frayed at the edge

Day 14 ...... and lots of my favourite colours

This morning we went for our usual Sunday morning walk, this time in Wilton Lodge Park, in Hawick.  I love autumn colours, so this morning's walk was a delight!!

 

 

 

 

but it wasn't just about the autumn colours - there was this amazing fungus .......

 

....... I have small feet (size three and a half UK, thirty seven European), so this gives you an idea of the size of the fungus!

 

there was also this little hut, which is slowly being reclaimed by nature, now that it is no longer used

 

and ....... my favourite bird, the heron!

 

this might not have autumn colours, but I love old, moss-covered walls

 

and I loved this little hole in the wall, surrounded by moss

 

I cropped this photo to only show the cow and calf .......

 

...... but thiswas the next photo that I took  showing the fence, the overhead wires and the other cows

 

do you remember when we walked along the road above the park earlier in the year, and I was captivated by the building-demolishing machines?  This is the same site - but in just a few months, nature has reclaimed it

 

the road above the park gives good views across the valley - the curving path up to the two white houses also featured in that earlier post

 

..... to finish, some more glorious autumn colours ........ and I'll be back tomorrow with a sewing update

 

 

ps - I did think of asking Malcolm to take a photo of me swinging in the tyre ....... but I was worried that I would get stuck in it!!

Rich in history

Everywhere you go in the Borders, you encounter reminders of the history of the area.  On Sunday we went to Melrose, with it splendid Abbey

 

 

 

 

After our enjoyable potter round Melrose, we went to Abbotsford House, the home of Sir Walter Scott.  We wanted to look round the newly opened Visitor Centre

 

it is an amazing building, and there is an excellent exhibition about Sir Walter Scott.  If you are going to be in the area, do visit ........ and if you need some extra persuasion ......

 

 

 

 

we had our cuppa in the restaurant ......

 

........but we could have sat out on the balcony

 

from the balcony, there is a good view of the house, which is closed at the moment for major repairs

 

it is scheduled to reopen early next summer, but I am sure we will be back at the Visitor Centre before then!

The last of the season

This morning was the last early morning walk for this year - by the time we come back from our holiday it will be getting dark at that time of the morning.  Don't worry, I will still go for walks over the winter - just not at 6.45!  So here are the last of the summer morning photos .......

 

The verges have been very green and lush this summer, but there hasn't been a lot of colour - I had to hunt for some this morning

 

 

 

 

 

what are these rabbits looking at?

 

a cheeky squirrel!

 

which shot off as I took another photo!

 

Marion's old donkey was out in the field again ....... and again was determined to keep his back to me

 

and he had obviously persuaded the ewes to do the same!

 

fortunately this ewe was quite happy to face the camera

 

on the way home I spotted another little rabbit

 

and some more colour - but this time in the trees

 

 

If you scroll on down from this post, you will see that I was experimenting with my ipod touch this afternoon.  I wanted to see if I could do a basic post from it, so that if for some reason I can't do one using my laptop, I can still keep you up-to-date with our travels.  I was delighted to find that it was straightforward (and thank you to Sue and Rachel who commented immediately to let me know that it worked!)

 

I will be busy over the weekend sorting out our packing, but of course I will still find time to take part in Shadow Shot Sunday, and then I will be back on Monday to show you the project I am taking with me to stitch when I spend the day with Meredithe and her friends.  I hope you all have a great weekend, love Anne

Extinct volcano?

A lot of the hills around here are extinct volcanos, including Rubislaw

 

but when I saw it this morning, I was a bit worried that it wasn't extinct after all!

 

there were some dramatic cloud formations this morning, with just a tinge of pink from the sunrise

 

 

 

there are lots of seedheads in the verge, giving me the chance to indulge in some of my favourite arty photos

 

 

 

 

but as well as all the plants going to seed there is new growth too

 

so ........ the holiday.  We start by driving to Newcastle Airport (how exciting is that!), then we fly to Heathrow ......... and then (BIG roll of drums, ENORMOUS fanfare) ........ we fly to Sydney!!  Australia is our very, very, most favourite holiday destination, so of course that was our first choice for celebrating the big birthdays.  But it gets better, because we are also spending some time in Melbourne, before flying to Singapore for a week (our second most favourite place for a holiday).  And if you think it couldn't get any better than that ........ when we are in Sydney, we will be visiting Lee, whom we met on our last trip to Sydney three years ago.   And then ...... when we are in Melbourne, I am going to spend a day sewing with Meredithe and her very talented friends  (and there is talk of a quilt shop hop!) 

 

I was in Kelso at the hairdressers this afternoon, and popped intoWH Smiths to buy a magazine to add to Malcolms "birthday bundle" (which he will oen before we leave).  I wanted to get him either a cricketing or a woodworking magazine ........ but I couldn't find anything suitable.  So I did what any sensible personn would do - I bought a quilting magazine instead!

