Raising Seedlings

Yarn Along

2012-01-25T13:32:00.000Z

Joining in with Ginny over on Small Things for the Yarn Along, thank you for hosting Ginny.

Well I missed posting this last week when it was a newly started project and as it was such a quick knit it's already finished.

Wristwarmers in progress

Last year I knitted myself some stripy multi-coloured wristwarmers and Imogen asked me to knit her some recently. So I had a lovely ball of King Cole Riot chunky and thought that would be perfect for them. No pattern - just in my head, although I did make some notes in case I want to make any more as they fit so lovely. Only used about 50g, so have 50g left for something, who knows what.

Finished wristwarmers modelled lovely

(yes in pyjamas!)

I'm still (slowly) reading Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett, but this week have also been reading some articles on plying in some back issues of Spin-Off magazine and spinning books. I'm attending a Spinning design workshop this weekend so was looking at ideas to try, inspiration and different ways to ply yarn. Oh and as you may be able to see beneath the first picture - browsing seed catalogues and checking growing charts for the sowing season ahead in the garden.

Looking forward to catching up on all those projects out there.

Seeds and planning ...

2012-01-24T11:37:00.003Z

combining seed planning and knitting!

I don't like January. There I said it. Not because it's about getting over the over-indulgence and over-spending at Christmas; we just don't do that. I don't like that it is so dark in the mornings still - it feels darker than December, although the days should be getting longer, I think the lightness is more early evening.

But what I do like about January is the anticipation of the growing season ahead. I love getting the seeds and organising them. This year I have transferred my seeds into a new to me seed tin. My previous tins have served me well but having the option to put all the seeds together was welcomed.

Old seed tins
and new seed tins

So I have gone through the seed packets and popped them into the month of earliest sowing, taken out a few that we won't use or have too many of to take to the seed swap in February. Seeing them all there organised turns my attention to the guides, charts, books, previous records, etc to plan ahead.

Yes, January is a time for much planning and organising for the garden and allotment plot. I'm guessing I'm not alone in doing this at the moment - how are your plans and organising of seeds going?

Now I just need a good day to get out and clear and clean the greenhouse and I'm ready to sow, sow, sow ...

Better late than never ... (and one for the Yarn Along)

2012-01-11T10:36:00.001Z

Well these were a request for Christmas, a pair of hand knitted socks using some of my handspun yarn for Alex. Joining in again this week with the Yarn Along hosted by Ginny at Small Things.

The wool for these socks started from here ...

Dorset Horn Ewe and lambs

such beautiful little lambs!

then it was sorted here ...

washed, dried and carded ...

Following that, there were enjoyable hours spent here spinning the carded wool into singles and plying two singles together. A final wash to set the twist and a little help with winding the yarn into balls.

Imogen enjoys helping wind the yarn into balls

The knitting began, and wanting to try something different I followed a method of knitting both socks at the same time on one long circular needle. I like this method - it means the socks grow at the same rate, will definitely be the same length and avoids the Second Sock Syndrome!

Knitting 2 socks at the same time

(shoe boxes are great for holding two balls of yarn!)

They grew and grew, and then as usual I got distracted with other knitting and other crafts (oops), but got back to them ... although they weren't going to make it under the tree for Christmas.

checking the foot length

But hey, better late than never, here they are fresh off the needles today, need a quick finishing wash but already well loved house socks.

Finished socks, perfect fit

Truly local socks too - Dorset Horn (Dorset being just down the road from us in Hampshire) fleece from sheep on the farm less than 4 miles away, skirted, washed, spun, plied, washed, knitted at home and ready to wear. I have to knit myself some now as they are so cosy, and my daughter Imogen would like a pair too.

The book to share with this post is this one - 2-at-a-time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oakes, which inspired the method of knitting the 2 socks at the same time, great instructions to help you along the way - it is quite self explanatory once you get going though so this is going to be my method of knitting socks for the future. Still also reading the Pratchett book from last week, amongst other books I dip in and out of.

Looking forward to seeing what everyone else is working on. Now what to start next as I also finished the hat/scarf with pockets for Imogen which she loves - although it's so mild at the moment there is no need for it yet, but it's time will come. I will have to take a picture of her wearing it to show the fit and the pockets better than this picture does.

Finished hat/scarf with pockets - might be needed soon!

Off to cast on some more of the handspun for Imogen's socks - she's picked out the wool she wants me to use so here we go ...

Joining in the Yarn Along

2012-01-04T11:39:00.000Z

For a long time I have read other blogs who join in on a Yarn Along - sharing knitting projects and what they are reading. For a long time I have thought I should join in with this as I enjoy both knitting and reading immensely. So this week, the start of the new year I am joining in with the yarn along hosted by Ginny on her blog Small Things - a lovely blog I have been reading and following for a while now.

Hat scarf combination for Imogen

I am this week intending to finish this project started a while ago but needs finishing now so that my daughter Imogen can enjoy the benefits of it while it is cold. This is being knit with a bulky yarn 50% wool/50% acrylic on size 9 circular needles. The hat was based on a pattern from Ravelry that I have adapted a little and added the scarf to. The scarf is simply knit in garter stitch - both sides at the same time ensuring the length is even and I am adding a pocket at the bottom for little hands to sneak into when cold.

As for the reading, I tend to have more than one book on the go at a time, to suit my mood for reading. Currently I am reading Unseen Academicals by Terry Pratchett, and enjoying reading a new Pratchett book after a long break. I had only realised I had not read this one when I was looking at his more recent book Snuff on Amazon - one for later.

Thank you to Ginny for hosting the Yarn Along, I can't promise I will be joining in every week, but will when I have something worth sharing and in the meantime will always be popping by to see what other bloggers are up to.

I have also written a blog post today over on the jointly written blog Spinspiration for our monthly online gathering of spinners, knitters, weavers, and all things woolly for Woolly Wednesday. Pop over and see what we are up to there - you are most welcome to join us at our informal gathering. I have shared there some pictures of finished (and unfinished) knitting projects from the festive period.

Hello 2012 ...

2012-01-01T18:05:00.000Z

Happy New Year! Welcome 2012.

"Nothing is more highly to be prized than the value of each day"

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

No new years resolutions, if you don't make them you can't break them! Aspirations are preferred.

Things to look forward to in the year ahead ...
Lots of spinning, gotta get through that wool! Started back at the wheel already;
Creative craft time, for me and craft time to share with Imogen;
Expanding the etsy shop;
Welcoming the seasons;
Events and celebrations - Chinese New Year, seasonal celebrations, etc;
Sorting out the house and garden;
Days out;
Seeing one of my favourite ever bands in London in May - reformed after 13 years away!
Olympics - tickets bought, looking forward to our days out in London;
Museum visits - a return to the Natural History Museum and a visit to the Science Museum;
Holiday ... don't know where yet;
Spinning more at public events;
Sowing, growing, harvesting;
Preserving foraged and home grown produce;
A seventh birthday;
Making gifts for Christmas! (ha ha, never too early to think about it!).
... and much, much more ...

what are you looking forward to this year?

Aardvark Tea Rooms

St Leonard on Sea

Happy New Year x

Goodbye 2011 ... thanks for ...

2011-12-30T11:44:00.002Z

Wonderful memories ...

fun in the snow

meeting Masai Warriors

a new blog with an online friend

watching new skills being learned

Chinese New Year celebrations

Spring farm visits

Spring flowers

fun play

baking

more Spring flowers

Spring trips to the beach and parks

Cleaning the greenhouses

Some spinning time

... on my "new to me" wheel

preparing for a school craft visit

Earth Day

Beautiful blossoms

planting seeds and seedlings

Spinning at a show

More visits to the farm

Sunny hot days

Easter

walking to school - a lovely time to reflect

Days out

growing and allotment time

allotment

Pirate day at school

More days out

Time for some wool washing

and carding on the (new to me) Drum Carder

and finally cracking Crochet

lovely things growing

fun days out

fun at home

fun at the beach (again)

Busy allotment time

Gardening at school

School sports day

Foraging

oh go on, a bit more spinning!

Holiday boat trips

visiting castles

beautiful scenery

dressing up

holiday beach days

meeting our holiday neighbours

visiting the National Wool Museum

bountiful harvests

Summertime fun

meeting local wildlife

fun outdoors

Autumn foraging

knitting with handspun

weaving handspun

more spinning

Spinning at The Romsey Show

... ready for 6!

6th Birthday

Birthday gifts

Birthday trip to the Zoo

Autumn Season Corner

Conkers and autumn crafts at art club

yes, more spinning

Pumpkin time

Gifts from Australia - lovely just sheared Merino

Preserving harvests

Woolly day at the Guild

Alex playing Ukelele at the Pumpkin Festival

and Imogen dressed for the occasion

little knitted treasures

crafting for Christmas

Gruffalo forest walk

Fireworks and flame torch parade

Felting for the shop

Imogens felted poppy (nicer than mine!)

Guild challenge cushion

Making Christmas cards

Visiting Father Christmas and his Reindeer

snow ... but hoping for some of the real stuff

new season tree

and season corner figures

and old ones returned for the Winter

the joy of craft swaps

and making gifts for family

keeping up with traditions

and visiting local sights

finishing knitted gifts

discovering gifts on Christmas day

taking them in before opening the next one

crafting with new sewing box and fabrics

practising her new Ukelele

post Christmas walk around Lichfield Cathedral

It's been a good year, full of lovely things and memories to treasure in our hearts and minds. We're ready for you now 2012 ... Happy New Year everyone for 2012.

A little message for the season ...

2011-12-24T11:10:00.001Z

House lights display from a crazy Christmas lights street famous nearby

(please note: not my house!)

Have been a little absent lately, busy with preparations for Christmas but also just taking a step back to enjoy this time of year, relaxing and being with family. Currently we are occasionally watching this - Track Santa!

Only one more sleep until Christmas Day, as Imogen is letting us all know today, excitement is mounting here.

making crackers together yesterday

Merry Christmas to all or blessing to you however you celebrate this time of year, whether it be Yule, Hannukah or just honoring the Seasons and the solstice. Thank you for your company and friendship over the last year and more, I look forward to sharing this space with you and your blog spaces over the coming year and more to come.

