frayed at the edge

Calamity!

This photo was taken from a funny angle ...... but that's because it was taken through the window - I haven't been out of the house all day.  During the night, a huge amount of snow came down off the neighbours' roof

 

 

and flattened several shrubs which had just recovered after the same thing happened to them last year

 

 

But to compensate, there was a lovely sky at the front of the house, with the clouds tinged with pink - a reflection of the sunrise

 

 

I thought I ought to make a start to my Christmas cake, so I got out my recipe, which I have used for years ......

 

 

The first thing to do was weigh out the fruit

 

 

then add an ingredient that isn't in the recipe - I always soak the fruit in several glugs of .....

 

 

The birds are still enjoying the food we put out every morning

 

 

Although the weather has caused a lot of disruption, the views round about us are beautiful, as you can see from these photos I took yesterday

 

 

 

 

We have icicles hanging from the roof ..... and also from the climbing rose in the front garden

 

 

The horses are still enjoying the snow, although they now have their coats on

 

 

This was the state of my car when Malcolm started to clear it before we went out yesterday

 

 

And to end ....... this snow obviously got a bit tired and had to sit down for a rest!!

 

 

If you have weather like ours, stay safe and warm.  If you have good weather .... can I come and stay with you!!  Have a good weekend, love Anne

So much fun!!

No - I lied, we haven't had much fun today!  We woke this morning to find that the electricity was off.  And just to cheer us up ....... it was snowing!  Our table now has an amazing 15 inches of snow on it - which probably means we have had more than that, as it will have settled a bit

 

 

After Malcolm worked so hard yesterday to clear the drive, he had to shift about another 3 inches today

 

 

I slithered, slid and slipped out on to the road to take this photo - it looks as if it is in B&W!!

 

 

I thought I would check the forecast for the rest of the week - now I wish I hadn't bothered!!

 

 

I much preferred the forecast for Pollensa in Majorca, where we had our wonderful holiday in May

 

 

Then I had a bit of fun with 'Talking Carl' ..... he repeats everything you say to him, he complains if you poke him - but tickle his tummy and he laughs!!

 

 

I love my ipod touch, which is my birthday/Christmas present from Malcolm.  I am finally getting to grips with all this new-fangled technology ..... I managed to set it up myself, put music on it, get apps for it (then I had to lie down in a darkened room for a week!!)  I can also use it for email, which is great, as it saves booting up the laptop.

We have had quite a lazy day (apart from Malcolm clearing the snow!)  We watched a film this afternoon.  I started on my second sock and knitted the toe, then I finished the first Christmas cushion

 

 

I'm going to show you one more snowy picture  .......and I'm not going to have any photos at all with snow in them tomorrow!

 

Breaking news......

.....it's snowing again .... and again ...... and again.  This was this morning's depth check

 

 

and this was the scary view from Malcolm's study window - snow sliding off the roof

 

 

But enough snow for the moment, let's have some knitting instead!  I couldn't show you these mitts before, as I knitted them for a swap with my bloggy friend Lynne.  She had admired the mitts that I knitted recently and had asked about the pattern, as she wanted to knit a pair for her daughter.  However, when she said that she wasn't sure if her knitting skills were up to it, I offered to knit them for her.  That was soon organised into a swap and she is going to crochet a mat for me.

 

 

Of course, I didn't just knit a pair for Lynne's daughter, but a pair for Lynne as well

 

 

I also popped a couple of extra things in the box (this is now a well-travelled box, as Meg sent my birthday present from Italy in it, and it has now gone to Germany!)

 

 

I have almost finished my first sock

 

 

I just have a few more rows of rib to do.  I think I prefer this toe-up method ...... no dreaded kitchener stitch to finish to toe, and no picking up stitches from the heel flap

 

 

I have had another day in the studio - I don't know when I last did so much sewing!  I have done some more quilting on Alison's panda cushion

 

 

I have almost finished the Christmas cushions - I found a fat quarter to use for the binding .....

