Derbyshire dales...

Thanks for lovely comments on my last couple of posts - seems there are a few people out there enjoying the rippling fest that is going on in blogland at the moment! I feel encouraged to keep going with it!

A couple of weeks ago I managed to escape for a couple of days to Derbyshire, partly to visit son 2 who is living and working just south of Derby and partly because I had a burning desire to walk up hills! I know that sounds a bit daft but when you live in East Anglia hills are in very short supply and, for me anyway, nothing beats that satisfaction of getting to the top of a hill/mountain. I love that sense of achievement, combined with the feeling of the world spread out beneath you. Even small peaks have this effect on me, it might be just a valley or a small patch of countryside beneath me but it still takes my breath away for a few minutes (or maybe that's just my lack of fitness climbing the hill???!!!).

Unfortunately, this was the week the weather was just beginning to turn and so it was a bit grey and windy but undeterred I set off at 8am when S was heading off to work and was in the Dales and walking by 9am.

Not the most auspicious start to a footpath...

However, I set off past the gents and the path soon opened out...

It really wasn't a difficult path to follow but very pleasant through a gentle valley and through young woodland...

...past a bubbling stream...

The odd sheep gave me a cursory glance as I walked past...

Believe it or not, this bit was steeper than it looks...!

I had to stop at the top of this bit for what is known in our family as a 'tactical gawp'!! Once I'd got my breath back I followed the path into a track that passed a derelict barn...

and then this wide spread of countryside appeared...

Not dramatic, in the way that the Lake District or the Scottish Highlands are, but very easy on the eye all the same, even with grey skies. I don't think the photos really do it justice.

More animal life...

Isn't the brown one in the middle pretty?! (or is that just me?!!)

Just as I was beginning to hallucinate about tea and cake (essential component of any good English walk, I always feel!), this appeared, with a sign just out of shot that said cafe!!!

This is a Jacobean mansion, which for many years now has been Hartington Youth Hostel - and made a great cup of tea!!

I had a bit of a dilemma at this point as, according to my little book of 'Circular walks in the Derbyshire Dales' this first walk should have taken about 5 hours. I was sipping my tea ten minutes from the starting point at 11.30 so I think this was something of an underestimation! I do like to stride out and feel I've had a proper leg stretch but I don't walk that fast!! A quick look at the OS map and I decided to head a bit further North and satisfy that 'Up' itch! So back in the car and up towards Macclesfield to walk up a little peak called Shutingsloe. 

I took the approach from the South East, from a little village called Wildboarclough from where you could see the hill across the valley...

This was a short sharp walk - the top is only just over 500m, but you are rewarded with great views across Cheshire and even in the rather bleak skies that day it was worth it...

It was sooo windy up here, I could barely keep on my feet or hold the camera still! But it certainly blew a few cobwebs away and was just what I needed.

The next morning dawned brighter but very cold - one of those crisp autumn mornings - so I just took a quick trip into Ashby-de-la-Zouch before heading back across to Norfolk. This is a pretty little market town and lovely to walk round early. The light was lovely on the castle...

and the fallen leaves were glowing in that low Autumn sunshine...

And... to top my couple of days, I found a very cute little crafty shop with some yummy yarns so it had to be done...

This is King Cole Riot DK - a wool and acrylic blend - and is just so soft and scrumptiously squishy. I have Christmas presents in mind and bought a pattern (I think this is the first time I've ever bought a crochet pattern, other than the odd book)...

I have a couple of people in mind for these scarves - perfect projects for the next couple of train trips to London I thought! Will let you know how I get on! 

I have loads more to share but feel this has gone on long enough! Will try to catch up with myself over the next couple of days - I have this months garden pics and some finished objects to share with you, plus update on the rippling...

Ripple update...

Not sure why but the photo of my Big Ripple Blanket seems to have disappeared off my last post. And, irritatingly, I can't find it again! I'm sure its somewhere, filed in a folder called crafty pics, or colourful pics, or home pics... The trouble is, when I file things away (virtual or otherwise) it makes perfect sense to me at the time - its only later that the brain fails to engage with the filing system...

