frayed at the edge

Admitting defeat!

It was a lovely morning, as we set off south to Newcastle.  We had a quick stop in Belsay for a cuppa (you know I can't be away from a teapot for too long!)  I was very glad we stopped, because it gave me an opportunity to take photos of more lambs!

 

 

 

 

You probably noticed that the ewes have both black and white lambs.  The first time I saw this when we moved here, I asked a sheep farming friend why the ewe had different lambs.  Her answer was straight to the point - she said 'the ewe was obviously a hussy, and the lambs have different fathers'!

 

When we got to Rachel's, we had a cuppa, with a piece of the most wonderful lemon drizzle cake, then we left Malcolm to wrestle with the dishwasher, while we took the dogs for a walk.  We walked under the amazing Armstrong Bridge

 

 

Then Flossie posed in front of the new footbridge (it was rusty from installation, as a design feature!)

 

 

We passed the pet cemetery (which made me think of the very scary Stephen King book)

 

 

Spring is far more evident there - the blossom is already out on these trees ........

 

 

....... and the rhododendron is flowering

 

 

However Flossie wasn't in the least interested in such things, much preferring to run in and out of the river with a big stick (sorry the photo is blurred, but it's the only 'action' shot that I managed to take of her!)

 

 

In case you're wonderfing where Tosca is, she only went with us on the first part of the walk, as her little old lady legs aren't up to running round the park, so we popped her back home to supervise Malcolm.

When we eventually returned, Flossie was suitably wet and muddy, and had to be hosed off before being allowed back in the house.  Malcolm, meantime, had dismantled large amounts of the dishwasher.....

 

 

........ but despite his best efforts, he was unable to find what was wrong.  (don't worry, he did put it all back togehter again!)  Rachel then fed us a lovely lunch, with more of her wonderful homemade bread, and sent us on our way laden with lemon dizzle cake, ginger biscuits and homemade red gooseberry jam.

On the way home, we were stuck for a while behind this .......

 

 

........ fortunately he eventually turned into a farm.  Then later, this rather large timber lorry pulled out of a side road in front of us

 

 

As you can see from this next photo, the driver wasn't content with just his own side of the road!

 

 

We weren't looking forward to being stuck behind him on the long uphill climb from Bonchester Bridge, when, oh joy, he turned off!

Rachel and I now have to co-ordinate our diaries, so that she can come up to visit us!

 

 

 

 

Yellow is the colour ........

....... that is appearing in the hedgerow.  When I went for my walk yesterday, I spotted the first dandelion of the year.  While dandelions look lovely in the verge, they are a pest in the garden.  Malcolm has to wage war on them every summer to remove them from the lawns.

 

 

A little further on, in a shady damp area under the hedge, I found some clumps of marsh marigolds.  These are very pretty little flowers - I had some in our last garden, in a shady bed with other damp-loving plants

 

 

Then, one of my favourites - a little primrose, just starting to flower

 

 

But it wasn't all yellow ..... there were also lots of tiny violets 

 

 

If you are fed up with photos of lambs, look away now!  But who could resist this little one watching me as I took its photo!

 

 

There was also a ewe keeping an eye on me - she is a Herdwick.  I shall be keeping an eye out for the Herdy lambs arriving - we are now in the main lambing season

 

 

Back home there were more yellow flowers - but there are only two left on this orchid, which started to flower just before Christmas

 

 

However, this slightly paler one has just started to flower - and it has lots of buds on it

 

 

I have almost finished the belt (it is all knitted in garter stitch, so not exactly taxing!).  I'll knit the last few rows tonight, then I'll get on with the Linus blanket.  It is so good to be able to photos outside in the sunshine - I took this one this afternoon

 

 

To finish, a bit of fun!  When I spotted this chocolate owl while I was doing the food shopping yesterday, I just had to buy it for Malcolm (he did let me have a little taste - but not of the white chocolate, which I really don't like!!)

 

Interruptions!

I was busy writing Friday's post, when I had to temporarily abandon it, to rush out into the front garden to take photos of the stunning sunset (a welcome interruption!)

 

 

 

On Saturday morning, we stayed longer in Hawick than usual, so that we could see the parade which is part of the Reivers Festival.  While we were waiting, I snapped these fine fellows

 

 

 

Then the parade came into view and I took the next photo.  But then there was an unwelcome interruption, as I must have accidently pressed the wrong button on the camera, and it refused to take any more!

