frayed at the edge

March forth!!

I accept no responsibilty for the punning title of today's post - it was supplied by the other person in the room!  So, today, the fourth of march, we popped over to Berwick.  After a potter round the shops we went for lunch.  This coffee shop used to be on the other side of the road, and was only half the size of its new premises

 

I rather like the painted tables - another project for Malcolm?

 

I ordered the French platter and Malcom ordered the grilled ham, cheese and spring onion baguette ...... then, of course, we had half each!

 

we went for a walk after lunch, which started with having to climb these old steps - I was not a happy bunny!!

but the sky was blue, the sun was shining, and there were old chimneys to take photos of!

 

we had a walk on the beach, and while Malcolm was looking for driftwood, I was looking for odd things to take photos of!

 

of course I was a responsible person and removed the fishing line after I took the photo!  I also picked up another length later on, and popped them both in the bin after our walk

 

we rather liked the way that the wall has been built round the tree

 

Malclm spotted this bird, which was hopping about on one leg!!

 

I had just snapped this swan ......

 

........ when it got out of the water

 

when we walk back home over the old bridge, we always walk on the left side ........ but as we got to the end I crossed over to have a look over the other side, and was rewarded with these photos!!

 

Malcom pointed out the shot of the railway bridge seen through the new bridge

 

and to finish, of course we have to have a photo of the lighthouse - with Bamburgh Castle just visible on the horizon!

 

 

 

What can ewe do .........

....... when waiting for the patter of tiny hoofs?  Just keep eating for two (or three!)

 

but there is always time to pose prettily for the camera!

 

I had hoped to get some closer shots of the Jacob's lambs, but they were in a different field, so this was the best I could do

 

as I turned for home, I almost took a photo of a finch!!

 

we have had sunshine and heavy snow showers today ........ fortunately the snow stayed off while I was out for my walk, and the blue sky provided a bright backdrop for the electrical gubbins

 

the snow was lingering on Ruberslaw

 

I have no idea why this field was so much whiter!

 

these horses looked a bit miserable as they kept their rear ends to the wind

 

I liked the snowdrops against the stone walls

 

back home, the birds were busy eating between snow showers

 

waiting politely for their turn on the feeder

 

 

then hiding away when the snow came on again

 

did you think I had forgotten my favourite bit of landscape?!

 

just to the left of it, there is an all-weather exercise track for the nearby racing stables.  You can see the white railing that borders it

 

 

there doesn't seem to have been much sconnage in recent posts, so here is a very good fruit one that we shared yesterday morning

 

I'll be back tomorrow with lots of sewing, includng a Mrs Billings update.

Three for a pound!

We took the wine box bookcase over to the flat yesterday, and put it in the entrance to the guest bedroom

 

there was just one problem - we hadn't taken any books or ornaments to put on it!  However when we popped into town for some shopping, we picked up three paperbacks in a charity shop for a pound.  I added Malcolm's special tin, a card with owls, two little Indonesian ornaments and an apple shaped dish

 

I had mentioned to Malcolm that I would need to look out a wallhanging to hang above the bed in the guest bedroom ........ I have to admit that I had forgotten about this one, which is called Sunset over the Bay, so seems appropriate for the flat.  It will look better once there is a quilt on the bed - which will be soon, as the blue and white batik quilt that I got from Margaret's auction is being longarm quilted and I should get it back next week

 

I also took over the ripple rug, which I finished at the weekend.  This prompted the left or right dilemma

 

in the end I just left it along the back of the couch, which is where Malcom sits.  Later I noticed that he had folded it and put it over one of the arms!

 

the ship was still being loaded this morning, but we had to leave as I had a dentist's appointment, so we missed seeing it leave the dock.  After seeing Mr HighScrabbleScore, we headed off for some lunch.  We decided to go to the Jammy Coo, as we hadn't been there for some time

 

Malcolm chose a panini and I chose a bagel, then we chose the same filling, bacon, brie and cranberry (delicious!)

 

I noticed that they had the cute little mugs for sale - but when I saw the price was £11.50, I decided perhaps I didn't like it that much after all!!