Anyway thought I'd post a few photos of my very slow progress on the ripple...

9th January 2011, things started quite well! By 15th January, I had got this far...

Then I sort of lost my mojo for rippling, got sidetracked by other things and suspect it wasn't much bigger when I took this photo in April...

Little bit more rippling in June, but it was way too hot really to sit outside with a blanket on your lap!

Thing went a bit dormant for a while again then just lately I've picked it up and given myself a bit of a talking to! Spurred on by Heather and Lucy's Ripple-along, I'm determined to get this done!

This was todays photo...

It is already quite big and heavy, but I really wanted it to be a Big Ripple Blanket and cover a double bed so...onwards!

Heather and Lucy's flickr group has loads of lovely ripply photos so if that's your thing...

Happy rippling!

Sx

October on the beach...

Thanks to you all for your kind comments on my last couple of posts - I do try to reply personally when I can but there are some 'no-reply' commenters so to you nice people, thanks for taking the time to have a look at my little bloggy world and leave me your thoughts. It is surprisingly exciting to know that anyone likes to read my ramblings! 

Finally, I got around to taking my beach photos from a couple for weeks ago off my phone! I couldn't believe I'd forgotten my camera so these are iphone pics. It was a bit tricky to take photos as it was so bright that I couldn't really see what I was taking because of the reflections on the screen!

I still can't quite believe that in the first week in October, in the UK, we were able to sit on the beach in summer clothes and the kids swam in the North Sea!

The water was unusually clear...

...and the sun was sparkling on the ripples...

Even the smallest people enjoyed digging holes in the sand...

I do love the coast, expect this will be the last 'hot weather' beach outing this year - lovely late summer treat!

On a different tack, very tempted to tag along with Heather and Lucy and their Ripple along... I've been making very slow progress with my Big Ripple Blanket, seriously distracted by lots of other projects along the way and could do with a bit of motivation to help it along!

This was taken in June and I think I've only added a couple of rows since! Off to add a row or two now!!

Til next time, happy rippling if you are too!

Sx

autumn mists...

We had a few beautiful misty mornings when we had that lovely warm weather last week - waking to a chill in the air and thick mist across the fields with a promise of glowing sun to burn it away...

Last weekend I dropped my eldest son early at the train station and drove back 'the long way round' which took me near the river and the marshes where the light and the mist was really pretty.

The hedgerows were strewn with dew-coated spiders' webs...

The sun soon began to drive the mist away and this turned into a scorching day, which gave us an unexpected October trip to the beach (more of that another day if I ever get round to downloading the photos!).

I love to be in the hills and they are in very short (non-existant!) supply in Norfolk but there is no denying the light and the wide skies are very beautiful at times.

Til next time then

Sx

Loving London...

I'm feeling a bit out of sorts because I'm so out of sync with getting things posted! I know it really doesn't matter but it makes more sense to me (especially when I look back...) if these little snippets of life are in some kind of logical order! 

So although, it's properly cold today and I can hardly think we are going to be lucky enough to have any more unseasonal sunny warm weather, I need to fill in the gaps of the last couple of weeks - when we had sunshine and lovely blue skies!

I have officially had a couple of weeks off work ( I say officially, because in fact I have been in more than I've been off really - why do big projects start to get moving just as you are about to go on leave?) and I have managed a couple of days doing nice things. Son 3 has been desperate for a trip to 'the big smoke' for ages so we splashed out, took a train to Liverpool Street last Tuesday afternoon and then had the whole of Wednesday to do what we wanted.

We risked a late booked 'secret hotel' which found us in the redeveloped Docklands area. It was a bit further out than I'd planned but not an area I've explored before and, to be honest, nowhere is difficult to get to on the tube.

I loved these architectural structures - relics, I presume, from the days when this was a working dock and  well before all those waterfront properties were developed (we couldn't help wondering what these places are worth???). This area actually felt remarkably quiet - I guess it gets busier in the working day but in the evening and early morning it felt virtually empty apart from a few runners jogging round the waters edge.  