 

 

I'll come back to the Festival later, but now for the third and last interruption.  I was walking down the hall on the way to the kitchen yesterday morning, to make breakfast, when I glanced through the door of the lounge - and there on the peanut feeder was a woodpecker.  I ran to the kitchen to get the camera, then took the first photo through the door and the window.  I then slowly opened the door and crept into the room, but the woodpecker must have seen the movement and flew off to the other feeder.  I managed to take one more photo before it flew away

 

 

 

So, to get back to the Festival - on Sunday morning we went for a walk in the park, ending up at the next event ....... an encampment and re-enactment.  We were a litle bit disappointed, as the last time we went it was a much bigger affair, with lots of horses, but we still enjoyed what was there

 

 

 

 

 

 

When we saw lots of people tucking into stovies, we decided we would have some too!

 

 

When I told you about our walk up to the Waterloo Monument last week, I said it is on the highest point for miles around.  If you look at the horizon in the centre of the photo, you can see the tower (if you click on the photo, it should enlarge)

 

 

It's Monday, so that means the knitting update.  Last week's project was very simple - I know the book has to cater for all levels of ability, but these bookmarks could have been knitted by a 5-year old!  The other colours are simply woven in using a darning needle, and the ends tied together

 

 

This week's project is very simple too (there are some more interesting ones coming in the next few weeks!).  A simple knitted belt with ribbon stitched round it, and a contrasting bow.  As it won't take long to do, it will mean more time to get on with the blanket for Linus

 

 

ps - several of you wondered why I hadn't just picked the lamb up to put it back in the field.  I couldn't catch it!  Every time I got close, it ran off again, and each time it was getting further and further away from its field!!

 

Basking in the sunshine

When we came back from our usual Thursday morning visit to Hawick, there was a large box on the front doorstep - either the delivery driver didn't read the instruction on the label, or chose to ignore it!

 

 

It was such a beautiful day, I had an early lunch and headed out for a walk.  I wasn't the only one enjoying the sun ...... these ewes and lambs were making the most of the warmth

 

 

Further down the hill, there were some new lambs, having fun playing round the bottom of a tree

 

 

Their mum was keeping an eye on me .........

 

 

......... even when the lambs ran back to her

 

 

After a few days of milder weather, plants are shooting up - whether it's a weed .......

 

 

....... or a much prettier daffodil

 

 

However, not everything I saw on my walk was welcome - fortunately I saw this truck coming, and stood well out of the way!

 

 

I didn't mind this tanker passing me at the bottom of our road - but as you can see, there isn't much room to pass if you are in a car

 

 

Fortunately this fine fellow had safely crossed the road before the tanker appeared

 

 

This may look as if the truck and tractor are about to crash ...... but the truck had already stopped at the end of the road, as the tractor went past

 

 

In the garden, Malcolm was busy cleaning the cobbled area under the pergola (sporting his new boiler suit!)

 

 

I took advatge of the sunshine to take photos of my new knitting  (the bookmarks are done!).  This is a baby blanket for Project Linus

 

 

I am using two balls of 4 ply, as I didn't have any double knitting.  The pattern is a simple basket weave, with a garter stitch border

 

 

The sun has just set, with a pink glow lingering on the horizon.  Unfortunately, the forecast isn't quite so good for tomorrow, and it is to get colder at the weekend ....... ah well, at least we were able to sit out in the garden for our afternoon cuppa!

I'm still smiling!

So why am I smiling - because I've got my lovely new teeth!  I had a rather long visit to the dentist yesterday afternoon, during which he did the final fitting for my new partial dentures.  He thinks that the support that they will give to my own teeth, and the help they will give to aligning my bite properly, will finally sort out my 'face-ache'.  So here I am this morning, smiling!

 

 

Malcolm took the photo of me when we were out for a (long) walk this morning.  We parked the car at the Woodside Garden Centre, then set off along a path, which led us to another, steep path.  We toiled on and on up the slope (my poor legs were complaining!), then at last our destination came into view

 

 

What, you don't think that looks as if it was worth a long slog - perhaps you'll change your mind when you see the whole thing (with Malcolm, as always, providing the scale!)

