I've been knitting......

....And going cross-eyed and twisted fingers to do so......

  Why you ask?

Well, when they are finished - I'll show you!

Yarnival Poster update

Hello!

Hope to see you there!

Little things...

little things that make my day............

Our girls have been happily laying.

My second 'Wurm' is just as delicious as the first. 

Made with a lighter yarn so I can wear it as the weather warms up.

The bag inspector gets on with her career choice.

Wicked wicked wicked chocolate cake.

Walking with my boys.

Late winter sunsets

My favourite tree.

What makes you happy?
What little things make you smile?

What delicious things have you nibbled this week?

Have you a favourite tree?
Go on - share your favourite little things 

Almost the weekend - where ever you are - enjoy!

with love hawthorn xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

In which we wash the kitchen floor.....

But before I reveal such details - a Yarnival update - 

Adelaide Walker - the friendly fibre people supplying Merino wool tops and natural wool tops for spinners and feltmakers.

Kumihimo Braiding - a very popular return, demonstrating braiding and selling kits

Angela Barrow - felt maker - beautiful hand felted items, advice and demonstrations 

Emily Foulds  supplying knits, wools and gifts - new to Yarnival 2013.

Freyalyn's Fibres - supplying hand dyed yarns and fleece fibre

the hawthorn tree wools -  supplying hand spun and hand dyed yarns from small independent companies

Rare Breed Sheep - Information stand and hopefully lambs (we were lucky enough to have some last year!)

Yarnival-knit and natter group craft table - so much to choose from, the ladies have been busy crafting and creating for all tastes and pockets - come and have a look.

Thread of Life new to us this year but bringing some much needed crochet hooks, tools, books and cotton threads 

Julie Owen Hand spun - an independent supplier of hand spun wools - BFL, Gotland and Shetland. Another welcome addition to this year's festival.

We also have our very popular Yarnival Cafe returning with cakes and teas, sandwiches and delicious home made bread and soup. 

It is not that far off from the festival and there is lots still to do, but I am lucky enough to have such a close-knit (pun fully intended) group of yarny friends and family that everything will be sorted out nicely!

Now, the kitchen floor....Oh before that little yarn (oops did you see what I did there?!!) another tale...

I've been knitting.

I love wearing my 'Wurm' hat so much that I fancied another one. The green one I made is super warm and snug and now that the weather is getting milder (fingers crossed) I thought I could make a lighter weight one.

So, I nipped out one lunch time (you remember I mentioned that I just HAPPENED to have a LYS a few yards away from where I work.....)

And bought some yarn.

I fell in love with its beautiful blues, and just had to take it walking with me.

And I just HAD to take suitably walking type photos!

It continues to grow - slower that I'd like, but seeing that as soon as I get home I seem to slump on the settee with barely any energy. I love my job - it is busy and very physical and I am kept really really active all day.

The variations seem to show even better with the pattern - I think I am going to love this one so very much!

Oh yes - the kitchen floor. 

We went out, we had planned on a walk but at the last minute decided not to. We thought we'd better get walking socks and a coat for Eldest who is off to Iceland (wowser!) shortly. 

When we returned the floor was AWASH with water and there was water gushing through the ceiling.  I rushed upstairs fearing the worst - our water tanks are in our bedroom and my precious yarn is right next to them. 
Nothing. 
The boys and I then charged into the bathroom expecting a tidal flow.
Nothing. 

Just a small damp patch on the bathmat. HUH?

Then we realised that the pipe that feeds water into the cistern had sprung a leak and water was being squirted beneath the floor of the bathroom. 

Himself quickly switched off the stop-cock as the boys and I laid towels on the kitchen floor and tried to place containers under the 'indoor waterfalls'.

We went out again - this time to the local DIY.

Whilst Himself did the essential repairs, I dried the floor, rescued the floating cat food, wrung out the towels, washed walls and drained the convector heater as I tried to avoid being dripped on from above!
We now have a sparkly clean kitchen.

Tomorrow - we go for our walk!

Biscuit hearts

I thought I better pop in. Been busy you see.
Work, life, yadda yadda.

