frayed at the edge

Bumped!!

Just like last Monday, the planned post (yes, it's hard to believe that I actually plan the posts!) has been put on hold, to make way for donkeys and lambs ........ and some birds.  I was standing at the bedroom window this morning, drying my hair (we have a deep windowsill which has a mirror on it), when some long tailed tits swooped into the garden and settled on the fat ball feeder.  The hair was abandoned and I rushed through to the lounge to grab the camera

 

after lunch I went for a walk to see if there were any more lambbs.  I braved the muddy path along to the field gate, only to find that the ewes were still waiting

 

so I walked on round to the other field

 

hooray for the big lens!!!

 

while I was taking the photos, this goose (or is it a gander?) kept honking at me, obviously annoyed that I was looking at her/his flock!

 

on the way up the hill, the donkeys had been in the far paddock, but when I came back down, they were in the field beside the road

 

the ponies were obviously annoyed that the donkeys were getting all the attention, and lined up to have their photo taken

 

these ewes probably have about six weeks to go, before their lambs arrive

 

a few more sheep to finish - or a few sheep bottoms!  As I was about to turn out on to the road from the drive this morning, several sheep walked past.  Just when I thought that I would have to get out the car and round them up, our neighbour BillytheFarmer appeared behind them on his quad bike.  By the time I got the camera out of my handbag, all I got was a view of their rear ends as they turned into the stable yard, on their way to the field behind

 

LAMBS!!!!!!

I went for a walk after lunch today, to check if any Jacob's lambs had arrived.  I negotiated the muddy track to the field gate, and found only very pregnant ewes

 

I could see some ewes in the next field, but knew there should be more of them, so I walked on round to where the field borders the road to see if the others were there.  As I approached the field gate, I could hear lambs bleating!!  There was one ewe with two lambs - but they were about to vanish over the hill to the other end of the field.  Although they are probably just a few days old, they have already learned to present their bottoms to the camera!

 

as well as the lambs, there was also the excitement of seeing the donkeys for the first time in quite a few weeks

 

there are lots of snowdrops in the verges

 

I wasn't going to take a photo of my favourite view on the way down the hill .......... but then I saw the sheep!  My favourite view with added sheep - wonderful!!

 

but the peace and quiet was shattered by this jet, flying very low

 

today's post should have been about our walk yesterday morning, but of course the lambs and donkeys took priority!  But don't worry, I'll do today's intended post tomorrow.  So, to finish, I wasn't tempted to ask for a shot driving this tractor, when I saw what was in the trailer!

 

Stretching my legs

Hooray, the sun shone this morning and the sky was blue (I won't mention that we had a few flurries of snow this afternoon), so I decided to go out for a walk.  It was such a treat to see the sun shining on the Mintos

 

and then  - look what I spotted under a hedge and through a fence

 

then, further up the road, more snowdrops

 

and another view over to the sunny hills

 

I do like a higgledy piggledy, falling down fence

 

only for you, dear readers, would I negotiate the mud and puddles ........

 

to visit the Jacob's ewes, who will be lambing soon

 

on down the road, more snowdrops gleaming in the sun

 

and more expectant ewes

 

I stopped to take a photo of the moss on a wall, and spotted these tiny mushrooms

 

of course clear blue sky means a photo of electrical gubbins!

 

another favourite - an arty photo of a seed head

 

on the way back down the hill, my favourite view

 

the sun shining on the church

 

a little wisp of fleece caught on a branch

 

there were no donkeys about, but this fine fellow posed prettily for me

 

one last photo, the fence that used to be higgledy piggledy, but was replaced last year, reflected in a very large puddle

 

I had to see my doctor two weeks ago, as my sinuses were really bothering me.  As I thought he would, he diagnosed a bout of sinusitis, gave me a two week course of antibiotics, and said to go back in two weeks' time.  So I went back this morning, to tell him that although things had improved a bit, the problem hadn't cleared up completely.  So has has given me another two weeks of antibiotics.  Much aas I appreciate him taking good care of me, there is just one little niggle ........ like many other people, I have been "dry for January".  Not one drop of wine has passed my lips since New Year's Day, so of course I was starting to look forward to enjoying a glass (or two) on the 1st of February ........ but now I will have to wait until the following Thursday, when I finish the antibiotics!!

 

 

Slightly chilly!

We didn't go for a walk yesterday, as I was away for the day having crafty fun (sorry, no photos from that).  So, although it was rather cold ...... the frost didn't lift all day ....... I decided to go for a walk after not having lunch, as this is a Fast day

a noble-looking horse

 

there was just one donkey out in the yard

 

I hope this lorry didn't meet one coming the other way!

 

I never tire of this view

 

or this one

 

the Waterloo monument in the distance

 

the tree is looking a bit sad since it lost its last large branch

 

heading for home

 

there are lots of sheep in the fields round about us

 

back home, these blue tits were enjoying the peanuts

 

while the sparrows watched from the hawthorn

 

if you thought that the pear and chocolate jam was a strange mixture .......... I bought this cheese this morning.  It sounds very strange indeed, but it is delicious!