 

 

This is the Waterloo Monument, on Penhiel Heugh.  The tower is 150 feet tall, and this sign over the door tells you some more about it

 

 

This is the highest point for miles around, and the views are spectacular

 

the Eildons

 

 

Ruberslaw

 

 

looking down to the River Teviot

 

Although we hadn't carried a stone up the hill with us, Malcolm used one that was lying around to add to the small cairn

 

 

On the way back down, Malcolm spotted this - it is a viewing point, but we don't know what for

 

By the time we got back to the garden centre, it was lunchtime.  A big bowl of soup was just the thing to have after our two hour walk - I chose the celeriac and pear

 

 

Back home, I headed out to the studio, to have a quick session working on the tractor quilt.  I decided to do the border with a leaf pattern.  This is the front .........

 

 

....... and this is the back

 

 

I finished one side, and hope to do some more work on it tomorrow.  This evening, I will be sitting with my poor weary legs up on my footstool, sipping on a glass of white wine (the bottle is in the fridge chilling) and doing, as always, some knitting!

 

 

With apologies to Miss Florence!

Oh dear - Flossie was most upset to find that Tosca and Lottie were featured in yesterday's post, but there wasn't a photo of her, the most beautiful dog in Newcastle (if not the whole world!).  So to put matters right, here she is, looking gorgeous

 

 

So , to return to the story, while Rachel and I indulged in a spot of kntting and crochet (and a lot of blethering), Malcolm had patched in the floor and put the carpet back down

 

 

We might have had a wonderful lunch, but when Rachel gave me a quick lesson in how to produce the most delicious cheese scones .........

 

 

......... Malcolm managed to eat two of them, hot from the oven!  It was a lovely sunny late afternoon, as we set off back home ........ but as soon as I got the camera out, a big black cloud blotted out the sun.  Then, every time I went to take a photo, there would be a bump or a dip in the road - I took a lot of photos of the sky and the dashboard!  But finally I managed to capture this shot - you can see how much greener the landscape is looking, as the weather finally warms up

 

 

Of course the other thing that was left out yesterday was the knitting update.  I finished the knitted beads - there are wooden beads inside the knitted covers, which makes the necklace a bit heavy - the beads swing forward and hit things!  So I don't think I'll wear it - but it looks good decorating the mannequin

 

 

This week's project is another simple one - bookmarks

 

 

I bought this book last week in a charity shop

 

 

The book was published in 1974, and the illustrations are a wonderful reminder of the styles from that decade

 

 

The look on this little boy's face shows quite clearly how he feels at being made to wear such an awful outfit

 

 

I'm smiling while I am typing this ......... why?  I'll tell you tomorrow!

No progress on the dishwasher .....

This morning we set of south to Newcastle, to visit Rachel.  Malcolm was going to have another go at fixing her dishwasher, but first he sorted out a dip in the floorboards on the landing, which was spoiling the lie of the new carpet.  Lottie made sure that the work went well

 

 

This is Malcolm puzzling over what had been used to cover the raggedy floorboards - he eventually decided it was a bit of mounting board (the sort you use for framing pictures)

 

 

Tosca took over as gaffer, making sure Malcolm was making a proper job of things

 

 

Then everything stopped for lunch - first delicious pea, cougette and mint soup (sorry, had almost finished when I remembered to take the photo)

 

With the soup, we had excellent homemade bread - if you pop over to Rachel's blog and scroll back through several posts you can read about the bread

 
 
 

Then we had open sandwiches and salad

 

 

While Malcolm went back to his floor levelling, Rachel and I did some knitting and crochet

 

 

Meanwhile, Malcolm had finished his levelling .......

 

 

Oh dear, there is something seriously wrong with things tonight - it is taking two or three attempts to put in each photo, and it is taking forever ........ so I think I will save the rest of the story for tomorrow, along with the weekly update on the knitting project.

 

 
 
 

 

Gorgeous!

This morning, despite miserable, grey, wet and foggy weather, we headed down the A68.  This time we were going to Hexham to an antique and collectors' fair.  Why there?  Because two of my favourite stallholders were going to be there with all their wonderful goodies!

First, there was Julie, with all sorts of fabric loveliness

 

 

And then there was Helen, who sells everything that is gorgeous

 

 

As the weather had cleared, we went for a walk round Hexham.  The most imposing building is the Abbey - this is just a small part of it

 

 

This is one of several very old gravestones that we saw

 

 

When we passed the Old Gaol ..........

 

 

........ I asked Malcolm to pose in the stocks while I threw rotten veggies at him.  For some reason he said no!