Today we shall be relaxing, drinking in the spirit of the season, maybe taking a walk, baking some Roasted Cranberry mince pies (halfway down the page linked) and readying ourselves for lots of fun, fun, fun.

A Christmas tradition - photo of Imogen and Chilly

(remember this post?)

I will leave you with one of my favourite songs at this time of year ... played lovely by the Southampton Ukelele Jam (including Alex!). Enjoy!

See you all the other side of Christmas, and having now passed the shortest day, light will gradually return to extend our days. Have a great time everyone, full of joy, wonder and laughter xxx
Love Dawn x

It's definitely coming soon ...

2011-12-12T20:57:00.000Z

The decorations are up, so much fun rediscovering decorations carefully packed away last Christmas. Beautiful bright red tuneful bells, knitted delights and more.

Lighting candles on the Carousel

Bringing out new decorations, newly made by this mama and daughter, and some bought or exchanged in craft swaps with other talented people.

Imogen sewn Santa from a gift last year

Mama's newly felted Santa for this year

King and Queen Winter from last year

Father Christmas bringing gifts to the tree

from a lovely swap with a talented lady for my Pumpkin fairy doll

Our new Season Corner tree dressed for the Season

Our little Shepherd

Dressing up and wearing many hats! And dressing up as a Shepherd at the local working farm museum, in all it's Victorian splendour.

Looking forward to the modern take on the nativity for the school performance this week, where Imogen is again a Shepherd ... with some funny lines!

Three Wise Men bringing gifts

More crafty makes, these Three Wise Men are for my Mother-in-law to add to the nativity I started making for her last Christmas, a present that keeps giving each year to make up a nativity scene.

Yes, it's definitely coming ...

Ho, Ho, Ho or is it oh, oh, oh ...

2011-12-06T18:03:00.000Z

No snow here yet, just in the shopping centre!

The festive season is upon us, busy times making, creating, planning. I just don't seen to find the time to blog, or find the inspiration of what to write. Why, I don't know - there is always some time, and always something to share but, well I don't know ... it just doesn't happen. I am going to try and focus on some things to get back into the swing of blogging.

Lots of things in the making here, some I can't share on the blog at the moment though in case certain eyes see something they shouldn't be seeing just yet. Will find a way to share pictures sometime.

At the weekend I took Imogen to the local Art Gallery who run a monthly art club which she loves attending. Being December there was a Christmas theme this month so lots of Christmas decorations have been made. We made a hanging snowman and angel for the tree and some clay decorations decorated with gold powder and jewels. We also did some printing to create a Christmas card.

Clay decorations

(I loved the idea of placing a paperclip in the clay

for a hanger - it stays in nice when the clay is dry)

After lunch I thought we could wander around the town to take in the Christmas lights and sights. We wandered around the German Christmas market, Imogen hugged a snowman, we saw the decorations in the shopping centre.

Imogen looking at Rupert and Bauble

We then went into another shopping centre to come across two Reindeer, who we discovered after chatting to the elf looking after them that their names were Bauble and Rupert. Rupert is Rudolph's brother but he doesn't have a red nose like his brother.

Santa's workshop was just up the way and I caught sight of Father Christmas and was transported back to my childhood visits to Father Christmas at the department store we always went to as children in Birmingham. The most amazing Father Christmas, so yes we took our place in the queue to visit. These things are what make treasured family memories for us. As we waited we watched the reindeer some more. The lady in front asked the elf how they got them there ... "They flew" was the very straight faced reply, explaining how they removed the windows in the roof for them. The elves swapped over after a while and the lady repeated the question to the new elf and had the same response. Imogen thought this was very funny - why was she asking the same question again! To ease the wait, which wasn't too bad anyway they handed out some chocolate lollipops which nearly caused a disaster when Imogen bit into it to find her already wobbly tooth (3rd one now) a lot more wobbly. It didn't come out, and still hasn't but won't take long I'm sure.

Wonderful jolly Father Christmas

Father Christmas was lovely, taking time to talk, no talk of lists or good or not, just a good old fashioned visit to Father Christmas. Imogen really enjoyed the experience. Ah, memories.

More planning, more creating, more fun to come.

A day of action ... and lots of activity

2011-11-30T12:39:00.000Z

Well I have Imogen at home with me today as her school is closed due to the strikes. I/We are in full support of the action in this country today, we've both worked in public service jobs before and this affects many people we still know. I am pleased to be hearing the news reporting a bit more on the reasoning behind the cuts to public service pensions - it has little to do with making public service pensions sustainable, but more to do with raising money to help the deficit in this country instead of making those responsible pay.

Right, I'll get off off my soap box now.

This has meant we get to spend a lovely day together. What have we been up to? Well with it being December tomorrow, what better way to spend the day then to be making Christmas cards.

I dug out some foam stamps and some stencils from previous years and got out the paints and blank cards. Imogen has had great fun making lots of cards. My favourite was a rainbow snowflake stencil so I asked to make a few of these! Oh and she decided she wanted to dress up as a postie as she is making cards to send to people.

Artist/postie at work at her Christmas cards

Card production line

I'm doing a bit of felting today, finishing off a Yule log for an order on etsy for a lovely lady - you know who you are! Also finishing touches going on a Father Christmas to add to the shop too. Other projects in the making too.

The start of the log - it's almost finished but no sneaky peek just yet!

So lots of activity going on here today, how about you?

Almost Four-One

2011-11-27T20:31:00.001Z

Title idea shamelessly stolen from Jacqui who celebrated her 51st birthday last week, as I approach my 41st birthday tomorrow.

one of my favourite pictures of me and Imogen (a few years ago)

Today being a Sunday and having a little more family time than tomorrow with Imogen at school and Alex out in the evening practicing with the Ukulele jam, we had me birthday a little early.

I had a nice lie in this morning as the others planned and plotted for my birthday. A late breakfast and a relaxing morning, Imogen and I then got on with some baking. Our favourite Butternut Squash muffins were up first - made by Imogen who followed the recipe to get the amounts right and used the mixer to mix the ingredients, I just did the hot oven bit ... and as usual they were absolutely gorgeous, a tried and tested recipe ... perfect.

After lunch we put on dough for homemade pizza - another favourite in this house, and yes it was lovely too. We then went on to make some gluten free Chocolate Brownies using mashed potato instead of flour. They have come out lovely too, very rich.

So we had our tea and then my evening was just made most magical by my lovely daughter and husband. Imogen was playing on her keyboard for a while and then told me she was going to play something for me. She then started to play Happy Birthday which just made me smile so much and really warmed this mama's heart. This was followed with lovely handmade birthday cards and a gift from Imogen - a poem written by her to me, a lovely poem and so beautifully written too, maybe I'll share it another day if I scan it.

Today was a lovely day, what more could I wish for, lovely handmade goodness in food, cards, gifts and lots of love from my lovely family.

Tomorrow is my 41st birthday and I shall be taking some of the cakes with me to our school coffee morning which I go to most Mondays with a few friends.

my lovely family

Life is good.

The challenge ...

2011-11-18T13:08:00.000Z

So those weaving squares I have been making on and off this year were to
a) use up odd bits of spun wool, small balls that wouldn't make up much else; and
b) to make a cushion for the Guild challenge.

It's the Guild meeting this weekend and the November one always includes the revealing of members' Guild challenge projects which this year was to make a cushion for the seats to make sitting at meetings a little more comfortable.
This week I gathered them all up and realised I needed another couple in white so quickly made them on Sunday. I have now sewn them all up - using white breed squares on one side and a mix of colours on the other side. I then looked at it and thought it would look nice with a border so quickly started knitting that up to sew in between the layers. Here are the squares all sewn up -

Squares sewn together

Greys/White mixed squares side

So here it is finished with the border, I have used Dorset Horn, Hampshire Down, Portland, Jacobs, Zwartble/Suffolk cross and a little Shetland.

Greys and mixed colours side above

White square side below - 2 shades of white from different sheep breeds

Sheep to finished product - all fleece prepared from raw fleece from the sheep, spun, plied, washed, woven and a little knitting and here is my finished cushion to make those hard seats more comfortable to sit on.

I am really pleased with the result, enjoyed making this and it has inspired me to make a blanket out of more squares - I'm going to do it as a kind of fibre samples blanket - every time I spin something different I shall weave a square to add to the blanket. I have a plan to spin as many breeds as possible in all their glorious natural colours over time.

So a challenge finished for the Guild challenge of 2011, and a new challenge for me which I shall start and blog about in January 2012.

Busy times

2011-11-15T11:31:00.000Z

Aren't we always busy?
Since my last post I've sold another couple of felted items and swapped one with an etsy seller form some of her lovely craft-work - will have to share a photo another day, have popped them away for now as they are for Christmas - display rather than presents so we'll see them before Christmas.

Other items in the pipeline, for now I have made a St Lucia felted figure - for the Festival of Lights or St Lucia Day on 13th December, the start of advent - she's popped over to the etsy store today.

St Lucia (different backgrounds to show the colours)

This week I am busy sewing up those weaving squares for the Guild challenge, more on that and a picture to reveal it soon ...

Felting fun and updates

2011-11-08T12:02:00.026Z

I have been felting a lot lately and have updated my etsy shop with some Christmas/Yule themed items, and also an Autumn one which may be a little late this year but we'll see.

Autumn felted doll with pumpkin

Also working on some other figures both for ourselves and for the shop, and ideas of other items other than figures whirling around in my head.

Works in progress

On Sunday I needle-felted a poppy for remembrance day - I donate but don't pick up the plastic ones, preferring to wear one that can be re-used over and over. I knitted and felted some last year and intended to make more this year but it hasn't happened, and I couldn't find one so made myself a new one this year. Imogen decided she wanted to make one too so she wet felted the red for the poppy, shaped it with my help and then needle felted the black in the middle ... very carefully!

My felted poppy above

and Imogens felted poppy below

So that's what I've been up to, happily stabbing away at the wool, and yes I miss sometimes as my poor fingers can confirm!

Up with a bang!

2011-11-06T18:30:00.001Z

Bonfire night 2011

Busy here, and if not busy I'm tired at the moment. Life is good, I have been a bit more creative this week, lots of felting going on and other ideas going through my head for felting projects including some items for my Etsy shop which I have updated recently. I have decided to list some things as "made to order" to gauge interest in the items.

