frayed at the edge

Would you like to join me .......

........ on my morning walk?  You have to be up early, unlike these horses in the field across the road, who were enjoying the sunshine (we haven't had much recently!)

 

 

However, the sheep in the next field were up and about

 

 

No matter how many times I walk this route, I never tire of the view ....... on the right are the Minto Hills and on the left the Eildons (this view only shows one of the two Mintos, and two of the three Eildons!)

 

 

I walk for a mile and a half, then turn for home - and am faced with a long walk uphill

 

 

and more uphill

 

 

and yet more uphill

 

 

But once round the bend, the rest of the way home is downhill

 

 

As I get to the last field, the sheep and lambs start up a ferocious racket!  I discovered that it is because they are hoping I have their breakfast - sadly not, that's supplied by the farmer some time after I go past.  But the ewes and lambs run across the field every morning as soon as I appear.  Here are some of them watching to see if I am going to stop

 

 

While these ones ran down to the gate (I feel like the Pied Piper!)

 

 

But while I'm striding out, I do notice lots of things to take photos of.  In a few weeks these little buds will be raspberries

 

 

This little rosebud .......

 

 

...... will soon look like this

 

 

This plant looks like something from a sci-fi film!

 

 

Back home, another poppy has flowered - at least this one won't be battered by the wind and rain!

 

 

When these little clumps of toadstools come up in the grass, I always imagine that they contain a town of tiny pixies or elves!

 

 

 

It's almost time for Woolfest!  I am very lucky this year, as I am going on both days.  Are you going too?  Do leave me a comment or e-mail me (there's a link on the sidebar) if you are - perhaps we can arrange to meet!

Finally, thanks to everyone who identified my little creature for me - I was almost right ...... it's not a hummingbird, but a hummingbird moth.

Flowers of Scotland

It was a much better morning when I headed out for my walk, so the camera came too!  The verges are now full of plants of all shapes, sizes and colours .........

 

dark pink clover

 

 

white clover

 

 

a fern unfurling

 

 

purple vetch

 

 

cow parsley

 

 

an aqualegia seed head

 

On a larger scale, the countryside is green and lush

 

 

 

Back home, I finished the little Linus quilt

 

 

Later, I organised the ingredients to make dinner - pork chops, onion, sage (freshly picked from the garden) and seasoning

 

 

A closer look at the seasoning - the inspiration for today's heading came from!  You can find it and other delicious seasonings here

 

 

I sliced the onion finely

 

 

and chopped the sage

 

 

I put the chops in an oven dish and put the sage on top

 

 

I spread the onion over the sage, then seasoned it well - doesn't it look lovely!

 

 

Then it was into the oven for about 30 minutes.  I served it with carrots and broccoli - delicious!

 

 

To finish, I thought I would show you the difference it makes to zoom in on the subject of the photo.  First, the field gate framed by hawthorn trees

 

 

But if I hadn't zoomed in, this would have been the photo - not quite so pleasing with Hawick in the background!

 
 

 

 

 

A brief interlude

The weather was much better when I went out for my walk this morning - although it turned out ot be a short lull in the very wet and windy weather.  One of the trees in the front garden has started to rock in the wind - we are just hoping it doesn't fall over before we get the chance to get a bigger stake to give it extra support.  But while I was out this morning, the sun was shining and the animals were all looking at their best in the fields.  There are some ewes and lambs in the first field that I pass - although it was bright, it was also chilly, and the lambs were cuddled up to their mums

 

 

It is getting difficult to take photos of animals in the fields, as the hedges and verges are now growing vigourously ...... this hedge is over six feet high!

 

 

So unless I suddenly grow a lot taller (not very likely) or take a step ladder with me (pretending I'm a press photographer), I shall just have to do some creative shots through gaps!

 

 

 

 

The lambs are much bigger now and are much less dependent on having therir mums nearby - these three were quite content to stand watch me walk past, instead of running back into the field

 

 

Fortunately there was no high hedge to stop my getting a photo of these beauties

 

 

Just after I took the photo, they started chasing the sheep they share the field with - it was quite funny to watch!

 

 

Just before we went on holiday, one of the neighbours had a load of logs delivered.  They are still lying in a heap in front of his house, so when I walk past every morning, I have the naughty thought that I could 'accidently' pick one up (or perhaps I should pick up one in each hand to maintain my posture).  I am sure the logs would rather be neatly stored in our log store, rarher than lying in an untidy heap in the wind and the rain!

 

 

Back at the first field, the ewes and lambs were up and going about their day.  This little lamb was the only one paying any attention to me, as I headed home for breakfast

 

A leisurely weekend

I promised to tell you today where we are going on holiday - so I won't keep you waiting any longer!!  We are off tomorrow to Majorca, back to Pollensa, where we have now had several holidays.  Stuart and Alison are joining us, although we are travelling separately .... we fly from Newcastle, and they fly from Edinburgh.  We have a very early flight tomorrow, so we will get there well before them, giving us time to shop for essentials ....... beer and wine bread, milk, tea, coffee etc.

