frayed at the edge

A guest contributor!

We came up to our flat in Berwick at lunchtime (after spending the morning doing the housework!), and as it was a bright and breezy afternoon, we went out for a long walk round the town.  I handed Malcolm the little camera, and apart from the last photo, these are his contribution to today's post.

First, a little wrought iron gate

 

then, an elder tree just coming into flower, hanging over a lovely piece of old wall

 

this is the Watch Tower

 

he was standing on top of the King's Bastion to take this photo

 

an arty shot of a house just glimpsed through the tree

 

looking out over the golf course

 

isn't it annoying when inconsiderate people walk into your photo!

 

approaching the garden which celebrated the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, with part of the old town walls (built to keep those pesky Scots out) on the right

 

looking out through another part of the old walls, with the lighthouse in the distance

 

another view of the walls

 

when we arrived at the flat, there was a ship in the dock, so we thought we would take photos after our walk ……… but we got back just as it sailed out of the dock!

*

 

so now for my photo - of course it involves food!  When we were in Alnwick yesterday morning, we shared this delicious cherry and vanilla scone, with jam and clotted cream

 

unfortunately, when we got back home from Alnwick just before lunchtime, we discovered the power ++*was off, and it wasn't restored until 8pm - a very long and frustrating day (we may have gone to Amble for fish and chips for dinner!).  So I have a rather large backlog of emails to deal with, which I will tackle now, while Malcolm is watching World Cup football!!

I hope you have a good (and football-free) weekend!  Love, Anne

Catching up!

I don't know what happened, but these photos from last Thursday never made it into blog!  In the morning we went over to Rothbury for a walk, as the sun was shining, as you can see from this view of the River Coquet

 

we walked down on to the river bank so that I could capture the imposing stone bridge

 

this is a shot of the other side of the bridge

 

this was a school, and the bell tower now provides a vantage point for the gulls to survey the town

 

you can never have too many photos of old doors ……….

 

..…….. and old gates

 

we were glad when we got back to the car park that this enormous gull wasn't sitting on our car!

 

in the afternoon, I tackled a job that strangely I had been looking forward to doing!

 

I do love using the high pressure washer - there is something very satisfying about seeing the dirt wash away

 

of course it does mean getting a bit wet and dirty - but at the end of the afternoon I simply turned the washer om my trousers and shoes and washed them clean too!

 

you can see the difference between the clean railings on the right, and the yet to be cleaned ones on the left

 

we were amazed at how clean the deck boards looked as they dried out in the sun

 

there is a bit more work to do, but getting rid of the years of grime was immensely satisfying!

 

fast forwarding to yesterday, if you follow me on Instagram (@annetaydon) you will have seen the next two photos.  Malcolm finished planting up the two planters that he made from the section of the deck that he had to demolish …….. 

 

..……. and added gravel, pebbles, stones and driftwood

 

they look good sitting on either side of the front door ( I also pressure washed the doorstep and the path!)

 

the first of the clematis that we planted last year has flowered

 

and finally, I don't know what this plant in the rockery is, but I do like it!

A walk in the sun

 Yesterday morning, we headed up the A1 with Stuart and Alison, and after a stop for a delicious brunch in Carnaby's, they headed on up over the Border, while we turned off to Berwick.  In the afternoon, we went for a walk round the town, and then headed towards the breakwater, which meant that I got to take photos ……

 

of my favourite trees

 

I think I take a photo of a plant growing out of the top of this wall every time I go past!

 

I only had the little camera with me, and it wasn't quite up to zooming in on this yacht sailing past the lighthouse

 

this group of canoeists were enjoying a leisurely lunch in the sunshine (you'll see them again later in the post!)

 

walking along the breakwater, there were all sorts of plants and grasses growing.  I couldn't decide which photos to include - so I have just included all of them!

 

and of course we have to have some rusty metal

 

rust and plants

 

rust and a shadow shot of me

 

an exceedingly large lump of rusty metal!

