Some finishes and a start, all from stash

 This first pair of socks I cast on for Christmas in July but didn't actually cast them off until sometime in August.  I used a Christmas yarn from Crafthouse Magic that had been in my stash for a couple years at least, it's called fairy lights, so pretty with the different coloured flecks.  For the contrast cuffs heels and toes I used a West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply, again from stash.

The flecks do remind me of the lovely multicoloured vintage fairy lights.

Another pair of socks was completed in September, this time in an Autumn colourway from Biff Sugar Yarns called Maple, (or Maple Leaf?  I've misplaced the ball band but I'm pretty sure it mentioned Maple). Again I used a West Yorkshire Spinners Signature 4ply from stash for the cuffs and toes. 

You might have spotted my third finish in the photos above.  It's a baby blanket.

Knitted because I wanted something easy to pick up and work on that I didn't have to think about.  I haven't washed or blocked it yet but it's already a decent sized crib blanket. 

The pattern is the Western Hills Blanket by Julia Stanfeild, and is a free pattern on Ravelry.  I used a Batik Swirl in the colour forest which was again from my stash and I used up the whole 200g ball.  Great pattern and very easy to memorise.  

I've been pretty good this year about not adding to my yarn stash, it feels good to be using what I already have.

On Sunday It was the Quarry Bank stitchers day retreat.  I haven't been stitching recently so thought a new start might kick start my mojo, but I wanted something small that I could get a relatively quick finish on.

This is what I got done at the retreat, and I have to say I really enjoyed making those little x's again.

Everything, chart, threads and fabric was from stash.

I'm feeling rather pleased with myself that for the last few months I've been making things I love and using what I have. 😇

-X-

Ladybird Ladybird fly away home

I'd seen mentioned on Google news that the UK was experiencing swarms of ladybirds.  It's that time of year when they look for somewhere warmer to hang out for the Winter and it's not the first time we have had them settling down in the window casing.  Strangely It only ever seems to be the windows at the back of the house, typically the back bedroom and bathroom.  

I discovered these in the bedroom window when I opened it to clean it yesterday so I thought I'd better check the bathroom and sure enough they were hanging out there too, but probably twice as many as you can see above, ugh.

They don't venture inside en mass, you might see the odd one trying it's luck but unless you open the window right out you wouldn't see them like this, and I know they are a very beneficial garden insect but I really would prefer them not to hunker down in my window frame thank you very much.  So they have been evicted.  I've seen the odd one or two today so no doubt they will try again so i'll keep checking.

Did you know that a cluster of ladybirds is called a Loveliness, or a bloom?

 I hope the ones I evicted will find somewhere else to bloom- in do their loveliness 😉

-X-

September's book round up

It was a better month for reading, I've managed six and a half books.  Well obviously i'm not counting the half read book in my totals.  It was a Pudding and Book club read, Under The Whispering Door by TJ Klune.  It actually sounded ok but was very disappointing, (almost everyone agreed), anyway I chucked the towel in about half way through.  

I enjoyed everything else I read.  The library reading group I go to has got better with the book choices recently, The Vanishing of Audrey Wilde was Septembers book..... The story crosses two time lines, 1959 and present day.  I enjoyed the modern time line more than the earlier one although I did think the author did a good job of distinguishing the two, when you were reading 1959 you felt you were there in that era.  The story is centred around a house, Applecote Manor, empty for a time and recently purchased by a family, who have their own set of problems to overcome.  1959 sees four sisters go to stay at Applecote Manor with their aunt and uncle for a time where they become become intrigued about their cousin, Audrey's disappearance. It's quite a slow read but beautifully written.  It made for a great discussion at the book club.

She Didn't See It Coming -   Bryden is supposed to be working from home, her husband, Sam, gets a call from daycare to say that she has failed to pick there daughter up and on arriving home he finds that his wife has gone, all her personal effect are still there along with her car, phone and laptop but she is nowhere to be seen.

I listened to this on Audible and almost finished it in a day, it kept me guessing almost right to the end, worth a read.

Ask For Andrea - This was an unusual idea, three women all murdered by the same man, an online predator, come together in the afterlife determined to make him pay and to stop him murdering again.  I think the idea of the murdered women as ghost's, for want of a better word, was a good one, but it felt as though it could have been made even better.  I've seen Ask for Andrea on posters in pubs and restaurants, It's a code phrase that women can use to signal that they feel threatened or don't feel safe on a date and need help, I always wonder, would all the staff know what to do If someone approached them and asked for Andrea?  Luckily in this case they did, and it made a good read, I read this on my kindle.

