitter!) then after a lovely lunch at the Waterwheel Cafe, near Selkirk, we had a look round the sights of Hawick, before getting back home in the late afternoon.  Of course Sarah and I headed out to the studio, while Malcolm and Andy sat out on the deck enjoying a glass of wine.  It was such a lovely day, we decided to have dinner out in the garden.  We started with soup - roast red pepper, tomato and sweet potato.  As you can see, I served it in teacups (with some fresh basil) - we once had soup served like that in a posh restaurant!  It's great if you only want a small helping, so you don't spoil your appeteite for the main course!!

 

Malcolm did the main course - pot-roasted brisket (a Donald family secret recipe - but if you want to know, just ask!) served with Ayrshire potatoes, turnip, cut green beans, Yorkshire puddings and of course lots of gravy.  There is just one problem - I forgot to take a photo - but I think this photo shows how good it was

 

Of course there was pudding!!  A sort of cheesecake in a glass - it was delicious (if you would like the recipe, leave a comment and I'll e-mail it to you!)

 

here are the other three about to tuck in

 

and just relaxing and chatting

 

Sarah brought me a very special present - something that she made for me ....

 

.... a Victorian pillar box (you know I have a bit of a weird thing about pillar/post boxes!).  I will have to get a nice frame to put it in - it is so lovely I think it will have to go up on the wall in the house, rather than in the studio.

We had a wonderful day with our new friends - hopefully one day soon we can visit them in London!

A trip down memory lane

Yesterday I headed off up the A7 to visit Stuart.  The first excitement of the day was when I got to the outskirts of Edinburgh and got to drive on, first, dual carriageway, and second, motorway - so I could drive (legally) at more than 60mph - oooh, the thrill!!  My first stop was at Torwood Garden Centre for lunch

 

Suitably fortified with my carrot and orange soup, I set off on a nostalgic trip to see the various places we have lived in over the years.  Our first home was in Brightons, just outside Falkirk

 

When we lived there I did lots of of knitting and sewing, but I no longer have any of it!  We then moved to Hampshire and then to Cambridgeshire (I'll tell you about that another time), before moving back to Falkirk.  This isn't the best photo, but it was a bit awkward lingering in the lane to take photos!!

 

Please admire the fence - Malcolm cut the shape into the top of every upright!!  It was while living here that I got seriously involved in patchwork, having previously dabbled in it when we lived in Hampshire.  These are the first two quilts I made (but photographed in this house)

 

 

We sold that house when we went to Indonesia, buying a flat for Stuart to live in (and for us to stay in on trips home!) - it's the upstairs bit to the right of the lamppost

 I did do some sewing there on visits home, but I don't have photos on the the computer (sorry, not entirely organised after my two days away!) - but the sewing link comes from the view of the back of the flat - I made the Austrian blinds for our house in Cambridgeshire - so they are 20 years old!!

 

When Stuart left home, he moved into this flat in Falkirk High Street (technically, there was no parking in front of the flat, but he and his neighbours would sometimes park overnight - until Stuart got a parking ticket issued at 3am!!)

 

His were the three windows with the Roman blinds - yes, I made them, but the sewing connection is this cushion ... . it must be about 8 years old, but I took this photo this morning!

 

This was made using the same technique as the zebras -  it's funny, but the badgers are much clearer in the photo.  Just a little aside here - Stuart has tropical fish, the biggest of which is called Charlie (please don't ask me what kind he is!)  Last night, he posed for this photo ....

So where were we - oh yes, when we came back from Indonesia we moved here, in Larbert - again, near Falkirk

 

As you can see, this photo was taken when the house was for sale before we moved here - it doesn't look quite like that now, as the new owners extended into the right hand side of the garage!!  I did so much sewing when we lived there, it's hard to choose a photo, so we'll just go for the largest quilt!!

 

I can only claim credit for the applique, as I had it professionally quilted!  I made it for Stuart, but it was hard to part with it!!

I started with food, so I'll finish with food!  This morning I went to Aromas coffee shop, where Malcolm and I used to go every Saturday morning for breakfast (we would go in, sit down and start reading the papers and, as if by magic, our bacon rolls, tea and coffee would appear in front of us - the lovely waitress, Lindsay, gave up asking what we wanted as we had the same every week and Jane, the owner's daughter, would just start cooking the bacon,!!)  Although it's almost three years since we moved here, when I went in this morning, Jane said hello and started making what is possibly the best bacon roll in the world for me

 

There is a little footnote to this story - when I went into Aromas, sitting in her usual corner table was a lovely lady (who is also called Anne!) along with another lady who also had breakfast on Saturday mornings - not only did they remember me, but Anne said she had seen me taking a photo yesterday (it was the one of the Austrian blinds).

I hope you have enjoyed this look back over the years!!

 

Normal weather has been resumed!