 

 

.... and fabric from a sample curtain (I get them from a shop in Hawick) to use for the back

 

 

I watched a dvd this afternoon while I handstitched the binding on the back

 

 

And now, back to the snow.  Malcolm made a start to clearing the drive this morning - as you can see, there was rather a lot of snow on it!  Fortunately our neighbour Billy the farmer (brother of Jim the farmer who gave me the apples and plums) arrived with his tractor and moved a lot of the snow for him.

 

 

These horses had been turned out of their stable for the morning and were enjoying the freedom ......

 
 

 

....... even when the snow started (yet) again

 

 

Don't worry, they hadn't been abandoned in the field .... the owner, her children and dogs were all having fun too

 

 

I have taken lots of snowy photos, but I can't compete with this one taken by my Roving Reporter (aka Stuart!!).  He was unable to get to work, so this afternoon he walked along to the Falkirk Wheel, and took this from the canal bank above the Wheel.  You can see that the canal is frozen!  In the distance, the Ochil hills are covered in snow - remember you can click on the photo to enlarge it.

 

 

Looking on the bright side of this enforced staying at home - I haven't been out since Saturday, so I haven't spent any money!!  I have also been very strong and haven't succumbed to all these wonderful deals on Amazon for things I neither want nor need!!

Inclement weather!

Well, what can I say .... it's still snowing!!  This morning I stuck Malcolm's yardstick in the snow on the patio table ........

 

 

....... so how much snow have we had?

 

 

The birds were on the feeders from early in the morning, but they had to wait until I had showered and dressed before I put more food out.  However the robin found a stray seed

 

 

Having had the disappointment on Saturday of the Christmas Fair being cancelled (it might go ahead this Saturday), I was anxious about my dentist's appointment this morning (I've got toothache again!).  We had decided that we wouldn't go, but before I could phone to cancel, the receptionist phoned me.  She spoke to Malcolm, as I was in the shower .... he asked when I could have another appointment and she said that it would be sometime in the New Year!!  He then explained that I was suffering some pain, so her advice was for me to phone for an emergency appointment as soon as I can get there.  But as this was the state of our road this morning ...... I might have a long wait!

 

 

However, I have been making the most of my time at home!  I went into my stash of Christmas fabrics, and found this panel

 

 

I decided to cut it up to make small cushions.  This is the first one, ready to quilt

 

 

I decided to use YLI invisible thread for the quilting ...... I don't usually use it, but I am pleased with the result.  Here is a detail ......

 

 

....... and here is how it looks on the wrong side

 

 

I had asked Stuart for some ideas for Christmas presents for Alison.  Amongst other things, he said that she likes pandas.  I could picture a magazine that had a panda block on the front cover, and for once I found it quite quickly (usually when I am looking for a specific magazine it's the last one in the pile!)  It didn't take long to make the cushion front

 

 

After my success using the invisible thread, I decided to use it on this cushion too - here is a detail

 

 

and here is the back

 

 

I have been busy kntting as well - but I'll save that for tomorrow!

 

Cosy toes!

After I finished last night's post, I started reading the instructions for the Magic Cast On for my socks.  My eyes started to glaze over and my brain started to hurt!  So I went back online and watched a video on how to do it.  Perhaps it would have helped if I had turned the sound up, but we were watching tv, so I just watched the demonstration.  There seemed to be a lot of winding wool round needles, without any recognisable form of casting on.  When my wool fell off the needles yet again, I gave up on the Magic Cast On.  But there was a little tickle at the back of my brain ....... socks, after all, are just tubes (with shaping) and I know how to cast on and knit a tube with two needles.  So I adapted the method, and hooray, the first sock was started

 

 

I got the idea from the way I knitted the sock for my mobile phone

 

 

It's a very simple pattern - you cast on an even number of stitches, then every row you work p1,sl1 to the end.  If you went on knitting, a tube with a closed end would form.

 

 

As I didn't want to go on knitting a tube, after working two rows, which meant I had worked all the stitches, for the third row I purled the first stitch, slipped the next stitch onto a needle at the back and repeated this to the end of the row.  This gave me two lots of stitches, joined in the middle.   I could then go on with the sock, working increases on every second row .... just the other way round from normal sock knitting when you get to the toe and decrease!  My increases are slightly untidy, but with practice, I'm sure I will improve (and nobody sees the toes of my socks!!)