 

on the way back, we passed some swans

 

and some old cars from France - we think they were taking part in a rally

 

we stopped at the Lookout café at the end of the old bridge - I couldn't take a photo as all the outside tables were occupied.  We went inside and up a spiral staircase to a small room, which had several windows - this one beside our table looked out over the quayside 

 

and this one was right next to the old bridge

 

when we were walking back over the bridge, we had a good view of the canoeists, who had paddled upstream, battling the fast flowing outgoing tide

 

this morning we walked over to town, and decided to have a cuppa in The Mule on Rouge, on Bridge Street.  It has been open now for several months, so we thought it was time we popped in to check it out

 

the owner was happy for me to take photos

 

the base of this table seems to be made out of bits of old machinery

 

and there was a display of all things coffee on the landing

 

I do like getting old, mismatched china - the tea somehow tastes better than when it is served in a modern cup!

 

but of course the most important question ……. how was the cheese scone.  It was only after we had eaten it that the café owner told us that it was a vegan scone, and asked us what we thought of it.  It was a very tasty scone, with an excellent texture, and compared well to the non-vegan scones that we usually have.  We asked what was the extra flavour - perhaps a little bit of chilli?  He had to admit that as he hadn't baked it, he didn't know!

A very special project!

 Recently at The Quilt Shop , we had a visit from these two delightful ladies from Beamish Museum.  They did a presentation on Joe the Quilter and his grisly murder.  His cottage  is being reconstructed at Beamish, and as part of the project, local stitchers have been invited to make a small block.  We could either use a word or phrase from a list that they had, or choose a word of our own.  I decided to choose my own word, choosing "mining", as Malcolm's Dad was a miner

 

as my drawing skills resemble those of a five-year old, of course I asked Malcolm to do a drawing for me.  After looking at some images online, he produced this rough sketch of a mine's winding gear

 

then he drew this working sketch for me

 

I used my light pad to trace the design on to the fabric that  I had been given by the ladies from Beamish

 

we had a discussion about working the design, and we decided that I would work it in black thread, to show the stark working conditions of the miners

 

we also decided that I would work it in a rather rough backstitch, to show that the buildings are derelict, now that the mines are all closed

 

slowly taking shape

 

all that was left at this stage was to work the cable.  We decided that I would use a fine chain stitch, to show that it wasn't part of the metal girders

 

after finishing the stitching, I added a dedication

 

Malcolm's Dad was also called Malcolm, but he was always known as Mac.  I hope the block will be included in the exhibition at Beamish, not just in memory of Malcolm's Dad, but also in memory of all the other miners who spent their days on their knees, hacking at the coalface

 

it's Friday, so that means we end with something tasty!  We had a potter round the shops in Rothbury yesterday morning, then went for a cuppa.  Malcolm had this tasty apple tart

 

while I forgot all about healthy eating and tucked into this delicious slice of Rocky Road!

 

Stuart and Alison are popping down for a visit this weekend, so fingers crossed for good weather!  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

 

A big tidy up!

 When we came back from our holiday, I looked round my Attic and thought - oh dear, I really need to have a proper tidy and reorganisation!

 

I decided that I would dismantle the Super Quilter (on the left of the photo), as I have so much to do at the moment that I don't have time to practise using it, and I need the table space to layer up several quilts

 

looking better already

 

this is a much better layout for layering quilts.  Did you notice the little blocks of wood under the table legs?  The table needed to be raised for the white unit to fit under it, so of course the other table had also to be raised to make them level

 

at this point I sat down and enjoyed a refreshing cuppa!

 

sorting out a pile of UFOs

 

looking better!  The little bags hanging on the tables are for fabric scraps and threads

 

much, much better - and I even vacuumed the rug, which we bought way back in 1990.  We think this is the 5th house that it has been in (and I think two houses ago it spent some time in the loft!)

 

my lovely friend Margaret (the Queen of Appliqué) has asked me to quilt her latest masterpiece …… but I won't be able to share any photos until after Abbey Quilters' exhibition in July.

