Ta dah!

 

Here is the other Rowandean kit finished.  I amazed myself with the "fluffy" flowers - still Rosebay Willowherb (Fireweed) , but in flower rather than the French Knot buds.  You cut pieces of chiffon about 1 cm square, then folded them in 4 (fiddly!) and then attached them with invisible stitching.  It worked pretty well.

It looks better from a distance at the bottom.

I wasn't so happy about the ripped net at the bottom as it overstretched and then I had to stitch it totally into place.  The long pink stitches were as per the instructions.  Not so pleased with those and I may alter them...

Today was a shopping day, and I managed to find two suitable frames for the Rowandean kits.  More snow is forecast so I got another box of cat sachets, to have another one spare.  

No walk today as it was not very pleasant out - low cloud, cold and another named storm getting up (Chandra). This will be bringing lots of rain, mostly below us though and the poor West Country will get hit again. Tomorrow's walk may be in wellies . . .

Now, off to find another UFO - it may be knitting as Elderberry Bunny has been abandoned for a year and Tam has asked for her to be finished before Rosie hits her teens!  Confirmation - yes. Elderberry Bunny it is.  I ripped it back to the Big Error I made last year (why it got abandoned, truth to tell), and have knitted right to the neck, where it has the yarn threaded through the stitches and gathered.  I am pleased I made good progress with it, as I watched Digging for Britain.

I am downstairs I am too HOT in bed, and can't sleep.  Typical.

A sad start to my day

 Yesterday morning I heard that Keith's brother had died.  He had gotten very weak, and finally succumbed to Sepsis.  He would have been 88 this year.  That suddenly brought back losing Keith of course, so it was a sad start to the morning.  Gabby and I will try and get across to the funeral, but it's in Essex - HATE the M25 bit of the journey.

Anyway, I was glad that Tam and I were meeting up for our Bundle Dyeing afternoon in Aberystwyth.  There were half a dozen of us, and we had a lovely time.  Some garden flowers gave amazing colours - Scabious Black Knight (purple), and Cosmos sulphureous (orange).  

In the picture, dyestuffs - Rosemary, Ivy, Cleavers (Goosegrass), Brown Onion skins, Rose petals.  These gave shades of yellow, the the petals, a pink.  There were red Onion skins too and they gave a more tawny browny yellow.

We used wool skeins and strips of old sheeting, pre-mordanted with Alum, to lay out and decorate with dye plants.  The bright yellow on the piece at the back is Daffodil petal pieces.

Tam rolling up the bundle, which was then tied with string or wool and then rolled up like a snail-shell, and steamed for half an hour.

Other dyestuffs on offer were Hibiscus flowers (gave a red), Buddleia leaves, Eucalyptus leaves, and Yarrow. 

This looked so pretty even before it was rolled up. My table-neighbour's 2nd piece.

 

My first attempt produced muted colours.  I used Ivy, Cleavers, Yarrow, Brown Onion skins, and a little Hibiscus.  Seen when not through a camera lens, it has a little more colour.

For my 2nd attempt I went for colour:

Sorry, bottom one a bit out of focus.  The bright orange is the Cosmos sulphureous, and the blues and purples from the Scabious.  The yellows are from the Daffodil petals, and Onion skins.  All sorts went on that.

Guess who went shopping this morning?!

In the evenings I am now working on the Rowandean Rosebay Willowherb kit.

The dark leaves are nettles (worked in dark blue wool).  Now I am on the French knots for the Willowherb flowers.  Such pretty pinks in this. 

Hoping you have had a good weekend, and praying that friends in America are surviving the awful winter storm cutting a swathe through the country, and those of you in Australia aren't in the areas affected by bushfires - well, hoping anyone who is can get out safely.

Fantasy Wheelbarrows

 I had written a little list of stuff I wanted to do/grow etc in the garden this year.  Amongst the seeds, Cosmos suddenly came to me when I trotted to the bathroom around 3 a.m.  (I slept well by the way - 11 1/2 hours!  Not right through, elderly bladders don't allow for that, but I woke feeling more with it again.) The list also included pricing up a new two-wheel wheelbarrow.  I looked on line - anything from around £60 upwards.  I then went into the realms of Fantasy Wheelbarrows . . .  Scrolling down, there was a tidy looking one but at £498 that was never going to happen.  I decided to see just how dear wheelbarrows could get.  £681 for a tipping wheelbarrow (don't they all?!)  . . .  then if you want battery-powered, we are talking £899.   Then I found the wheelbarrow of my dreams, totally automated and all-terrain as it had caterpillar tracks - oh that would be perfect on my rough triangles of land!  Only £1,614.98!!!  