It is still very cold, but we haven't had any more snow.  The birds are spending far longer at the feeders ....... they need to eat a lot more food to keep warm

 

 

The horses didn't look very happy, grazing in the snow

 

 

The birds make sure every last little bit of seed is eaten

 

 

Just like the climbing rose in the back garden, this one on the front of the house is determined to go on flowering

 

 

Tomorrow (weather permitting) it's the Christmas Fair ..... I'll tell you all about it on Monday.  I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

Winter wonderland

The snow arrived during the night - just a little bit later than forecast.  This was the view from the lounge window when we opened the curtains

 

 

It wasn't fully light, and apart from the faint tinge of pink on the clouds, the photos look as if they were taken in B&W

 

 

It was a bit brighter looking out at the back garden

 

 

As you can see from the scaffolding, the new house next door still isn't finished

 

 

Of course the weather made the birds even more eager for food - there was quite a queue sitting in the hawthorn tree

 

 

We had planned to go to Gretna today, to do some Christmas shopping (there is only a month to go!), but of course the weather put paid to that.  So instead, I had a whole day in the studio, getting on with the Christmas sewing.  Fortunately I didn't have to worry about keeping the studio warm, as the log store is full

 

 

I have organised what I need to start my toe-up socks ......

 

........ all I have to do is master the Magic Cast On!

Soggy!

Yesterday was a bit damp and grey, but we managed to have a short walk after having had a cuppa at the Waterwheel cafe ...... which of course meant I had to take more photos of the eagle owls!

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we walked along to the river, we noticed several burrows - we think perhaps it's a badgers' set

 

 

We could hear the river before we saw it ..... it was running fast after the recent rain

 

 

When we got back home, I headed out to the studio to  ...... yes, do a bit more for the Fair!  When I'm in the studio, I most often listen to music (either on the radio, or a cd) ...... but at the weekend, there is a tv channel which shows Star Trek all day (but why does the Captain always transport down to the alien planet, instead of sending a minion?)

 

 

I looked out these four gift bags which I had left over from a previous fair - they have a bar of oatmeal soap and a body puff in them.  I wasn't happy with the way they looked (I forgot to take a photo!).  I added the ribbon on the front, cut the top with pinking shears, and tied them up with red and white string.  Once I added pretty labels, I was pleased with the new look!

 

 

Do you remember in the summer, I won a First and two Third places with my photos at the Southdean Show?  What I didn't know at the time, as I left before the end, was that I had also won the Cup for photography.  I was especially delighted to win it for two reasons ..... first, the cup was given by my friend Lorraine, and second, this was the first year that it was presented!  There followed several delays - Lorraine was on holiday, then she forgot it, then we were away, then she was away again ...... but finally, I have the cup (which I keep until next year's show)

 

 

For the moment, I have it sitting on the mantlepiece, until I decide where to keep it

 

 

I phoned Janome today, but unfortunately there isn't anywhere else I can go for lessons ...... so perhaps when I have mastered all the stitches and feet on the machine, I can set up as a teacher!! (But that may take some time!)

Who stole the field?

We've had a foggy day .....when I looked out this morning, the field across the road had vanished!

 

 

However, the fog didn't stop the birds popping in for breakfast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There hasn't been much craft work done this week!  I have done some more of the crochet shawl and hope to finish it over the weekend.  This afternoon at patch'n'chat, there was too much of the latter, and not enough of the former, but I did make a start to embellishing the houses on my row quilt, adding some curtains and blinds on the windows

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the weekend, I will be chained to my worktable, putting the finishing touches to all my goodies for the Fair.  Whatever you are doing, I hope it all goes well and you have a good time!  Love Anne

Not so exciting after all ......