It has taken me a while to get into the routine of my new longer hours and the resulting much less free time. But every now and then I get a burst of energy - this evening was one such time.
I made biscuits!

I saw these......here.....at eskimo❄rose and JUST HAD TO MAKE THEM! I didn't do the cream and raspberry bit - not got that sort of stuff stashed away in my baking reserves but I did do the chocolate shortbread biscuits - yum!

I deviated slightly in so much that I was a little too generous with the cocoa (in a sort of...there is only a little bit left in the tin - I'll just chuck it in too....kind of way) that I decided that I would sprinkle caster sugar on the surface prior to baking. Himself declared them yumbledocious as he wolfed them down.

'fraid there's not that many left now...think it might be I will have to make them again !

I must admit to finding it difficult finding the 'energy' to blog - it's not that I have nothing to say - I ALWAYS have something to say, it is just finding the time and making the effort - I am not going to promise to 'blog more' or to 'blog regularly on specific days' - I know I won't be able to keep to such promises, but I will promise to blog - when I can - I hope you understand xxx

I ♥ the Orkneys

Some times I feature some hearts kindly photographed by friends and family. 

Today's hearts were found a craft shop up in the Orkney Islands.

Thank you Gillian!

It is just over 3 1/2 years since we were there on holiday and we still talk about it. Mind you it was more of an act of survival that a jolly holiday.......!

A heart of stone

Today's heart is generously sponsored by Shap Abbey.♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ 

We chanced upon this relic from the Premonstratensian order dating from the 15th century  I suppose if we had come along the main road we would have seen signs down to it, but we had been walking over the moors and then dropped into a sharp hidden valley.To see this Abbey in the middle of 'nowhere' was a delight!
We wandered around its beautifully maintained rocks and were suitably impressed by the magnificent of the tower and the stonework.

These rather large billowing pillow type lumps were bases for polished marble shafts that supported decorated arches.

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

Give blood

Today's heart - thanks to Scotblood.

Speeding along a rain dashed freeway - the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service - Scotblood. 

Taken while we were on holiday last summer on the unforgettable Kintyre peninsula. 

I ♥ Sally

Graffiti - these days can be a quick pen assisted scribble - as this photo shows - a fleeting brief moment in history that will eventually fade with time and rain.....

Or it can be something that may last even longer than the first flush of love and grow and mature as the tree ages............one wonders - did their love last?

I♥ ewe

In this jumble of jumps - a heart.


I L♥VE ewe!

Sweet like chocolate

Where I used to work,  patients would bring in boxes of chocolates or biscuits in the lead up to chrimbly time. They would be stashed aside, then in the final week before chrimbly day we would do a raffle and get to take home a box of something. Any hoo - I had left a couple of weeks before the raffle to start my new job. It never even crossed my mind that I would be included in the raffle. 

Then early on in the New Year I was summoned to my old job and with trepidation I popped in on the way home. Only to be presented with the most gorgeous box of chocolate biscuits. It never even occurred to me that they would still put my name in the hat - but they had.

They didn't last long - but long enough for one of the boys to spot the heart shaped biscuit and arrange a photo for me. I was then given the honour of munching on a heart biscuit - and I have to say it was particularly yum.

S'funny old world.

cadaver any one?

Yesterday - Saturday, we had a rather enjoyable day. Nothing outstanding, just a fun day. But before I share our escapades, today's heart has been supplied by Himself and Pan.

Firstly we (well read that as I) decided that giddy-dog was very over due a bath. Her 'dogfume' was a little eye-watering and her whites were not as white as they could be. Once upon a time, we would put her in our old enamal bath and fill it up with lovely warm water but since the bathroom was done up, our new bath was one of those shiny white acrylics ones and I have always been a bit concerned that her claws would mark the surface.

We now fill the wheelbarrow with lovely warm water and she, bless her as reluctant as she is, will hop in and sit down. A picture says a thousand words............ so here are four thousand words.