Anyway, Pam came to the rescue to take me to the garage to pick up the car.  I mentioned going to the Garden Centre and she said, oh let's go together, so we did.  Mind you, the prices soon quelled our excitement.  They didn't have much choice of seeds in - only Mr Fothergill's, some Expensive Johnson seeds £3.99 - £5.49! and Franchi's.  I bought a pack of Cosmos - Seashells mixed, and a pack of Pak Choi.  Then some Garlic - French hardneck Garlic, Edenrose.  I will dig a bed for this - it didn't do well in a long tub last year.  I wanted a deep pink Hellebore, but wasn't going to part with £21.99.  I knew it would be dear there, but that is ridiculous.  I will hope that they have some at the Crossgates nursery when it opens again next month.  The shopping list includes Rose Feed, young Lupins (lots), a deep pink Hellebore, Pot Marigold seeds, a lawn edging tool (shears), and lots of raspberries, as I am about to dig up the grass edge to the path up the bank to the polytunnel, put down membrane and lots of muck heap beneath it, and put raspberries all the way up. I will mulch it well on top of the membrane.  I would like a Jostaberry too.  I had one bush at Ynyswen, but the blackbirds always beat me to it!  I now need to ask friend Chris if I can lessen her muckheap for her - with two horses it soon mounts up.  A couple more wriggly tin raised beds are also on the list.  Oh, and the wheelbarrow.

The car is back (just as well I didn't go mad at the Garden Centre!) and it is quite a novelty to have water jets that spray to the top of the windscreen.  I don't think it has ever done that in all the years we've had it!

Pam walked her dog Foxy before we went to the Garden Centre, and so as it was dry then, I went out with my trusty secateurs and pruned back The Lark Ascending, dead Hollyhock and Echinacea stems, and started on one of the yellow roses I inherited when we bought the house.  They were scared little things when in planters, but now in the ground grow nearly as tall as me and flower from end May to nearly Christmas.

Have a good Friday. 

A Change of Plans

 Well, last night was a write-off in the sleeping stakes.  I have had a flare up of my Diverticulitis in the wake of having had the steroids/antibiotics combo.  I had had niggles since the weekend, but put it down to having had some wine with Tam.  Then last night I was in enough discomfort to keep me awake a couple of hours, until I came downstairs for Panadol.  I crawled back into bed, and Dr Pippi, bless her, knew exactly the spot to settle down on and snuggled into my back, purring, and I was soon asleep.  Cat therapy does work . . .  I am feeling very tired now though, and will go through once I've finished my cup of Earl Grey and have a nap.

I thought to check with the Endoscopy dept. at the Hospital, as I had a feeling that a flare-up might prevent the procedure, and I was right, so it has been put back 6 weeks, to early March.  Sword of Damocles moved a bit further away then . . .  Eating very carefully now - soup for lunch, and it will be some of the chicken casserole with rice for tea tonight.  

I managed to get the car down to the garage this morning, getting Pam to pick me up and bring me home, and then we had a natter which cheered me up.  Always nice to have someone to talk to and catch up on news and gossip!!

Last night I finished the Pippi picture, and am pleased with it. Just need to add another grey stitch to cover the drawn design on the back front leg. (Being a perfectionist). I need to look for a little frame for it now.

So I have started on this one, which won't take long to sew up.

I was in the mood for a chocolate apple cake, so have one cooking in the oven right now.

Still blowy and rainy here.  I have been watching Rewilding Jude on You Tube and he has been busy with his garden, and my fingers are fairly twitching to get out and about in mine.  D also mentioned getting a new Hellebore and so next month I will go to the little garden centre near Crossgates, and get one.  They are a fraction of the price of the Old Railway Line Garden Centre, where they sell around £19.99!  I want to get lots of Lupins too and have big drifts of them to remind me of NZ.  

Getting organized

 Today is NOT the day for an enjoyable walk as it is blowing a hooley (N-Easterly I think) and I have had to lock the catflap because it was blowing that open and there was a heck of a draught around my ankles in the kitchen.  Apparently there is a Yellow wind warning for much of Wales . . .  Pippi not impressed by being kept in but she is not being indulged today.

I have been down to Hay & Brecon Farmers and bought a bag of compost for planters and tubs.  That feels very positive - though it's staying in the back of the car for the moment.  It is NOT a gardening day either!  I took a pile of old books (language primers of Tam's, old paperbacks and books I know I won't ever read) plus some clothes Tam had turfed out to the Charity shop too.  Another positive. 

I have looked long and hard at two things in the living room.  One I have had perhaps 10 years and still love but I don't NEED it. I have checked it out with Lens, and it is a late 19th C Italian Giulia Mangani hand-painted enamelled porcelain urn.  It is SO pretty, but I need to be reducing my personal "stuff".

It is so delicately painted.

It will go to the next Fair with me and look good on the top table.

Then there is this painting which I have had a couple of years, and which has really grown on me.  It's the little soft turquoise door which draws you in.

For Sue in Suffolk, a better view.  It's a little shabby cabin beside a muddy river.  The sort of thing put up piecemeal between the wars and probably without a great deal in the way of planning permission!

So to the Fair it will go.  Keith's Lufwaffe photo album is being auctioned next week, so let's hope that does well.  They have really gone in positively with the description.

Oh, and that ring with the orange stone?  Tam checked it out and says it must have been my aunty's, as it's dated 1974, and is silver gilt, and the orange stone is paste . . .  Ah well.  I can now share what it looks like, now it's not worth robbing me for!

