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.

I am linking to A Favorite Thing, Serenity Saturday, Sunny Simple Sunday Link Party, The Homeacre Hop, Sunlit Sunday

Icy Fingers and Frozen Toes

It has been cold, cold, cold this week.  Each morning as I go to drive my car for the dark, icy commute to work, I slip, slide and hold on to the garage door before I slip backwards while negotiating the handle.  The advantage is that my car is already free from snow and ice and I'm ready to go.  However we don't get gritted in our village so the first lot of commuters have to negotiate the fresh ice...not fun!  But, the views from my car window always amaze me.  So much sky!  Lincolnshire is certainly spectacular for this.    I especially love the fens in the snow, they look so fresh, clean and amazing.  You can see for miles and miles in all directions.

Once in work, the kettle goes straight on, doors are shut to keep heat in and the work begins whilst holding our warm cups.  Even my wooden tulips, which were a gift from my previous boss, have had to have their hats on!!

However, it is now the weekend.  I have stocked up with bits and pieces to keep me and my kids amused and hopefully there will be the annual snow ball fight that myself and my neighbours partake in...it gets very strategic and serious!  The house is warm and cosy and it has been a very good house cleaning day.  Fresh flowers were the order of the morning...

...along with a happy moment of finding the perfect orchid in Butters factory shop (two for £8.00, well it would have been rude not to buy!).

On the way home along the sliding roads, myself and Mr Teenager decided to have a little walk along one of the obscure public footpaths between Spalding and Crowland.  So boots on, we trod gingerly along the tracks.  Mr Teenager went on ahead as I negotiated a bit of a hill...yes, a small hill in the fens, who'd have thought it!

We then stepped across an old wooden bridge which covered a frozen part of the river below.

Looking the other way, it seemed that two rats or other critters had attempted dancing on ice!

Our walk continued, the icy wind was now blowing through our ear drums and whistling through the grasses.

Our faces were extremely numb with the cold, but we persevered discovering all sorts of wildlife tracks, such as deer, fox, rat etc.

We finally reached a bridge that goes over the River Welland.  By now we were absolutely frozen!

The river was flowing easily through, and so was the wind!

So with icy fingers and my rather fetching red boots, we set to have a very brisk walk back to the car.

It was so lovely and warm in there!  We had to sit for a moment while our faces came back to life (who needs botox when a good icy blast does exactly the same thing!!)

So, want to see what I have been working on?  Busy busy!

• The wrist warmers are for my daughter.  She wanted plain ones, so black was decided, with a bobble cuff and I couldn't resist at least two buttons.  Just plain double crochet lines and bobble stitching for the cuffs.  Very easy.
• The start of some wrist warmers which you can find on Cherry Heart's blog.  These are beautiful! and I love the yarn.
• The blankets in progress are coming along.  I'll soon be finished with the pink ripple, and the granny square is one of those projects that you can do in between others.
• AND, knitting!  Hmmmm, my first square of blanket stitching eventually came together.  I think I did well...but it's not going to be a cushion.  No, instead I created one of Attic 24's Triple Layer flowers, placed this in the middle, folded down the top of the knitted square, sewed up the back and created a nice cosy mobile phone holder.  So a bit of crochet and knitting joining forces.

So all in all, I WANTED a very busy weekend!  Last weekend was a bit of a washout in the end due to my continuing migraines, but hey ho!  Here I go....

Have a wonderful weekend with whatever you are doing...and keep warm if you are in a freezing cold winter!...and if you are basking in a heatwave, I hope the pictures are cooling!!

Take care.

Ripples and Owls

Phew, such a busy week.  After two lovely festive weeks being 'mum', it was back to work again and the kids were back to school.  A sense of normality has filled the evenings again with homework, hobbies and snuggling down together.

My organised mind has been straying here, there and everywhere.  I want to start so many things, but decided no, one thing at a time.  So, firstly we have a new second cousin due to be born next month, a girl.  The hook has come out and a lovely ripple is in progress.

At the same time (I know, I said one thing at a time!)  I have made this absolutely gorgeous owl to sit in the nursery.  You can buy the pattern from ATERG Crochet.  Greta is very fast in sending the pattern and it is so easy to follow.  I am really pleased with this and her Etsy shop is a visual delight, so will be buying more patterns from her.

The garden?  Well last weekend started off so well, everything looked so promising, but it's gone downhill since then (well it is January after all in a very dark England and we have the "Beast of the East" coming bringing snow with it!).  I have one of my seed catalogues which has just been delivered and I have been joining communities on Google to read what everyone else is doing (Gardening, Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens, Vegetable Garden Photography).  So I think a nice snuggle up on the sofa with my organised list book and I can dream what I will grow this year.  I want the greenhouse and garden to be productive and delicious to both taste buds and visual.

And, remember I said I wanted to take up knitting.  Well, this is now out in the shops, Knit & Stitch.  I will have a little go this evening, especially as the free wool is in two of my favourite colours!

Happy gardening (to those lucky enough to have the weather for it) and happy hooking to those who are creating.

Oh and p.s. ... I found some snowdrops ready to bloom in my front garden.  I just hope that the impending snow won't destroy them!

Take care.