 

 

I'm glad I remembered my own advice to look up - otherwise I might have missed this .......

 

 

and this ........

 

 

Somewhat lower down were these delicate little flowers

 

 

We came home a different way, round little back roads we hadn't used before.  At one point Malcolm had to consult the map, which gave me the chance to snap theses bright clumps of aubretia

 

 

Unfortunately the weather suddenly got worse - it was really miserable for quite a few miles

 

 

What did you say - oh, did I buy anything?  Although there were all sorts of wonderful things on the many stalls, I just couldn't decide what to buy ....... and in the end all I bought was this gorgeous lavender bag from Helen!

 

 

To end, a little bit of good news.  When Stuart phoned last night for our weekly chat, I asked him if he had heard from his friend Will, who lives and works in Japan.  Thankfully, Will is safe and unharmed and has been able to let his family and friends know what is happening through Facebook!  He is a professional photographer, and was asked if he could take photos of the nuclear reactors.  He declined the request (as any sensible person would do), joking with his friends that he said he couldn't go, as his radiation suit was in the wash!

Things old and new

To start, I have something fairly old - an Edwardian post box.  This is the first Edwardian one that I have found - I'm glad that we crossed the road for a closer look when we were out for a walk yesterday!

 

 

I think if the paint were to be cleaned off, this would look like the one on the left of the photo in the link.

 

 

Next, something considerably older!  We went for a walk after lunch today, heading up the bridle path.  We have on occasion looked for the remains of a tower house, which we know is somewhere in the woods.  I have tried to find out about the house, and this link has a very informative piece - especially the bit about the army using it for demolition practice!  Today, we wandered down a different path, and there, suddenly, through the trees, we spotted the house

 

 

Later additions to the house have mostly gone, but this date stone shows when it was first built

 

 

It must have been an imposing sight before it fell into ruin

 

 

We were surprised that the house hasn't been fenced off - or at least had warning notices posted.  This section of stonework looked ready to fall

 

 

As we walked round, a flash of colour caught my eye.  This must have been a floor in the Victorian part of the house

 

 

Now for something considerably newer - the tractor quilt!  At the weekend, I finished quilting the centre panel

 

 

a detail of the front .......

 

 

....... and the back

 

 

It's Monday, so time for the latest knitting news.  The egg bunny cosies turned out as cute as they looked in the book

 

 

This week's project is a bead necklace, so that won't take long to do!  The pattern is for nine beads, but the only packet I could get in my local craft supply shop contains eight - maybe I could put something else in the middle!

 

 

 

 

 

I'll tell you what I want ......

....... what I really, really want (with apologies to the Spice Girls!).  I spotted our neighbour Billy the farmer driving this wonderful machine across the field this morning (yes, that's snow on the hills in the background) - I want one!

 

 

But what I really, really don't want is one of these ........

 

....... why?  Because it's the tanker for emptying the septic tank!  Fortunately the tank is on the far side of our neighbours' garden (we share the tank with the neighbours on either side of us), so at least I didn't have to see the proceedings!  We have a lot of bother with the drains, and Malcolm is the only one who sorts it out.  He is so fed up with it, that we are looking into having our own separate system installed.  In August we celebrate our Silver Wedding, so won't that be a really romantic present - a nice new septic tank!!

Last Friday, I told you about Alison finishing her late Mum's quilts.  This week, she had another one with her.  One of the last projects that Agnes had been working on involved making dozens of tiny log cabin squares.  This is the stunning quilt which Alison has made with them

 

 

Each square measures four inches, and Agnes had stitched most of them by hand

 

 

Annette didn't have time to bake a cake for us this week, but fortunately there is a wonderful cake-making business near the shop, so she popped in there to buy not one, but two tasty cakes for our afternoon cuppa

 

a wonderful rich gingerbread

 

 

a lovely moist raspberry and white chocolate cake

 

Earlier in the week, we had colourful  visitors to the bird feeder

 

 

 

I was sorting out some of my (many) photos yesterday, whe I realised that I hadn't shown you these two.  As you approach this building, you wonder why the pipe goes through the window

 

 

But when you draw level, you see that it is several inches away from the glass (although why it's there at all is a mystery!)

 

 

We've just seen the forecast for tomorrow - more snow!!  I hope your weather is better and that you have a good weekend.  Love Anne