Sunday 31 October 2010

Blogtoberfest~ Skelington Fun


I made this little fellow for my grandson last year.
I had seen a similiar picture
somewhere, but made differently.
I made mine out of felt.


The heart is detachable.
He loved it.

I posted about it last year
but in the absence of anything else
and because I like him,
I thought it very apt for today.

Well today marks the end of Blogtoberfest hosted by Tinnie Girl.
The aim of which was to blog daily throughout October.
I didn't manage to post everyday.
But I had a jolly good try
and enjoyed the process.
I hope you enjoyed reading my October offerings.
I wonder what November will bring?






Saturday 30 October 2010

Blogtoberfest~ Peeping



I've been so busy sorting through photos this evening,
that I very nearly forgot to post something for today!



So I downloaded today's photos
and looked back at yesterday's
These were taken yesterday afternoon.
The sun was shining
and it was lovely.
We took a couple of trail motor bikes for a spin.
In the photo below you can see the trail we came along.
It goes through the woods for part of the way.
And from where I took these photos,
if I had turned round,
I would have been looking down on the river.
But it didn't make for a good photo as there was a big fence in the way.
Or more to the point, I didn't have time to faff around
trying to get a shot between the wires
as Mike was waiting for me.
We were trying out a digital camcorder
and using it with the bikes.
But I think it will be good to film the hounds when they are running
and I can post it on here and show you!





This is where we usually let the hounds have a run,
it's along by the river.


The next two photos are from this afternoon
when we took the hounds out for their walk.
We had to shelter in a chapel when the rain came down.
Paddy and Arthur are wondering whether the rain has stopped.
The chapel is only small and the front is completely open.
I must show you a better photograph of it someday.


The last photo is taken peeping out from the chapel to see how the weather is doing.
What do you think?


Only one more day of Blogtoberfest to go now.





Friday 29 October 2010

Blogtoberfest~ Arthur


We don't have as many photos of Arthur,
probably because he hasn't been with us quite a year yet.
I took these yesterday on the same walk
I showed you yesterday.
The first photo show his 4 teeth quite well,
poor lad!



But despite only having 4 teeth,
and being half blind,
he's a happy dog.



Pop on over to Tinnie Girl for more Blogtoberfest participants.





Thursday 28 October 2010

Blogtoberfest~ Alien Sentinels


I've been busy this week making little hearts,
and cards.


Ooops!
One of the little hearts didn't quite make the grade,
so it's been turned into a pincushion.
I think it will work even better,
if I make it into a pincushion to wear around my wrist.
Making it a very handy pincushion.


Today's teatime walk,
took in some very nice views
of coloured woodland.
Just a shame that the sun wasn't shining on them.


What have Jewel and Rufus spotted?


Just some alien like sunflowers.


Just before getting back into the van,
I spotted this face.
Can you see it?


I've been playing along with Blogtoberfest hosted by Tinnie Girl this month.





Wednesday 27 October 2010

Blogtoberfest~ Time for some Colour


For our morning walk
we usually take the hounds along the river.


These photos were taken on Monday,
and like most of the mornings these days,
it was misty.
Very misty.
And grey.


But enough of the grey,
It's good to have some colour
when there's no sun around.
And I found some
when I had a rummage
through some photos
I took at the beginning of the month.













That was the day I took those photos of Jewel,
that I showed in an earlier post.
Looks like she's keeping an eye on me.


Ahh some crochet colour!
I've put these to one side for the time being,
but really,
they would be good to work on at the moment
don't you think?
I'm using one of Lucy's patterns.


I've got plenty more of these photos,
but I think I'll save them for another grey day.


Tinnie Girl has been hosting Blogtoberfest
which I have been trying to keep up with.
Though it has to be said,
I've fallen by the wayside a bit!

Monday 25 October 2010

Blogtoberfest~ In the Dog House


Yesterday, Mike suggested we visit a flea market.
So we did.
It was across the river.
It was smaller than usual,
but there were still plenty of people around,
and I saw some nice pieces of china.
I miss my china that is still in storage.
I was tempted by some small delicate plates
which the lady said were over 70 years old.
I have decided some small plates would be ideal
to put our morning or afternoon cake on.
Yes we like our homemade cake.
The plates had an unusual green edging.
And perhaps even nicer,
was a lovely cream jug and sugar bowl
with a lovely deep yellow band round them.
I must admit,
I was quite taken with them,
but decided not to buy.
Mmmmm, I wonder whether they will still be there the next time I go?
Probably not.
But I can always hope.


The sun came out now and then which was very welcome as it was a bit chilly otherwise.
And someone had a sense of humour!


You can see the river in the background here.
Flea markets are held quite regularly along the river
and I've been to this one a few times now.
I think I've even posted about it before.


Once we got back home,
we went off in another direction to walk the hounds.


This time we were above the river on the plateau.
We first went into the woods,
which were delightful with the early evening sun
shining on and through the leaves.


