the magic of a wedding...

This weekend saw my friend Kathy marry her William...

No trees lining the aisle at this wedding! The tiny church was decorated with simple flowers and candles and 75 of us just managed to squeeze in with standing room only. The bride looked stunning and their happiness was visible for all to see. For both, this is second time around and long awaited and I think everyone there wished them much love and contentment together.

It was a really lovely day. The sun even decided to show its face just before the wedding party left the church.

I love little children at weddings - they are always just that lovely mixture of fascination and indifference to what is going on!

This little girl was swinging backwards and forwards peering over the balcony in the church.

Kathy is clever with making cards and arty things and there were lots of lovely personal touches...

Each table had a flower name with handwritten place cards...

The top table was appropriately labelled...

And the wedding cake was spectacular...!

Cheers!

Til next time
Sx

fabulous skies and wedding presents...

We have had some amazing blustery days just lately - the sort of sunshine that makes you think its going to feel like summer, then when you venture outside strong winds that nearly knock you off your feet. I had some sheets on the line yesterday and had to do battle with them just to get them in - as fast as I unpegged a bit the wind whipped it back around the line!

But accompanying this weather have been some fab skies...

A couple of nights ago, as the sun was setting the bottoms of the clouds were all tinged with pink against  a sky that was still pretty blue. Made me think of 'Red sky at night, shepherds delight' that my mum used to always say - always makes me feel optimistic about the chances of the next day's weather prospects!

Then last night there was the most stunning rainbow; what caught my eye first was the low sun that looked as though it was shining a spotlight on the church in the distance...

You might be able to just pick out the church tower poking up from the dark hedge in the middle of the picture - it usually looks quite grey but was bright gold. The rainbow was a full double that arced from one side of the field to the other and at each end was so bright you could barely look at it.

It lasted for quite a few minutes and as the sky darkened it seemed to brighten even more before fading away...

There must have been a pot of gold under there, don't you think?

In order to catch these picture I had to drop my project for the evening - the wedding present cushions I posted about before. The wedding is Saturday so the pressure was in to get my act together and finish them and...

Ta dah! But you've kind of seen these before because I posted about them when I finished the fronts, so...

...here are the backs! I couldn't find two jumpers to recycle that were quite right (I was looking for cotton jumpers to match the cotton yarn I used - so much thin acrylic out there!) so for the smaller one I used up what was left of the rowan cottons I'd used for the grannies. For the larger cushion, I found a cardigan in Oxfam which just fitted the bill.

It had a pretty moss stitch button band so I used the back and the buttonhole side of the front and just added some bright new buttons. Easy peasy!!! The only bit that I struggled with was doing the cutting up! This was a Boden cardigan (Boden is something I dream of being able to afford!!) and was quite a nice boxy cardigan - I was tempted to keep it but it was a bit tired on the sleeves and I really needed to finish the cushions so I went for it. Once I've made that first snip, I'm away - no more worries! 

And here they are waiting to be parcelled up...

I hope Kathy & Will enjoy them!

Til next time then

Sx

PS thanks for your nice comments after yesterdays moans - have a bit more perspective on things today and not feeling so miserable! x

damp walls and blog therapy...

Today is not going to plan! I am struggling to find a happy place right now - I cannot make the presentation I have to give on Wednesday look right, the bathroom has sprung a major leak so as I write I have a plumber here making sucking teeth noises and running up and down the stairs, because of the leak the water is off so I can't do the washing I had planned to do today and I have had to shelve going to see my Mum or getting out for a walk until said plumber is done (he's been here an hour so far and no sign of finishing yet...). To cap it all, the bank tells me my 'net worth' is minus £14.74!! Rubbish! That means that out of all the accounts we possess and between the 2 of us working we still have no money! In fact less than no money!!! Add to that one of the cats having decided that leaving the house for your ablutions is just too much trouble - I have threatened a one way trip to the vets this morning! Fortunately for them, I a: can't identify the culprit and b: can't afford the vets!!! 

I am only joking of course, chuffed I was not, but pets are for the duration aren't they, wouldn't dream of dispatching them really.

I mean how could you...

This is one seriously relaxed cat...

I couldn't possibly be cross with him for long!

Anyway, I just had a little look round blogland and have been cheered up by some lovely posts - especially loved this one of Bunny Mummy's - I could almost feel myself unwind a bit as I looked at Jacquie's beautiful photos. I do find a little bit of bloggy time just helps me to escape a bit especially when things are a bit rubbish in the real world.

So I looked at the few photos I've managed to take this week (I have hardly managed to get a chance to get out with the camera!) and thought that maybe there have been some happy spots after all.

The poppies are out in the garden...

These are just bright red but somehow the sunlight on it made it look these fiery orange colours. They are getting a bit of a battering in the high winds today but they are lovely while they last.

These little geraniums are the most vibrant purple.

The fruit trees are all beginning to have baby fruit... apples...

...and plums...

There are so many plums coming this year we are likely to be doing battle with the wasps I expect - they seem to know just the point when the fruit is ripe and sweet and have been known to completely strip the tree!

