An invigorating winter's walk

A post-chrimble-prandial walk was called for today. The weather has kept us indoors far longer than we liked.

'By 'eck it were fresh.....' I think the rain went in one ear and out the other at one point.

We walked up to our local grounds where there is a sizeable lake across the football fields. It has steadily grown larger over the last few weeks and it won't be long before it will start to have tides..... How the local footie teams have carried on playing I have no idea.

We eventually blew home and recovered with mugs of tea. 

Despite the enforced battening down of the hatches, we have been busy one way or another.

Turning our chrimbly cards into gift tags for next year. This year has been the first ever that I've not done it - Eldest offered and created a huge pile of tags. He did a really good job too.

Before -  with just the back of the card removed

After - one card making 3 very different tags

I've been playing with some of my chrimbly pressies - a yarn bowl from a colleague (a leaving gift) and yarn from my fav-sis-in-law. 

Lovin' it!

Our chrimbly was a lovely quiet family orientated one. 

I'll end here, got things to finish and the washing up to do, early start tomorrow - I'm the only one working New Year's Eve - my three boys are still off!

So NOT Fair!!

Thinking of you all

I wish you and your loved ones abundant peace and harmony.

I hope you enjoy your festive break how you wish and with whom you wish.

Meri Kurisumasu 

Hien Gaushing Shengdanjye

Maligayang Pasko 

Joyeuese Noel 

Buon Natale 

Feliz Nativadad

Geseende Kersfees 

Frohe Wiehenacht

Gleðileg jól

Blessings

23....walking in Wycoller

23.
23rd December.
Chrimbly day is overmorrow (love that word)

S'funny what you see when you are walking.......wonder why there is a painted number on the tar?

********************************

We needed to get out and get some air, after a week of rain, work and school we all felt a little stir crazy. Every year I write cards for friends in the village and we then set off walking and deliver them. So today, we did that, only we extended the walk to include the villages of Winewall, Cottontree and Wycoller.

It was a super muddy blustery walk. It was just what we needed.

When we finally got back we stripped off our muddy leggings and boots and put on the kettle and reached for the mince pies - what a good way to end a wintery walking day.

22 and our solstice celebrations

We normally try to celebrate winter solstice on the 21st, but this year with one thing or another we delayed it to tonight.

Himself and I have spent a happy afternoon and early evening cooking and chatting while the boys wrapped gifts.

I tried with the boys help, to make a 22 for today's number but despite the repeated tries, the giggles and me trying to fine tune my camera - we came up with this.....

Himself had seen only a night or two ago Jamie Oliver's Best ever mince pies and was inspired. They were delicious - I was so so impressed. 

And, 

they are were so so yum!

20 - 21

Ooops - guess what I didn't do last night!
So here is a bit of a catch up session.

Yesterday, as I left work, I was buffeted and blown across the car park. I'd pulled my hood down square over my eyes to keep off the ice-cold rain only to have the wind catch the hood, flip it backwards, exposing my head to squally showers and dashing my hair into my eyes. Within two steps the wind 'kindly' replaced my hood back onto my head - dumping a load of captured rain water down the back of my head and neck - gee thanks..... I think....

In the car, fingers gripping the steering wheel I aqua-planed home with the rest of the traffic. Windscreen wipers working frantically and the demister on full to try and keep some form of visibility.

What a relief to be home.


It was our knit and natter festive get together last night, there was much jollity and nibbling going on. We did our secret santa, each secreting a present into a bag but leaving a wool and bead 'tail' sticking out. We then went and chose a tail, pulling out a gift.

I did really well getting two delicious balls of Silenzio Color. Now need the time to make something with them, I think I spent a fair bit of the evening fondling them - oops.

For my contribution I'd knitted a scarf ages ago leaving me nearly bursting with the need to post the photos but as it had to remain a secret I had really button my lip!

The cutest secret santa pressie had to be a box full of crochet owl tree ornaments.....

......crocheted by a 15 year old! Aren't they so cute! I love the silly expressions they have :)

Another lovely secret santa pressie (which had been made in an afternoon!) was this cable knitted cushion - it was so soft.

There were other pressies, but I didn't get any photos! Sorry! It was a lovely evening with lovely friends and family - I am very very lucky xx

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

20.

21. 

Winter Solstice.

The turning of the seasons.

The return of the sun.

The beginning.

New.

Blessings.

19.na..na...na...na..19

19th December.
19.
Only 12 days left to the end of the year.
Only 5 more shopping days.
Only 2 days to the shortest day - only 2 days till the lighting of the Yule log.
Only 2 days till the seasons turn and the darkness recedes and the sun quietly returns.


Thank goodness for road signs!

Another good day at work and I am *t*i*r*e*d but a good tired :) It is our knit and natter chrimbly do tomorrow with a secret santa, nibbles and giggles!
Will report back - hope you had a good Wednesday and here's to an even better Thursday !!

18 and a spot of rain......

My new job has a brilliant title - (unofficial of course) it is 'chief kitten and puppy cuddler! Why? Well, I have returned to my first love and I am back in a veterinary surgery. And I am ♥L♥O♥V♥I♥N♥G♥ I♥T  :D

Oh yes, 18.
18th December 18.
It was our summer holiday and we were pressed hard against a stone wall sheltering from icy cold rain.

