frayed at the edge

More cats!!

I don't mind at all including these cats, the latest wonderful quilt from Margaret

 

I was a little bit late getting to patch'n'chat, as the road was temporarily blocked by a tractor which was trying to pull an overhanging branch from a tree!

 

dinner was slightly delayed on Wednesday, as I took photos of this wonderful piece of machinery which wraps silage/haylage bales ..... the joys of a big lens - I was standing in the kitchen taking these photos of the field across  the road!

 

we had pizzas cooked in the new pizza oven for dinner

leek, cheese and pear

 

chorizo and mozzarella

 

of course I had already enjoyed the Friday cake - this week Annette's delicious cupcakes topped with chocolate icing and a Smartie

 

and I have to admit that I had already had chocolate this morning ....... when we have a cuppa in the middle of doing the housework, I have proper hot chocolate .........

 

made with hot milk, some of which gets frothed to top both the hot chocolate and Malcolm's coffee

 

Malcolm says to thank you for all the beehive love - I don't know what he can do now to equal, if not better it!  Rain is forecast for the weekend, so he will have plenty of time to plan his next project - perhaps something using his large stash of driftwood?  As usual I will be in the studio.  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne<

The rest of our day out

As well as the castle, there is also the Priory to visit.  As we didn't have that much time left, we didn't pay to go inside the ruins, but contented ourselves with walking round the outside

 

the Priory is next to a beautiful old church

 

Malcolm spotted this headstone in the graveyard

 

this is a list of ships which were helped by the Grace Darling lifeboat, and the numbers of lives saved (click on the photo to enlarge it)

 

on the way back to the causeway, we saw some people in the distance walking across the sands, guided by the line of poles.  If you are on foot, it is a much shorter way than walking round by the road - but I think I would rather walk the extra distance!

 

it was an excellent day out, and we are looking forward to going back to see the parts we didn't have time for.

This morning, Malcolm put the beehive out in the garden

 

he hasn't decided yet what to keep in it

 

we have had lots of bees in the garden, but they never stay still long enough for me to get them in focus ...... these are my two best efforts!

Goodnight John Boy, goodnight Jim Bob

I had to retune my little tv in the studio last week, as some of the channels were being changed.  On Saturday I was scrolling through to see what was on, when I found one of the new channels ...... and look what was on - The Waltons!

 

John Boy was not amused when his siblings invaded his bedroom, when he was trying to write

 

yesterday morning we headed to Newtown St Boswells, to go for a walk.  As we headed towards the River Tweed, there was a lot of traffic noise from the main road above us

 

this plump bee wasn't bothered by the noise

 

however we soon left the road behind and meandered through the trees

 

  We stopped to admire this new wooden bridge ........

 

......... which looks so much better than this old one

 

it has obviously been a good year for the ducks, as we saw several pairs shepherding their broods along the river

 

we thought it rather strange that this boat had a plastic chair in it .......

 

then on round the bend we saw another one!

 

we missed the turn-off to take us away from the river and back to the village - as you can see the vegatation is somewhat overgrown.  I don't think I would sit on the bench, in case a strange creature jumped out!

 

my legs were complaining by the time we had climbed these three sets of steps!

 

I don't know why this sheep has a traffic cone in the field!

 

we couldn't decide what these three old buildings were for

 

of course, after such a long walk we were in need of a cuppa and sconnage.  We went to The Jammy Coo, where we enjoyed a cheese scone ......

 

....... and a fruit scone

 

I'll be back tomorrow, not only with a sewing update, but also with a beehive update!

Take two!

Fingers and toes firmly crossed that it all goes to plan tonight!  So what vanished yesterday?  On Sunday we went to the Philiphaugh Estate, for a walk by the river.  The waterwheel isn't working at the moment ......

 

........ because major work is being done beside the river

 

I want one of these

 

in a few weeks' time these little berries will be big, fat, luscious brambles

 

we have had many walks here, but this was the first time we have taken this path, along the edge of the run-off from the waterwheel

 

we thought at first that the concrete edge was just on one side, but a bit further on we realised that it was on both sides.  The other bank had been hidden by the vegetation

 

after an enjoyable walk, we popped in to the Waterwheel Cafe, to enjoy some serious sconnage (I'm delighted to see my word (a combination of scone and tonnage) appearing elsewhere.  Should I contact the OED to tell them I invented  it?

fruit scone

 

cheese scone

 

we stopped in Selkirk at the Studio on the Green, but we weren't there for a dance class.  The Nomads Tent (I think there should be an apostrophe in Nomads) were there with a selectin of goodies from their shop.  We had seen them several times before at Chesters House and we had always bought a little something.  And it was no different on Sunday.  Some of the goodies were displayed in the beautiful garden, and I was delighted to be given permission to take some photos

 

so what did I buy?  First, there was an addition to my collection of shopping bags

 

and then there were these very cute flamingos

 

we have lots of birds in the garden - both real and ornamental- and the flamingos have settled in with these wonderful birds which I bought in Indonesia, way back in the late 90s

 

I'll be back tomorrow with a big sewing update, but to finish tonight ........ do you remember some weeks ago I mentioned that the cherry tree had very little bossom?  Well, on Sunday I took a photo of this year's crop of cherries

yes, one cherry!!