Tea tonight is going to be a chicken casserole.  This is not salad weather here!

The wind has dropped a bit now and I have been able to unlock the catflap, but no self-respecting cat wants to go out in that sort of rain!

Sunshine and birdsong

 Another Positive Post.  We have had a dry day with Sunshine! Yippee.  There was birdsong.  I went to Llandod.  Just to Tesco as I only had a few things to get, then on to Screwfix for a replacement toilet seat.  Tam now fretting that I might have bought the Wrong One!  I pulled over to plug in my phone so I could listen to the last couple of hours of one of my Audible books - Conspiracy by S J Parris.  I can really recommend her novels.  As I looked up from that, the sun was shining through a couple of bare branched trees, but they had been colonised by a fine mossy lichen and glowed green around branches and twigs.  SO pretty.  I listen to Audible when I am out walking too.

Then out for a - short - walk.  Only 1/4 mile or so each way, but so lovely to be out in the fresh air, and looking at what was to be seen in the hedgerows, and what birds were about - some very smart looking Chaffinches for starters.  Snowdrops only just coming through the ground on the first bend, and so I won't walk down to the church yet to see if they are putting on their annual display.  Early February I think that will be.

A touch of colour on some lichen-clad twigs.  First tentative leaves of Cow Parsley, and one - just ONE - small Celandine leaf!

Low cloud in the direction of Hundred House.

I was lucky to find a Derek Tangye book, Monty's Leap, in the Tesco book recycling bookcase.  Years ago (1960s/70s/80s) I read all of his novels, which were about his and his wife Jeannie's life in the far west of Cornwall, near the Minack Theatre, in a tiny cottage with land and glass houses where they grew daffodils on the cliffs, and made early spring posies, both of which they sent up to London.  They grew potatoes too.  I loved reading about their cats and donkeys and lifestyle.  I shall enjoy re-reading this one too.

I have had a letter from a penpal of over 50 years' standing too, and also found a little stitch kit which I got from a charity shop in Llandod last year.  It had got covered in fabric, so I have liberated it to stitch.

Tea tonight is going to be two large Tesco cod fish fingers, with some home-made chips and peas.  I've not had fish for a while.  I bought a tray of chicken breast for the freezer too.  Plus some of those giant spring onions, a red pepper, a nice head of garlic, Maris Piper potatoes, 2 cucumbers, and some nice on the vine tomatoes.  Topping up store cupboard items this week were Plain and S-R flour and a big 3 Kg bag of Allison's bread flour.  

Possible snow again in the offing - "the Beast from the East - a 656 mile wall of snow" is apparently heading our way in a couple of days.  Deep joy, not!  The entire country will be a whiteout.  Anyway, I had half a tank of heating oil at Christmas, and now 3 weeks on will have used a chunk in the cold weather, so have just ordered 500 L.  That will be around £270 as it's 54p a L at the moment.

New jets on car this week - £150 or so also out, and it's time for the central heating boiler to be checked for the year . . .  Food spending will have to go down to the minimum, but can't match the Frugal Sue's out there!!  

Home alone again

 Tam and Rosie were here not much longer than 24 hours, but the house feels "right" with them here, and so empty now they have gone home again.  I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of weeks I have lived alone in my life, before Keith died.  I don't enjoy living alone, hence trying to keep myself busy and doing little things that give me pleasure.

Yesterday I had a very short walk up to the junction, by which time my legs were saying that was it for the day, as I had already been doing housework and tidying things up before T&R got here.  

I wanted to help a friend, and did a "paying it forward" when I ordered her some multivitamins (just as D had done for me).  My friend doesn't eat a great deal (think miniscule amounts) and I know her diet is lacking in essential vitamins and minerals, so I hope that these will help her and she will carry on and buy some more, although she isn't good at spending money on herself.

Rosie has been a joy.  She regularly speaks in short sentences now and is always asking for a hug.  She made us laugh by pointing and saying "It's a monster" - didn't know where that came from until we heard it on one of the tv programmes Tam lets her watch (Tam is very careful with screen time and content).  She's very observant too - having watched me check under the recliner chair in case one of the girls had gone under there, she came to tell me when Lulu went under there so I could get her out!  "Grandma, Lulu under chair".

Tam has been crocheting a beautiful cape and hood I think it is, with a zigzag border to it.  Really pretty yarn too.  She's nearly finished it now.  She doesn't get much time to work on it as Rosie's bedtimes are so irregular, what with going to the child-minder a couple of times a week.

It has been lovely having them here, but now my glance keeps falling on the NHS envelope on the side, with several pages about my "procedure" on Friday, and I am really dreading it. 

I have continued to put the secateurs in my pocket whenever I go outside (and it's dry!) and have been doing some more tidying up.  Just 5 or 10 minutes makes me feel better.  Today I tackled my Jude the Obscure rose as it had grown so much last summer and was about 8 feet tall.  I now have all the others to sort out.

I hope you've all had a good weekend.