February - almost gone...

I have written (in my head) at least three posts, only when I start typing - the words fail to come to life.

At the moment thoughts do not transfer themselves from my imagination, through my fingers, onto the keyboard and finally on to the screen. Suspect it is coz I am tired, coz my head is so full that it is difficult to separate out stories from guff, coz I seem to have a lot going on and just, well just coz...

Good stuff.
Walking, breathing bracing air, drinking tea on the side of a hill.

Not so good.
Losing a furry walking friend after years of companionship - it has hit me harder than I thought.

Making and baking.
Carrot cake, sticky malt loaf, Swedish sticky cake, creamy salmon curry (can't find the link for it sorry) and Brioche bread and butter pudding, they are my February five new recipes.

 Sticky malt loaf

Brioche bread and butter pud

Knitting.
After a month or two of knitting this.......

I'd completed the back and had almost finished the front when in a moment of realisation of how much I hated what I was creating - I frogged the whole thing in a flash.  It made me feel so much better.  The green has been stashed for another day and the heather wool plus a saved cream wild silk yarn is growing into this....

Mittens, with a nordic star just beginning to appear. I feel soothed as it grows, even when I'd miscalculated and had to frog back several rows - I still feel happy.

Grateful.
For all the wishes and hugs, the comments and thoughts and the friendship over the net. Thank you.

Planning.
Eldest's 17th birthday (Seventeen...!) Where has the time gone?  We are going to celebrate with a fondue, something I remember from my childhood fondly and with the help of Lovely Lady from Threads Through My Life and my Jak, my Mom, we have three fondue pots to share between nine hungry tummies - think it's going to be a lot of fun!

Tidying.
Hitting a room at a time and completely removing a section, only returning what we want, really really want to stay.  The rest being recycled, rehomed or thrown away.  Today was the turn of the kitchen and it has been stripped of all the things we've collected, not tidied away or just not need and I feel exhausted!! but satisfied :)

Lost.
My cell phone. Originally thought to be languishing out on the hills since our last walk.

Found.
My cell phone. Correctly found languishing in a pocket at home a week later.

Sigh.

How was your February?
What did you get up to?
What did you find after you thought you'd lost it forever?
Are you ready for March?

Go on, spill the beans - what exciting things have you got planned?

xxxxxx

Moving on

Thank you.

Thank you all for your kind words.

Your gentle words.

Your commiserations and your own memories of your losses.

Thank you for sharing thoughts and sending love.

Thank you.

Saturday's walk felt a little strange.

 There was a definite 'hole' in our little walking pack.

I have as best as I can, replied to you all on the blogger's 'reply-to-comment', if you did not get anything back - my apologies, I am not too sure how successful blogger's comment reply is.  Just know that your thoughts were all very appreciated and worked their gentle magic. *smile*

xxx

I have been quietly catching up on all your blogs - what a pleasant way to spend a quiet evening :)

RIP Cleggy

Today our dear little stinky dog aka Giddy Dog and latterly Geriatric Dog - Cleggy was put to sleep.

She suffered a stroke and very quickly deteriorated. We take comfort in the fact she was fit (albeit a little doddery) and loving her walks on the hills right to the last.

She gave us nearly 15 years worth of walks and holidays, posed for silly photos, ran around and around and around with Youngest and gave us her 'special-to-us' giddy dog moments.

We shall miss you xx

Today

Today.

Today I woke up having had a straight 7 hours uninterrupted sleep which after a moment or two turned into a 9 hour sleep. Must have needed it.

Today Eldest spent the day with Girlfriend. Youngest was bored.

Today we ate Himself's first and absolutely brilliant attempt at baking a rich fruit cake. Yum.

Today I finally baked my first half decent carrot cake (there have been some disastrous versions over the years - including one cake even the birds WOULD NOT eat).

Today Youngest's size 10 feet needed new walking boots.

Today the house is gently filled with the scent of stargazer lilies from my valentine flowers.

Today Geriatric Dog (formerly known as Giddy Dog) had a not so funny turn and is now quietly sleeping next to the radiator - an old and doddery dog :(  Not looking good.

Today I did some in-car knitting and at-home tinking........ Should have concentrated a bit more.

Today.

Today has been quiet.

Today is nearly over. A rather all too brief weekend.

 Tomorrow Geriatric Dog goes to work with me, hopefully she will come back home too...

Valentine's Day 2015

This morning I awoke to find a bunch of roses and lilies and a card - want to know something?

I love him so much xxx

 I had to work Saturday so the boys came up afterwards for a walk in the Dales - I'll let the pictures do the talking...

 

 

In places where the wind was cutting we pressed on through the landscape and other more sheltered spots we lingered and just took in the view.

What a lovely afternoon xx

What happen to you today?

Did you have to work?

Did you get out for a walk?

Did you get flowers?

I can  happily say yes to all three!

