Sweetbriar Dreams

So where shall we go on our journey today?

Saturday 2 February 2013

A Bit of This and a Bit of That

It's been a bit of a 'nothing' week (what a positive way to start a blog post?!).  A week to just plod, take stock of situations and prepare for the months ahead.  The roads into work have cleared and it's as though everything is waiting quietly and patiently to sprout into colour and life.  This photo was taken on my Friday evening journey home, no cars, no people, just me and my camera and a beautiful sunset to finish the week.


Now, because of the type of week I have had, this post is a bit of a ramble, a bit topsy turvey, back to front, forwards and backwards, a hotch potch of things, no real purpose but I hope you get something from it.

A Bit of History:
I really wanted to get to the Katharine of Aragon Weekend last week at the Cathedral but with the snow and the effort of driving back into Peterborough with an awful headache again, I decided not to,  but I have put a couple of photos from last year to share with you.  The actors that come to the Heritage weekend, and last year's Christmas Fair also act out the parts of Henry VIII, Katharine and their entourage in the Cathedral.


A quick history lesson...

Katharine was the wife of King Henry VIII's brother Arthur and after his death, became the first wife of King Henry VIII (the one he divorced to marry Anne Boleyn), she died in 1536 and is buried at Peterborough Cathedral.  This is her actual burial place and yes they are pomegranates on her grave (which was her symbol).


History in a nutshell I know but I like to keep you interested and the link to a more detailed version of events is here!

A Bit of Gardening:
Now, It was very weird last Sunday morning...the deep snow was eradicated in one night!  We went to bed with still a white glow outside and woke up with a green glow and birds singing.  Had I hibernated and woken up in the Spring??  Well, an opportunity had arisen to get out there and finally do some work in the garden!  On went the wellies and jacket, out came the bulbs, lining and compost and I set to work with the sun beating on my back while I busied myself working out how to line the window baskets (recycling some Christmas left over bubble wrap...yes I resisted the exquisite popping!), getting all the bulbs in, tucking them in and then finishing the lining.  I am SO pleased with the beginnings of my window baskets.  The bulbs probably won't be showing their faces until next year, but the preparation is there and I can now concentrate on the plants that will be placed on top.  My idea is to have herbs, salad leaves, tomatoes, maybe an outside cucumber, peppers and chillies.  The baskets are on a south facing wall and it gets very hot there (well, in a normal summer!), so I think they will do well as long as the birds leave them alone this year!!  I'm going to try the method suggested by one of my G+ advisers, by collecting lint from the tumble dryer and put it in tights, hang these near the baskets and the birds should take this rather than my lining.  Anything is worth a go!

A Bit of Crochet:
During the evenings I have been working on my square blanket.  Just three colours, very plain and I feel 'grown up' making this as they are not loud colours but sedate and reserved.  I'm confident with this one and making it for the main bedroom, it will be brighter than the multicoloured granny stripe that is currently on the bed, and again, I feel it will look grown up and classy.  Very quick to make too!  The pattern is from the absolutely fantastic Sandra at Cherry Heart.  If you haven't already found her blog...do!  You won't be disappointed.


Again, on Cherry Heart you will find her new tutorial on an African Flower Pin Cushion.  I had to have a go last night and this is my result.  Her tutorials are really easy to follow and so beautifully photographed.


A Bit of Knitting (teensy bit of knitting!):
Knitting?  Oh dear, I am really not getting on with this!  Crochet is like picking up with a friend each evening.  I really need to be sold on 'knit one, purl one'!... and it takes so long to make any real progress...I will persevere!

And Thank You!
Thank you to everyone that commented and read my blog last week, I really enjoyed reading your comments, it's like opening presents when I see one appear, and so kind.  I have just started looking at Link Parties and some of the blogs on these, such wonderful, talented people - amazing!  Can I fit in my full time job?!  Maybe I need to invest in a tablet and go to work by train in future to fit it all in!!

So there we are, a bit of a journey this week and you've had a history lesson along the way.

Have a wonderful, peaceful and happy weekend.

Take care.







27 comments:

  1. I like those afghan colors too! Does that mean I'm grown up?? Nah

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  2. Love your afghan -- I am partial to neutrals (and granny squares) so love this very much!! That's a gorgeous sky shot too!