We pottered about on Saturday, getting things tidied up, sorting out what we want to pack.  Then on Sunday we headed first to Jedburgh, to get the Sunday papers.  On the way, the drivers of two cars which were coming towards us flashed their lights and gestured for us to slow down.  I just had time to get my camera out to take photos of the problem

 

 

 

It was another glorious morning, so we went for a walk round the town, calling in first at the gardens at Mary Queen of Scots' house.  This old apple tree was delightful, clothed in blossom

 

 

 

As we walked on round the town, I found another postbox to add to my collection.  This is a Victorian one.

 

 

We sat by the river and enjoyed an icecream - sorry no photo, as we had to eat quickly before it melted!  Then we had a short journey to the Oxnam Quilt Show.  Among the members of the group are Annette and Cathy from Borderland Fabrics - you will recognise this first quilt ...... it is Cathy's version of the 'row quilt', which inspired several of us to make similar ones

 

 

Annette made this quilt for her grandson Harry - he doesn't just like tractors ...... he likes John Deere tractors!

 

 

Another tractor quilt ....... the one that I made for Linus.  It was included in a display of quilts which have been donated (after the exhibition it will be given to a sick child)

 

 

On our way home from Oxnam, we were stuck behind a slow-moving car and horsebox.  But that gave me more time to take these photos

 

 

 

It's Monday, so of course that means the knitting update.  This week's project was a pair of baby sandals.  Not having a baby about the place to model them, I had to stuff them with some wadding to take the photos!

 

 

 

I've sorted out two small projects to take with me

 

 

 

I have done some posts to appear while we are away - including Shadow Shot Sunday.  They are just little posts, but I hope you will visit ...... the blog would be very lonely without you!  Please still leave comments (I love getting comments!), and I'll catch up with them when we get back.

We are always early .......

....... and this morning we were very glad when we arrived early for our visit to Paxton House.  We got there twenty minutes before the first guided tour round the house.  We paid for our tickets, and the woman on the desk told us about all the things we could see.  However, she didn't mention The Prestonpans Tapestry, which was the main reason for our visit.  When we asked about it, she said that the exhibition had finished yesterday.  No, no, we said, the advert that we had said it finished today.  At that point, the woman who was going to be our guide for the tour arrived, and said she would take us up to the gallery to see if the tapestry was still there, as she wasn't sure when the exhibition was being removed.  Hooray, it was still there, and we just had time to see it before the curators arrived to remove it!  Photography wasn't allowed, but you can see the whole thing if you click on the above link.  Meanwhile, here is a little taster from the fund raising leaflet ....

 

 

...... and the leaflet about the summer tour.  Check out the link to see if it is going to be anywhere near you - it is a fabulous piece of work - I could have spent hours looking at it!

 

 

We enjoyed our tour of the house ..... but photography wasn't allowed.  Our guide was very entertaining and showed off the house well, with interesting anecdotes about previous owners.  The next stop was for lunch in the coffee shop, which is in what was the stable block (don't worry, it had been cleaned!).  We both had pan haggerty - you can find a recipe here.  I could tell you that this was Malcolm's portion with the cheese on top, but it's mine!

 

 

After lunch, Malcolm took the one photo that is allowed indoors ..... however I declined to sit on the chair to show its size!

 

 

We then went for a walk in the grounds.  Paxton is probably the finest Palladian house in the country.  The style is strictly symmetrical ......

 

 

....... even the swallows have built matching nests!

 

 

The pink sandstone looked lovely, bathed in sunshine

 

 

Down by the river, we found this fish house, where fish could be stored for several days in the cool, damp conditions, to keep fresh

 

 

Just past the fish house was this wonderful boathouse

 

 

Inside, there was an unusual staircase, which was folded flat against the wall, so that there was more space for the boat

 

 

We don't know what this strange edifice is - some sort of folly?

 

 

As we walked over to admire the Highland cattle, we were getting a bit worried as there wasn't a fence.  However, once we were up close, we saw that there was a deep ditch between them and us!

 

 

This one kept turning his head away (has he been talking to the owls at the Waterwheel cafe?), but eventually I got a good shot!

 

 

We had a look round the gift shop before we left (I resisted buying  a book about recycling textiles!).  The woman who had sold us our entry tickets told us that three ladies had arrived to see the tapestry just after it had all been packed away - they should have been early like us!

 

 

Second attempt!