So last night being bonfire night, we headed to Winchester again for their fabulously atmospheric flame torch light parade through the town to the leisure centre fields for a proper traditional bonfire and spectacular fireworks. How wonderful it is to see the place lit up by these flame torches, keeps you warm too!

crowds ready for the torchlight parade

torch waving fun

Imogen carrying the flame torch

top of the town

The parade is lovely. Imogen carried the torch at times and held her own dynamo powered torch too - I love how photos come out when she is waving it around.

Sparkler writing in the air

Of course she loved her sparklers again this year, writing her name in the air.

enjoyed the big displays, fireworks shooting everywhere

We popped to see the statue of King Alfred on the way home, someone we've been reading about in a library book this week.

Just about see King Alfred

out with a big bang!

How was your bonfire night?

Tomorrow is Movember!

2011-10-31T20:04:00.001Z

No it's not a typo, and I'm not going mad! Honest.

"Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in the UK and around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men."

Alex will be joining this very good cause and growing a moustache this month. It's a good job it's for charity as I really dislike moustaches, look what happened last time he had one ...

... at least he got to use it for his advert for Movember this year.

Any men in your life that would like to join in this good cause? If so, point them in the direction of the Movember website. And if not, maybe you'd like to donate a few pennies on behalf of Alex.

Thank you for looking x

... we're taking a stroll in the deep dark wood ...

2011-10-28T13:28:00.000+01:00

Well it's a pretty deep woods, but not that dark today as the sun is shining and it's quite mild out there.

But we are taking a stroll through the wood, on a guided woodland walk with a Countryside Ranger while reading the brilliant story of The Gruffalo and finding out more about our British wildlife.

Imogen's all ready to go!

What a lovely day we have planned. What plans do you have this fine bright Friday?

Christmas making and meet Ellie ...

2011-10-27T16:34:00.000+01:00

Having a crafty day today, half term, raining outside so we've been making decorations for Christmas! Yes Christmas decorations in October, but hey why not.

So having looked through a craft book from the library Imogen has made a Christmas tree today and an Angel decoration and some paper chains. I loved making paper chains as a child and it seems Imogen does too. They're all drying so perhaps I can share photos another time - maybe when they go up around the house. Here's a couple of pictures I took as she was making them.

making a Christmas tree

She's also made up some ELC Christmas picture frames I bought in the sale last year for her to make - magnetic picture frames that will be gifts to grandparents and one for ourselves.

Been felting, knitting and spinning a little myself recently, thought I'd share a picture of Ellie - a little rainbow elephant (a la Elmer) I made for Imogen recently. It's about 2 inches tall and she loves it. Nice quick easy knit in one piece, sewn and stuffed and ears knitted on by picking up stitches.

Ellie the little Elmer Elephant

Catching up ...

2011-10-21T13:49:00.000+01:00

Well I'm good at this regular blogging at the moment aren't I? Hmmm, not really - must do better. Must have been a while, even Alex mentioned I should update the blog!

Pumpkin face painting

and jumping on the bouncy jungle run (a now traditional photo)

So how about a little catch up. We had a lovely day at the Hampshire Pumpkin festival, lovely roasted pumpkin soup - the "best in show" was a regular comment I heard. I painted Imogens face before going - one queue and a few pennies saved! Some crafts, some fun and listening to Alex with the Southampton Ukelele Jam. We bumped into friends there which was lovely, and fun was had by all.

SUJ - 1st set of two

Ukelele jam pumpkin scarecrow

SUJ - 2nd set

Imogen and I did some felting at home, felting some beads and around a couple of stones. We had a lot of fun and going to do more soon together. Oops forgot the photo - another time, another post.

Imogen's had a good half term at school and this week received a Head Teachers Certificate for a story she wrote at home and took in to show her teachers - they all thought it was brilliant and praised her lovely writing. She was very proud, as we are too. She's continuing to challenge them on the reading front too and loving her reading. She's been enjoying drawing and crafting at school too and also being involved in acting out stories in the role play area - this week they have done some Hindu stories to tie in with looking at Divali. She loved acting the story of Rama and Sita.

Last weekend was my Guild meeting, after the committee meeting it was a feast for the eyes and hands to walk around the hall decked with fibres of all kinds and colours as Wingham Wool were here (they come every year). I did make a few small purchases. There were so many wheels there as you can sample fibres before buying - I lost count at over 30 spinning wheels.

Wingham Wool day at the Guild

Ooh lovely fibres

Lots of wheels and fibre

Fibre samples and other small packets of fibre and yarn

Lots of knitting projects on the go or in the planning stage. A finished item to show you, some friends of ours got married earlier this week so this was our gift to them - a knitted wedding cake. On reflection - taking a picture on our black sofa wasn't such a good idea - the groom is in purple and they have brown hair but the colours are a bit lost here - oops.

Wedding cake gift

(all acrylic - gift was for a vegan couple)

Back to finishing off a hat, scarf for Imogen, socks for Christmas for Alex and a few other things to finish off before starting the next thing! Ha ha, no you're right that's not likely to happen - more likely I'll start something else whilst trying to finish other things.

Chutney on the hob

This week we also used up some harvest excesses and made chutney and it's looking and tasting lovely. Now for it to mature a while to improve - just in time for Christmas.

Chutney in the jars

Phew, I need a coffee now. Back soon with more. Looking forward to half term next week, a Gruffalo nature walk at a local forest, a trip to the cinema and lots of time with family.

What a lovely Mom ...

2011-10-10T13:35:00.000+01:00

I returned home from taking Imogen to school this morning, well after staying for Coffee Pot (our coffee and a chat group!) to a parcel having been left in my greenhouse.

parcel cunningly disguised as "dress material"

An airmail parcel from Australia. My parents are currently there visiting my brother and his family.

You know you're Mom knows you well when she sends a parcel of ...

Merino Wool

Freshly sheared Australian Merino! They were at a farm and watched the shearing. Oh yes, it is so so soft and so crimpy, look ...

Crimpy, fluffy soft merino

Thank you Mom!

Ah ... Autumn is for ...

2011-10-06T22:09:00.000+01:00

Pumpkins!

And tonight Alex is chopping, peeling and de-seeding (and saving some!) some of these ready to roast tomorrow to make into pumpkin soup to serve at the Hampshire Pumpkin Festival on Saturday.

Ah I love Autumn. I love pumpkins! I think Imogen quite likes them too.

Woolly Wednesday

2011-10-05T17:27:00.001+01:00

Today I have blogged over on my other blog Spinspiration co-written with a friend and blogger Kelly. Come and join us online and share what you have been doing recently in the world of wool and fibres whether that be spinning, knitting, felting, weaving ...

... and I hope next week to join in the yarn along over on small things - a lovely blog written by Ginny, I peek at all the yarn along posts and thing I should join in and then don't get around to it so next week that is my aim, although I doubt I could post something different weekly.

Weekend of Art, Nature and Foraging

2011-10-02T21:14:00.000+01:00

going down to the forest

We've had a lovely weekend, hot and humid ending a hot week of Autumn sunshine!

On Saturday I took Imogen to the local Art Gallery for a monthly Art club which was great fun. The theme was Autumn even if it could have been Summer at the beach. She made an Autumn crown with gathered leaves and other nature bits and some cut out leaves from recycled papers, etc.

Autumn leaf printing

She also did some printing with the Autumn leaves and some autumnal inks and patterns.

Clay leaf and nature

The other thing she made was an autumn clay leaf using a real leaf as the template and for detail and adding a robin, a dormouse and two caterpillars. It is now drying and she thinks she may paint it afterwards.

Collected conkers, some very large, in our leafy wooden bowl

In the city parks on the way to art club we gathered a rather large number of conkers (Horse Chestnuts) so I can see some crafting in the near future with these, adding to others we've collected recently. In the garden when we returned home we were amazed at how busy the spiders have been lately, and found this grasshopper which Imogen named speedy although he seemed in no rush to fly away.

spider webs in the sky with lots of little flies caught

and a wasp below we saw being wrapped in thread

Speedy the grasshopper

This morning we all spent our time out in the garden cutting the lawn, trimming some hedging and gathering up the fallen leaves into black bags ready to make some lovely leaf mulch - 12 big black bagfuls.

crossed Oak trees

We then spent the afternoon at a local nature reserve we'd not been to before, have driven past it several times but decided to pop there today. A lovely wild area and the shade from the trees was wonderful. We came across the above crossed oak trees which have grown into each other. It was also wonderful to spot a Greater Spotted Woodpecker up in the trees, and evidence of Badgers.

foraging a feast

ready for roasting

Our other delightful find were some really good sized sweet chestnuts which we foraged, handy that I usually carry a cloth bag with me just in case! We came home with some excellent chestnuts some of which we roasted and ate and some we roasted and added to a frittata with some mushrooms which was lovely. We weigh them and had collected 800g - not bad for a nature walk.

Hope you've all had a lovely weekend.

Autumn Season Corner

2011-09-30T17:06:00.000+01:00

We'll just skip what happened to the Summer one! Spring and Summer kind of all merged together and it didn't really get changed properly. But with the Autumn equinox recently we have now updated it to reflect Autumn.

A few Autumn books, some Autumn felted and knitted crafts, handmade beeswax candles by Imogen, lots of Autumn treasures from the natural world and the contents of an owl pellet in the test tube courtesy of Alex and his work.

I changed this over at the end of last week and Summer has returned since, we're enjoying the beautiful sunshine especially where it is picking up those lovely Autumn colours that surround us.

Autumn blessings to all, as Autumn will no doubt return soon x

Slow down ... catch up quick... and being 6!

2011-09-27T11:17:00.000+01:00

The birthday muffins

Well since my last post, I have sat and drafted another and it was awaiting some photos to add and then the time just disappeared. It was a post about getting ready for Imogens birthday, the preparations, the making, the decorating the house, the baking of cakes ...

Bunting and balloons decorated the house once more

And now we are already the other side of her birthday so how about a quick catch up instead of getting things ready, her 6th birthday, and a birthday trip to Marwell Zoo instead.

So here goes ...

Personalised bunting

Felt birthday crown and badge

The crown and badge all finished and awaiting the birthday girl, the handmade bunting hanging up and a new knitted triangle with 6 on it. 6, how did that happen?

Castle painted and built

(the size shocked Daddy a little who hadn't seen it, Imogen can fit inside!)