Oh yes, we really believed the long range forecast of a wonderful summer ( if you did believe it, I bet you think Elvis is living on the  moon!!).  So when we took Malcolm's Dad to Newbiggin yesterday, did we sit outside our favourite coffee shop and bask in the sun?

 

It might just have been a passing shower, but it was rather heavy while it lasted!

 

Today, I had a wonderful start to the morning - a doctor's appointment at 8.50, then the dentist at 10am!  However, I did have time as I walked from the doctor's surgery over the footbridge to the dentist's clinic to take some photos of the rivers Teviot and Slitrig.  Usually the rivers are fairly shallow and clear, but after the heavy rain, they were running high and brown

 

This little island is usually twice this size!

 

The Teviot (on the right) was running so hard it was backing up into the Slitrig

  

I took this photo later, crossing the Drumlanrig Bridge on my way to the High Street.  This is looking down on the Slitrig, as it runs down to the Teviot - it is usually little more than a trickle in the summer.

So let's forget the weather and end with .... cake, yes, more cake!!

 

But you might not want to eat this one!  It's a gift for a new baby - the bottom tier is made with nappies!  (yes, it also comes in blue!)

Running very fast .......

....... just to stand still!!  The last few days have been very busy, and I still have photos from Friday and  Saturday that I want to show you, as well as all the wonderful stuff from yesterday's Woolgathering.  So, let's get started!!

 

The table mats and runner which I was sewing in Friday

The brown areas are chenille = the texture is lovely

This is the swallow tail shawl, soaking in tepid water, with 'Ecover Delicate', for about twenty minutes.  I then rinsed it thoroughly and squeezed out the excess water (NEVER wring your knitting!)

 

I rolled the shawl in a towel, to soak up as much water as possible (I left it rolled up while I had lunch!)

 

Ready to block the shawl - a clean sheet, my new blocking wires, pins and tape measure 

 

It took a little while to carefully thread the wires through the top edge and then through the points of the swallowtails - but then it was so easy to stretch the shawl out to the correct size and shape and push pins into the carpet to hold the wires in place. (if you have never blocked a shawl like this - it is a long job if you are pinning each point and trying to get them even!)

 

lovely even points!

 

I knitted the shawl to wear with my good winter coat (which I've had since 1996) - I think it looks fabulous!

 

Many thanks to Helen for the beautiful yarn (it's alpaca, silk and cashmere) - and the shawl only took 32 grams - so I could do another two!! 

 

So yesterday, it was off down to Chesters for another Woolgathering, organised as ever by Lindsay. who was experimenting with some needle felting (do you remember Lindsay's lovely holiday cottage?  She still has some vacancies, so if you want to come and see the glorious Borders, do check out her blog)

  

Fiona was doing some more work on her amazing felted ram

 

Janet was spinning using her wonderful new spinning wheel

 

Lizzi was busy with her needlepoint

 

Tricia is getting to the end of her latest knitting project

 

Lorraine was working on her sampler quilt - it is entirely handstitched!  (and she has another one the same well on the way to completion!!)  (LtoR Tricia, Lorraine and Janet)

 

What was I doing?  Well after a bit of needle felting, I was working on my knitting that I can't tell you about, but Janet took this photo of me eating cake!!

 

Some of those there yesterday said I showed too many cakes on the blog - girls, girls, there is no such thing as too many cakes!!  So you know that I am going to finish with cake related photos!!  I got up at 5am to bake these scones - they looked so good I thought they deserved Granny's traycloth and pretty china for afternoon tea

 

Would you like a closer look - oh yum yum

 

Oh dear, I've just told you a great big fib - of course I didn't bake the scones - I bought them this morning in Morrisons! Complete with raspberry jam and fresh cream!)

That was a bit of a marathon post, but now I've caught up with all the things I wanted to share with you - I hope you have enjoyed it!

 

A tale of two cakes!

It has been such a busy week, that there is a bit to catch up on today.  On Thursday I met my friend Lorraine for lunch.  I had quiche and salad - a bit boring for a photo, but then ...... to justify sitting so long at our table, of course we had to order something else ....... and somehow we ordered chocolate fudge cake.  Well, what's a girl to do, of course I had to eat it!!

 

I told you yesterday that I was going to Borderland Fabrics in the morning - now I can tell you why.  Judi, assistant editor of (British) Patchwork and Quilting magazine, was coming to see the shop, in order to feature it in a future issue.  So the usual Friday afternoon gang all turned up early, so that we could show off the wonderful facilities we have for sewing in the shop.  While Judi was busy taking photos, I turned the tables and took one of her

 

The workroom was looking fabulous, with a colourful selection of quilts hanging all round the room

 

 

 

Isn't this just so cute!!  The article on the shop will be in the September issue, which will be on sale in the third week of August - who knows, I might even be in one of the many photos that Judi took (probably when I was sitting in the coffee shop enjoying my mid-morning cup of tea!)

