Saturday 30 April 2016

Friday 29 April 2016

Feel-good Friday

Thursday 28 April 2016

The Thursday Poem

Potted Flowers with Books IV
Eric Barjot

Love and Sleep

Lying asleep between the strokes of night
I saw my love lean over my sad bed,
Pale as the duskiest lily's leaf or head,
Smooth-skinned and dark, with bare throat made to bite,
Too wan for blushing and too warm for white,
But perfect-coloured without white or red.
And her lips opened amorously, and said -
I wist not what, saving one word - Delight.

And all her face was honey to my mouth,
And all her body pasture to mine eyes;
The long lithe arms and hotter hands than fire
The quivering flanks, hair smelling of the south,
The bright little feet, the splendid supple thighs
And glittering eyelids of my soul's desire.

Algernon Charles Swinburne
(5th April 1837 - 10th April 1909)

Wednesday 27 April 2016

Jack Frost and chit-chat


Our neighbour parks his car on our drive and when I opened our bedroom curtains yesterday, this was the sight that greeted me ~ isn't nature amazing!  I don't suppose it lasted for too long once Tony had driven to work but it was lovely to see.

So, what exciting things have I been up to recently?  Well, truth be told, nothing exciting at all I'm afraid ~ I'm a middle-aged housewife who doesn't lead an exciting life in the slightest LOL  Still, on the whole I enjoy living in my little mundane world ~ most of the time, anyway!

I've had three trips to the dentist over the past few weeks.  The first was for a somewhat overdue check-up (the rotten chest infection I had earlier this year delayed things!), X-rays, etc, and to prepare one of my teeth for a crown.  The second was to have said crown fitted and part with a small fortune for the privilege!  The final visit last week was for three fillings ~ yes, three of the dratted things *sigh*  Still, I shouldn't really complain since the fillings were all more than 20 years old.  Hopefully I won't need to have anything done when my next check-up rolls around.

Yesterday was another medical appointment day, this time for a routine mammogram.  It's hard to believe that it's three years since the last one, time goes so quickly.  I felt decidedly "nekid" when I left the house ~ no deodorant, no talcum powder, no perfume!  Thankfully the equipment used these days isn't as painful as it used to be ~ the "squishing" doesn't seem to be so forceful!  It's just a tad uncomfortable really ~ well, that's been my experience over the last few appointments, thankfully.

A really nice thing that's happened is that I have made a lovely new friend :-)  Kailah and I met in somewhat unusual circumstances, I guess, since she was the Celebrant who took the service for mother-in-law's funeral.  We met again when she brought round the booklets she makes of the ceremony and chatted for ages.  We discovered that we have a lot in common, not least a love of lots of the same crafts.  We are both self-taught crafters as well LOL  We had a lovely afternoon last week when we were going to do some crocheting together, but instead spent the whole time chatting away as if we have known each other for years!  Kailah is a really super lady and I am really happy that we have met.  I'm looking forward to lots more chatting (although we already chat on Facebook LOL) and crafting afternoons :-)

Next week our handy-dandy handyman, Steve, is coming to replace the final two fence panels in the back garden, along with a couple of other little jobs.  Then it will be back to more staining and moving Martha's house/run.  We will then have more space to set out some garden chairs ~ of course, we will need some warmer weather to actually make use of them!

Amazingly, the chickens are laying eggs again this year, albeit not every day.  I think it's pretty good actually, since Abigail and Babs (the Black Rocks) were nine in January, and Martha (the Dominique bantam) was eight.  We had some eggs from them last year but I really didn't expect to see any this year.  I can only assume that they are happy and healthy :-)

I'm still sorting and clearing things out ~ numerous trips to the charity shop have been made already this year!  Adrian and I have also made a start on tidying the loft ~ gosh, what a lot of empty cardboard boxes we had up there!  We've had another load of rubbish taken away (not just from the loft, a lot of it was from the garden too) and stuff has been put out on the drive with a "free, help yourself" sign, which was all taken by passers-by.  We haven't finished in the loft but there isn't too much left to sort through now.  Hopefully we will get it done this coming weekend, so I'm hoping the weather warms up a little!

Words on Wednesday

Alphabet Overlay 1

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage




Sunday 24 April 2016

The Sunday Prayer




Dove of Peace by Pablo Picasso


Father, Mother, God,

Thank you for your presence during the hard and mean days.
For then we have you to lean upon.

Thank you for your presence during the bright and sunny days.
For then we can share that which we have with those who have less.