Himself was getting money out of a hole in the wall (cash machine) and we were waiting for him. Dressed for a typical summer's day - in our waterproofs and warm clothes - I noticed the most wonderful old piece of street furniture - a cast iron drainpipe clamp. 1895. I stared - how could I used an entire date? I shuffled away , still sheltering from the driving rain and managed to take a photo without cutting off the far numbers and without getting too wet.

Himself, now sorted, pulled his hood down firmly over his eyes, hunched his shoulders and gathered us up, we dashed out into the rain, across the wet street and into a most welcome museum.

17...the countdown continues

Oh, what a day!
My head is spinning full of new things and new faces - but been a good day.

A quick 17 - not an easy number to find so when Himsef spotted this one I wasted no time snapping a picture. Not particularly pretty or interesting but numerically perfect!

Right, lots to say but tired, will share some stories soon, I suspect this has been a most enjoyable Monday I have had in a long time

16 and festive fayre fun

16.

16th December.

15 days left in the year.

We'd been out walking (like we do) and only after we had been out all day and collapsed back at the car, muddy and exhausted, I noticed the road sign - perfect.

We had a busy afternoon at the craft fayre today, lots of flyers went off with visitors. We even picked up some new stall holders for our Yarnival event in March.

Donkeys and sheep were there for a living advent and folk clasped hot mulled wine and nibbled mince pies. My friend and I judged the adult craft section - It was a fun afternoon.

As dusk fell, carollers sang festive songs and the lights twinkled in the tree and along fences.

It was a lovely community affair.

13,14,15 and festive creativity!

Life seems to have been running faster than I can keep up, so will try to make amends and do a bit of a catch up.

Firstly 13.

Snaking it's way over and around the Kintyre is a national footpath. A secretive and wild one, linking both coastlines and covering most of the inland following a contorted route. Dotted along the way are waymarkers, painted blue with a loopy design down them. It took me a while to realise what the squiggly pattern was representing....

It is the Paps of Jura (the hills of Jura), a rugged island off the Scottish mainland used mainly now for deer stalking by the well heeled and deep pocketed minority. It boasts a population of about 180-ish islanders

14.

Found by Eldest who took my camera and started taking photos, he was thinking of it for my heart-a-thon in February rather than the number, I saw the number!

15.

We spent a delightful sunny morning last year wandering around vintage vehicles in the market town of Kirby Stephen. It was warm and bright and full of glossy coated shiny shiny cars and trucks. A most enjoyable day out was had by all.

Those who are regular visitors to my wafflings will remember that once yearly a group of us get together to make our festive wreaths, bowers and table decorations. This year was no different.

There was much cutting and tying of festive foliage, sprinkling of glitter and adding of ribbon. Of course there was the obligatory nibbling and drinking of tea and the usual dreadful assortment of seasonal music.

Once again, it was a successful afternoon.

So, now my front door is adorned by a heart shaped ivy and holly covered wreath. Time to put up the rest of  our decorations x

Have a lovely weekend my dears (I can hear my little Gran's voice saying that in my head as I type it), I've got another busy day tomorrow - we - Yarnival, have been invited to hold a stall at a 'Handmade Craft Fayre'.We shall sell our wares and hand out leaflets to advertise our next woolly adventure. Will post some photos and updates on the Yarnival site some time this weekend,

Oh yes, new job Monday..... ooh err!

12.12.12

....a sound check man's perfect day....

1..2..1...2...1...2 testing testing ..... thanks Jak for that :)


Brief but succinct - too tired for anything else!

night
 xx

11. Not just a number.

11th December, 345th day of the year.

Today, this would have been my Gran's birthday - Happy birthday Gran!


I think this must rate as my favourite photo for my counting down with pictures.....

A sweet little beach hut.

On a wind swept promenade.

Where a few hardy souls were either fishing or just cogitating. 

A number of the beach huts were being used,

their occupants sheltering inside their mini-worlds

some had radios quietly trilling to them, others read books,

some interiors were neat and tidy

with colour coordinated bunting and paint

most were a jumble of sea-associated paraphernalia 

This one,

number 11,

had a beautifully made felt number

The images must mean something special to the owners of this little red box.

I would love to know.

And, for your festive enjoyment - a real oldie (but goodie) Santa baby done by Eartha Kitt and 'friends'

Other news.....

Pan, who has turned out to be a wonderful little cat came to a momentous decision yesterday.

It appears that life with out a bowl full of cat-nibbles is not worth living.........

 Oh dear, I suspect we have to re-think the catering committee, we they seem to have failed (again)..........

More other news - LOOK! I mean, really look, eggs - this time of the year!! One of our dotty hens is laying torpedo shaped eggs daily at the moment. I am not sure who is more surprised - us or her!

Hope your Wednesday tips you towards a lovely end of the week xxxxxxxx hawthorn

10 on the way to a small island heaven

10.

Ten.

10th December.

There is a jewel of an island near the peninsular of Kintyre. A small gem in an azure sea. With brilliant white sands and dark black rock. Where silkyfat seals slip through water as skiffs bob the waves skippered by nutbrown weather beaten locals. 

I fell in love with this brave little lump of land, loved and occupied by fiercely independent and desperately-trying-to-be self sufficient people who's only link to the outside world is a  rusty ferry with an engine sporting an asthmatic wheeze.

Ah - Gigha* - I left a piece of my heart with you.

*Prounounced Gear to rhyme with here

And - here is something completely silly Grandma got run over by a reindeer