After Judi left, we were all busy sewing.  Jane was trying to finish her wall hanging, which she started at a recent workshop in the shop.  Unfortunately, she didn't get her outer borders on, but it's looking pretty good

 

I was working on other set of placemats and table runner - this time for the dining room.  I forgot to take a photo yesterday, so I took one this afternoon in the studio ....... well I was going to show you a photo, but every so oftern Typepad throws a wobbly and won't show the photo - I guess you'll have to wait until another day!

This morning we were in Hawick as usual, and walked past the sub-post office as usual, but today I stopped to take a photo of - yes, another pillar box.  I don't know how many times I've walked past this one, without noticing how fabulous it is!

 

Just look at the ornate top

 

After looking at the royal initials from all angles, we think it's VR - what do you think?

 

So I started with cake, and I'll finish with cake!  Annette produced another masterpiece for afternoon tea yesterday - I gave her 12/10 for this one!!

  

 

Grasping the bull by the horns

So what did we do on Sunday?  Well, first we went to Morrisons for breakfast.  Sausage, bacon and egg may have been consumed, along with fried bread and potato scone ( and of course HP sauce) - oh dear if it tastes that good, it must be bad for you!

To work off some of the calories, we then walked to the other end of Hawick High Street, to see this wonderful statue, which had been unveiled the day before

 

The statue, the work of Innerleithen sculptress Angela Hunter, is of the first Turnbull.  The story is that William of Rule saved the life of Robert the Bruce by wrestling a bull to the ground, thus earning the name Turnbull.  You can read more about it here.

The detail of the work is amazing - here is a selection of the many photos I took!

  

 

 

While I was taking the photos, Malcolm was looking over the wall at the river - and there, posing beautifully was a heron (perhaps the one we've seen before?)

 

I find it fascinating the way herons stand motionless, watching the water - I had plenty of time to move to get a different view

We then walked the long way round to get back to the car (walking off more of those breakfast calories!)  On the way, I found not one but two more postboxes, both of them set into the walls of houses

 

 

This next photo is for Sarah, who like rusty things!  (I don't think that's weird - you know I like things like old fenceposts!!)

 

Then we saw this wonderful fence made of old railway sleepers (I don't often admit to this, but a long time ago when I had a proper job, I worked for British Rail, so I know a thing or two about sleepers!) 

If you look back at the previous photo, you'll also see sleepers to the left of the green shed.  So why so many sleepers - a clue could be this little hump-backed bridge

 

If you look over the bridge, all you see now is this

 

But before Doctor Beeching arrived with his axe, this was the railway line from Edinburgh to Carlisle.  There are plans to restore some of the railway line from Edinburgh, but it will only come as far Melrose, as some of the line now has houses on it!!

I'm so excited!

 

I've been given my first ever blog award!  I was given it by the lovely Anne Gaal, whose blog is a wonder to behold - not only does she make the most wonderful cards, she very generously gives full instructions so that you can make them too!  She also takes the most amazing photos - and if that's not enough, she has super giveaways. 

Now comes the difficult bit - passing on the award!  Oh, whom to choose?  So here, in no particular order, are my five nominations:- Helen  Sarah  Anairam  Gina  Helen  (yes, it's two different Helens!) - please visit their blogs (if you haven't already!) to see why I like them!

So, now that I've nominated you, here are the rules!

1. Cut and paste the award logo and use it on your own blog

2. Nominate at least 5 other bloggers that you think have become part of your circle of friends

3. Link to your nominees in your post

4. Include the instructions on how to pick up the award in your blog post

5. Link back to the person who gave you the award in your blog post, to show your appreciation

6. Comment on their blogs to let them know they've received the award. 

Goodness me, after all that excitement, I need to lie down in a darkened room, but before I do, here is a much shortened version of what I had planned for today's post, telling you about my day yesterday

  

a very noisy goose keeping the Jacob's sheep in order

  

a fine fellow posing on the gate

 

a strange parcel arriving in the post

 

it's the special wires for blocking shawls, along with some pins and an extra long tape measure

 

Malcolm has gone to see his Dad, so a whole day sewing!!

 

table runner and six place mats for the kitchen table

Thanks again to the lovely Anne for my award!  It has been such a busy week, that tomorrow's post is going to be about what we did on Sunday - hope you'll come back to read it!!

Wet,wet,wet

No, I wasn't being serenaded by Marti Pellow this morning - it was just rain, rain, rain when I went for my walk!  I did think about turning over and going back to sleep, but then I thought about the clothes that are getting a little bit tight ....

I'm writing this at 6.20 and it so wet and miserable that we already have the lamps on, and Malcolm has turned on the 'flames' of the electric fire to make the room cosy (for goodness sake, it's the middle of July!!)

