It's not just for the birds you know ...

There are some things that the weather can not stop. Knitting, eating, shopping, housework.  

And dog walking.

Sunday seemed to slip quietly, predominantly grey with streaks of ash-blue clouds punctuated by bands of rain. In the mild insipid gaps between the drizzle I gathered the boys and Moss and we set off for our 'local dog loop'. The village is fortunate enough to have benefitted from the altruistic generosity of a bygone philanthrope who left a rounded lumpy hill top field to the people of the neighbouring three villages. There had been a provisor that the council would mow the undulating grounds with the ultimate ownership being the villages.

We recently heard (due to the vigilance of a fellow dog walker) that the council were quietly trying to bring in some rather draconian measures, controlling the access of the fields to dog walkers. In an instant the dog walking community were up in arms as, though we live in easy access to the countryside, we have very little free running, ball chasing, dog playing space.

Like all bullies when stood up against, the council backed down -  the land is not theirs any way. Besides, apart from foolhardy weather worn dog walkers and weekend football leagues - who else uses this wonderfully lumpy windswept hill top? 

Actually there are some others that frequently do .... gulls. Especially after the rain. The field is most accommodating and holds large sheets of water, perfect if you are a water bird ....

Or a soggy Moss dog. 

Moss, completely unaware of the events, celebrated the reaffirmation that our field is free from petty officialdom (for now) by running and running and running. Showing mud and puddles no mercy. 

While, we flounder in wellies and warm coats, trying not to slip. 

Happy dog.

Have a lovely and Happy Monday!

Now, a word from my supervisor ...

Hello hoomans,
I thought I would paw out a word or two, while she is busy planning her day with coffee in one hand and paint brush tucked behind her ear (why do hoomans do that? My ears are far too precious and busy to have something balanced on them).

I am quite good at this keyboard lark (lark? where?? I need to chatter crossly at all birds - it is an important part of my job and seeing I have such splendid whiskers I will rattle them when I grumble at those silly feathered creatures) now where was I.... Oh yes, the keyboard. I must be good, evidenced by the appreciative shrieks my hooman lets out when I saunter casually over her laptop.

I do, as the studio supervisor, insist on a tight ship - my 'nest', where I spend my day needs to be freshly plumped up and ready for me. If not, then I insist on having the warm prime spot beneath the wonderful daylight cat sunlamp.... 

That usually has the desired result and my 'nest' is quickly fixed. On the odd occasion when my 'nest' has been thieved and has another purry furry in it - I will sit on the floor and I frown and stare and stare and stare at my hooman until this calamitous situation is remedied.

Not only do I take my senior position seriously, often inspecting the work as I walk across the desk, I even taste test the paint water....I purrrfur it when it is fresh and clean but am not averse to slurping it when it is a milky grey colour. Not sure why my hooman thinks this is not a good idea, she puts it there for me, so she must freshen it more regularly!

Some days her desk is such a mess that my delicate sweet paws barely find a space where I can perch my little and purrrfectly formed furry self, I have to make do.... such is my lot as the supervisor.

I might be the smallest, in stature, in this household, 

but I am certainly top dog cat and don't you forget it!

Now, I need my beauty sleep ..... 

good bye bloggy-hoomans, 

time for my cat nap ... yawn. 

Edited to add:  I have just fallen out of my nest and she has the audacity to laugh! There I was, purring and kneading my favourite cuddly and in the throes of kitty-hedonistic-purdom, I.fell..out..of..my..nest - and she laughed at me!

A rolling Moss gathers no stones ...

With the biting wind cutting our faces, making our eyes stream rendering us temporarily blind, we briskly walked along the puddle riven track. Moss ran on ahead, constantly checking on our apparent slothlike pace. She flew along the steep heathery banks, a streak of black and white.

Youngest and I, heads bowed against the cold air, wrapped warmly but not warm enough, watched the obvious enjoyment of our silly dog. She was born for this terrain and thrives in this sharp weather. Youngest - fingers blue with cold (he'd left his gloves behind declaring he did not need them) threw sticks and a ball for Moss. Her paws, so sure footed, just carried her effortlessly.

We, still maintaining a barely temperature raising fast pace, could not keep up with her. Her face a picture of pure delight, tongue wildly flapping and ears alert, she would cross the moorland in a flash ready for the command that would send her out again.

Along the track were substantial pond sized puddles. They were no barrier as she crashed and splashed through them, grinning the biggest doggy-grin and waggy tail.  Then, at our furthest point, we took a detour and floundered our way through wet heather and cold muddy heathland. Not Moss, she rocketed along, bounding and bouncing for the sheer pleasure. Choosing to take a dip in a deeply rutted track while she waited for us to catch up ...

The bitter air, the blue fingers, the streaming eyes - all forgotten. Moss' happiness was so 'huge', we were absorbed by it too. The pale lavender grey sky, the mud, the puddles - they were all part of her joy and ours.

And now, as I paint (and blog), she sleeps and I am sure she dreams of flying, of mud, of puddles and of walks....

That lovely Friday feeling :)

A little Friday love and gratitude

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

*

 **

 ***

Flowers and hearts on Tuesday,

making my own heart go skippity skip.

And the sweetest handmade

'THANK YOU'

card

No - thank you!

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

There has been a lovely buzz of interest regarding the Photo-hunt challenge with new folk querying the 'hows and whens', so I thought I would do a gentle recap.

Inspired by the list of words given (think outside of the box) take a photo or check through your archives and write a few words about that picture.  

For example if the word is 'spring' you could use a photo of lambs and daffodils or you could do a medieval well where the water is supplied by a spring or it could be a rusty curl of metal or even a cat leaping - see what I mean? There are not strict rules, just inspiration.