Gifts covered and wrapped

The castle all finished and built, and hidden under fabric with other gifts around too. I got these ready whilst she was at school.

Imogen was awoken to star lights in her room as I managed to plug in her star lights rug before she stirred, she thought it was magic. Birthday cards opened she headed to school where they had celebrated her birthday the day before at the weekly celebration assembly which she loved. She was greeted to hugs and wishes of happy birthday from friends and had a lovely day at school.

Excited to return home from school in her crown

(her teachers loved it)

A knights outfit, well you have to if you have a castle right?

blowing out the candles

Home to opening her presents, all received lovingly and with such lovely appreciation, what more could one wish for. She loves her castle and has been a knight often. Homemade pizza for tea by request and muffins for the birthday cake.

The next day was off to the Zoo for her birthday, and what a great day it was. It started off a little cloudy but soon brightened up to a hot sunny day and all the animals were wonderful to see. Here's just a few images from our trip.

Meerkat standing guard

Chapman's Zebra, such beautiful markings

Friendly camels?

One of our favourite animals - the shy Okapi

(pronounced Oh-kah-pee)

Prowling Leopard

Marwell's baby Flamingo

Sleepy Mama Snow Leopard, mama to triplets born in June

Underwater penguins

Taking a break after a long day!

We have had a wonderful few days, celebrating our daughter who brings love and happiness to us in so many ways, every single day. Happy 6th birthday Imogen, it's been fantastic travelling these 6 years around the Sun with you, can't wait to see what joys and wonders await us in the year ahead.

Project 6th birthday

2011-09-19T13:35:00.000+01:00

what's in the bag?

Countdown to a little girls 6th birthday and I have a few things to do. A birthday crown to create, and a felt birthday badge too. The main project is to restore, renovate, refurbish (enough r's?) a charity shop bargain plywood castle that slots together and is beautiful (that's what's in the bag).

I say bargain, it was actually put aside for me by a lovely lady in the local charity shop to see if I wanted it for Imogen and they would only accept a small donation for it. The reason was that a few pieces had been drawn on with felt pens so it was a bit messy. Nothing a coat of paint couldn't cover up though. I have built it to see what it looks like and it's so nice, Imogen is going to love it, she's really into castles and with her imagination who knows what stories will unfold in there. No doubt her farm animals will inhabit it too!

painting the castle

So it is having a coat of grey paint, a new lease of life. It's about 75cm square when built and I've picked up some castle figures to go with it and have plans to create some other characters for her and perhaps some with her which I think will be a nice thing for us to do together.

Also been adding in some other crafty goodness. I have knitted a rainbow play crown and plan to make some more as they are a fun project, making a new ribbon wand although on a wooden loop rather than a stick (and this has inspired a new project for Christmas too - more on that another time!), and some wet felted beads are being produced - whether I pop these together as a necklace or something else I haven't decided yet. I think that's it. There was a request for a knitted animal the other day (not necessarily for her birthday) which I have started - not sure it will be ready for her birthday though but it is an aim. The crown and badge take priority though.

crown in progress

badge in progress -

wet felted colour wheel and needle felted detail and tidying

felt beads and badge

Hoping to get back into blogging a bit more regularly, it's gone by the wayside a little with the Summer, birthday preparations and ... well, just life.

back soon x

Romsey show fun and spinning

2011-09-12T20:21:00.000+01:00

On Saturday I spent the day at the Romsey show, joining friends from the Guild of WSD spinning all day. We demonstrate our skills and crafts and invite members of the public to try things out, and many become interested in joining the Guild or taking up the crafts. It was a good day minus the heavy rainstorm midday - thank goodness for being in the marquee!

On arrival I saw these lovely carvings made by a chainsaw carving artist, beautiful.

Chainsaw carved chain!

I loved the detail on the flowers and the bird

Then before reaching the marquee I was to be spinning, I found this lovely basket stall - this is only a fraction of what they were selling, and at such fantastic prices too. Yes, a little one came home with me - seen here from my walnut foraging.

lovely baskets

Part of our display of natural dyeing

Me spinning Icelandic grey on my Louet

Obviously being an agricultural show there were many animals being shown, lots of sheep and alpaca to see and covet the wool for (no I didn't get any samples!).

Prize winning Jacob, love those horns

such sweet alpaca

There were other animals too - cattle, feathered animals and many horses on show, pulling carts and being ridden; plus many more.

There are many other areas of the show - everything from heavy machinery to steam engines, to craft stalls, shops and a lovely area next to our marquee where a man was hand carving a rocking horse which was beautiful (why I didn't take a photo I don't know). Also next to him was a chicken wire artist with many items including these chickens, badgers and a witch.

chickens and badgers made of chicken wire

Witch on a broomstick

I had a lovely day and hope to join them again next year. I sat with a friend from the Guild who I get on with very well - we often sit together at meetings and have a good laugh - we had a great time, and went for a walk around the show together for our lunch break.

September days are for ...

2011-09-12T13:57:00.000+01:00

Foraging. A great time to forage lots of different berries (see a previous post).

Today was a day to forage these lovely fresh wild walnuts. Then there are also the husks for maybe a little natural dyeing too.

Spin, spin, spin ... spin the day away ...

2011-09-09T16:54:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow I shall be spinning in public all day at the Romsey Show with my friends from the Guild. The wheel is ready, bobbins are empty waiting to be filled, the bag is (almost) packed with wonderful woolly things to keep me occupied.

picture from http://www.romseyshow.co.uk/The_Show/the_romsey_show.html

It's going to be a lovely day, hopefully I'll get a bit of time to have a look around the show too, see some sheep, alpaca and other lovely country crafts, and all that goes with a traditional agricultural show.

Have a great weekend everyone whatever you're doing.

Berry Seasonal

2011-09-08T11:33:00.000+01:00

Autumn colours surround us now, the leaves are holding on still although the strong winds recently have meant some are falling.

Loot at all these delights ...

Ripe large elderberries

Bright red Rowan berries

Sloes

and loads more sloes!

Wonderful bright wild rosehips

Horse chestnuts beginning to fall

look ... there's two Mommy

and a good year for big acorns

Summer ... Autumn ...

2011-09-06T13:13:00.000+01:00

New Forest Autumnal colours

New Forest Stag

Well since my last post we've definitely enjoyed more Summer days with lovely sunshine and hot humid days. Enjoying the last of the Summer holidays before school starts again, spending time with friends and family and time for just us too. So much we have been up to - days out in the New Forest spotting Deer and lizards, farm trips, street theatre (could have been better!), parks ...all great fun. Some images of our recent fun ...

Visiting the Deer in the New Forest

... taking after her Mommy

spotting wildlife

and New Forest lizards

climbing fallen trees

having a picnic

and jumping for joy

visiting the farm ... as a bunny

enjoying circus skills tent ... again

balancing on the beam to play catch!

Alex played his first gig recently with the ukelele jam he became a part of only a few months ago and really enjoyed it. The biggest grin came upon his face when he won the first prize of a beautiful Ukelele in the raffle worth about £180. He is enjoying playing it and his old one has been eyed up by a little girl! She has enjoyed sitting strumming with him and automatically holds it left-handed so Daddy has restrung it for lefties so maybe I'll have a go at learning too as it was awkward the other way round.

Yesterday was the last day of the holidays and we spent the morning building a play scene from a book we picked up ages ago at the charity shop - a Winnie the Pooh one that I said we'd do in the holidays, luckily Imogen remembered about it yesterday morning! Fiddly thing to put together but looks good and she loves it and is making up all sorts of stories with it.

There is now a real air of Autumn, the mornings are fresher, the nights are getting darker earlier, and as we look all around us the berries and fruits on the trees are bountiful. I have a few projects to make or do up at the moment - things for a certain little girls 6th birthday later this month, Autumn goodies and my Guild challenge cushion which I'm weaving lots of squares for. Then there are a few bits and bobs to get ready for Christmas. Back soon with more on these.

... Imogen was back to school today looking lovely in her new uniform, just a pity the weather was so yucky that she needed waterproofs and wellies for her first day back! Ah well it's supposed to be brighter later although still windy and better as the week goes on.

Holding on to Summer? Or leaping into Autumn?

2011-08-25T15:43:00.000+01:00

With the ripening of the elderberries and sloes nearby, the cooler morning and evenings, it's beginning to feel a lot like Autumn is on its way. But just when you get that feeling, Summer hot sunshine comes back and visits. So which is it for you?

Elderberries and Sloes ripe and full of colour

We gathered some elderberries - probably freeze them for now and gather more soon to make cordial or syrup, lots more elderberries to pick another day. We have also been nature gathering in the parks, horse chestnuts (conkers), acorns are all falling amongst the leaves that seemed to start falling back in June and July! Yes it's been a funny year for the seasons again this year.

ripe elderberries

still to ripen

We have continued to harvest many more blackberries and many, many pears this week, oh and more figs which we've been slowly freezing and have an enormous amount now. Thinking of doing some kind of fig pudding for Christmas. The apples (and remaining pears) need to wait until we get through that crate!

Another couple of weeks here before school term starts, much art and crafting going on here both by Imogen and myself. Will share some projects soon.

Fabulous place - National Wool Museum - my tour

2011-08-21T22:37:00.002+01:00

National Wool Museum Wales

Well as promised in my holiday round-up post I am back to share more about the National Wool Museum in Dre-Fach Felindre, Wales. The National Wool Museum re-opened in 2004 after a major refit partly funded my the heritage lottery fund and was previously the Museum of the Welsh Woollen Industry opened in 1976. Before becoming a museum it was a working woollen mill once powered by the water wheel you still see outside.

Previously known as Cambrian Mills opened in 1902 to supply woollen cloth for working men in the coal and steel industries. Later it produced flannel to be made into military uniforms. A fire in the carding and spinning department in 1919 meant that the mill was rebuilt, even though at the time the market for woollen textiles had reduced. It continued to be a working mill until 1965 when it was put up for sale.

So there is a brief history of the site of the museum, here is how it looks now and what you can see and learn from a visit. You arrive in the car park at the rear with a field of sheep grazing and some beds containing plants used in natural dyeing which would have been used many years ago in the mill. You cross a bridge over the river and enter the building into the cafe, shop and information area. We picked up a map and a children's activity card on the story of wool and set off on our adventure.