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  3. Love the photos and your afghan :) Found you on A Favorite Thing! I would love to have you share this tomorrow on The Creative HomeAcre Hop! Kicking it off on Superbowl Sunday...
    http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/02/the-creative-homeacre-hop.html

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    1. Thanks for sharing on The HomeAcre Hop!

      http://www.theselfsufficienthomeacre.com/2013/01/the-homeacre-hop-5.html

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    2. Thank you for letting me know about The HomeAcre Hop. There are some great people on there!! Take care. Chel x

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  4. I heard the birds singing too. But now we are back to snow. I like the different browns on your afghan. Isn't it inspiring to visit other peoples blogs? I've never thought of a brown blanket until now. Have a nice weekend. Regula

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  5. What a beautiful sky! Well done on getting your bulbs in (mine are still in the packet:() It's so lovely to see things popping their heads up in the garden now - I'm sure you'll soon be picking your own salad x

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  6. I so enjoy your blog. If you want to do a link up can I recommend Sunday community with Deidra? Jumping tandem is her blog. I will be linking up so check my blog soon and you can then find hers. Love your stories and pictures.
    from a reader in Oregon

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  7. Gorgeous pics this week. I love the shot of your pincushion. It glows. Never been to Peterborough but hoping to get there some day...

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    1. Make sure you tell me when and I'll give you a tour!!

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  8. Thank you so much for joining in this week and it's nice to meet you. Love your gorgeous sunset photo. And your lovely crochet. I was an actress for several years and I played Katherine of Aragon in a play called Royal Gambit. Brings back memories! I didn't know where she was buried - what a beautiful cathedral!

    xo
    Claudia

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    1. Thank you Claudia. Katharine is buried there and on the opposite side Mary Queen of Scots was also buried until her son ordered her headless body to be moved down to London. What a wonderful time to live in England??!! Take care. Chel

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  9. I love the colors you chose for your afghan.... very calming and soothing.

    I love getting comments too and you are right - just like Christmas.

    Sandra is amazing!

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  10. Beautiful sunset! I like the afghan colors as well..afghans last forever; I still have one that my grandmother made years and years ago. The heritage weekend looks wonderful ...hope that you can go next year :)

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  11. I recently read Anne Bolyn ~ a 1950's version I picked up at a yard sale. What a treat Heritage Week must be. Found you at A Favorite Thing (**

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  12. Lovely series of photos. It's lovely to see the sun sneaking in on them.

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  13. The Heritage Weekend looks like fun and I enjoyed the small history lesson. Linked parties are a fun way to meet new people.

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    1. They certainly are, and meeting great people along the way. Thanks for popping by. Chel x

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  14. I like your little bits of everything. Very clever.

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    1. I tried to get them in some sort of order. I was all over the place last week :D

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  15. I'm enjoying your posts, especially with the history and pictures of places in your part of the world! Too bad you didn't get to attend the Heritage weekend events. Your planters are intriguing to me! The bulbs look ready to grow to me! I hope I get to see how these turn out! Your pin cushion is so cute!

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    1. Thank you Liz. The bulbs are ready to grow (I think that's why they were so cheap), but I filled the planters up with them and hoping that them being plunged back into darkness doesn't rot them. We shall see. Take care. Chel

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  16. Sounds like a lovely puttery time. Many many years ago they aired a British show of The Six Wives of Henry VIII here in the States - so fascinating. How wonderful to have window boxes with bulbs - the springtime makes me long for spring bulbs. I adore your blanket, love the neutral colors.

    Happy week to you!

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  17. I love the afghan in those calming grey shades. Seeing Katherine of Aragon performed in the cathedral would be so amazing - history would be so close.

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  18. Hello, Chel

    Your shot of the magnificent sky is wonderful; I love the colours. As for Henry V111, you've reminded me about the video made when I was in high school. As narrator, I remember the first line: "1536. The time for Anne Boleyn's death had come."

    Lovely crochet work, by the way.

    -Karen

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  19. I really enjoyed your post, Chel. The photo of that sunset is just remarkable, and your afghan is so beautiful, I love the colors. Seeing your window baskets is making me yearn for spring to arrive, but we have a ways to go here in New England where we're promised nearly a foot of snow in a few days. Thank you for Sandra's link and for sharing those photos of Queen Katharine!

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Thank you so much for visiting, I love reading your comments and will answer either by email or on the blog. You can also email me privately in my side bar. Have a great day x

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