T was keen to see Camden street market, so we set off promptly (after the biggest - included in the price, gotta be done! - breakfast ever!) and arrived before even all the stalls were set up. Camden has an eclectic mix of crafty stuff, London tourist 'tat' and general 'stuff' of pretty much any sort and it is easy to spend a couple of hours just wandering around.

I don't remember there being so many signs up saying 'no photos' before (maybe I've just never noticed!) but it was surprisingly empty so I felt a bit inhibited about taking pics of the stalls. So you'll have to make do with my Swan Vesta son (to be fair - the hair has faded quite a bit!) glowing in the sunshine!

It was so hot that ice-cream was calling us and we stopped at Chin Chin's - a nitrogen ice-cream bar where they freeze the ice-cream in front of you with liquid nitrogen. It's a fun spectacle and the ice-cream is deliciously smooth - even for someone like me who is not a huge ice cream fan (I always get that horrible 'brain freeze thing!) this was very welcome...

Mine was chocolate with fresh raspberry sauce and white chocolate, T had grape sorbet, with chocolate sauce and popping candy. Delish!!!

We walked up through Chalk Farm - look at this amazing bit of street art...

and on through the 'posh bit' of Primrose Hill, where apparently the great and good live, so we tried a bit of celeb spotting...didn't see anyone I recognised! But then I probably wouldn't know half of the people who are supposed to live there anyway - I'm a bit clueless, don't watch much telly!!

Primrose Hill itself was beautiful, you can see right across the capital...

...so we decided to just sit and chill in the sunshine.

Time for a spot of public knitting...

(it was a good couple of days for it! Two train journeys and a bit of sitting about time - bliss!) ...and people watching...

I had a bit of bike envy here! How lovely to be able to cycle to this beautiful piece of park with your book and the sit in the dappled shade of a tree...

And I have no idea why this lady was dressed like this in the middle of a scorching late September day...

She had the most amazing feather headdress on and I loved the gorgeous bright blue of her dress.

We decided to walk back to the city rather than go 'underground' on such a beautiful day so headed down through Regent's Park...

You forget how much lovely green space there is in this city - really beautiful.

We took in Oxford Street and Carnaby Street (I have to just walk through Liberty's and yes, we did go and have a quick peek at their Christmas floor!) where we found a lovely little wool and craft shop in a little courtyard...

I had to be very restrained with all this lovely colourfulness and T was very patient while I oo'd and aa'd and squished!

On through, Chinatown...

...to Covent Garden, where the entertainment is always worth a watch.

By the time we got as far as Trafalgar Square the light had changed to that lovely golden glow that you get in late summer evenings...

Nelson's Column and the surrounding buildings looked as though they were lit against the still blue, cloudless sky.

By this stage, we had walked miles and our feet were beginning to complain, but it was great to spend a bit of one to one time with T - something that seems so much harder to do the older the boys get. 

And definitely a little bit of 'holiday time' in my mad week!

Sx  

Decluttering...

I have been storing furniture ready for my friend to move into her new home and this has triggered a bit of a (long overdue!) sort out of the area we rather humorously call the 'study'. I couldn't bring myself to take a before photo - suffice to say there was barely a bit of floor you could walk across, the bookshelf was so overloaded it was risking bodily injury trying to extract a book and there was not an inch of space on the desk that made it useable!

However, the arrival of my bureau bargain find prompted a big tidy up and I have been uncharacteristically ruthless in what I have allowed myself to keep. The trouble is I am quite a tidy freak by nature so I hate it when things are in a muddle and the difficult thing about living with a houseful of people (I may be wrong, but I think especially when they are all men??!!) is that not everyone shares my desire to put books away properly or put the stapler back where its supposed to be or shred old documents instead of balancing them on the shredder for someone else to do...!!!

But I can't just do 'a quick tidy' round - if I'm going to sort it, I have to Sort It!! Properly! And that means going through every cupboard, box, shelf etc and reorganising everything (is this sounding a bit problematic? I promise I don't have a pristine house and most of the time I just try not to look and tolerate everyone's debris!) This is why it took me two days to sort the study - and told I was controlling into the bargain...