Story of Wool card

The museum is so well laid out, you get to see the process from raw washed wool through to woven fabric. We started with the processing of the wool and a machine called a Willower, first invented as a powered machine in the 18th Century and then manufactured in the 19th century - this disentangles wool and fluffs up the fibres ready for the carding machine.

Willower machine to fluff up and tease the wool

Wool goes in for the carding machine

The fluffy wool is then popped into the carding machine hopper that weighs the wool that it knows it can process and any excess falls out at the bottom to be used next time (very clever). Now this whole machine is just a marvel to watch, I was captivated by this machine - the first part of it cards it over many different drums and it comes out of there in a long smooth wide batt of real evenness. Onto the next part of the machine which brushes the batting down and separates it into thin grooves of perfectly even drafted threads of fibre that are wound onto the large "bobbins" - the machine creates 400 pencil thin roving threads ready to go up to the spinning room.

Carding wheels combing the wool smoothly and evenly

seperating carded fibre to thin pencil roving

pencil roving winding on the bobbins

They have a lift there now but back in the days of this being a working mill these would have been carried upstairs to the spinning machines. The spinning machines were called The Mighty Mule, and mighty they were. There were two sets of these machines taking up the whole of one side of the top floor - as a working mill this would have been mirrored on the other side of the room too.

roving ready to spin

Spinning Mule machinery runs along the room

Spun fibre winds up on the blue bobbins

Mesmerized again at the capacity of these machines to spin so much yarn in a fraction of the time I can spin, no wonder the industrial revolution put cottage industries of spinners out of business - progress eh! Still they are an absolute joy to watch spinning the roving prepared earlier as the machine moves apart and then as it returns when the correct amount of twist is in the yarn, it automatically winds onto the bobbins. The machine spins 400 yarns in one go! I took a video of this in action (and the carding machinery too, will try and upload them sometime). This would then go off to be plied and then off to the dyeing and weaving stages.

Yarn plying and winding

In the Mighty Mule room there are also some spinning wheels including the Walking Wheels also known as the Great Wheel, and other examples. There are also some weaving looms and knitting machines on display.

Walking Wheel or Great Wheel

Spinning Wheel photos by Imogen

(on her camera, and yes she discovered the B&W option)

Teasel Raising Gig

teasel hand carder

A machine that catches the eye is the Teasel Raising Gig. A machine invented in the 16th Century (and manufactured sometime in the 19th C) for finishing the cloth. An amazing sight, this one came from a nearby woollen mill. As its name suggests it uses teasels that comb the cloth to make it soft and fluffy, a process called "raising the nap". There are hand carders in the museum made with teasels as this was the method of carding before more modern hand carders were invented. The machine contained 3000 teasels in an iron frame and powered by electricity to pass the cloth over the teasels. It was replaced later with a Moser Raiser for which there is an example in the museum too, which uses metal teeth instead of teasels.

teasels lined up in the machine

A fascinating fact about the teasel gig was that there was a "teasel man" who travelled from mill to mill replacing teasels grown in specialist gardens in Somerset. It was a highly skilled job as the teasels needed to be carefully placed in the machine to give an evenness to the cloth.

Amongst other equipment and photos of the mill, the mill workers and the history of the area and knitting groups, etc there is a board with cards of memories of the mill which were a fascinating read.

Tenter Machine

Onto another room and another amazing machine - this one is the Tenter Machine (Moser Raiser). The damp cloth used to be stretched in a tenter frame and left to dry outside. Wind sheds protected the cloth outside. Along came the Tenter machine which dried the damp cloth under tension as it passed over steam heated pipes, it was capable of drying 72 metres of cloth at a time. A hut was built around the machine to keep the heat in - called a tenter box - this must have been a hot job to do in the mill.

Making up room, samples and sewing machine

Steam press

Folding machine

A visit to this museum really shows how clever some inventors were in the past, the machines they invented are just marvelous to see and must have really changed how things were made and prepared. The next room we entered was a making up room set up with samples, sewing machines and patterns to show how items of clothing were made up. Also inside is a Rolling and Folding Machine, invented in the 20th Century to help with finishing of the cloth. Another machine next to this is the Rotary steam press.

We moved along to the Weaving samples gallery - examples of clothing, national dress costumes, wedding dresses and examples of the woven cloth manufactured over the years. A delight to the eyes to see so many patterns. You often think of all the different patterns, tweeds and tartans of Scotland but obviously Wales has it's own history of these too which I wasn't really aware of.

Marriage record graffiti

Also in this room was a display highlighting some graffiti set into the window frame of mill workers who met and married in the 1930's and 1940's. They have left their mark in the graffiti of their names and when and where they married, a lovely piece of social history. Many pictures adorn the walls of the museum and examples of woven fabrics. There is a knitting group that meets in the cafe of the museum and they created this lovely wall hanging.

Knitting Group wall hanging - note the names around the side

blanket stitch

expert carder!

watching the man vs machine display on shearing

The story of wool activity card was a hit with Imogen. All around there were woolly tales posters to help with the answers to some statements. Also there are holes to keep samples of a carded rolag, some of the yarn, and the edges were set up to create some blanket stitch on it which Imogen mastered in no time. She also produced a pretty good rolag with the carders (although the wool samples for this weren't the best wool!). There is an arty crafty corner for the children to draw and colour, and have a go at weaving and woolly crafts. One of the displays compares the speed of hand shearing sheep to machine shearing, there are samples of Welsh breed wool to touch, and lots of other beautiful displays.

There are several weaving looms around the museum, but also next door is the working weaving studios where you can walk along the gallery above and watch the men and their machines working on cloth now. The day we visited they were making blanket fabric and flannel fabrics which is the fabric they are famous for making in the area. Wow it was noisy - it does say not to spend more than about 10 minutes in there! Amazing to watch the pattern appear and the speed of the shuttles was amazing (again I took a short video of this).

Weaving in action

Of course we came away with some samples. A flannel face cloth and a woven bookmark form Imogen, some fabric for a project for me and a beautiful shirt for Alex. I'll have to take some pictures of them and post them another time.

Beds of dye plants

A wonderful museum, I wasn't sure how long we would spend there but it turned out to be a lot longer and we all enjoyed it immensely. We'll be back sometime that's for sure.

Summer Sundays are for ...

2011-08-14T20:53:00.001+01:00

Bringing in the harvest.

This is the scene from my kitchen this evening when Alex returned from a day spent at the allotment whilst Imogen and I entertained ourselves at home.

just some of the blackberries available - back to pick more soon

Some of our Pears (20 or so) as the tree is straining under the weight - such a fantastic harvest to pick this year again, kohl rabi, small beetroots, yellow cucumbers (that's the variety) and some green tomatoes from a branch broken off.

This is what happens to your courgettes when you go on holiday!

An old washing up bowl full of french beans both green and black, and runner beans.

And a bowl of ripe figs - many already picked and frozen.

That bowl of figs again! And a crate of Apples!

Alex picked these apples as the tree at the allotment was also straining under the weight of the apples on it! The tree is all apple, you hardly see the leaves. A neighbouring allotment holder also took home half a bucketful. Care to guess the weight of this little lot?

So there's the harvest this week so far, not including the runner beans awaiting picking in the garden, the rest of the blackberries awaiting picking, the achochas growing nicely, more pears, more apples and some almonds looking lovely too ...

more beans in the garden

Worcester apples in the garden

Achochas in the garden

Almonds in the garden

I think I may be making a batch of chutney this week to use up the over sized courgette and some of those apples, and maybe some fresh apple juice squeezing this week too. It was our annual allotment show yesterday - Imogen gained a few more rosettes, we didn't enter this year as we just hadn't got organised enough to look at what we'd have had to show - there's always next year.

Oh and that crate of apples? Did you take a guess on the weight? ...

...

33 pounds! 15 kg!

Joyous holiday in Wales

2011-08-11T15:24:00.001+01:00

Well we've been back home a few days now and viewed the photographs and talked fondly of our holiday memories, here are a few snippets of our week away in Wales. More in depth posts to follow on a couple of things we went to see another day.

Wales is somewhere I went on holiday a lot as a youngster, easy access from the West Midlands where I grew up, but this was Imogens first trip there. We had lovely weather despite my memories of rather indifferent weather in Wales - I know it can be lovely and sunny some times but is very prone to wet weather. I'm pleased to say we only had some drizzle one morning which soon cleared, and all other rain was overnight a couple of nights.

In short we visited New Quay, Harlech Castle, Centre for Alternative Technology, Llanaercharon, National Wool Museum and Aberystwyth ... think that was most of the main places anyway, with little stops here and there. Fun filled days and relaxing too. Here's what we did and saw ...

New Quay Harbour and beach

Excited and thoughtful on our boat trip

Rock pooling with her beloved net!

Exploring Castles

Taking in the views at the top of Harlech Castle

climbing many steps to the top

I could go on for hours about the next place (there will be a blog post dedicated to this soon)

- the National Wool Museum - a wonderful visit, I thought maybe we'd spend and hour or so there and move onto something else but we were there for hours and delighted with what we saw, not just me!

Imogen with the Great Wheel

Mastering blanket stitch on the childrens story of woollen cloth activity card

Look at this pro carder!

beautiful room of spinning equipment and more

watching the weavers in the working weaving mill next door

We drove past beautiful views
and up in the clouds

We visited the Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleth

visiting CAT and loved this dome

painted bunting in the straw bale theatre

enjoyed the spectacular view

and the Forest garden amongst the other gardens

What a wonderful place CAT it to visit, it had been almost 7 years since we were last their on one of the members conferences we attended, much has developed since then and we all loved our visit, learning and exploring.

We visited Llanerchaeron - a National Trust property that was an 18th century self sufficient estate.

there was dressing up to do

gardens being renovated and to explore

wonderful old orchards and gnarly trees like above (what do you see?)
and one of my favourite apples below, the Worcester

beautiful mosses and lichens on the ancient fruit trees still heaving with fruit

glorious medlar

and old knotted vines

We returned to the beach ...

more beach fun at Aberystwyth
and collecting seaweed

... many different types of seaweed to identify later

seaweed collection and sand castles

and spotting fantastic cloud formations
(something we do a lot whilst out these days - seeing what we can see in the clouds)

I think she had a great holiday ... no, I know she did! I asked her what her favourite thing was
and her reply after a little thinking was ... EVERYTHING!