Our little pond is full of wildlife and doesn't seem to have suffered too much from our major clean up operation a few weeks ago (you could barely see the water, it had got so overgrown).

I should probably pull out some of that floating weed which seems to be trying to take over again - no sure what its called, we call it duck weed but I don't know if we just made that up?! Just behind the iris in the foreground are several water lilies - looking forward to seeing them later in the year.

I have never noticed the flowers on this tree before (its proper name is Robinia pseudoacacia - I know it as False Acacia, but I just looked it up and apparently it is also known as Black Locust!) - not sure if they've been there and I've just not looked or if its the first year its flowered. We planted it about 12 years ago and it is probably pretty much up to its mature height now. The leaves are bright yellow green and this year it is covered in these pretty flowers - they remind me of laburnum flowers.

Away from the garden, I have to just update you on the sock-knitting progress!

Inspired by Alice, who knits the most amazing socks, and a book I was given for Christmas I decided to have a go. I am a sock knitting first timer and I'm not sure (in retrospect!) that this pattern was the simplest one to start with! Knitting two at a time up from the toes seemed like a good idea but its a bit fiddly and the two balls of yarn get tangled up all the time. However, I have plodded along and O am getting there!

Ignore the fact that these are particularly unflattering pictures of my ankles (I'm sure they don't look that chunky really! Do they???!) - in spite of the fact that I've had to juggle the pattern as I go along they seem to be a reasonable fit and I'm on the 'Knitting the leg' part now!

I think part of my problem with the pattern is that I've probably used the wrong sort of wool - although its finer than my usual DK its probably a bit chunky so they were in danger of coming up enormous. Also the pattern requires you to do a bit of measuring, tension square making and maths - none of which I could be bothered with (to be honest, I couldn't work the maths bit out...). I suspect these may end up being a 'house' pair of socks but as a first attempt I'm quite pleased so far. I think I might try Alice's pattern next time as they look so lush and a lovely snug fit. Not sure I'd go for the two at once on the circular needle next time...

And then, final happy thing...

We have finally thrown these away! After 2 theory tests, 3 practical tests and exorbitant amounts of money son 3 finally passed his driving test on Friday - hurrah! I had very mixed feelings as he set off on his own (in my car!) Friday evening but he would have been so upset if he'd failed it again and I think this time he is ready to drive safely. I just have to spend the next few months hoping that he will gain experience and not be distracted by a car full of friends - that is the scariest part. I can't quite believe all my babies are now independent drivers! Definitely another step towards adulthood - how old do I feel now!?

Oh and thanks to Pauline and Penny for your comments on my last post - I didn't really get the maths bit either but thought the crochet was very impressive! And I did think there was something interesting in the idea that everyone can learn through play - not sure that is able to happen in schools as much as it should!

Here's to blogland!

Til next time
Sx

crochet, coral and maths?!

Just had to share this with you all - forwarded to me by my sister who is about to have a career change and retrain as a maths teacher (and doesn't crochet)... an interesting perspective on learning mathematical concepts and some amazing crochet! Worth a look!

Sx

hooky happiness!

Two cushion tops completed! I've been hooking like mad for the last couple of days to get these cushions finished in time for next week's wedding.

Don't know why, the colours look a bit dull on here, but I think they're ok in reality. I just have to decide what to do for the backs - I had in mind recycling a jumper Attic 24 style but haven't managed to find anything suitable yet! 12 days to go... if I don't find anything this week I will be knitting or crocheting like mad next weekend!

The problem is I have almost reduced my rowan cotton stash to 'nothing'...

At least, I'd have to buy some more to make two backs...  mmm...food for thought - any ideas?

Just have to show you this...

I know this is not a very good photo (oh, for a decent zoom lens...!) and you might think this is a bit sad but I was very excited to see a pair of goldfinches in the garden today! We get loads of birds but until recently not many finches, then I started putting out niger seed and as if by magic... They are such striking little birds, don't you think?

Til next time,

Sx

garden in May...

Just realised that I have lost a couple of pages in the Blogger 'outage' (is that a techy term?!!! that's what it seems to be being called!) last week. I had added a couple of pages which I'm sure were published but now seem to have disappeared. Silly blogger - how irritiating; and silly me 'cos, as always, I'm a bit rubbish at backing anything up so hadn't kept copies - darn! Can't decide whether to try to remember what I wrote and redo them, wait and see if they reappear in the next few days or just forget it... hedging on the fingers crossed that it reappears at the moment...

Time for this month's garden photo...

It was a pretty dull day yesterday with just the odd patch of sunshine. This was snapped in one of those, early in the day when the house throws long shadows over the back garden. It dawned on me that this is probably not a great spot to show the changes in the garden - for one thing, from this distance you can't really make out the colour in the flower beds (there is some - honest!) and also the hazel tree in the foreground on the left obliterates everything down the left hand side now its got its leaves! Didn't think of that in January - dur! However, for the sake of continuity I'll carry on for this year - might have to come up with a different vantage point next year with the benefit of hindsight!