I'll be back on Friday with photos of an embroidery project that both Malcolm and I have been working on.  He wielded a pencil, and I wielded a needle, and we are rather pleased with the result!

A damp morning!

We were somewhat surprised when we got up yesterday morning to find that it was raining.  While agreeing that the garden needed it (the grass is turning yellow), we were a little bit annoyed, as we had planned to go to Newbiggin by the Sea for a walk.  However by the time we had enjoyed a muffin filled with bacon for breakfast and headed out, they rain had turned to a light drizzle.  After leaving the car in the car park, we walked down to the beach, where these two tractors (used for pulling boats out of the sea), were perfectly parked for a photo

 

nature is gradually filling in the gaps in this wall

 

I was a bit annoyed to see that these little bits of street art …...

 

are looking somewhat neglected

 

it seems fitting that this old Wesleyan Chapel is now home to the Salvation Army

 

this is now a small museum - we must go back when it is open

 

Malcolm was rather taken with this fence - but there isn't anywhere in our garden that he could build one

 

I do like an old tractor

 

especially if, like this one, it has strange rusty bits on the back!

 

Malcolm remembers going to the café when he was little - it was a short bus journey away from his home, and his family would go to Newbiggin for a day out in the summer holidays

 

it was closed for many years, but has been re-opened by the descendants of the original owners

 

I thought for a moment someone had dropped their ice cream ……. but it is a doorstop!!

 

there were no scones on offer, so we had to share a (rather delicious) chocolate brownie!

A busy man!

 The good weather since we came back from Majorca has meant that Malcolm has been busy in the garden

 

he has painted the gates

 

and put gravel round the gateposts 

 

on the other side of the garden, there hadn't been a proper edge to the grass, it just meandered up to the fence and hedge.  So he cut a straight border, put gravel boards at the bottom of the fence, put down weed suppressing membrane, and covered it with gravel

 

oh dear, still a few yards to go!

 

he has weeded the rockery

 

and the various little beds he created last summer

 

next, a major project.  When he demolished the top level of the deck last year because the base of it was rotten, he salvaged as much as possible.  He has now made two planters (we saw a similar one in the garden centre yesterday, which cosy £40!).  He has gradually been putting a layer of stones in the bottom for drainage, as he has dug them up as he did the weeding

 

once they have been filled with compost and plants, they will look good on either side of the front door

 

elsewhere in the garden, the little wisteria is still flowering

 

and the allium are in full bloom …..

 

..…… and are attracting bees

 

the alchemilla mollis has doubled in size in a year!

 

but what is this …….  a WEED.  I shall have to have words with the gardener!

 

the sun has faded parts of the parasol, creating an interesting pattern on the middle section

 

this little rabbit ……..

 

..….. has been a regular visitor in the mornings, when we are having breakfast

 

I don't mind if he eats the grass, but I suspect that he has also been dining on this hosta

 

as it's Friday, of course we finish with something tasty!  We shared this delicious cheese scone on Monday in the Morpeth Deli

 

Fortunately we have so far escaped the thunderstorms, and hopefully they will continue to miss us!  Have a good weekend, love Anne xx

 

6&6 in 2018 : May report

 My goodness, where did May go!  I was somewhat discombobulated to realise that this is the last day of the month, and I hadn't organised my 6&6 post.  So there has been a frantic scrambling through rather a lot of photos to find these ones!

For this month's new project, I looked out little bundles of Liberty fabric

 

and several packets of pentagons

 

of course we were on holiday at the start of the month

 

so quite a lot of the sewing of my pentagon flowers was done sitting in the sun

 

so, what am I making?  I don't really know yet!!  At the weekend, I pinned a piece of fabric on the design wall, then randomly pinned flowers on it.  Will I develop this, or will I decide to put the flowers in blocks?