Imogen especially enjoyed visiting these neighbours of our farm location cottage, feeding them grass and giving them names - we looked for them and visited them on our way out, on our return and before bedtime.

Alice the horse was a firm favourite and a very placid horse

Sammy the Ewe
Alex the Ram

we didn't name the flock of white sheep (a few in the picture above)!

Billy the goat!

A great holiday, lots of fun days out and adventures, and memories to take home with us. We were also delighted to see many Red Kites in the area - just a few miles from the cottage was an official feeding station which we passed a couple of times at feeding time, how glorious to look up and see up to 30 Red Kites flying above. I didn't have the opportunity to photograph them at that time so you'll have to take my word for it, I did take a few but they were further away.

Red Kites

... and of course we saw many sheep, and photographed a few like these hill dwellers, and no I didn't bring any wool back with me!

So that was our Summer holiday of 2011, great memories.

A few things to share ...

2011-07-22T12:09:00.000+01:00

Busy week here as Imogen is approaching the end of the school year, how did that happen - she only just started and already she is leaving reception year and ready to go into Year 1!

I've realised an error in my blog posts so I'm not at 500 posts yet - I've had a habit of saving some info as draft posts and these were counting towards it, so I shall delay a blog giveaway for a little while, especially as many of the blogs I follow are having there own giveaways at the moment. Gives me a little more time to think about it and enjoy the start of the holidays too.

Something I want to share with you is a selection of free ebooks over on the Green Shopping website - some lovely permaculture, farming and environment pdf books including a lovely book on building community and also a wild food cookbook. Take a too here - Green Shopping free ebooks

Over on Spinspiration I have written a post on washing raw fleece for spinning, take a look - filled with lots of advice on getting that fleece clean and ready to spin - Spinspiration.

Must go as I have Imogens end of term assembly to go to which is going to be great fun and probably emotional too as we have some lovely gifts for her teacher and the teaching assistant that have made this year so much fun, joy filled and inspirational.

See you all soon, enjoy the holidays!

Busy times ... slow it down

2011-07-17T20:42:00.000+01:00

Everything seems to be going so fast just lately, the season is moving on, the school year is almost over; can it just all slow down a little please.

I have spent a little extra time at school helping out with things - sports day, kite making day, helping out with end of term gifts for the teachers.

Imogen's first school sports day

new take on egg and spoon race

... and balancing frogs

(I took little videos of the other events - running, jumping, ball bouncing, etc)

Next week I'm going to a road safety event with Imogen, and a thank you assembly for helping out this year with different things - visiting the class with the spinning, weaving/braiding, school trips and of course planting up the raised beds. Year R beds are the fullest and looking lovely - just hoping that the lovely Sunflowers are going to pop their heads out before school term ends.

School classroom beds

Hoping these Sunflowers pop out next week

The growing season is going well, lots of things to still look forward too including the lovely beans below - I have a white and red flowered variety growing up here. Achochas, which seem a bit slow growing this year - no idea why. Many more things to come too including the tomatoes, more beetroots, etc and I have lots of brassica seedlings to go in on succession - various kales, cavalo nero, some sprout posies and more that I can't remember right now.

2 varieties of runner beans at home (more at the allotment)

dried garlic awaiting braiding

In nature too, things are moving at a pace. These lovely cherry plums I foraged from near the train station last week, and they are gorgeous. I came home with over 1kg of them and have frozen many for future use. There are other plums looking lovely on a wild patch on the way to school but just out of reach.

foraged cherry plums

In the hedgerows this week I also spotted these sloes already ripening up with their beautiful colours. The elder berries are swelling too. But wait nature please, it's still Summer.

ripening sloes in July 2011

I've been doing a lot of spinning too, working my way through a Portland fleece. I have washed a Dorset Horn fleece too now and that is waiting to be carded. More to wash, more to prep, more to spin; and some to share soon too.

This is my 499th post on the blog, so to celebrate my 500th post I'm going to have a little giveaway and a new look header for the blog for the Summer. See you soon ...

Summer Delights

2011-07-10T20:40:00.002+01:00

On the plot this week we have wonderfully swelling fruit, ripening fruit and ready to harvest salads and vegetables. We also have lots of weeds in need of attention but we'll gloss over that for now! Also I'm after your help with identifying a fruit on the plot - see further down the post. New beds have been created by Alex, and Imogen has helped with the digging!

new beds and digging

Bramley apple tree

I have mentioned this apple tree before - moved from our garden where it really was a poor sight, now thriving and with about 8 lovely cooking apples growing just lovely.

Apple tree

Pear tree

The apple tree and the pear tree we inherited on the plot are looking like this right now - both promising a bumper harvest, and giving us much food for thought as to how to preserve the harvest. Any thoughts?

We picked our first blackberries this week and they were absolutely lovely, and as you can see there are many more to come.

Blackberries

The Peas are being harvested, and these french beans won't be far behind. I love the flowers and the pods of this black variety. Planted in between them are these celeriac, and a couple of cucumber plants.

French Beans and flowers

These Oca interplanted with tomatoes are doing very well this year, I love these leaves,

Oca

Our harvest box filled up with chard, beetroots - red and white, kohl rabi, courgettes, spinach and beet leaves, peas, blackberries and a few apples that needed thinning out. A good days work, ably assisted by Imogen who enjoyed pulling up the beetroots to be amazed at the lovely globes. She needed a little help with the kohl rabi as although they grow above the ground the roots really do anchor the plant, we pulled those together!

lovely courgettes for tea!

And using a new camera that has a panorama setting I took this picture which I like - saves me trying to "knit" together pictures in photoshop. Pity I hadn't realised before the trip to the allotment that I had the resolution on the camera set too low.

Panorama of the bottom half of the plot

I have also taken a photograph of this shrub/tree that has these fruit growing on it - it's something that was on the plot when we got it but has only fruited this year - probably because so much other stuff has been cleared from around it (similarly we have a grape vine that we discovered last year). So I'm guessing it's a plum or damson, any thoughts? The leaf is the smaller one to the left of the fruit or above (larger leaf is the hazel tree it adjoins).

Mystery?

So what Summer delights do you have to share?

Sunny days ...

2011-07-04T15:24:00.000+01:00

Are for playing in paddling pools in the garden ...

I'm going in ...

Fun in the pool in the Sun

or spending time at the beach ...

Testing the water!

Collecting ...

On the rocks

Looking for treasures together

Collection of treasures, lovely seaweed, some shells and lovely stones

We met up with Grandparents staying near the coast not far away. We found lots of interesting stones, some fossilised and some with holes straight through that came home with us as treasure! Whilst at the caravan park they were staying at we spotted the Red Arrows at the nearby Goodwood Festival of Speed.

Red arrows

Hmmm, do you think I may be a little bit crazy, as I was filling the paddling pool this morning I couldn't help bu think "that's a lovely size for washing a sheeps fleece!". I'm not sure Imogen would think the same though! Maybe I'll stick with the kitchen sink for now.

The only fibre book you'll ever need

2011-06-26T21:15:00.000+01:00

Sharing this here as well as on Spinspiration blog - my review of this wonderful book on fleece and other fibre.

My already well loved copy of the book

My short and sweet review - if you love working with natural fibres, enjoy spinning and related fibre crafts, BUY THIS BOOK!

After reading some preamble about this book on Ravelry I became very tempted to buy it. However, I'm quite frugal when it comes to books and prefer to borrow from libraries or look for second hand first, so to spend money on a new book was a bit of a luxury. But I was so tempted, and it was the sort of book that bookshops don’t keep in stock to go and have a look through so I went ahead and ordered a copy from the Book Depository. What a delightful sight it was when it arrived – a beautiful cloth bound hardback with a small embossed sheep on the front and a beautifully illustrated sleeve cover.

This book is simply awesome if you are interested in fibres and their spinning qualities, etc. I wondered if it would just be a "coffee table" type of book where you look and think “oh that's nice” and put it down again, but, while it is very artistic, it is also a comprehensive “text” book on the study of fibres from animals around the world. This book not only covers numerous breeds of sheep, many of which are British or originated here, and many rare breeds too; but also Alpaca, Llama, Goat, Yak, Angora Rabbit, camels plus others including Wolf. Yes, Wolf!

What a love of these natural fibres the authors must have, evident in this passage

“Natural fibres are part of our culture, our heritage. They have stories.

They have a living, breathing animal (or a growing plant) behind them.

They often have small-scale farmers or indigenous communities

behind them, too – people and cultures whose livelihoods and

Historic identities can be supported by their continuing work with

these fibers.”

This book is the encyclopaedia of fibres, it would grace any fibre lovers bookshelf and is a must have for would be and experienced spinners alike. Before you meet all the animals, grouped together by families, the authors talk about the value of natural fibres against synthetic fibres for crafts and commercially, and of genetic diversity of animals. You then read about the history of fibre and yarn production through the ages, the characteristics of different fibres and their uses and what garments different wools would be ideal for. This book is extensive (maybe not exhaustive) but it could lead you to want to research more by yourself.

Pages on my local breed - Hampshire Down

... and a good excuse to include a recent picture of a

Hampshire Down Ram recently shorn at the local farm

Moving onto the sections about the animals is a delight. In researching this book the writers have done an amazing job, there are stories about the breeds, where they came from, beautiful photos of the animal and the fibre both raw and washed, details of the fleece weight, staple length, lock characteristics, strength and properties; tips on preparing the fibre, spun samples as singles, plied, and swatches too. It also details how the fibre is best used and how it dyes.

A lovely display of English Longwools

A wonderful resource, informative contents pages, and excellent glossary of terms for spinners and non-spinners to understand, plus a bibliography that is extensive too. Yes, this book is possibly all you need if you love sheep, fibre, spinning and you are not likely to be disappointed.

I took this book to the Guild on Saturday and it raised some interest, I am sure a few more sales will be made soon. I've ordered a copy on behalf of my spinning friend and teacher - a great resource for a teacher as she said.

This little fella wanted to be included too -a recently shorn Dorset Horn Ram,

just look at those horns ... lovely aren't they?