 

I also bought these little chocolate treats for Malcolm

 

Sustenance

I have been very busy today, printing the covers and instruction sheets for my red, white and bue patterns.  The main pattern sheets are A3, so I had then copied at a copy shop when we were in Falkirk last week

 

there was a slight oops when I realised that I had left a bit off the bottom of one of the sheets, so there was a furious burst of writing on the ten copies!

 

fortunately, Malcolm provided me with sustenance ....... an apple doughnut, and hot chocolate topped with frothed milk

 

Lots of folding later, the patterns were all assembled ....

 

....... well, not quite, as my printer ran out of black ink with six pages to go!  I brought my laptop back into the house to use Malcolm's printer - and his had run out of black ink as well!!  So the last six sheets were printed in blue.  So here are the finished wallhangings

 

Malcolm has been busy too, making these fabulous driftwood trees

 

do you remember the strings of "lights" that I bought at the quilt show at Harrogate?  They are perfect for the trees

 

there was a lot of discussion on Saturday on the best way to quilt Abbey Quilters' raffle quilt, so I took these photos today to email to Sandra, the chairman, as one way of doing it

 

when I went out to close the outer storm doors at the back of the studio ........ woohoo, the sheepies had just meandered down to the bottom of the field

 

but to finish, a slightly more exotic animal.  My friend Maureen sent me a photo of a llama - no she hasn't been abroad on an exciting holiday, the llama lives in Jedburgh!

 

Tin love!

You may have noticed that I love tins - big ones, small ones, in-between ones ...... and when we were away I added to my collection.  This one appealed to my sense of humour

 

and this one is slightly impractical - because of course if you put pins in the cushion, you couldn't put the lid back on!

 

even I have to admit that Christmas is getting close, so it was time to buy the Christmas biscuit tin

 

when we see items that have names on, we never find any with "Malcolm" ....... until Wednesday, when I found this garden sign.  When I was paying for it, I remarked to the lady serving me that I could always paint over "genius at work" - and she said "just put a question mark after it".  Poor Malcolm, well and truly insulted!!

 

I had to go to Jedburgh just before lunchtime today, so I arranged to meet my friend Maureen for lunch after my meeting ..... but we were blethering so much I forgot to take photos!  It was a beautiful afternoon, crisp and clear, so when I got home I grabbed the camera and headed off up the hill.  Why is it that sheep turn their bottoms towards you just as you snap?

 

there were only two donkeys in the field

 

there are still lots of apples in a neighbour's old orchard ...... maybe I should have a midnight scrump!

 

just look at that beautiful blue sky above the church

 

I never tire taking photos of the Mintos

 

and the Eildons

 

I wonder if these sheep .......

 

appreciate the scenery?

 

this sheep was giving me the evil eye!

 

whille this one just looked so pretty

 

on the way back down the hill, of course I had to stop to admire my favourite view

 

and take more photos of the donkeys

 

then my bucolic idyll was spoiled by this - I had to jump on the verge to get out of the way of this lorry!

 

but then I took a last arty photo to restore my inner peace (or something like that!!)  The higgledy piggledy fence may have been replaced, but the reflection still looks good

Shock horror!!

We went for a walk after lunch, to look for sloes ....... and there wasn't a sloe to be found!  We had hoped that there would be a good crop this year, after the complete lack of them last year, but there was not a single solitary sloe to be had.  However I have had a look on ebay (where else??!!) and if we don't find any locally, I will be able to buy some to make sloe gin.

However, there were compensations aplenty ....... first there were animals

 

wonderful scenery

 

new gates to admire

 

I was glad to be in the company of a master dry stone waller  who approved of the construction of this new stretch of wall

 

then there was the chance to take some arty seed head photos .......

 

before wending our weary way up the hill home

 

resisting the urge to kick up the leaves!

 

when we moved here seven years ago, there were only a few sparrows in the garden.  Now, many, many, bags of bird food later (costing a lot more than tuppence a bag!), we have a very healthy population

 

finally, the sewing!  I started with the six blocks with little sayings

 

after cutting them to size, I added the borders

 

then stitched the six blocks together

 

when I was in the studio at the weekend, it was cold enough to have the first fire of the autumn!

 

next, I took the six blocks with little pictures (you might notice that one of them isn't quite finished!)

 

these six blocks just have plain borders

 

I looked out the instructions for my workshop bag .........

 

.......as two of my friends from Abbey Quilters, Sandra and Sheila, are coming for a day's workshop in November to make one

 

it's quite a while since I last taught this workshop, so I need to make new samples

 

I pulled these fabrics from my stash - I'm looking forward to using them

 

I bought this panel at patch'n'chat on Friday, for a quick and easy project ...... yes, I'll tell you about it tomorrow!

<

Oh the pain, oh the agony ......