 

ps - Susan has asked about buying a Country Cottages pattern.   If you would like a copy, send me an email (there is a link at the top of the sidebar) with your name and address.  I will send you a Paypal bill (you don't need to have a Paypal account to pay it).  The price : in the UK, £10 incl p&p, elsewhere £12, incle p&p.

One thing leads to another!

I was busy sewing on Saturday afternoon, when the sun came out from behind a cloud and shone right on the needle area, making it hard to see what I was doing.  I glanced up the velux, and saw that it was in serious need of being cleaned (as was the other one).  So I thought I would clean them while waiting for the sun to move round a bit.  Having cleaned the insides, Malcolm offered to clean the outsides, an offer I gladly accepted as it's very awkward to do the outsides.  When he had finished, I thought I might as well do the two sets of French doors, then as I still had soapy water left, I fetched a scrubbing brush and gave my chair a good scrub, ready for repainting

 

back in the studio, I admired the lovely clean veluxes

 

Typepad has just thrown a major wobbly and I have lost the rest of the post, so I'm sorry but you'll have to wait until tomorrow, as I can't face doing it all again!!

Trying harder!

I started my efforts to take more photos last night, when I just caught the sun before it sank below the horizon

 

when I was cleaning the bathroom this morning, I noticed the flowers in the planter on the windowsill showing through the glass

 

we have a cuppa in the middle of the Friday morning housework, and this morning we finally had a taste of the salted caramel shortbread (I can't quite believe it either that we have had it for almost two weeks without eating it!)

 

I was going to cut it into lots of little squares, but having tasted a little bit before I cut it, I ended up cutting it into somewhat larger pieces - it is delicious!!

 

at patch'n'chat this afternoon, Anne S. had brought some more of her daughter Roberta's fabulous tiny teddies for us to see

 

Andrea has almost finished this stunning wallhanging.  It is her first attempt at free motion quilting and she has done very well!

 

Maureen has finished her Gail Lawther wallhanging

 

a real treat for the Friday cake - Annette's wonderful chocolate sponge, with fresh cream and strawberries

 

next week's cake might not be of quite the same standard ...... Annette and some of the others are heading to Birmingham for the Festival of Quilts, so I have volunteered to bake a cake.  It's not that I can't bake, it's just that I rarely bake ..........

I hope you have a wonderful weekend - preferably with cake or scones on the menu!  Love, Anne

<

On the doorstep

I took these photos this morning, standing on the front doorstep.  First, the horses in the field across the road

 

then, turning slightly to my right, the Eildons

 

a litle bit further to my right, fields and a higgledy piggledy fence

 

round a little bit more, and I should have had a view of the Mintos ....... but these trees have grown so much since we moved here almost seven years ago that you can only just see the top of the hills

 

 just after taking the photos, we set off for Longframlington, and Anne's shop.  It's good when Malcolm goes with me, as it means I can take some photos of the scenery

 

there would have been more photos, but it is a rather bumpy road, and several of the photos were blurred or showed the sky, as the car bounced just as I clicked!

It was with great excitement that I hung Country Cottages on the wall

 

and I was even more excited when a customer came in, looked at the wallhanging and not only wanted the pattern, but wanted a kit as well!!

 

then one last thrill, hanging the patterns on the stand!

 

Ruth and Annie were busy completely rearranging the fabrics

 

after a great deal of discussion and huffing and puffing carrying bolts (which are surprisingly heavy) from one end of the shop to the other, here is just a little bit of the new arrangement

 

only one bit of sewing to share - Susan was working on her version of Lilly Pilly

 

and to finish - when I went through to the kitchen when I got up (at 6.30), there were several starlings sitting on the birch tree in the front garden.  By the time I grabbed the camera, there was only one left on the tree ........ and the camera was on the wrong setting!

 

ps - did I accidently buy some fabric - come back tomorrow and I'll tell you!

 

<

To tidy or not to tidy .......

Stuart and Alison had already arranged to come down for a visit on Saturday, staying over until Sunday, then on Monday Stuart phoned to say that their friends Fraser and Lynsey had asked if they could come too.  No problem, but when I looked round the studio yesterday, I thought perhaps I ought to tidy up a bit

 

I might even have to vacuum the carpet!

 

after surviving my visit to the dentist (I was very brave and didn't cry or scream!) I decided to treat myself to a nice lunch!  I went to the Damascus Drum

 

it looks as if I was the only customer, but there were people behind the partition

 

I always have the same thing when I go to the Drum for lunch - the ploughman's bagel.  Of course Malcolm is usually with me, so I share the cheese with him, but I just had to eat it all myself yesterday.  I love cheese, but of course it is high in fat, so I try not to each too much ..... although I am supposed to have lots of dairy in my diet for my thin bones.