 

Last month, Meredithe suggested that we included knitting projects as well, so I have two for this report.  First, the ongoing project of knitting a very long tube, which will eventually be stuffed, coiled, and turned into a rug.  As you can see, there is now so much of it, it no longer fits in my knitting bag

 

just before we went on holiday, I finished this snazzy pair of socks.  I have yet to block them, but as we are enjoying some lovely weather at the moment, that isn't a priority

 

so that is my May report.  Pop over to Meredithe's blog, and after reading her report, scroll down to the linky thing to see what everyone else has been doing.  And if you visit my Instagram (@annetaydon) you can see what else I did with some pentagons!

 

Domestic sewing

I have sewn for as long as I can remember, including making curtains and cushions.  I didn't make this pair, but as you can see, I am letting down the hem

 

having pressed the bottom of the curtains, I laid them out on the floor, ready to  turn up a small hem .......

 

so that they can be hung on either side of the opening through to the garden room

 

we brought this couch home with us from Indonesia (it is called a Bali couch).  Last week I snapped up this remnant of fabric for the absolute bargain price of £15 to recover it

 

this as a detail of the stitching on the fabric

 

do you remember that Malcolm recently recovered the dining chairs and the two tall Indonesian chairs with this beautiful black fabric?

 

there was some left, and turned to the wrong side will make excellent cushion covers to put on the refurbished Bali couch

 

when we bought this sofa bed last year, it came with rather boring cushions

 

but this recently purchased remnant will make very smart  new cushions

 

I said I would tell you about The Hunk ....... some years ago, when we were in Singapore, we were strolling down Orchard Road when I saw this rather handsome young man, clad only in (very) low slung jeans, standing in a shop doorway.  As I had my camera in my hand, I raised it to take a photo.  He saw me, and immediately posed for the photo.  Several days later, we were strolling down Orchard Road again, and Malcolm was teasing me about the handsome young man - would I perhaps talk to him if I saw him again.  Well, there he was, standing in the doorway, so I trotted over and reminded him that I had taken his photos several days previously.  I told him that I had put his photo on my blog, and had made a lot of ladies all round the world VERY happy!!!  He asked me if I would like a photo with him - and as you can see, I said yes!  He was a model for Abercrombie and Fitch, who obviously stood at the door of the shop looking gorgeous to entice shoppers in ....... and there was an young lady on stand-by with a camera to take photos!

 

I'll be back on Friday with photos of Malcolm's hard work in the garden!

Busy in the kitchen

I got organised after lunch to do a bit of simple cooking.  First, I assembled these ingredients to make a dish which is simply known as Indian chicken (my version of a recipe that was in a magazine many years ago)

 

I put some mango chutney in a small saucepan and added some curry powder, then cooked it gently for a few minutes - this cooks out the raw flavour of the curry powder

 

in a large bowl I put equal quantities of yogurt and mayo, and whisked them together

 

when the mango curry/curry mix cooled, I whisked that into the yogurt/mayo mix

 

I then added the leftover chicken, and mixed it well.  We had it tonight for dinner with a baked potato - delicious!  (and even better, there is some left over for my lunch tomorrow)

 

next, I prepped tomorrow's breakfast,  This is a variation on summer oats/refrigerator porridge.  In the tub is a mixture of granola and muesli (I didn't like either of them particularly, so I mixed them together)

 

in each jar I put a quarter cup each of the granola mix and yogurt, and added a third of a cup of milk.  Next was a dash of vanilla and a tablespoon of jam

 

I made sure the lids were screwed on tightly, then gave the jars a good shake to mix the ingredients

 

we have a choice of fruit to have with it tomorrow

 

I bought some fresh herbs this morning for future cooking

basil 

 

chives

 

coriander

 

after the fun of cooking, it was time to do the ironing (my absolute least favourite domestic task)

 

so to make it more pleasant I watched Despicable Me 3 (again), with those cute little minions.  What do you mean you didn't notice the minions, you were too busy looking at my mouse mat?

 

this is The Hunk - come back on Wednesday and I will tell you who he is!