...... and that was just the nettle sting on my little finger, when I was picking apples yesterday (more of that later).  Then there was exquisite pain this morning at the dentist - no, not the treatment, but paying the bill.  Well, that's the tooth all properly filled, but the dentist still doesn't think it is going to survive much longer (and that will be an even bigger bill).

Never mind, on to happier things!  We had a wonderful meal on Tuesday with Stuart and Alison - if you are on a diet, you might want to quickly scroll past the next few photos!  Alison and I chose the same starter - a potato scone, topped with black pudding, bacon and cheese, with a rich gravy

 

Malcolm had prawns in filo pastry with a sweet chilli dipping sauce

 

Stuart had potato wedges with two dipping sauces

 

then it was on to the main course.  I decided I would go for a lighter main course, as I thought the starter would be quite filling (it was!), so I had chicken with a lemon sauce and rice

 

Alison had steak pie

 

Malcolm had minute steak

 

and Stuart had Cajun chicken with salad, tortilla chips and salsa ...... but the menu didn't mention it came with chips!

 

needless to say, after all that we declined a sweet!  And of course we had a drink to toast the birthday boy!  On Wednesday morning, we headed to Falkirk to have breakfast in Aromas coffee shop, where we used to be a fixture on Saturday mornings ....... we used to go in, say hello to the other regulars, sit at "our" table and start reading the papers.  As if by magic, tea and coffee would appear, followed by what were possibly the best bacon rolls in the world - as we always ordered the same thing, the waitress stopped asking what we wanted, and simply brought it.  When we arrived on Wednesday, we met Lorna, one of my quilting friends from Greenpark Quilters - I was a member of the group twice, before and after living in Indonesia.  I was given blocks made by the members both times that I left - but on the second occasion they said I wouldn't get any if I joined and left a third time!  When we went in, it was as if we had never been away - despite the fact that it is seven years since we moved away!  Jane, the owner, said hello as if we had just been in last week.  Then Joy, another of my quilting friends came in, so I had a blether with her.  So, the big question was - would the bacon rolls still be as good - YES

 

after breakfast, we walked past the house where we lived from 1990 until 1997 (we lived in the downstairs part, upstairs was a separate flat)

 

the house was on the market recently, and we were able to view photos of it online.  Although it had been redecorated, the kitchen was still the one that Malcolm installed, and the bathroom was also the one that we fitted.  And walking past, I could see that the beautiful lace panels that I bought all those years ago were still hanging at the bedroom windows

 

Malcolm made this fence about twenty years ago!  It is in need of a coat of paint, but still looks sound.  He cut the top of every piece himself - he made it in short panels, perhaps making one each weekend

 

so, to return to the nettle sting.  When we were walking over to the restaurant on Tuesday night, we passed several bramble patches, laden with fruit, so on Wednesday morning, we stopped on our way to breakfast to pick some

 

when we got home I decided to go for a walk and pick some hedgerow apples, and that's when the nasty nettle stung my little finger - it throbbed for hours!  Never mind, it was such a lovely afternoon, I had the glorious scenery to take my mind off the pain (ok, I'm a wimp!)

 

I tried to persuade this sheepie to move back a bit into the sun, but it stubbornly stayed in the shade!

 

I'm making bramble and apple jelly - at the moment is is dripping through the jelly bag.  Malcolm made a crumble this afternoon - but as it is a fast day, we can't eat it until tomorrow!  I'll be back tomorrow with a sewing update ....... and hopefully some Friday cake!

Contrast

The other evening, the collared doves enjoyed a quite drink from the birdbath ......

 

....... but it's just as well that they weren't there this afternoon, when we had a sudden downpour

 

I'm glad that I didn't get caught in a shower when I was out for my walk yesterday, as there few places to shelter.  I suppose I could have cuddled up with these sheep

 

I coudn't persuade these two to stand closer together!

 

I don't think that I would want to cuddle up to this one

 

I like horses - but only in the distance - they are a bit scary up close!

 

folklore/old wives' tales say that the severity of the winter is in proportion to the amount of hawthorn berries ....... there are very few this year, so hopefully we will have a mild winter

 

I have no idea what these bits of machinery for, but they make a good photo

 

I would love to steal this gate to refurbish it and put it in the garden

 

on my way out to the studi yesterday afternoon, I was distracted by some butterflies on the buddleia buddleiia buddliea butterfly bush

 

while I was taking photos of the butterflies, there was a wonderful buzz from this shrub - you can't see them, but it was covered in bees!

 

I did some more work on my "Welcome" block - I am delighted with it!!

 

I got out some embroidery threads - and found they matched my drawing

 

there was no patch'n'chat today, but I didn't want you to be deprived of the Friday cake, so I looked out Meredithe's recipe

 

it hadn't been in the fridge quite long enough, so it was a bit squidgy ....... but it was delicious!  There is plenty left over, so we will be having some with our afternoon cuppa for a while, as it keeps well in the fridge.  The forecast is mixed for the weekend, so I think I may be doing a lot of sewing, and Malcolm will be watching the cricket.  Whatever you have planned, I hope you have a good weekend, love Anne

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!