 

I just had the little point and shoot camera with me, but it coped quite well taking photos of the scenery from the car on the way home.  You can just make out some snow lingering on the hills on the horizon

 

this is Ruberslaw - Malcolm has been saying that he will walk to the top since we moved here (over eight years ago!)

 

to finish ...... when we passed this tractor, there was no sign of the driver, but Malcolm wouldn't stop to let me see if he had left the key in it ........

 

 

Rusty!

When we arrived in Berwick on Sunday, this rather rusty ship was sitting in the dock

 

it had been sunny when we left home, but it got cloudier and mistier, the nearer we got to Berwick.  However we still went out for a walk.  We could see this sign in the distance, and with the help of the long lens were able to read it.  We were delighted to read that the area is going to be refurbished

 

as we walked out to the lighthouse, the waves were getting higher and higher - I was feeling seasick watching them!

 

every so often the sun would break through the clouds, and reflect off the waves

 

the swans weren't bothered by the waves, looking as serene as ever

 

for once I didn't have to decide whether to have the lighthouse on the left or right of the photo, as it was straight ahead!

 

yesterday we went for a potter round the shops, then instead of walking back over the old bridge as we usually do, we came back over the new bridge.  It is only when you walk across it that you realise how much higher it is.  I had to turn round to take the photos, to keep the sun behind me.  I took several, to show just how long the bridge is

 

 

when crossing bridges, I only look out, I never look directly down, so it was Malcolm who spotted this swan-shaped picnic table at the foot of the bridge

 

back at the flat, I spent quite a lot of time at the window watching the ship being loaded

 

by the end of the afternoon the ship was fully laden, and you can see how much lower it is in the water compared to the first photo

 

to finish, an "arty" shot of the pilot boat, complete with its reflection in the still water

Today's special mug .......

........ for my special tea, was my oh so cute Herdie mug

 

I thought I would start with the mug, in case I forgot by the end of catching up on the weekend!  On Saturday we decided not to go beachcombing, but to go for a walk round the town instead.  The river was low enough to show the foundations of the railway bridge

 

a bright collection of primroses beside the footpath leading up from the river

 

we hadn't used this footpath before, and were delighted to discover these two seating areas at the top

 

as we headed back to the flat, we had a good view of the three bridges

 

I remembered my own advice to look up

as we approached the od bridge, this little boat came through at a great rate of knots!

 

yesterday we drove the few miles up the coast to Eyemouth, where we went for another long walk.  I thought you might like another photo of the eider duck - I thought it had caught a fish, but looking more closely at the photo, I think it is a piece of litter!

 

as we walked along the cliff top (not my favourite part of the walk!) the waves were crashing on to the rocks below

 

as we walked back to the car, we paused to admire this building ....... 

 

...... with its amazing gargoyle!

 

it's Abbey Quilters' monthly meeting tonight, so I'll be heading out after dinner to pick up Maureen to drive over to Kelso.  We will be playing with paint sticks and fabric tonight - hopefully I will produce something good enough to show you tomorrow!

Sunrise and sunset

The reflection of the sunset on Saturday turned the river and the dock pink

then yesterday and this morning the sunrise turned the sky orange 

 

over the weekend we encountered lots of birds -  swans

 

cygnets

 

seagulls

 

eider ducks

 

a shy robin

 

I still have lots of photos from the weekend to sort out, so I'll bring you another intallment tomorrow, and I'll finish with some excellent sconnage

fruit with jam and cream

 

cheese

Catching up!

We're back home after a very enjoyable visit to Stuart and Alison, so let's get going and catch up on yesterday's news.  First of all, the ball end sweater.  I modelled it yesterday morning before we left

 

I might have posed some more, but it was far too cold, as you can see from Malcolm's dashboard, when we set off a short time later ...... yes, it does say minus five!!

 

when I spoke to Stuart on the phone on Monday, he recommended Tea Jennys for lunch (that's where he and Alison bought my special tea that I have in a special mug on Tuesdays)

 

it was very busy, so I couldn't take a general shot of the interior, but I sneaked a photo of the wallpaper without getting anyone in the shot

 

every teapot comes with a cute teacosy - and isn't the old china fabulous!