And thank you for your presence during the Holy Days.
For then we are able to celebrate you and our families and our friends

For those who have no voice, we ask you to speak.

For those who feel unworthy, we ask you to pour your love out in waterfalls of tenderness.

For those who live in pain, we ask you to bathe them in the river of your healing.

For those who are lonely, we ask you to keep them company.

For those who are depressed, we ask you to shower upon them the light of hope.

Dear Creator, You, the borderless sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the world that which we need most.....PEACE.

Maya Angelou
(4th April 1928 - 28th May 2014)

Friday 22 April 2016

WIPs, naughtiness and a gift


I'm currently making my first blanket for Woolly Hugs, using yarn from my overflowing stash!  

I'm still working on Mum's blanket, as well as a shawl for myself (I keep forgetting to take photos!) ~ plus I've made my first Christmas 2016 gift.....well, you know me, I never like to have just one project on the go at a time LOL


I was tempted, my loves, oh my goodness how I was tempted!  I just fell in love with the Scheepjes Colour Crafter yarns ~ and somehow a ball of every colour that Deramores had in stock found its way into my basket.....52 balls of gorgeousness, to be precise!  It is lovely yarn, so soft and snuggly.  And now I have discovered that there are another 30 new colours ~ oh be still my beating heart!  So far I have resisted.....


I am putting those lovely balls of yarn to good use, though, making the flower garden blanket from the Arne & Carlos book Knit and Crochet Garden.  I somehow think this is going to be a longterm project :-)


I had a big downsizing session of my fabric stash (oh yes, I have fabric stashed away as well as yarn!) and offered the pieces I didn't think I would make use of to a friend.  She was really happy to take it all off my hands, and as a "thank you", gave me a mug for which she knitted a "mug hug".  I do still have some fabric which I decided to keep.  Some will go back into the loft for the time being but I have kept some other pieces out for another project I have made a tentative start on......but that's for sharing another day!

Feel-good Friday

Thursday 21 April 2016

The Thursday Poem

Potted Flowers with Books IV
Eric Barjot

Still I Rise

You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.

Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.

Just like the moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.

Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops,
Weakened by my soulful cries.

Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.

You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.

Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?

Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise

Maya Angelou
(4th April 1928 - 28th May 2014)

Wednesday 20 April 2016

Words on Wednesday

Alphabet Overlay 1
Let go of the past, enjoy the present
and keep an eye on the future...

Sunday 17 April 2016

Save Our Bees!

The Sunday Prayer




Dove of Peace by Pablo Picasso


Father, Mother, God,

Thank you for your presence during the hard and mean days.
For then we have you to lean upon.

Thank you for your presence during the bright and sunny days.
For then we can share that which we have with those who have less.

And thank you for your presence during the Holy Days.
For then we are able to celebrate you and our families and our friends

For those who have no voice, we ask you to speak.

For those who feel unworthy, we ask you to pour your love out in waterfalls of tenderness.

For those who live in pain, we ask you to bathe them in the river of your healing.

For those who are lonely, we ask you to keep them company.

For those who are depressed, we ask you to shower upon them the light of hope.

Dear Creator, You, the borderless sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the world that which we need most.....PEACE.

Maya Angelou
(4th April 1928 - 28th May 2014)

Friday 15 April 2016

Feel-good Friday

Thursday 14 April 2016

The Thursday Poem

Potted Flowers with Books IV
Eric Barjot

Virtue

Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright!
The bridal of the earth and sky -
The dew shall weep thy fall tonight;
For thou must die.

Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave
Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye,
Thy root is ever in its grave,
And thou must die.

Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses,
A box where sweets compacted lie,
My music shows ye have your closes,
And all must die.

Only a sweet and virtuous soul,
Like season'd timber, never gives;
But though the whole world turn to coal,
Then chiefly lives.

George Herbert
(3rd April 1593 - 3rd March 1633)

Wednesday 13 April 2016

Words on Wednesday

Alphabet Overlay 1
Don't worry about avoiding temptation.....
as you grow older, it will avoid you ;-)

Tuesday 12 April 2016

A Make-a-Month 2016: February and March


I know that I am rather late in posting the makes for February and March, but better late than never, eh!