The Liar I Married was another Audible listen  - A dual timeline phycological thriller told from the point of view of Jessie, the wife, after she awakes from the coma she has been in for a year.  Jessie isn't sure who she can trust as her memory starts to come back but as things start to become clearer she knows that her life is still in danger.  - I did enjoy this one, there were a few times when I thought It was contradictory but I can forgive that because it was entertaining.

  

The Lost Apothecary - A female apothecary secretly dispenses poisons to liberate women from the men who have wronged them - setting three lives across centuries on a dangerous collision course.  

1791, at the back of a dark London alley is a hidden apothecary shop, Nella is waiting for her newest customer, she was once a respected healer but now Nella uses her knowledge to sell poisons to desperate women who can see no other option but to kill the men in their lives to be free.  When twelve year old Elia Fanning comes to collect her mistress order the friendship sets a string of events in motion that puts them both in danger.

In present day London Caroline, an aspiring historian is spending her tenth wedding anniversary alone after discovering her husbands affair.  When she finds an old apothecary vial while mudlarking she cant resist trying to find out more.  

It started off well and I liked the two time-lines, especially 18th century London, but Caroline in the present day was just a little bit too far fetched.  An ok read for me.

I saved the best for last.

Yellow Face - June Hayward and Athena Liu have been friends since meeting at collage, both are aspiring writers but while June's debut novel receives little recognition Athena's brings her fame, money and attention.  So when they meet up and June witnesses Athena's death in a freak accident she acts on impulse and steals Athena Liu's recently completed novel.  Realising that this could give her the fame she so baby wants she set to work making edits and passes it off as her own.

I've had this one on my TBR shelf for a while and I had a feeling It was going to be good, and It didn't disappoint, loved it, definitely the best book this month by a country mile.

Have you heard of Book Bub?  I'ts something I recently discovered and if you read on kindle it may be of interest. If you just google book bub it should come up.

Have you read any of these?

 -X-

(edited to add, please excuse all the links! I accidently clicked on add google links and don't know how to disable it, grrr

The Autumn Show, Malvern

 

We've been to the Autumn Show at the Three Counties Show Ground a few times, we gave it a miss last year though as it is much the same each year but as we have our caravan stored on a site not far away from Malvern we decided to make a weekend of it.  

Obviously the weather is cooler now, especially at night, but I'm happy to say that the heating in the caravan works a treat and we were lovely and toasty.  We plan on having another weekend away towards the end of October when we will make sure everything is ok and put it to bed for the Winter months, although the site it's stored on is open all year, so potentially we could still go and stay.

We had a lovely day at the show, all the usual things were there, I love to see the giant pumpkins and the other large vegetables.  Now I'm growing things myself I do wander how on earth do they grow them so big! - 

Here is the pumpkin winner and second place

Some of the other giant vegetables, but I have to say that I think the swede win was a bit wrong, it's obviously several plants that have morphed together, you could quite clearly see that.

I have parsnips growing, don't think I'll be able to compete with these bad boys though, lol

There are various halls with stall holders selling a variety of things from cards to jewellery, cheeses and speciality gin and vodka  as well as things to see and entertain as you walk around, it's a great day out.

I didn't look to see who the speakers were over the weekend, it's not something that really interests me, but in the tent behind this display Monty Don did a talk which we just missed, I would have gone to that if I'd realised

I did make a few purchases, of course.  A collection of seeds for next year including some broad beans to over winter which I will have to get into some cells this week.  I also got a few small metal containers for the two tables in my garden and a cute metal spade with a robin sitting on the handle, (no photo of these, I have already put the ornament in the garden and plants in the containers).

So that was my weekend, I hope you had a good one too.

October is just around the corner so I'll catch up with you then.

-X-

Productive day

Monday is washing day here, and luckily the weather is glorious, blue sky's and not a sign of the torrential rain we had on Saturday, so the clothes have been blowing gently on the line.

While the washing machine was doing it's thing I did the usual Monday morning re-set of the house and whizzed the mower over the grass to pick up all the leaves and acorns that have fallen in the last couple days.  This time of year is the hardest I find, having an oak tree in the garden means that the garden is only ever tidy for half an hour after you've finished making it tidy and this year is a mast year so there will be an abundance of acorns, (the squirrels will be happy).  Last year was a bust year, so no acorns.