Then, on a Friday, towards the end of each month (I always post the date), we post all ten pictures and stories. 

I post a 'link up' tool where you add your name and link to your blog and all I ask is please can you put a link on your post back to me. That way anyone wanting to read our posts can find the central linkup tool.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

If you have never added a link on your blog and you use the blogger platform it is really easy. Type the sentence with the name of your link included ... ie....  

I have joined in with March's Photo-hunt challenge with hawthorn, 

why don't you follow this LINK and see everyone else's pictures.

I will select the word LINK to add my link to, right click and drag to highlight the word  ... like this ...

I have joined in with March's Photo-hunt challenge with hawthorn, 

why don't you follow this LINK and see everyone else's pictures.

Then, at the top of the post on your toolbar you will see the work -  Link , click on that.

This little menu will pop up, now, in the top bar is says 'Text to display', and the word LINK will be already there for you.

The next step - go to the page you are wanting folk to visit, copy the address in the top bar.

Return to your draft post and in the Link menu paste the address in the second bar down (Web address).

I always tick the option to allow the link to open in a new window (see the picture above) and if you are worried that you may not have completed the link up correctly, just tap on 'Test this link' situated below the web address bar.

Then, if all happy, press ok and you have just added a link to your post to an outside website all by yourself! How chuffed do you feel now!?

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤Happy FRIDAY to you all❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

*Thank you my dear dear other half, those flowers are absolutely gorgeous xxxx

** Thank you dear lovely lady - my little crochet heart is sitting on my desk xx

*** Thank you Milly Moo and lots of unicorns right back at you xx

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

March's Photo Hunt Words

Welcome back to our photo hunt, March's list is loosely themed around simple pleasures. 

Hopefully you will have fun and be inspired!

A photograph inspired by a word, 

words inspired by the photos -  

March 's Scavenger photo-hunt list - enjoy!

1. flowers
2. baking or cooking (and if you have the recipe please add that too - so we can also try it out!)
3. reading
4. comfortable
5. favourite colour
6. candle/s
7. hat 
8. walk
9. favourite mug or cup and saucer
10. your own choice

I will post a reminder in a week or so - any queries, just get in contact :)

Remember to think laterally, interpret as YOU fancy,

be it a current photo or a favourite one from your past. 

We'll reconvene and post our words and photos on Friday 24th March.

Have fun!

Yarny rainbows and rippling blankies - now what is there not to l♥ve??

Tuesday is our knit and natter day and this week it was at my home. So, I gave myself the day off (so no painting) and became the domestic goddess I occasionally aspire to and never quite attain.

♥

After a harrowing few moments as said goddess, I reverted to my true self and went to find my crochet. I knew that my yarn cakes had become a little .... ummmm .... more like birds nests than neat yarny yummies. So what was next? Well a little winding up action of course! 

Ah, 

that is better, 

time well spent I thought too!

It also gave me good thinking time.  I l♥ved doing the heart♥thon and it was great having friends who joined in. So I am giving a bit of prior notice ... I will be doing it again next year so if you want to join in, start keeping an eye out for hearts♥ and stash them somewhere in your photo-files ready for 2018 - it would be great and I bet you will be surprised how many hearts♥ you have around just waiting to be photo-ed!

♥

I did, in between winding yummy yarn cakes, play with the colours, grading the shades and making gentle rainbows.

Somehow I even managed to bake another lemon drizzle cake, but all the time I kept returning to play with my blanket.

Is it just me or do you also love the gentle rhythm and flow of crochet? The movement of hand and yarn as I work across the row, the undulating stitch creating such movement and magic.

I am trying to be fairly random while creating flowing colours which meld into and compliment the next shade. It has lead to some furrowed thoughtful brows as subtle variations are judged and altered until...  'it feels just right'.

I have, I have to admit, made some interesting colour choices, usually at night when I am crocheting by the soft light of the standard lamp. However, unless the rows are clashing or screaming at each other, I have decided just to go with what happens. It is such a lovely organic way of creating, allowing the waves of colours to arrive almost on their own terms.

Yesterday, as I was pretending to dust and vaguely push the vacuum cleaner around, spots of sunlight tried to squeeze through the clouds. One of these glorious rays managed to light up a small corner of the room. This was just the invitation I needed to fling out my blanket and try and capture the ripply goodness that seems to be growing from my hook.

Sadly that little sunshine soon slipped back behind the grey greich of cloud, but I didn't mind - I just kept on playing with my yarns and my blanket while steadfastly ignoring the housework.  It is happy to wait for me ...

It is getting there!

♥

Thank you again for all the lovely comments over the last couple of weeks 

for all the hearty♥ photos and wafflings.

 I will be listing March's Scavenger Hunt list soon, 

so gird your loins 

(or rather your camera's loins [I keep typing lions ......!] 

and be ready for our next challenge.

And if you have never joined,

why don't you give it a go :)

It is a lovely way to meet new bloggers.

♥

xxxxxxxxxx

Home is where the ♥ is ...

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

On Sunday, I was gifted this beautiful dresser.

My own heart♥ has not stopped fluttering with happiness since.

I have so many happy plans to decorate it for spring,

fill it with flowers in summer,

have candles and lights in autumn,

with tomte and cones in winter.

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

But, until then,

I have used it for my final posting for

Hawthorn's Heart♥thon 2017.

Thank you so so much my dears 

for participating,

for commenting,

for reading

and for just being out there :)

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

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

Have a lovely and Happy Tuesday

♥ Don't forget to visit the other Hearty Marathoners!♥ 

Just follow the link at the top right :)