 

Malcolm had delicious leek and potato soup with excellent bread

 

while I had a slightly different version of cheese savoury sandwich, with a very good salad

 

after lunch we walked past the house we lived in from 1990 to 1997 (when we went to live in Indonesia).  I have to say now that we lived in the downstairs of the house, we didn't own all of it!  It had actually been built  for the two spinster daughters of a local builder, unlike other similar sized houses in the area, which were built as a single house, but were then split into two flats

 

Malcolm made the fence (which is looking sadly neglected), cutting the shaped top of every piece.  He made it a panel at a time over quite a few weekends

 

he also made this rustic bridge ....... we were surprised to see that it had lasted so long!

 

we did some shopping, but you will have to wait until tomorrow to see what I bought.  We had an enjoyable evening with Stuart and Alison, and Fraser called in to pick up the ball end sweater.  He was delighted with it, and hopefully will send me a photo of his dad wearing it, to share with you.  On our way home today we called in at Ikea - but again you will have to wait until tomorrow to see what I bought.  So I'll finish with some snowy scenes from our drive home

 

 

Teddy bear sheepies!

We wrapped up well and went for a walk yesterday morning.  We parked beside the donkey sanctuary, but the first creatures we saw weren't donkeys, but little shaggy ponies

 

this donkey must have thought that I had food with me, as he stretched his head as far a possible over the fence ........

 

......... Malcolm had to distract him, so that I could take a better photo of him

 

there weren't any other donkeys about (I think they were being sensible and keeping warm in the stables), but we didn't mind too much when we saw these amazing sheepies in the next field.  They looked a cross between big cuddly teddy bears and sheepies

 

 

 

we walked on down to the River Tweed

 

as we crossed the footbridge .....

 

....... Malcolm was making it wobble as I tried to take this photo!

 

as we walked on, we coud see the Temple of the Muses

 

there was a bitterly cold wind whistling through the Temple, so we didn't linger after I took these two photos

 

we headed to the Old Melrose Tearoom for a warming cuppa and an excellent toasted teacake

 

did you notice the cute little milk jug?

 

it made me laugh every time I poured some milk!!

 

if you are now wondering why we had two jugs, Malcolm had hot milk with his coffee.  To finish ....... a Sunday walk wouldn't be complete with an arty shot (or two) of dried seed heads!

 

Tractors and snow .......

....... what more could a girl want?  (apart from George Clooney).  When I went out for my walk yesterday, this little tractor was sitting across the road

 

I walked on up the road, pausing to take a photo of the frozen ponds

 

and an arty shot of a snowy fence

 

I heard a chug chug chug behind me, and there was the little tractor chugging up the hill.  As I didn't know the driver, I waited until he had passed me before I took the photo

 

then there was another chug chug chug, and a matching tractor appeared, driven by our neighbour BillytheFarmer

 

I walked on up past  the church, to where I could see over the valley

 

I wonder why this one field was still green

 

of course on the way back down the hill I had to take photos of my favourite view

 

and then a last photo of fences in the snow

 

I have finished knitting the ball end sweater, and have started making it up (sewing in all those ends is a pain in the wherever!).  Malcolm wasn't available to model for me this morning, so I just had to drape it over the back of the couch

 

we were a reduced company at patch'n'chat this afternoon, because of the weather.  However, there was still plenty of chatting and a delicious spicy fruit dumpling for our Friday cuppa

 

the forecast for the weekend is for cold weather, with the possibility of some more snow, so I don't think we will be going far!  Whether you are chilly in the Northern Hemisphere, or enjoying warm weather in the Southern one, I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

 

Too much snow!

We got up this morning to a white world!  While Malcolm worked hard clearing the paths and the drive ........

 

........ I had fun taking photographs

 

then suddenly it started to snow again

 

when the snow went off, I went for a walk, but I'll save the scenic shots for tomorrow, as there are lots of photos of sheepies, ponies, donkeys and birds to get through

 

the two little donkeys had more sense than to stand outside in the cold, content simply to pop their heads out of the table

 

as always,there were lots of sparrows in the front garden

 

so, I'll be back tomorrow with some wonderful scenic shots, but to finish ........ I wouldn't want you to think that Malcolm had to do all the clearing work on his own.  He had two little helpers ....... CheekySockMonkey and JDtheTractor!!