Mast and bust years happen every 5-10 years but not necessarily on a regular basis, it's dependant on a number of things that could trigger either mast or bust.  What's fascinating is that if it's going to happen then it will happen right across the UK and nearly every single oak tree will produce a bumper crop in the same year, (or not, if it's a bust year).  Isn't nature wonderful?

I braved the rain on Saturday and harvested a few things, some of the rainbow carrots and our first swede which we ate yesterday.

And I've popped down again for an hour today to have a quick tidy after the weekend rain.

Pumpkins picked, all the greenery had died off so hopefully they will continue to turn more orange in the conservatory.

Cleared out the tomato plants at home, eventually these should turn red and I'll probably make another batch or two of pasta sauce.

So that was my Monday, all the washing is dry, folded and put away and I think my day is finished to today. 

I'll leave with a beautiful rainbow photo I took while down the allotment a couple weeks ago. 

-X-

Welcoming Autumn

 While I appreciate that we have had a good Summer this year I'm ready to move on to Autumn.  I love that it's dark earlier and the ritual of closing the blinds early and settling in for a cosy evening of crafting, although, it would be even better without all this rain!

(We're never happy with the weather are we)

I have boxes in the garage to store my seasonal things and I couldn't wait to bring the one labeled Autumn in and sort through.

I kept telling myself that I really didn't need any more Autumn decorations, but who can resist a pumpkin or something as cute as these little mice I found in The Range.

I wish now that I'd done more Autumn stitching, (and I know that come Christmas I'll be wishing I stitched more Christmas 😒), but I've not been in the mood for stitching much at all this year, perhaps the stitchy bug will find me again in the new year, I hope so anyway. Still, I do have some Autumn stitching though.

These are another couple of new additions which I found when I visited Beaumaris recently.  I do love these little ceramic houses and just couldn't leave this acorn one behind, or the little toadstool.

And a couple oldies but goodies, I think the drum is my favourite finish ever, and easier than it looks to do, I don't know why I haven't finished more like this.

I think I love decorating for Autumn as much as I do for Christmas, how about you?

🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂🍂

-X-

This week

 The week started with an expense, something tripped out all the electrics in the laundry room last Sunday and it was traced back to the tumble dryer, so that's tumbled it's last load, ugh.    I had considered doing without one because I never dry things straight out of the washing machine, but I do like to finish things things off for ten minutes or so after they have been line dried as it softens things up and makes for easier ironing, so I sucked up the expense and a new one should be here in a few days.

It's been a bit of a nothing week, just catching up on the washing and ironing after being away, all the boring things.  I managed to get the garden tidy again just before the rain started on Wednesday and popped to the allotment on Thursday afternoon to collect any pickings.  Of course I ended up staying to clear a few things that have gone over, but, I did good with time management and only stayed just over an hour.

 Lots of tomatoes and still plenty more to pick, I might end up just clearing the lot next week and let them finish ripening at home.  I made a couple jars of tomato, basil and garlic sauce for the freezer with this lot on Saturday morning.

I really haven't taken a lot of notice of the pepper plants but when I looked last week there were quite a lot. Google tells me that they should ripen off the plant if they were big enough so I've taken a chance and picked them.  There should be a mixture of yellow, red and orange, at least I hope there will be because we don't really like green peppers 😒 I pulled the few carrots as they were poking out the ground, plenty more to come and we should have some for Christmas too.

Still picking runner beans although there won't be many more now, I have a freezer full and they should last well into next year as I'm the only one that eats them.

While I was cleaning the conservatory this week I had to move all my TBR books and while putting them back I arranged them by colour.  I think they look easier on the eye but when Mark called and I told him what I'd been up to I could hear him rolling his eyes, lol.  That's the trouble with being at home all the time, you do find these little slightly mad things to do, (all my CD's are alphabetised too, yes I do still own CD's which I do still play along with my records).   

I should perhaps stop buying books to add to this shelf, lol.

I also enrolled in a new Pilates class this week that started on Tuesday morning.  The lady who does it actually lives in my street, although I didn't know that until I got to the class.  When I finished my physio Pilates was recommended, so I thought I give it a go.  I've paid for seven weeks and enjoyed the first class, I could tell I'd worked some underused muscles the next morning, even after one session, so hopefully it will strengthen those hip and glutes over time so that I don't have a repeat of bursitis and tendinitis. 