I did just take one more sneaky one...

If you move out of the shade of the hazel you can see the paperbark maple on the left of the garden; this tree is alway the last to come into leaf but has the most beautiful bark and lovely autumn colour later in the year.

I have days when I think I'd love to live in the city where there's a bit more of a buzz but then I look at this and realise I'd miss it...

Sx

my week in pictures...

I had half written a post earlier in the week when blogger went into melt down and half of what I'd written was deleted. When I finally had time to have another go, I couldn't really remember what I'd intended to say and can't be bothered to think that hard about it! So I thought I'd just have a quick review of my week in pictures on the grounds that 'stuff' I wanted to remember, I am likely to have taken photos of... I hope.

Lots happening in the greenhouse! This is not really my domain - R is veg gardener in chief - I am allowed to admire and water (if I'm careful!), thats all! This picture was taken a week or so ago and I am amazed how fast stuff grows in here, all these plants are probably double in size now. Can you see the bug-eating plant in the blue and white stripy pot on the left of the shelf?

It is the funniest looking thing! I took my mum to the Gardener's World show last year and we both got these in the hope they'd munch away on the greenfly. I guess this is its flower but its quite a 'fleshy' sort of thing - not sure what its going to do next!

The creeper on the front of the house is in full leaf now...

It is a really bright yellow-green with red at the very edge of the leaves and looks lovely in the sunshine. Seems to be making its annual bid for the gutter though... 'someone' is going to have to climb up and trim it back (was rather hoping it wouldn't have to be me...).

The yellow iris in the pond have started to flower...

They are sooo bright they almost look a bit out of place as the garden is so full of purples, pinks and the odd splash of red at the moment. Seems funny to think that only a couple of months or so ago I was desperate to see the bright yellow of the daffodils to lift that winter feeling - these are lovely but almost make me wince in contrast to everything else!

The weather has been all over the place this week. Not nearly so warm but sunny on and off and we still haven't had much sustained rain. Difficult to get it right getting dressed in the morning (I have been freezing twice this week, lulled into a false sense of summer looking out of the window!) and I have spent the week drying washing with my fingers crossed!

At the same time the sky looked like this...

and this...

...depending which way you were facing!

Of course this...

...waited until I had got to the supermarket 20 mins away from home (after I'd hung the washing out!) but the smell of summer rain was just delicious (or is that just me?!).

I treated myself to this pretty little vase...

...courtesy of the charity shop, yay!

Yesterday, I had a bit of time to kill while my car brakes and tyres were being checked so had a wander round the nearby Hobbycraft shop...

They don't have the widest selection of yarns in terms of variety but there was lots to squish! And then I found this...

I Want This Book!!! It is just full of gorgeous colourfulness! I almost treated myself then remembered that I might have a big car bill to pay and decided I couldn't justify it but I might drop big hints for my birthday next month... (although I'm really hoping everyone will chip in towards a new camera and would be very happy if I don't get anything else at all...)

This week I have been busy trying to get a present sorted for my friend Kathy who is marrying her Will on 28th May. This is second time around for both and they are combining two homes so have said they don't really need anything. But I have known Kathy since our boys started in reception (they are 22 now!) so really wanted to give her just a little something so am making her a couple of cushions (in my head you can never have too many cushions, can you?!).

The little card I found on my favourite yarn/crafty stall on the market - I had been struggling to find a card that wasn't too slushy (and they are so expensive!!!) and thought this would just fit the bill.

I hadn't done any cross stitch for a while and this was an easy little thing to do. Took me less than an hour and made me think I should do more cards for special people - bit more personal? There is actually enough thread in the kit to do another of these and I'm sure I have a bit of fabric somewhere so 2 for the price of one!!

I finished the top of the first cushion today...

I just have to decide what to do about the back but I think I'm going to do the top of the second, slightly smaller one first and then decide. I'm trying to use up my stash of Rowan handknit cottons (Kathy would approve, honest, I'm not really being a complete skinflint!) - the colours are nicer than they look here; I just don't have masses of each colour so am trying to come up with two cushion covers that coordinate but are not identical. Need to have a browse through some other blogs for inspiration for cushion 2! I hope she'll like them.

Have just realised this has turned into a very long post so just two more pics... Sunday baking!

Rock cakes for son 1 - gluten free...

And fruit tray bake for the non-gluten free contingent - who couldn't wait for it to get cold before they cut it! Hence a bit crumbly!

Hope you've all had a lovely week, til next time

Sx

moggie love...

Look at this ridiculous cat...

Meet Basil, a 14 year old 'kitten', and 22 year old eldest son catching the rays at the weekend. How is this normal cat behaviour?!!!

The black & white is because I was having a play with the black & white setting for one of this months scavenger hunt photos. I thought 'a black & white portrait' would be a really difficult one for me - I'm not great at being too obvious with the camera as I don't want to make people feel awkward. But think I have one I like which I'll save til the end of the month!

Sx