 

On the way back to the car I walked down to the river to take some photos of the low level of water.  When you see it this low, it is hard to believe that when it floods it comes up so far that the house on the left has raised the height of their garden wall to keep the water out

 

this gate is closed to contain flood water

 

but yesterday there was so little movement in the water that there was a wonderful reflection of the bridge

 

I have been doing reasonably well not buying magazines, but this new magazine came home with me yesterday.  I have been doing so much sewing recently that I have neglected my needle felting, but I hope to get back to it soon

 

I have also doing quite well not buying books, but I'm justifying buying this one as there are projects for Malcolm as well as me ...... and of course it's using up junk, rather than buying stuff

 

and now, the sewing update.  I have been beavering away on Country Cottages, finishing the machine quilting on the blocks

 

the next job was to quilt the outer border.  I set up the quilting guide, so that the lines of stitching would be 1" apart

 

it didn't take long to quilt the four sides

 

this afternoon I added the borders to "home is where the heart is" - this is the second version of this block, as this one is a sample for Anne.  The next job is to quilt it - then comes the really difficult part - writing the instructions!!

 

this has been quite a foodie week of blogging - and there is more tomorrow!  Here is a sneak peek

What's that wet stuff ......

..... falling out of the sky?  I think I know what it's called, give me a minute, I remember ...... it's RAIN!!

 

yesterday afternoon was spent in the kitchen cooking.  I started with a large batch of beef curry, which will be frozen in portions for "fast days" (I've now lost almost a stone!!)  I started by slicing and dicing red onions, green and yellow peppers and celery, which I then cooked gently in a non-stick saucepan, using no oil

 

as I have to work out all the calories in the curry, these little frozen portions make it a lot easier

 

while the veggies were cooking, I prepped the salad for last night's dinner - we had fresh herb omelettes

 

I added the beef in batches to brown it

 

the next stage was to add the spices and seasonings

 

after mixing it well, I let it cook for a few minutes, to cook out the rawness of the spices, then added the final ingredient

 

I then left the curry to simmer for a couple of hours until the meat was tender.  Once it had cooled I divided into five lots of two portions and popped them in the freezer - curry definitely tastes better after it has been in the freezer!

 

next I made some rhubarb and strawberry jam.  Haing washed the fruit (250g of each), I sliced it up and put it in a large glass bowl - you don't have to add any more liquid, the little bit water from washing the fruit is enough

 

I zapped it for five minutes in the microwave, then stirred in 500g of jam sugar

 

I zapped it a bit more in the microwave until setting point was reached, then put it into jars.  Next I reached for my go-to book for basic recipes - Delia never lets me down

 

I don't make lemon curd often enough to remember the quantities

 

it's very easy to make - and all that stirring is good for the arms!

 

four jars of jam and (almost) two of lemon curd waiting for labels

 

Malcolm has, as ever, been busy in the garden.  This is the start of his latest project ......

 

and this is it finished

 

the plan is to grow a climber on it, to screen the hose and the garage from view when we are sitting on the deck

 

you must have sent me lots of positive vibes, as all I needed done at the dentist was a scale and polish!  I'll tell you about what I did after the dentist tomorrow, and I'll also have a sewing update.

Fluttering by

There was a butterfly in the garden yesterday, so I ran and fetched the camera, ran back to the garden, switched the camera on ....... and it flew away!  So when I saw another one this afternoon, I didn't rush to get the camera, but amazingly it stayed and posed prettily!

 

yesterday, we went to Jedburgh fo a walk along the river.  As always, as soon as I got out of the car, I took a photo of the Abbey

 

as I have mentioned, the rivers are very low, so this duck was standing on the riverbed!

 

this one had found a deeper place to swim

 

I keep waiting for this tree stump to lose its hold on the cliff

 

there will a great deal of noise and a large splash if it does come down, as it is at the top of the cliff!

 

the still water meant there was a clear reflection of the bridge

 

as we walked back into town, we passed my favourite shop - although I would have to be very, very good to get this for Christmas

 

we had been in this little coffee shop/bookshop several times, and were sorry to see recently that it had closed.  But it has just reopened with new owners.......

 

......so of course we had to check it out!  The banana bread was delicious, as was the scone.  The jam was proper home made strawberry, and the cream was clotted - a very good first impression!

 

on the way home we called in at the Teviot Smokery, as they were havinng one of their 25% off everything weekends.  This tin of biscuits was already half-price, but we still got the extra money off

 

I was pointing out this salted caramel shortbread to Malcolm, when an elderly lady who was walking past gave me a very stern look and said "NO"!  I said I wouldn't eat anything else for a week ....... but she didn't believe me!  At the moment it is in the fridge, waiting to be cut into bite size pieces

 

you know that we love all things owl ........

 

...... this might be a little bit cheesey, but it looks very cute on the mantlepiece!

 

the lavender has turned a deep purple in the sunshine - gorgeous!

 

please think of me tomorrow morning - I am going to the dentist!