Remember my little visitor?  

I finally found out the he does have a home a few streets away.  A couple weeks ago I put a note on his collar with my phone number and someone called me the next day.  His name is Kovu, (from a character in the Lion King, so his owner said).  The next time he turned up he was sporting a new red collar with a tag saying he was microchipped and a contact number.  I was so glad to find out that he wasn't lost or had been abandoned, I don't feel guilty about not feeding him now I know he is looked after, lol.  

He still comes, has a fuss and a walk around the house then usually goes again, but on Wednesday he made himself comfortable and slept here all afternoon, that's the longest he's ever stayed.  I did tell his owner that he comes in but I don't encourage him by feeding him, and nor would I do that.  He doesn't come every day, I might not see him again for a week but he obviously feels this is a safe place to be and I haven't got the heart to shoo him off.

Nothing planned for this week, although perhaps if I'm desperate for something to do I could always colour code the rest of my books  🤪

-X-

A week away

Mark took a weeks holiday last week so we had another lovely break away in our caravan.  The weather forecast for the week didn't look very promising but in the end we only had one day when It rained, quite heavily almost constantly, we stayed put that day and I have to say there is something comforting about sitting in a cosy caravan watching the rain.  We passed the time reading and I did quite a bit of knitting that day too, it was nice to not have anything that really needed doing.

We stayed for the weekend in Upton again, our van is stored on site there so it made sense to have a couple days there first and then move on to Malvern on the Monday.  The Malvern site was really lovely, nicely laid out and the facilities were very clean and well maintained.  It was a bit remote though, no shop or pub within walking distance, but a good place for some down-time and relaxation, just a bit of a pain if you realised you've forgotten to buy something.

Apart from the day it rained all day we went somewhere different every day, Ross on Wye, Ledbury, Symonds Yat and Malvern are all worth a visit, and I managed to pick up quite a few books to add to my 'to be read' shelf from charity shops while we were out and about.  Ross on Wye and Malvern both have great record shops and I couldn't believe my luck in finding two LP's that I have been on the look out for for years.  

The weather was lovely on Friday so we decide to do one of the Malvern walks, we chose one that had a decent pathway and was only a gradual climb but when we came to the end instead of turning back I suggested we carry on a bit further and we ended up in a valley between two hills.  Mark was reluctant to climb at first but I managed to persuade him that the view at the top would be great, and I wasn't wrong.

I really wanted to climb the other hill, which looked steeper but Mark was having none of it so we headed back to the car along the way we'd come.  Perhaps next time I can persuade him to go further.

We also had a ride out to Symonds Yat Rock in the Forest of Dean.  From the car park it was only a short walk to the Rock and the wonderful view over the river Wye and surrounding area.  There are other walks which you can download maps for but as we had gone late in the afternoon we didn't explore, definitely somewhere go another time though.

Despite the change in the weather we still had a lovely week away.  I doubt we'll get another whole week away again this year but we will be back at the van for the weekend in a couple weeks and perhaps be able to fit in another couple weekends before the weather starts to turn too cold.

-X-

What I'm reading

 My personal challenge was to read 60 books this year, I've fallen behind a little the last two months, just haven't been in the mood to pick anything up, having said that I have read two physical books and listened to two audio books.  

 The two books I read were quite emotional reads and they deserved to be given time to be absorbed.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman is beautifully written, one of those books that your reading and something suddenly makes you stop and think about what you just read.  If you've read A Man Called Ove I think you would also enjoy this book.

Blue Sisters - Coco Mellors - Three estranged sisters return to to their family home in New York a year after their fourth sister's death.  The chapters flip between the sisters so we get to know each of their stories. 

The three Blue sisters are exceptional—and exceptionally different. Avery, the eldest and a recovering heroin addict turned strait-laced lawyer, lives with her wife in London; Bonnie, a former boxer, works as a bouncer in Los Angeles following a devastating defeat; and Lucky, the youngest, models in Paris while trying to outrun her hard-partying ways. They also had a fourth sister, Nicky, whose unexpected death left Avery, Bonnie, and Lucky reeling. A year later, as they each navigate grief, addiction, and ambition, they find they must return to New York to stop the sale of the apartment they were raised in.