Thoroughly discombobulated!

Yesterday I had a phone call from Cathy at Borderland Fabrics, to say that there would be no patch'n'chat on Friday, but if I wanted, I could go along today to join the Wednesday afternoon ladies.  There was a special reason that I wanted to go along (more of that later), but now I think it's Friday and will be very confused when I wake up tomorrow to find that it is Thursday, not Saturday!

 

Looking back over photos of the early morning scenery through the summer, I realised that most of them are either misty or hazy, as the summer has been so wet, so I was delighted that finally I was able to take some clearer ones today

the Minto Hills

 

a patchwork of fields

 

there has to be a sheep!

 

hedges at odd angles

 

I couldn't leave out these two cuties!

 

these crows flew out of the trees .......

 

then about-turned and flew back

 

a glimmer of sunshine

 

these sheep were starting to form a line .......

 

before setting off across the field ........

 

...... as these ones hurried through the gate to join the end of the line

 

a stylish old gate

 

I had to pick up my pace on the homeward stretch, as the sky darkened and it threatened to rain

 

This afternoon, when we went through for our cuppa, the Wednesday ladies were surprised to see cake on the table (I think they get homemade shortbread)  Maybe they will think about coming along on  Fridays, having sampled Annette's delicious apple and sultana cake

 

I mentioned at the start that there was a special reason why I wanted to go along to patch'n'chat today.  Well ........ it's because that will be my last one for several weeks, as we are off on our travels again.  But this is no ordinary trip.  While we are away we will both celebrate our  40th 50th  oh dear, I have to admit that it will be our 60th birthdays!  This of course means a big celebration, so we leave next Tuesday for a trip to Australia and Singapore.  I'll tell you more about our plans tomorrow.

 

The rest of the show

As I had to wait until the end of the show on Saturday to get my entries back, I offered to help serving the teas.  Could these wonderful, delicious cakes have influenced me?!

 

 

 

In the middle of my tea-pouring duties, I was summoned to the marquee, to be presented with the two cups.  The man doing the presenting is John the Farmer ...... usually the marquee is put up in his field next to the car park, but it was just too wet this year.  First, the Photography Cup (which was donated by my friend Lorraine)

 

and then the Industrial Cup ........ and there in the background is Lorraine!

 

it had been damp and dreary in the morning, but after lunch the sun came out and everyone had fun in the sun

 

On Sunday, we went to Jedburgh for a walk.  As always, I took a photo of the old bridge, looking good in the sunshine .....

 

........ but just to the left, there is a barrier closing off the footpath

 

why?  Because this is what happened during the recent devastating floods

 

 

yesterday morning at the start of my walk, I met Graeme the Decorator, who pointd at a distant field and said "look, there are two deer in the field"..  Screwing up my eyes I saw two vague brown shapes ....... but he was right!  (click on the photo to enlarge it)

 

However I had no problem seeing this ewe

 

and this squirrel

 

yesterday morning, I added my prize cards to my "bragging wall"

 

if I win more next year, I might need a new wall!

 

if you were wondering where I got the patterns for the toilet roll covers ....... I found this book on Amazon (where else!)

 

out in the garden, the beans are doing well

 

earlier in the year, I thought I had lost the wonderful bees balm, after it was overwhelmed by a large clump of harebells, so I was delighted to find that a little bit has survived (Malcolm has now dug out the harebells!)

 

after I mentioned last week that I had forgotten to take my camera cable when I visited Stuart and Alison, I got a little present in the post ..... Rachel sent me a card reader!

 

I had a blether with Anne on the phone this morning (check out her new website here).  She and Mick are exhausted after the Festival of Quilts ....... but they did very well at this, their first major show.  They even had a customer who bought patterns because shhe had seen them here!  You can see more about the Festival (and a photo of Anne's stall) over on Kay's blog.

 

I needed some sustenace this afternoon when I was doing the ironing ....... and there is nothing better than some deliciously wicked dark chocolate

 

just a few of these little drops were enough to revive me ....... but even if I had succumbed to the whole bag, it contains less than 200 calories!

 

Well, well, well ....

........ sorry, corny heading, as the first subject today is the old Cross Well in Linlithgow

 

here are two of the little side panels ....

 

 

and two of the figures

 

 

there were lots of tourists about ...... this bus had just disgorged a large contingent of foreign tourists, who had set off for the Palace, while their tour guide had a word with the driver

 

as always, I also found some quirky shots!

a funny little window set in the roof

 

a collection of chimney pots

 

higgledy piggledy roofs

 

spot the unused chimney!

 

this morning was dull, dreary and damp ..... or, to use a Scottish word, dreich.  These ewes looked miserable as they trailed across the field

 

and this one looked a little bit damp!