Oh, just one more thing. How often do you see in a fibre book a quote from a rockstar? The lead singer of Led Zeppelin? Well there is one in this book, Robert Plant owns a sheep farm and the quote in the book is

“I think I could sing and shear a few sheep at the same time.”

Today ...

2011-06-26T12:17:00.000+01:00

... I shall be mostly knee deep in soft, squishy lanolin filled gorgeous wool freshly shorn and picked up from a farm this morning. Just don't ask how many bags! Although if you are looking for any wool, I shall have some spare here - just ask or wait awhile and I shall be offering to send it on. I definitely have more Black Welsh Mountain than I need or can use so if you'd like any, give me a shout.

Today ...
... I am also celebrating that we have finally, in the second round of applications, been successful at gaining some tickets to the Olympics next year in London - yeah! We won't know for sure which of the events we have tickets for, but will within the next couple of weeks.

Today ...
... I am loving that Imogen has asked me to put the Elbow album on as she thinks its great. I agree.

Today ...
... is a good day, the sun is shining, everyone is happy.

Some things to share

2011-06-23T21:23:00.000+01:00

I've got a few things buzzing away in my head at the moment, blog posts to write here and at Spinspiration, articles for the Guild newsletter, all I need is the time to get down and write them. One such article is a review of a fabulous new book on sheep and other animal fibers called "The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook" by Deborah Robson and Carol Ekarius - see my review over on Spinspiration. What a great book!

In the meantime, a few things going on here - Imogen made Daddy a lovely hand-drawn T-shirt using some fabric crayons and pens, and a lovely card for Fathers Day.

Daddy's t shirt

She also wanted to buy him a giant chocolate coin when we were at the shops the other day so we got him that too, obviously he would like to share that with her!

We've had my parents staying for the weekend (gone home now) and Imogen spent Saturday with them whilst Alex was on a course through work and I was at the Guild meeting. We had a lovely meeting, spin and chat in the morning - am opportunity to try out different wheels! The afternoon was about some fabric dyeing for synthetic fabrics that I had never heard of and they are fantastic, definitely something to pick up some time and play with - I will probably come back to this on the blog sometime.

Netley Abbey ruins panorama

On Sunday we went to the ruins of Netley Abbey nearby for a walk and adventure! Imogen was fascinated, and thought she may be Queen for the day and this was her castle. I think we shall visit more often now, especially with it being free and on the doorstop.

family photo

Imogen enjoyed looking around and taking pictures on her camera

I sneaked around and surprised her here as she was hiding!

Busy this week getting the newsletter together, writing ~~a book review~~ (written) and magazine review; hoping to write a blog post on Spinspiration about washing fleece for spinning - have had some different experiences with this recently so should be able to pull something together. I'm sure there's more too, as well as some tidying and de-cluttering of course. Oh and then there's the garden and seed sowing too.

How to brighten up a dreary day

2011-06-16T12:16:00.000+01:00

A bit wet and miserable out there today, and more forecast for tomorrow, so I thought I'd brighten up the day with some colour from the garden.

One of our lovely sunflowers which greet you as you go into the back garden.

Wild strawberries

Our lovely wild strawberries that we have been harvesting lately along with the cultivated ones, mmmm fresh strawberries warmed by the sunshine ... well maybe not today!

Fresh homegrown tomatoes

Beautiful juicy flavoursome home grown tomatoes, the first of many to come.

What's brightening up your day today?
Actually now the sun has come out so that's brightening up the day lovely too.

Fancy another sheep story?

2011-06-15T13:51:00.010+01:00

Following on from Shrek the sheep last week, how about this one in the news this week. What a headline

"Firefighters called to rescue sheep from

roof of terraced house"

picture from www.walesonline.com

picture from www.walesonline.c

Apparently the sheep climbed up onto the roof via a garage at the back of the house. You can read the story here. What made me really laugh about this story was one of the comments on the website which read

"When the fire fighters were called they were told about a Potential Jumper on a roof"

Brought a smile to my face so I thought I'd share it with you.

Knit in Public Week

2011-06-13T12:21:00.000+01:00

This started in 2005 as a knit in public day but has become a whole week this year. Check out the website to see if there are any events near you. There is one near me but I'm not sure I will make it on the day. I will however knit in public somewhere this week and pop a picture up on the blog.

Knit in Public website

Look forward to seeing what anyone else does too, maybe a bit of guerrilla knitting? Decorate something - a sign, a tree, anything.

A sheep legend ... RIP

2011-06-07T12:05:00.001+01:00

I remember reading an article in something when I first joined the Guild about a sheep in New Zealand, a Merino sheep, who had evaded shearing for 6 years until in 2004 he was found in a cave. He went missing from his herd in 1998, the owners presumed he'd died.

He captured the worlds (of spinning anyway) imagination and was finally sheared live on tv which can be seen here (it's a bit long but you can skip through it, worth looking at just to see his size and how they rolled him over to be sheared!). His fleece at that time weighed 27kg! Can you just imagine that! It was sold in auctions and the money went to a kids charity.

Sadly Shrek, as he was named, died a few days ago at the grand old age of 17, a grand age for a sheep (over 90 in human years). RIP Shrek x

This travel blog photo's source is TravelPod page: Checking out the Wildlife

Crochet ... oh yeah!

2011-06-05T20:41:00.001+01:00

Well this has been a bit of a love hate relationship - crochet and me. I love some things I see that are crocheted, but could I crochet ... hell no!

Well, that's not strictly true, a friend from the Guild showed me how to do the different stitches about 18+months ago, but after that I could get no further than crocheting straight lines and circles. This was fine if all I want to crochet is scarves and blankets but it wasn't the crochet I had wanted to try and achieve. I did however manage to teach myself to crochet left handed as it was much more comfortable for me, being left-handed.

I got frustrated at not being able to progress, fed up I put the hooks away for a while. A while turned into a lot longer, I tried again about a year ago and still it didn't work, I just didn't "get" it. Then about 4 weeks ago I got the hooks back out again, found my book to help me and decided it was time to try again. I grabbed some wool and a hook and went through the basic stitches again to check I could remember how to do them. Yes, fine. Tried to do a pattern of a simple granny square and nope, couldn't follow it. Here we go again I thought.

Anyway I met up with a friend from the Guild at the last meeting 2 weeks ago and we got onto talking about crochet (she's left-handed too) and she recommended a book which is the one I have and I pulled out of my bag. So we looked at what I was having trouble with and a chat and a bit of advice later and something just clicked. It was as if I could suddenly understand the language of crochet, like learning a new language.

a couple of squares, need to practice these more

and find more interesting patterns

Since then I have practiced, and doing easy flowers, hearts and motifs which are done quickly - many in less than 10 minutes so quick satisfaction. I can read patterns, I can even read charts (my friend can't follow charts) - and all left handed, so the patterns are reversed but I can "see" how it works. Here are a few samples, I've made quite a few more now but these are the ones I took a photo of.

enjoying the simple quick flowers

trying a few different ones

and a sunwheel, a bit more adventurous for me

(slight mistake made but hey)

and some sweet hearts

So I think there is a lesson to learn here, never give up. If something doesn't work once, twice or however many times, keep trying and you will succeed. And I can hear you saying "but" and "I can't", etc. I was beginning to think I couldn't learn to crochet but I did and now I can. I have bookmarked and copied free patterns for a while hoping to one day be able to crochet, now I have lots of things to practice on.

Planting and pirates ...

2011-06-03T17:04:00.000+01:00

What have planting and pirates got to do with each other I hear you ask? Well nothing really, other than the fact that they will both appear in this blog post. This is a bit of a catch up post from a a couple of weeks ago, the plants have come on a bit since then.

Pirates has been the theme of this half-term at school for Imogen, a good choice for her - she likes all things pirates. It reminds me of Christmas 2009 when she had a pirate costume from her grandparents and as soon as it was unwrapped she was wearing it and it was worn all day, and has been worn many times since.

We built a pirate ship at home the other week, and she took this into school for showing and to go on their display. She loved doing this. We borrowed a pirate activity/craft book from the library and made pretty much everything out of it.

Imogen's pirate ship

On Friday, last day of the half term, they had a pirate day where they could all come to school dressed as pirates - either in costumes if they had them or tatty clothing (pirate style) or whatever they wanted to wear if they preferred not to dress up. But they all did - an array of different costumes, torn old clothes. It was a wonderful sight. Here is Imogen ready to go in. Her Captains hat, telescope and hook were in her bag!

Pirate Imogen

Dressed ready for school but the hat went in the bag

so it didn't get blown away in the wind

Planting has been something of a continuous job around here, keeping on top of the sowing, and planting on. We've picked the last of the Broad Beans now so chopped them down to allow the roots to rot down and we will lightly dig in the chopped plants - like a green manure, this will feed the soil well.

Tomatoes inter-planted with Oca

Planting out tomatoes, some in collars inter-planted in the bed of Oca, just look at the lovely Oca - I love their leaves. Planting on courgettes and pumpkins and thinking about their eventual placing.

Close up of the Oca leaves

Kohl Rabi with their gorgeous colour

Harvesting a great range of salad leaves, lettuce leaves, mizuna, rocket, pea shoots, perilla, sorrel (various sorrels), welsh onions, herbs and more for delicious salads. Our supply should keep us going for many many meals, months probably if we keep up the successional sowing.

Fresh salads daily

Oh and we have grapes forming too, lovely.

Lots to do to keep us busy growing. Half term this week, so a few days out here and there. Happy days.

The allotment plot is looking a bit like this at the moment, well it did when I took the photos about a week ago! ...

Plot side panoramic view

(the unusual shed is on the next plot!)

Good things come to she who waits ...

2011-06-01T18:21:00.000+01:00

I am a great believer in things happening at the right time, sometimes we just have to wait a while, hold on and good will happen.

Want to see my new toy?

Something to help my fibre preparation?

Something I've kind of thought I'd like to get but oh the cost! Guessed yet?

Well I have had one on (long-term) loan from the Guild for about 11 months, but now it can go back, I was needing to take it back next month anyway as another member (actually 2 now) want to borrow it from the Guild.

So how utterly wonderful it was that this week I just happened across an advert for ...

"Handmade Drum Carder, built be Master Carpenter, works as good as any of the expensive models", but at a snip of the price of the more expensive models. An email, a couple of phone calls and a trip in the car and the drum carder is mine.