So ....... the sun lotion rant!  Yesterday we headed up to Galashiels in search of sun lotion.  Yes, we could have bought some in Hawick, but we couldn't get anything lower than factor 10.  We are well aware of looking after our skin in the sun, but after many years of living and holidaying abroad, Malcolm and I never lose our tans, so we are quite content to start off with factor 8, then have a few days at the end of the holiday on factor 4.  But most places now only stock factor 10 and higher - with an awful lot of factor 50.  I remarked to Malcolm when we were in Asda that we could buy as much alcohol and cigarettes as we wanted, to damage our health, but we couldn't be allowed to get a suntan!  And of course there are now reports of children suffering from rickets because they don't get enough vitamin D, because they are constantly slathered in high factor lotion, and women developing osteoporosis for the same reason.  Can't we be allowed to show a bit of common sense in looking after ourselves?

OK, rant over!!

After shopping, we went to the Waterwheel Cafe for lunch

 

 

This of course meant we had to visit the owls.  Two elderly gentlemen were highly amused at the way the owls would turn their heads away, every time I tried to take a photo!

 

 

Back home, we went out for a walk - but not just a leisurely stroll, but a walk with a mission ...... to find and follow the course of an underground stream that runs through the valley in front of us.  Jim the Farmer had given Malcolm information about where our storm drains discharge - into field drains, which in turn go in to the underground stream.  Malcolm has had new discussions with the Planning Department at the Council, and with SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency), who seem to be happy for us to tie the new sewage system into this set-up.  This was the view as we walked up the hill .... although it was a lovely hot afternoon, it was very hazy.  The swathe of yellow is oilseed rape, which has just started to flower (bringing misery to hay fever sufferers!)

 

 

We had to walk down the side of a field (on a 'right of way' path) disturbing a ewe and lambs ..... the ewe was determined to keep her bottom pointed at the camera!

 

 

These two horses were enjoying the sunshine so much, that they didn't stir when I took their photo - normally they would wander over to see if any food was on offer

 

 

We could see the course of the stream through the valley, then we found where it emerges, to flow on above ground

 

 

Last spring, I had some snake head fritillaries in a pot at the studio door.  I planted them out in the raised border when I later put summer plants in the pot.  When they didn't appear, I though they had fallen victim to the harsh winter ....... but then Malcolm took the protective fleece off the bottle brush - and there, growing away happily under the fleece, were the fritillaries!

 

 

We sat in the garden for a while when we got back from our walk, enjoying a cold drink.  My new herb garden is growing nicely in its pot ...... I can't have herbs in the borders, as the neighbour's cats think our garden is their toilet!

 

 

I have a small stall at a 'market day' tomorrow.  I'm hoping to sell the leftover stuff from the Christmas Fair!!  I hope you all have a good weekend, love Anne

 

Standing guard

Usually I go to the hairdresser on a Thursday afternoon, and I should have been there last week, but my hairdresser was on holiday.  I wasn't able to get an appointment for tomorrow, so I had one this morning.  My hairdresser is in Kelso, and I would have been going there today anyway, as this afternoon was knit'n'natter.  So I ended up being out from 9.30 this morning, until 5 this afternoon!  Of course the camera went with me, and I had time to take some interesting photos.  The first was of these two handsome chaps, standing guard outside an art gallery

 

 

Then round the back of the gallery, there is this strange sight

 

 

To the right of the boat, is this amazing dolphin ......

 

 

....... made from all sorts of bits of metal

 

 

After the hairdresser, I popped into the garden centre for lunch, then had a walk down to the river, where this swan was gliding along

 

 

On the way to the cafe where we meet for knit'n'natter, I walked through the old grave yard.  I paused to read this gravestone, which tells a sad story (click on the photo to enlarge it)

 

 

The blossom was beautiful in the sunshine

 

 

 

 

Even in the centre of Kelso, there is no escape from large trucks!

 

 

After all that hard work in the sun taking photos, I decided not to have tea when I got to knit'n'natter, but instead to have a refreshing bottle of ginger beer

 

 

A bit of fun to finish ..... is this Mars, and its so-far unseen twin?

 

Introducing Miss Jemima

This is my rag doll Jemima, modeling last week's knitting project.  She is actually a little bit old to be wearing a baby cardigan as she will be thirty five this year!  The cardigan was straightforward to knit, although I find constant moss stitch tedious - and it always give me sore wrists and hands.  When it came to the three-needle cast off for the seam down the sleeves, I read the instructions several times, and each time came to the same conclusion - if you do it the way the pattern says, the seam will be on the right side!

 

 

She soon got fed up posing for photos, and tried to climb over the back of the chair, revealing the fact that she lost her shoes many years ago!

 

 

Those of you who have the Debbie Bliss book and have been following the progress through the projects, will know that this is not the next one

 

 

This week should have been shelf edging, but instead I am doing gardening gloves (I think Malcolm would look very sweet in pale green knitted gloves, his opinion isn't printable!).  The reason for the change of order is quite simple - we are going on holiday soon, and the projects for the two weeks we will be away are big ones.  I don't want to take a lot of knitting with me, as Stuart and Alison are joining us, so we will probably be out more in the evenings, and I won't have as much time to knit.  However once we're back, I'll continue to work through the projects in the order they are in the book.  I had planned to start my socks last week, but because my wrists were sore, I decided to have a rest from knitting after I finished the baby cardigan.