 

I have to admit that it was so dreary, that when I got yet another drip down the back of my neck from the overhanging trees, I about-turned and went home for breakfast!!

 

Remember the orchid that was about to flower ...... several flowers have now opened - isn't it pretty?

 

there was no patch'n'chat today, as most of them are at the Festival of Quilts ...... so sadly that means no cake!  So to finish, I have a photo of this wonderful book, which I bought yesterday in Hobbycraft.  I've only had time for a quick look through it, but I am already full of ideas for new projects!

 

I am still finishing my entries for tomorrow's Southdean show!  I am in the middle of making paper chains, and have still to wrap a parcel.  Fingers firmly crossed that the cups come home again with me - the lounge looks bare without them!  I hope you all have a great weekend, love Anne






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Homeward bound

Stuart and Alison had mentioned last night that there was a new shop in Falkirk, selling all sorts of craft stuff.  Imagine my delight when I went this morning and discovered that it is ........

 

I spent a very pleasant 5 10 15 ok, I spent about 30 minutes having a good browse!  I would show you what I bought, but I forgot to take a photo! 

My next stop was Linlithgow.  Alison had mentioned last night that she would like some black and white photos for their hall, so when I got to the Palace and St Michael's Church, I switched the camera over to B&W and started snapping away

 

 

 

 

There were some swans down by the loch, so I snapped them in B&W too

 

I was a bit surprised when this one took its head out from under its wing, to reveal that wasn't a swan!!

 

back to colour for a few more photos, first of the loch

 

then the church

 

and then back round to the front of the Palace.  Is it just me, but when you have such a wonderful, historic building, do you really need to provide parking right in front of it, spoiling the view.  There is space to the left which could be used for disabled, rather than general, parking and there is a public carpark just a short walk away, which is where I parked (end of rant!)

 

I've still got lots of photos of Linlithgow, so I'll save them for tomorrow.  On the way down the A7, I stopped here for a bite to eat

 

unfortunately I was too early for the sausage hotpot (or fortunately, as far as the waistline is concerned!), but I enjoyed my bacon roll

 

the nearer I got to Hawick, the gloomier the skies became, and just as I passed the town boundary, the rain began.  Not exactly welcome home!!

A bit late!

We've only just finished dinner ...... too busy blethering and catching up on all our news.  Then horrors - I had forgotten to bring the cable that I normally use to transfer the photos from the camera to the laptop - but Stuart came to the rescue and did it by other means!

 

So, lets start with this morning, when it was very misty.  The "whomping willow" tree looked especially spooky

 

 

and even this Jacob's ewe looked scary!

 

usually the horses just look at me as I lean on the gate taking photos, but this morning they came over for a chat

 

when the smaller one moved off, the other one struck a noble pose

 

however the damp air meant that these spider webs were visible

 

 

the mist had cleared when I set out,  but unfortunately when I got to Edinburgh it came down again, so I gave up on my plan to have a detour to take photos of the Forth Bridges ...... and went for lunch instead!  A delicious tuna mayo and cheese roll.  There was no way to eat it in a ladylike fashion!!

 

when I got to Stuart and Alison's, I was going to go out for a walk to take some photos, but the sky was grey and uninviting.  However, as there are still houses being built on the estate, I was able to bag a couple of good machines through the window!

 

 

hopefully the weather will co-operate tomorrow (the rain is pouring down just now!) and I will be able to take some photos of the glorious scenery!

The next deadline

Having finished my sewing, I can't sit back and relax just yet!  The Southdean Show is this Saturday, and I have my two cups to defend

 

the one on the left is for the Industrial Section - crafts and cooking - which I won for the first time last year (only because my friend Lorraine who usually wins it didn't enter!).  The other one is the photography cup, which I have won for the last two years, so this afternoon I was busy choosing and mounting my photos for the various categories

 

after I had done that, I thought I ought to tackle the overflowing ironing basket!

 

but of course before all that, I had my usual morning walk.  Instead of looking for photos of the scenery, I looked for little things, and was rewarded with these feathers, caught on nettles

 

 

I am missing the good looking sheep in the field beside the church ....... the ones in the old orchard are not the handsomest of specimens!

 

my goodness, what is this ...... another cat on my blog!!  Having taken this photo as I approached it  ..........

 

.......I was somewhat surprised by the length of its tail when I walked past

 

with its long silvery whiskers, I think it looks like an elderly oriental gentleman, so beloved by Hollywood films

 

today it was a Jacob's ewe making use of the telegraph pole in the field

 

and I had no sooner taken the photo than she  was joined by another one!

 

as I headed home for breakfast, I was still looking for little things .......

the first snowberries

 

a conker

 

holly berries

 

I'm off on my travels again tomorrow, going to stay with Stuart and Alison ....... but don't worry, the camera and laptop will be going with me!!