Never mind, as usual it was off to Borderland fabrics this afternoon for patch'n'chat.  We were delighted to hear that Pam is recovering from her hip replacement (she had some unfortunate complications) - get well and come back soon Pam - we miss you!  Jen came in to get fabric to bind her quilt - she has only been quilting for about five minutes, but this is what she has produced - fabulous!!

 

One of the other Annes (there are three of us) was working on her hexagon quilt.  Unlike my hexagon quilt (well the beginnings of one) this one isn't worked in the traditional way over papers.  Instead Anne has used a rubber stamp to mark the cutting and sewing lines on the wrong side of the fabric.  She then stitches the hexagons together by hand (she is not a fan of sewing machines!!)

 

After last week's magnificent strawberry pavlova, the question on everyone's lips was - can Annette possibly have made something as good?  Yes she had - a yummy lemon meringue .... just like my Mum used to make .....

 

In the time that it has taken to write this, the rain has finally gone off and as it is so windy it is starting to dry up - fingers crossed for better weather tomorrow!!  Have a good weekend, love, Anne.

Peace and quiet

Yet again, I jumped out of bounded from crawled out of bed at 6.30 to go for a quick three mile walk.  Bliss, the peace and quiet of the countryside ... apart from the swallows trilling and chattering (for little birds, they make a lot of noise!) sheep baaaa-ing, horses harrumphing, geese honking, chickens squawking, crows cawing, dogs barking ..... at least the rabbits are quiet!

Way up ahead I saw a lamb sneak out of the field, cross the road and start munching on something in the hedgerow.  As I got closer it still went on munching, and closer still and closer still - it was still munching away

 

I had actually gone past and turned in the hope of getting a better photo when it finally noticed me and skedaddled across the road and back in to the field.  So what was so delicious?

  

Can you see?  It was lots and lots of little apples!

 

I've been walking up and down the road for days now and hadn't noticed the apples .... or these raspberries

 

Now, you know I like old fence posts - and today I found this wonderful piece of old fence (yes, I know it's strange to like bits of delapidated fence!)

 

Do you remember some weeks ago I showed you this photo of the spooky tree (we think it wants to be Hogwarts Whomping Willow when it grows up!)

 

When I passed this morning there were three crows perched right at the top - could this mean that Lord V*****mort (remember you mustn't say his name!!) could be lurking in the hedgerows!!

 

Did you notice that I have changed my banner slightly - as I seem to tell you as much about my life here in the country as about knitting and sewing, I thought the banner should reflect that - although in that case maybe it should also mention food .......and wine ......and cakes ......

A mixed bag

Yesterday we went off down to Ashington to see Malcolm's Dad.  We met up with Jennifer, who had said she was gong to treat us all to lunch!  We went to Warkworth - and of course wherever I go these days, the camera goes too.  After a very nice pub lunch, we left Malcolm's Dad to have a little snooze in the car, as he is no longer able to walk far, while we had a quick potter round the shops .... and of course a photo opportunity or two

 

This is the old bridge over the river, and I'll let the next photo tell you all about it

 

We were standing on the new bridge to take the photo of the old bridge, and from there we also had this view over to the castle

 

Beside the bridge, is this quirky little house, which I couldn't resist taking a quick photo of, before the owners came out and chased me away!

And another wonderfully quirky thing - this was the old post office and although it now a house, the post box is still in the window (I was careful to take the photo at an angle so that I wasn't looking in the window!!)

 

This morning the sun was shining, so I was pottering about the garden taking some shadow shots for future Sundays, when finally, I saw this plant had flowered - I have been waiting for days to take a photo of it!

 

I have no idea what it is, but there is a big clump of it - there may even be another photo in the days to come when it flowers fully.  Just behind it is the funny little thing, with flowers that look like fluffy little balls (I tend only to know the names of plants I have bought, so I don't know the names of a lot of the plants which were already in the garden when we moved in!)

 

This shrub is at the front of the house, underneath our bedroom window. 

 

Now, I know you are saying, that's quite ordinary looking .... but it's hiding something under the branches

Do you know what it is yet, would you like another view?

 

It's a quince, and although this is an ornamental variety, the fruits can be used.  These won't grow much bigger than a golf ball, unlike the ones we saw in Portugal last year, which were about the size of a rugby ball!

This afternoon we were in Kelso, where we had lunch in the garden centre, before I headed off for knit'n'natter (I can't tell you what I'm knitting at the moment, as it is a surprise present for someone who reads this drivel blog)  We had a walk along the river after lunch, where I took this photo of proud mummy and daddy swan with the family (perhaps it was the same family that I posted a photo of some weeks ago) ....

 

..... but the moment was spoiled somewhat, when I had to shout at some young teenage boys who were throwing stones at the swans!!