In which I just wing it❤

Some hearts are collected months in advance, others just 'fall in to my lap'. Tonight's knit and natter was proof of just that :)

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

One special lady shared with us her latest completed projects -  She has recently taken up needle punch and creates beautiful little works of art....

These little hearts are actually.....

these little hen's wings!

Are they not just the sweetest little pictures?

 Yes- we thought so too!
I can't wait to see what she makes next :)

And talking of 'sweet' - these two furbags can be rather cantankerous with each other but when it is cold and the fire is on - they are suddenly best friends and cuddle up.

Ah well, I shall enjoy it while I can, they will soon wake up and chase each other around like mad things:)

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤Happy FRIDAY to you all❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

World peace ❤ starts in our own hearts

Hello :) and welcome to kristieinbc glad to see you x

Today's hearty story is a little closer to home.  In the neighbouring valley to our village is the hamlet of Wycoller, which on a summer's bank holiday is absolutely heaving with visitors but on a late spring morning last year, we found ourselves the only presence.

Wycoller has a lovely mix of ancient and modern woodland, medieval farming relics, wuzzing holes and vaccaries, literary connections and archaic bridges. The exclusion of cars except for the locals adds to the gentle world-forgotten tranquility.

Along the stream, through the village, are woven willow tunnels, domes and animals. In the large dome is a beautifully carved seat - looking a little like a huge upturned molar - with 'World peace❤  starts in our own hearts'.

How true.

Thanks to Eldest for this photo - my boys are brilliant at finding heart shaped things for me :)

Thank you! And a short hot hearty story

Hello! Welcome to my new followers - how nice to meet you :)

I was really touched by all your lovely comments for my last entry - our walk in the Lakes, I thought I'd answer some of your questions here and now.

Thank you Irene, Jak, Rustic Vintage Country, Threads through my life, Mum, Jacqueline, Géraldine B, SaraJ (I wholeheartedly agree with getting the dog thing), I.wilks11 and Chickpea,  Yes it is amazing scenery. Years ago, Himself and I must have walked nearly every hill in the Lakes but now my crook knee would not even contemplate it.  I am trying to persuade my 3 men that they can go hill walking without me!

Hello Frayed at the edge and Angela - I have to say that the sunset was AbSOlutLy SpecTACular - the BEST that I have seen in aaaaages! Between the boys and myself we took 157 photos of the sky and when we went through them at home, we only deleted one which had been an accidental shot on the wrong setting.  It was amazing and a privilege to watch. It certainly topped our wonderful day.

The House with the Blue Door and Driftwood - our walk was just over 14 km and took us about 5 hours including stops for views, lunch and photos. Our boys have always liked walking and when they were smaller I used to joke that it was like having a couple of puppies as they needed needed feeding and walking and that made them happy! It is still the same, only they eat more and walk further!  I  love this area - views at every turn :)

Crafty cat corner I always try to take my knitting with me, it is great 'in-car-entertainment' and if I manage a row or two when I am out on the hills it feels like I am weaving in a little of that walk into my work. Magic!


Oh yes - and today's hot hearty matter-

A souvenir from a previous delightful walk in Galloway.  Only this time the walk was a mid-summer sweat inducing one! We arrived in a small lea of a sweltering conifer forest and found to our delight a wooden picnic bench which we gratefully collapsed on and had a most welcome break and drink.

Tomorrow is Wednesday -'Tipping Day' coz it is tipping us towards the weekend!

xxx

I❤walking

Saturday was clear and crisp and oh so very cold - what a lovely day to have a micro-adventure!

We drove up to the Lakes early and with 'dragon's breath' (breath vapour) around our faces and wrapped up warm, we set off from the village of Elterwater.

We soon left the quaint❤ village and flanked by snow topped mountains we walked up towards Little Langdale. 

Higher up in the valley we stopped for lunch.

How more perfect❤ a lunch spot could you find?We sat in a sun trap and had to most glorious view. (Yes I am knitting....a party of walkers- all men - commented that they'd seen many things out on the hills but not a set of knitting needles - I say that they have not lived life to the full!!)

Looking at the above photo, we walked to the left behind the far trees, along the wall just about in the sun to the left of the tarn.  Our path continued through the fields in the middle of the picture at the base of the mountains where we stopped at that small pinnacle (Castle Howe)  slightly right of centre behind the tarn.  From there we walked back towards the snow covered hills on the left and then through the gap (centre of the photo and out of view)  

All the while, an RAF rescue helicopter searched the hills and the valley for someone - we never knew if they succeeded.

This is Castle Howe - the tiny pinnacle (I called it a koptjie) which was actually rather large once we'd walked to it.

We walked around Blea Tarn then over to Greater Langdale.

Our path took us down off the hills through villages back to the car.

As we were about to leave, we were treated to a fantastic sunset. So instead of driving off, we found a spot high up the side of a hill and just watched as the sun went down.

 Beautiful.....and the heart❤ connection for February? Well Youngest had found a heart shaped ❤ stone on our walk - you could not have chosen a better symbol for our day :) Just perfect.❤