Having dried and brushed giddy-dog we then all piled into the landie and set off for the Dales - we had a date with a rescue dog to keep :)

We deliberately arrived a couple of hours too early so that we could get a walk first. The views were fantastic and we ended up on Attermire Scar for lunch. It was glorious being able to see blue sky and a clear horizon. The breeze was a bit cutting, but sitting in the sun in the lea of a large lumpy rock was superb.

Attermire Scar, we sat in the centre below the small sharp sugar-loaf lump in the skyline

 The view from my lunch spot - in the distance is a dark slash of woodland - where we were to meet the rescue dog

Wonder who rubbed up against this convenient post? We suspected the Highland cattle that dotted the hillside. Mind you - they look more like teddy bears than cattle....

With one eye on the clock and the other eye through the camera lens, we came off the hills and headed back to the land rover. We still had to find our rescue dog.

Why the rush? And why a rescue dog?

Well, we had volunteered ourselves to be 'bodies' lost in woodland for a young trainee mountain rescue dog. We met up with her trainer who explained what was needed and let us 'lose' ourselves in the trees. We had to remain quiet and out of sight but not too far from the path as the dog needed to find us relatively easily and lead her trainer to us. Then as she got more into the swing of things, we were allowed to venture a little further off the path and hide ourselves a little more. All four of us plus a friend and her daughter took off and chose a suitable hidey-hole and became immobile and silent. And bless her - she found us all!

Her reward? A purple squeaky toy and lots of pats and praise. Her trainer was delighted with her progress and hopefully we will be told to 'get lost' again next time she has to practise. We loved it.

Then to cap off a rather enjoyable day - we happened to see the Union of South Africa and a glorious sunset - what a day!

So what out of the ordinary things did you get up to this weekend?
Or did you have a lovely quiet one?
Hope the sun shined for you where ever you are!

Here's to the beginning of the week - who'da thought I would be saying that?!

I ♥ horses!

Guess who - across the world - receives the most Valentine's day cards?

Would you have chosen - teachers?

Well, it is, teachers receive the most, followed by children, mums, wives, sweethearts then pets.....

Today's heart is wonderfully supplied by a rather lovely grey.

We'd spent a lovely day out walking along the Scottish-English borders, real Reivers country, and now as we were reaching our end, we walked through a field filled with Cheviot sheep (native to the area) and two grazing grey horses.
One showed no interest and grazed on, ignoring us as we trudged through. The second horse, watched us the whole time as we followed the pathway. She never took her eyes off us. I watched her back.

As much as I love horses, I am fully aware of their rather fickle nature and am wary if a horse is too interested in our presence. This one, however, never moved a step, and what's more, she provided me with a rather unexpected heart shaped chestnut.

Brilliant!

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

Sealed with a kiss

Why do we sign our love with an X?

Well, it is believed that the 'X' mark became synonymous with a kiss as during medieval times, when so many could not write their names would  have to sign with an 'X', then would lean down and kiss the mark as proof of sincerity.

Today's hearts are supplied by:

3 dress making pins.

I, through a friend, had a short stint of photographing fabric for a website. I quite enjoyed the 'work' of the picture creating, but think I couldn't do it long term.

I prefer the spontaneity of picture taking that I do. I see something and photo it - simple.

Annual Heart-a-thon❤

February has, especially in the northern hemisphere, has a rather dull outlook. Post chrimbly, dreary weather, too early for spring. Not much going for it. 

Apart from a single day that seems to mean so much. 

Valentine's day.❤❤

There are various theories on it's origin but the most accepted comes from the time of the Romans. During the reign of Claudius II (270 AD), it was decided that unmarried men made better soldiers. A Bishop - Valentine, went against these wishes and performed weddings in secret. He was as a result, jailed then executed by order of the Emperor on February 14th. It is alleged that whilst in jail he fell in love with the jailer's daughter. He wrote her a love note and signed it 'From your Valentine'.

The rest, as they say, is history.❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Every year, (in my previous blog) I would celebrate the symbol of love - the heart - each day, with a bit of waffle and a photo.
Today's photo was taken by Eldest - last summer, on a wonderfully hot day (yes, I know - what is one of those??!)

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤How wonderful is that shape!?!❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤Happy FRIDAY to you all❤❤❤❤❤❤❤