Back in February I decided that I needed some new dishcloths, so it was handy that I still had some cotton yarn in my stash ;-)  I really like crocheted dishcloths ~ they are hardwearing and easy to throw into the washing machine on a regular basis, plus they look so much nicer than shop-bought ones :-)  


My make for March was another finishing-off of a WIP started ages ago.  Like the bedside rug I made for Beverly a couple of years back, this was also made using six strands of yarn and a 10mm hook.  And it too was pretty hard on my hand!  I really don't think it is anywhere near as nice as Beverly's rug but it is fine for our kitchen.  Hopefully it will make standing on the quarry tile floor a tad more comfortable!

Sunday 10 April 2016

The Sunday Prayer




Dove of Peace by Pablo Picasso


Father, Mother, God,

Thank you for your presence during the hard and mean days.
For then we have you to lean upon.

Thank you for your presence during the bright and sunny days.
For then we can share that which we have with those who have less.

And thank you for your presence during the Holy Days.
For then we are able to celebrate you and our families and our friends

For those who have no voice, we ask you to speak.

For those who feel unworthy, we ask you to pour your love out in waterfalls of tenderness.

For those who live in pain, we ask you to bathe them in the river of your healing.

For those who are lonely, we ask you to keep them company.

For those who are depressed, we ask you to shower upon them the light of hope.

Dear Creator, You, the borderless sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the world that which we need most.....PEACE.

Maya Angelou
(4th April 1928 - 28th May 2014)

Friday 8 April 2016

Feel-good Friday

Thursday 7 April 2016

The Thursday Poem

Potted Flowers with Books IV
Eric Barjot


Joining the Colours
(West Kents, Dublin, 1914)

There they go marching all in step so gay!
Smooth-cheeked and golden, food for shells and guns.
Blithely they go as to a wedding day,
The mothers' sons.

The drab street stares to see them row on row
On the high tram-tops, singing like the lark.
Too careless-gay for courage, singing they go
Into the dark.

With tin whistles, mouth-organs, any noise,
They pipe the way to glory and the grave;
Foolish and young, the gay and golden boys
Love cannot save.

High heart!  High courage!  The poor girls they kissed
Run with them: they shall kiss no more, alas!
Out of the mist they stepped - into the mist
Singing they pass.

Katharine Tynan
(23rd January 1861 - 2nd April 1931)

Wednesday 6 April 2016

Words on Wednesday

Alphabet Overlay 1


A coward is one who, in an emergency, thinks with his legs!

Sunday 3 April 2016

The Sunday Prayer




Dove of Peace by Pablo Picasso


Father, Mother, God,

Thank you for your presence during the hard and mean days.
For then we have you to lean upon.

Thank you for your presence during the bright and sunny days.
For then we can share that which we have with those who have less.

And thank you for your presence during the Holy Days.
For then we are able to celebrate you and our families and our friends

For those who have no voice, we ask you to speak.

For those who feel unworthy, we ask you to pour your love out in waterfalls of tenderness.

For those who live in pain, we ask you to bathe them in the river of your healing.

For those who are lonely, we ask you to keep them company.

For those who are depressed, we ask you to shower upon them the light of hope.

Dear Creator, You, the borderless sea of substance, we ask you to give to all the world that which we need most.....PEACE.

Maya Angelou
(4th April 1928 - 28th May 2014)

Friday 1 April 2016

Recent garden photos...


We are slowly making progress in the garden.  I can actually use my rotary-dryer for my washing again!  The yellow bag in the photo above was covering bags of leftover wood (things such as old fence posts, etc) that Adrian chopped up for the wood-burner.  We've made good use of the wood in the burner and what was left is now in the log-store, so that's a little more clearing up done.  The plastic bags just visible behind the raised bed were full of excess soil, and they have all been taken away now too :-) 


We've got the "utility area" all neat and tidy ~ how different this part of the garden now looks!  The log-store is pretty full now that Adrian has been able to move the bags of wood that were under the yellow dumpy bag.  The red bin is full of pebbles, with some cobbles in the enamel bowl ~ they will come in handy in due course, I'm sure!  I still have lots of staining to do but hopefully it will all be finished by the end of this year.  


I have plenty of tidying up and weeding to do in all the borders, beds and pots, as you can see!


These daffodils are so pretty, but I thing it might have been better to have planted them in a larger pot as they have proved to be a tad unstable!  When they have finished flowering I will find a suitable spot for them in the garden borders.


These scilla are so pretty, such a beautiful shade of blue.  They, too, will be planted in the garden once they have finished flowering.


I was so happy to see the primroses coming through again ~ they are such "happy" little plants, don't you think?


And just look at the cowslips, aren't they lovely too!

Feel-good Friday