I still can't take a photo as the room is still stuffed with furniture which is going elsewhere but it is getting there and beginning to look a bit more like it could be a useable room again!

Don't you always find though, that there are some things you just cannot part with???

I always struggle with getting rid of books - I just love to have them around and so many have life moments tied up in them. These four made it back on to the shelf - even though my boys are far too old for them now but they used to be among their favourites. They were read so often that we all knew them word for word - 'Guess how much I love you' became a regular bedtime fixture as last story of the night (I love you to the moon and back...). Maybe I'll be reading them to grandchildren one day... (not yet thanks!!!).

I also found this funny little book of makes...

Lord knows where this came from, might have been an acquisition from my mum at some point - some of the makes were not entirely outdated but the text is shockingly so. This laundry bag looks like a very practical make (I had been scooping up piles of washing off bedroom floors.)...

but what really made me smile was this...

The assumption being of course that it was clearly an unnecessary gift for a married man, whose dear little wife would be sorting washing for him! My eldest son was rather appalled but it just made me laugh - has anything changed that much?! We don't readily accept that kind of attitude publicly but we all still do most of what I heard referred to as 'pink jobs' (as opposed to blue or purple jobs!!!). 

I have to confess, this little book made it back onto the shelf too!

There was time in the grand sorting for a little late summer sun appreciation...

Bliss!

Sx

photo hunting...September

I almost got this post out on time - it was just about ready to go yesterday when I realised I'd missed one picture! So I have to confess that one was taken this morning so didn't quite manage all in September!

This month I have tried really hard to get the photos in Kathy's list - some of them were a serious challenge for me but here are my offerings for September...

Back to school...

I really struggled here! I don't have any school age people any more and am not anywhere near a school run...so I improvised... 'Back to school' when I was a child meant shoe cleaning! My Dad was a stickler for smart shiny shoes and would have had a fit at this pair!

Football season...

Equally challenging! Not a huge football fan and no small boys to go and watch anymore... was going to take a photo of son 3 reading a book - he can't abide football (he once told me he'd joined in with the football at school - as a goalpost!) and takes to his books when the football takes over the TV. Then I spotted this window on a trip to London this week!

What's in your bag...

I'm not really a huge, overstuffed bag person - I never quite know what people put in them, think its from years of working in a job where carrying a bag wasn't an option! But for my day out to London this week I had a few more bits - scarf in case I got cold (it was 27 degrees on Wenesday! But I was glad of it by the train journey home again late in the evening), purse, camera, CK purse of 'essentials', and current knitting (next pair of socks!!) - think my phone and some tissues must have been in there too! 

Relaxation...

Sons 1 and 3 looking pretty relaxed at Harvest at Jimmy's...

Harvest...

The harvest was so early this year, this one had me scratching my head too - the fields had all been emptied near me. Then I spotted this at the festival at Jimmy's farm!

A pile of things...

Or several piles, in fact! This is part of the grand study clear out and rearrange - how much 'stuff' does one family accumulate! I have bagged up 5 big bags of books to take to the charity shop tomorrow - although it slightly grieves me to part with books I think I have to be realistic about what we are ever going to need or use - lots of this I had forgotten we had even got! Plus a pile of discarded phones - again something that just grows - particularly in a house with 5 mobiles on the go! Must try to recycle these...

Desk/workspace...

This is the one I forgot to take yesterday! I'm loving the fact that everything has a neat little home in this newly found bureau!

Public phone box...

There aren't many around now are there! Rapidly becoming obsolete in the aftermath of the ubiquitous mobile phone...most villages round here seem to have one very dingy overgown one but once again London came up trumps with these two scarlet beauties just before Primrose Hill

Something taller than you...

So many possibilities here but these were lovely trees.

Apples...

...on the tree in my garden.

A road sign...

Is this cheating? It is a road sign...!

A view from above...

In London again, just off Carnaby Street.

I enjoyed the hunt agian this month so thansk to Kathy - wonder what's on October's list?

Sx