Carder in need of a good clean

Pictures above are before a good clean up as it has been stored for a while on a farm and now has been re-homed as the lady who owned it needed to downsize. She was so pleased it was going to a new home of someone who loves to spin and would appreciate it, of which I certainly will. It's a lovely piece - solid and yes it works just as well as others I have used so this spinner here is very chuffed!

After a clean up she looks like this ...

Cleaned up lovely, see how clean the carding cloth is now?

excuse over exposure, my flash isn't working properly these days!

Look at that lovely handle too

(ignore the messy table though!)

I know many spinners have named their spinning wheels, I haven't yet. However my drum carder is named Delia, the name of the previous owner whose husband had carved her name on the drum carder he made for her. So her name will remain, I feel like I have a lovely piece of history in my hands. I shall take care of her.

Introducing Delia

Here she is clean as new and carding some lovely Portland white wool. It cards beautifully.

Portland on the carder

Portland teased ready to card on the right

Carded batt on the left

It's a case of good things coming to those who wait. I have increasingly over the last few weeks been trying to work out if I could purchase a Drum Carder, but at £200 plus, really couldn't justify the expense, especially as I'd want a good one. I have watched a few on ebay but even 2nd hand they really hold their price, a much wanted 2nd-hand item.

So I waited, and look what came along and just the right time, and at just the right price.

BH Monday at Fort Nelson

2011-05-31T12:57:00.000+01:00

We decided to make a trip to Fort Nelson for this Bank Holiday Monday. The weather forecast was for rain during the day so we went there knowing that some of it is indoors so we could hopefully skip the showers. As it was it didn't rain until we just got into the car to return home, so it was a good day.

Fort Nelson was built in the 1860s, as part of a chain of fortifications protecting

the great naval harbour of Portsmouth in Hampshire and its Royal Dockyard

from a feared French invasion.

Covering nearly 19 acres and now fully restored, Fort Nelson sits majestically

atop Portsdown Hill, with amazing views of the Solent and the Meon Valley.

The Fort stands today as a monument to the skills and ingenuity of

Victorian engineering and architecture.

Opened in 1995 as home to the Royal Armouries collection of artillery, Fort Nelson has

over 350 big guns and historic cannon on display, all part of the national collection

of arms and armour.

It's a really impressive Fort, and a free day out although donations are welcome to help it's upkeep, keeping it free to visit. As it was clear and dry on arrival we headed to the top and walked around the Ramparts and took in the views.

Imogen was very excited to explore the Fort

There was going to be a live firing of a canon at 1pm so we went along to see that and wow was it loud, twice too. You can pay £25 to fire it so long as you are aged 14 or over, Imogen decided she wouldn't want to do it though.

Big Bang!!!

Imogen really enjoyed having her camera today, and I could see myself in the way she was framing photos, she's watched me enough times! We saw many many cannons and big guns - I think Imogen may well have taken a photo of all of them!

Big Guns and Cannons

On the subject of photos, Imogen took 161 photos today, and would you believe it ... I took 161 photos too, spooky.

Imogen the budding photographer

Model of HMS Warrior which Imogen remembered going on

Imogen sat here at the front top of the Fort overlooking Portsmouth - can you see the Spinnaker Tower through the Arrow hole slits?

Imogen on the wall

Here it is closer view through the slit ...

... see the Spinnaker Tower now?

The banks were covered in parts with beautiful Oxeye Daisies which we both enjoyed photographing.

Beautiful Oxeye Daisies

We also ventured down the very long cold dark tunnel taking us deep underground, it was a great adventure. Through the tunneled bedrock I pointed out the seams of flint in the rocks to Imogen which she thought were fascinating and wanted to know more. I talked about Geology study (something Mommy studied years ago) and Imogen said she wanted to study Geology so I can see a little project possibility there for us, following in her Mama's footsteps with her love of the natural environment.

Tunnel view

I took a photo of these buckets for sand and water - a reminder that fire when the fort was in use could have been disastrous, and a lovely image too.

Some more photos outside on the way home. We had a good day, I would recommend a visit if you're nearby.

Intoxicating

2011-05-31T09:32:00.000+01:00

Long time no blogging, must catch up and first is one of those wonderful things I look forward to in May, the Elder flowers and they were even earlier again this year, ready to pick at the beginning of May.

These beautiful blooms of elder flowers have been intoxicating lately, I pass them every day in the morning and afternoon, and their heavy scent has been delightful.

That scent can just keep on giving now too as these wonderful blooms have been transformed into Elderflower and Honey cordial. Delicious.

We are giving the elderflower champagne a miss this year, too many other things going on and lack of space so we shall return to brewing this delicious drink again next year probably.

And so the season moves on, these are already turning now, so I shall look forward to picking the berries in the Autumn now.

Predicting a bumper fruit year

2011-05-21T08:50:00.000+01:00

Just look at the fruit on these trees, it's going to be a bumper harvest again this year.

Pear Tree

This Pear tree did okay last year although not as good as the year before where we had well over 100 fruit - it's not big tree. This year looks like it will be similarly abundant.

Desert apple tree

The desert apple tree at the allotment - masses of fruit as usual. I haven't checked the Worcester in the garden, but it's a later one so the fruit are probably just forming - there were masses of blossom so should be good too.

Fig tree

The Fig tree is doing good this year too - lots of fruit there and it's more open now so should ripen lovely.

Bramley Apple Tree

These beauties are on the apple tree I've mentioned before - dug up and removed from the garden where it wasn't doing well, and replanted with fingers crossed at the allotment. It's shown good signs of life and now these lovely fruits so it was worthwhile moving this.

And a tale of two vines - one discovered on the overgrown plot we took on and Alex is trying to see what it may do this year. There were grapes on it last year, so with a bit of care and attention it may do well.

Rescued Vine - white grape, no idea on variety

Boskoop Glory Vine

(currently interplanted with Garlic and Broad Beans and many spare canes!)

This one is one we bought last year - after much searching for the much recommended Boskoop Glory by Bob Flowerdew, apparently a really easy one to grow in the UK.

The gooseberries are abundant too and ready to pick soon, the rhubarb is coming to an end. Oh I must go and see how the currants and blueberries are doing. I've seen flowers on the Kiwi - fingers crossed that some pollination goes on. Not a fruit but a nut - the Almond has a few nuts forming too.

Sowing, Hoeing, Growing ... and eating

2011-05-18T16:51:00.001+01:00

Couldn't think of another word to rhyme to express eating or harvesting!

Busy, busy days in the greenhouse, garden and allotment. I think we're doing pretty good this year at keeping on top of the sowing, although more to do. I really want to keep the succession of crops going this year - often it just ebbs away as the season progresses. It's an aim though, and going okay at the moment.

Work going on at the allotment recently looks like this ...

One of the boxes of seedlings taken up

Celeriac seedlings planted out

(yes, I use slug pellets or I'd lose everything!)

Carrots and mixed lettuce leaves

Beetroots above, lettuce below

More Beetroot, Kohl Rabi and Lettuce

Garlic beds and Sorrel and Chard interplanted

Beans mulched with skirtings from fleeces, and Peas

... and oops, I've let the herb spiral become rather overgrown with Sage. Must work on that one soon, harvest and dry or freeze a load. There are other herbs in there somewhere!

overgrown herb spiral

Harvesting Broad Beans at the moment, we have pinched out the shoots to hopefully avoid the blackfly problem, and we have eaten these in salads - delicious. Also harvesting pea shoots for salads, and numerous salad leaves - lettuces, sorrel, rockets, mizuna, etc. We've picked the last of the chard from last years plants as they have been trying to flower for a while, we cut out the flowering spike for a while to delay this but eventually they exhaust themselves. They have been replaced with new plants now.

No trip to the allotment or garden even is without a bit of nature spotting, and these were some of what we saw recently.

Slow worms

Slow worms are resident on our plot and always a lovely sight to see them.

Day moth - Cinnabar

I'm not sure on the name for this one, haven't had a chance to look it up yet, anyone know? ETA: Just found it's a Cinnabar.

So more planting out this week - tomato plants, sunflowers (pretty tall now in their pots!), and more beans, courgettes and more (can't think what's out there). More sowing too. Oh and that poor herb spiral. It's all good.

Back in business ... and what else we're doing today

2011-05-14T09:57:00.000+01:00

Woohoo, look what just got delivered.

connector for the treadle

My lovely lady will be repaired today and back doing what she does best, spin, spin, spin ...

We're off to a birthday party at lunchtime today, so I will fit this this afternoon, help Imogen with her pirate boat building for school - will share pictures as it is looking cool.

This evening we may be going to an evening with bats, bat detective work in a churchyard and batty crafts. Depending on how tiredness levels are later, but it will be great to go along to this museums at night event.

Poorly wheel ...

2011-05-11T17:09:00.001+01:00

My poor Louet, needs a little attention as this happened yesterday evening whilst plying ...

... and snap! The connector from the treadle to the connecting rod. A replacement is on it's way though. So I shall be doing more carding this week until I can tend to her injury.

Fun at the Fair

2011-05-09T15:09:00.001+01:00

We had a great weekend, lovely day out at the fair. We weren't sure what the weather would be after all the rain we had over Friday and Saturday night - wow, but great for the garden and the water butts!

Outside the Woodland classroom

We picked up some friends and arrived at the Sustainability Centre around 11.30am, took the tractor ride from the car park and arrived to a short sharp shower of rain, then it stopped as we got off and the day got better and better. Glorious sunshine for the rest of our visit, wonderful.

Concentrating on the plate spinning

walking wheels (or ankle injurers!)

Tight rope walking

We partook of circus skills, crafts and a little face painting (well Imogen did all these) - Imogen has only recently decided she would like face painted. Today she decided to have an angel painted on her face and looked lovely. Oh, and a little bee on her cheek.

My little angel

We visited the woodland classroom and heard questions and answer sessions with the Harlands, Ben Law and John-Paul Flintoff. Interesting stuff. Picked up a few seeds at the seed swap, enjoyed walking around, the atmosphere, the parade and having fun with friends.

On parade

With some money from her nanny's visit she bought a handheld prayer drum and a finger piano (Karimba) and we made music as we walked and went on the parade.

Lost in thought playing the finger piano, chilling in the Yurt

... and running around having fun with the handheld drum!

Looking forward to next year already.