But coming home is never as easy as it seems. As the sisters reckon with the disappointments of their childhood and the loss of the only person who held them together, they realize the greatest secrets they've been keeping might not have been from each other, but from themselves.

 The Day I fell off my Island - Yvonne Bailey-Smith  This was my library book club choice for August.

I chose to listen to this on audible, turns out that was a good decision, the local dialect would have put me off reading otherwise.  All apart from two of us really enjoyed it, I thought it was ok, one member gave up after the third chapter, so nearly but not quite a full house, ha ha.

Narrated by Sara Powell who did an excellent job but even listening to the Jamaican accent it was still hard to decipher at times. 

The Day I Fell Off My Island tells the story of Erna Mullings, a teenage Jamaican girl uprooted from her island following the sudden death of her beloved grandmother. When Erna is sent to England to be reunited with her siblings, she dreads leaving behind her elderly grandfather, and the only life she has ever known. A new future unfolds, in a strange country and with a mother she barely knows. The next decade will be a complex journey of estrangement and arrival, new beginnings, and the uncovering of long-buried secrets.

The Ladies' Midnight Swimming Club - Faith Hogan

This one was a bit of a wild card, I was looking for something easy to listen to while I was knocking about the house, It was surprisingly good, yes it was predictable but the characters were all just so lovely that I really didn't mind that.  Narrated by Flora Montgomery who's voice with it's soft Irish lilt was very easy on the ears.

 

** When Elizabeth's husband dies, leaving her with crippling debt, the only person she can turn to is her friend, Jo. Soon Jo has called in her daughter, Lucy, to help save Elizabeth from bankruptcy. Leaving her old life behind, Lucy is determined to make the most of her fresh start. As life slowly begins to return to normal, these three women, thrown together by circumstance, become fast friends. But then Jo's world is turned upside down when she receives some shocking news. In search of solace, Jo and Elizabeth find themselves enjoying midnight dips in the freezing Irish Sea. Here they can laugh, cry and wash away all their fears. As well as conjure a fundraising plan for the local hospice that will bring the whole community together.

 pNot a bad months reading in the end, perhaps I'll be able to catch up on my book number as the nights get longer, I do have a lot of titles on my tbr shelf to choose from.

-X-

**The synopsis for each book was taken from Goodreads

Happy birthday mum

 Tomorrow would have been my mums 97th birthday.

I like this photo of her, it was taken at Oliver's Christening in 2013, she would have been 85 here.

She never did looked her age and always had beautiful skin, never needed to wear any make up.

She had funny sayings that we used to laugh about, and a dry sense of humour and a knack of always being right about things.

Also this coming Monday, 1st September, it will be 38 years since my dad died.  

He died just four days after my mum turned 59, they were away in their caravan for the Bank Holiday weekend at the time, he was only 61, far to young to leave us.

I think about them both often.

-X-

Still no rain here

Its been another warm and sunny day, we certainly can't moan about the British Summer this year but all the heat has taken it's toll on the garden.  My garden soil is mostly clay and there are big cracks all over, It hasn't been the best for weather for hydrangeas either, mine are already quite faded and the leaves are very dry and of course the grass in not green anymore, it's a lovely shade of brown.

We still have some lovely colour though.

The aster seeds I sowed were a couple years out of date but they still produced some lovely flowers

The climbing rose by my back door was attacked by saw fly in June, I thought it was a goner so cut it right back, It survived my hacking and has come back lovely and healthy and is almost as high as the back door again.

Not all things have done well.  I planted three raspberry canes but only one has survived.

I popped to the allotment this afternoon to water, I didn't expect there to be much to bring back but there were loads of runner beans and quite a few tomato's both of which I've given to my sister, also picked the last few courgettes and a few more beetroot which I'll have a go at pickling tomorrow.

I was surprised to see so many peppers on my pepper plants.  I didn't do well with peppers last year so apart from watering I haven't really paid any attention to these.

Joanne is taking the kids on holiday tomorrow so I have a lodger for the week.

Her name is Pickle, she's so cute and really friendly, I don't usually like rodent type pets but I'm ok with hamsters, lol.

It's Bank Holiday tomorrow.  Mark Is still in Scotland so I'm going to have a day sorting through my craft supplies in the hope of being able to clear out some things that I know I won't use, wish me luck on that one, ha ha.

-X-