Today's post was going to tell you all about my trip to Edinburgh to have my first lesson on my new sewing machine ..... but things didn't quite go to plan.  We had a good trip up, and after we got over the cost of parking (almost all parking in Hawick is free!) we popped into Starbucks - as much to have a toilet stop as a drink!  Malcolm then headed off to have a potter round the shops and I went for my lesson.  I'm not going to name the shop (I don't want to be sued!) ...... but lots of you will know where I went.  I met the woman who was going to give me my tuition - and then it all went rapidly downhill.  She waffled on about completely basic stuff concerning needles and threads and showed me how to switch the machine on(!).  I said I knew all of this, could she perhaps move on a bit.  She said she didn't know how experienced I was, so had to cover the basics ... I said I hardly thought my machine was an entry level machine (perhaps she should have asked how experienced I was and then pitched the lesson to that level?) She then finally got round to demonstrating a stitch to use ..... at which point it became clear that she was unfamiliar with the machine - I was telling her what to do!!  At that point I gave up, complained somewhat vociferously to the shop owner and said I would arrange with Janome to have my tuition elsewhere!! 

Never mind, things got better after that!  Thank goodness for mobile phones ..... I was able to get a hold of Malcolm and we went for a quick sandwich for lunch.  Then of course the camera came out ...... this was our first glimpse of the castle (sorry, it was a bit grey, and I only had the small camera, so not the best of photos!)

 

 

Those of you who have been to Edinburgh will know that the castle sits high above the main railway station.  There is a frequently told joke about a tourist (I'm not going to put in the nationality!!) who asked why they built the castle next to the railway (perhaps it was the same tourist who asked why the Queen built Windsor castle under the flight path to Heathrow Airport!!)  I took this next photo to show you one of the beautiful wrought iron balcomies - it was only when I looked at it on the laptop that I realised that there is a pigeon perched on it!

 

 

This magnificent building ......

 

 

...... is home to the national Archives

 

 

When we looked up the lane at the side of the building, we saw this quirly little building (it turned out to be a restaurant)

 

 

This next magnificent building belongs to the Church of Scotland

 

 

I was puzzled by the lighthouse on this building, until I saw that it is the offices of the Lighthouse Commission!

 

 

Do you think we should have a sphinx put on our roof (except it's probably bigger than the roof!)

 

 

Another glimpse of the castle

 

 

It is often said that we Scots have very bad eating habits, and that we eat too much (deep) fried food, and too many sweet things.  So you can indulge in both with one of these ....

 

 

Of course we would never eat anything like that - our tastes are much more sophisticated, as you can see from this 'plate to share' that we enjoyed with a cuppa at a garden centre on the way home ...... oh dear, that was a lie, these were all sweet and sticky and gorgeous (but just small pieces, honest!!)

 

 ....... the one at the back on the left had bits of Turkish Delight (the chocolate covered kind) in it - that made up for the rotten morning!!

 

 

 

 

 

Soup kitchen!

When the weather is this cold, there is only one thing to cook ....... soup, and lots of it.  I sometimes use a recipe, but most of the time I just use what's in the fridge.  So today I sorted out the ingredients for

 

orange soup

 

 

and green soup

 

For the orange soup, I sliced and diced onions, butternut squash, sweet potato, carrots and orange peppers.  For the green, courgettes, leeks, celery and broccoli.  I added stock and seasoning to both pots, then simmered them until the veggies were cooked.  The last stage was to blitz them (I don't like bits in my soup!)

 

 

Lots and lots of lovely soup to divide into portions for the freezer

 

 

Did you notice there is less orange soup?  That's because I had some for lunch, with a spoonful of creme fraiche to stir in ..... delicious!

 

 

It started out a very cold day (although it got milder and damp later).  The sheep in the field in front of us looked miserable this morning

 

 

But this little tit was quite chirpy, flying back and forward to the bird table

 

 

We have had other birds about the place recently.  It all started when Malcolm asked to borrow my chicken calendar

 

 

He got out the pencils that I bought him when we went to the Pencil Museum, and over several days, he produced two drawings

 

this one looks ready to have a peck at you!

 

 

a striking pose

 

 

it's got its beady eye on you!!