 

On Saturday I went for a walk after lunch, we both went for a walk yesterday morning, and then today I again went for a walk after lunch.  There is so much growth in the verges/hedgerows, I realised that I am not very good at plant recognition, so this afternoon I got out this book .....

 

 

....... and went through my photos.  However I didn't find it particularly helpful - I think it would be better to have a book with photos, rather than drawings.  However, I didn't need a book to identify the wild garlic yesterday - the smell was a big clue!!  We were walking along the river, when we came round a bend to be greeted with the sight of garlic as as far as the eye could see!

 

 

Growing among the garlic was another plant that I know - butterbur.  The flower spike comes up first, followed by leaves that look like rhubabrb

 

 

This next plant is tiny - I think it is a wild strawberry

 

 

This is so delicate, it would make a lovely applique block

 

 

When I was out walking on the main road today, it happened again ...... an enormous truck thundering along the road!  (I think they park somewhere and wait for me to appear!)

 

 

I sometimes see strange things when I'm out for a walk - and this implement certainly qualifies - it looks like a cross between a rake and a pitchfork!

 

 

To end, some more lambs ...... they are just so cute, I just have to take photos of them!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

Lets stick together!

When I was doing more prep on my Baltimore blocks this afternoon, I decided to try out a technique that I have been reading about on Teresa's blog ..... you can find out more here and here.  It's a very different way to use freezer paper to the one that I use, but as it looked quick and easy, I thought I would do a sample piece.

I started with a leaf-shaped piece of freezer paper ironed on to the RIGHT side of a scrap of fabric, a glue pen, cocktail stick, and an old ruler to work on (as suggested by Teresa, as it is easy to clean)

 

 

! put a line of glue along the edge - helpfully, the glue is blue so that you can see your line

 

 

I turned the seam allowance over, using the cocktail stick to smooth out the curves

 

 

For the next stage, I got out my box of cotton threads .....

 

 

...... a scrap of backing fabric, my favourite applique needles - and a vital piece of equipment, a needle threader!

 

 

I peeled the freezer paper off, pinned the leaf to the background fabric and started stitching

 

 

Then I encountered a small problem.  I had too much glue on the ends of the leaves, making it difficult to make neat points.  Once I had finished stitching, I washed the sample to remove the glue, and ironed it dry.  Apart from the untidy points, I was pleased with the result.  It is a quick way to prep the pieces, and I think I will use it for this quilt

 

 

Just after lunch, I heard a great deal of noise coming from the field across the road.  I looked out to find Billy the Farmer trying to persuade these sheep to move in to the next field.  As you can see, they weren't in any hurry to move!

 

 

A lot of the noise came from this little chap .... but he soon grew tired of trying to be sheepdog!

 

 

A well trained son!

We had a relaxing evening on Friday, with Stuart and Alison quite happy to watch tv, after a busy week for both of them at work.

 

 

Stuart and I got up early on Saturday morning, and headed out for a walk.  Unfortunately, it was very misty, but this little creature was happy with the damp road!

 

 

We stood well back, as this tractor and trailer appeared out of the mist, taking ewes and lambs out to the field from the lambing shed

 

 

Once we were all finally up and showered, we headed to Jedburgh for breakfast, after which we visited Mary Queen of Scots' House and Jedburgh Castle Jail - but I'll save that for another post.  On the way home, Stuart was driving ...... and being well trained in my blogging requirements, he didn't need to be asked to stop when we saw this cow and her contented calf!

 

 

 By lunchtime the mist had lifted and we enjoyed lunch sitting out on the deck.  Stuart was having fun playing with my camera, and very patiently took a lot of photos of this little beetle, trying to get it in focus (if you compare it to the size of the print, you will see just how small it was!)

 

 

Having enjoyed another lazy evening, on Sunday morning I made breakfast (French toast, bacon and maple syrup) before Stuart and Alison headed off for Falkirk.  As it was a glorious morning, Malcolm and I went over to Harestanes for a walk.  The recent rain and the much warmer weather means that there is a lot more growth.  This is a chestnut tree - the buds will soon open into either pink or white flowers

 

 

The flowers on this mahonia are very bright

 

 

The air was full of the scent of wild garlic

 

 

Best of all, the beautiful blossom on an old apple tree

 

 

Now, the weekly knitting update!  The needle case was another very simple project ........

 

 

........ which only took an evening to knit - and about thirty minutes to stitch the lining fabric and felt on

 

 

This week's project will take a bit longer - a baby cardigan, knitted in 4-ply on 3.25 needles!