Then we went across some open ground.
It was an interesting sky.


With what looked like rain falling in the distance over there,


and big thick white clouds over there.
We got back just as it started to rain back down in the valley where we live.
The hounds enjoyed their walk,
all those lovely smells.

I didn't take the camera with me today
as I wouldn't have time to take any photos.
We went out on the motor bikes,
but stayed down in the valley as Mike said it would be warmer there.
It was a shame that I didn't have the camera,
as some of the trees along the river
are really starting to change into a lovely sunny yellow colour.
Truly a delight to the eye.

Once home and after a cup of tea
and a piece of lemon cake,
we took the hounds out for their teatime walk.
Again I didn't have the camera,
not sure why.
Part way round our walk,
Rufus and Jewel spotted a young deer
and took off after it.
They were on leads
but when they take off like that, they are difficult for me to hold.
Mike went running after them and eventually caught up with Jewel
who had got distracted by some nice smells.
He had to carry on a bit though
before he caught up with Rufus
and that was only because the deer leapt
over a very high hedge,
and Rufus found that he couldn't go any further,
the undergrowth was too thick.
We all headed back after that.

When we got back all Rufus wanted to do
was to lie down.
But later,
he was up and very keen at the mention of supper.
Unfortunately, he was so excited,
(I think the run earlier must have made him hungrier than usual),
he swiped Mike's tea mug off the low table with his tale!
And it was a favourite,
being bigger than all the rest.
I think I will have to look out for a new mug for Mike now.






Sunday 24 October 2010

Blogtoberfest~ Books



'Life is sweet brother... There's day and night, brother,
both sweet things; sun, moon, and stars, all sweet things; there's
likewise a wind on the heath.' - Lavengro

That is a quote from the front of a book
that I took off our shelf a couple of Sunday's ago.
The sun was streaming through the windows and
it seemed a pleasant way to spend an hour, or so,
just looking through the book.

The book is called
'The Open Road' compiled by E.V. Lucas.
It was first published in 1899.
Our edition was printed in 1914.
Mike and I bought it together
in July 1999,
on a day out to Keswick.
Or more likely, we were probably camping
at a favourite campsite just above Keswick
overlooking Derwentwater.
I know we bought it in 1999 as Mike has written the date in the front of the book.
There is an earlier dedication on the page and a date.
The dedication reads,
'For my dear wife
with the best of love.
Xmas 1918'

It is a book of verse and writings
and it has some lovely illustrations.
It was the illustrations
perhaps more than the writing that I think first attracted me to the book.
That's one of the illustrations in the first photo.

The other two photos
are of a piece of writing
that appealed to me.
You might enjoy reading it too.
It tells of a bygone age.
Click on the photos to enlarge
to make it easier to read.







The inspiration for this post came from Mildred.

Since then I've been doing lots more reading.
My daughter was good enough to send some books over via Mike
a few weeks ago.
Then Mike brought a couple back with him
on Thursday from another trip to the UK.
I do enjoy reading.

What do you like to read?

I'm still hanging on with Blogtoberfest.
Just about!




Saturday 23 October 2010

Blogtoberfest~ Frolicking Horses


Aren't these horses lovely?
Shame about the line across their faces,
but I just couldn't get above the fence
to take a decent photo.
But still, they're sweet don't you think?
These photos were taken Thursday morning
as I walked the hounds myself
while Mike was away.
You can see the mist behind the horses
above the river. 



This is the first frosty morning we've had.
Maybe it was the frost that was making the horses
frisky when I arrived.
I wasn't quite quick enough with the camera
to get a photo of them both
rearing up together
almost in a hug.
As we approached
they settled down
and came over to see the hounds.

When we continued
I looked across
to my left
and saw this chap in the field.



Can you just about see him?
A fox.
He saw us.
He stopped what he was doing
and took a good long look at us
before continuing to sniff around
and moving off into the vineyards.



The leaves on the vines are changing colour quite rapidly now.
They look a beautiful golden colour
in the sunshine,
especially when viewed
from higher up the valley.
I've taken the camera out
on walks
several times now,
only to take a photo
and it not work.
The batteries are not holding a charge.
So I've missed a number of nice shots.

Thank you for all your good wishes regarding my grandson.
He had his tonsils removed,
and after an overnight stay in hospital,
is back home.
I've spoken to him a couple of times on the phone,
and he's doing very well.
He sounds a bit croaky
and his throat is painful of course.
But hopefully it will be better soon.





I've been slipping behind a bit with Blogtoberfest,
but lots of other people are still going strong.
You can see who they are by visiting Tinnie Girl.






Saturday 16 October 2010

Blogtoberfest Day ?, Lost Turtle

Ooops!
I'm falling behind with Blogtoberfest!



Well the weather has turned.
Earlier this week,
the lovely
sunny,
warm,
weather
disappeared.
Each morning we now wake up to
grey mist.
It looks quite gloomy from inside,
yet often,
when we get outside,
it's not as bad as it looks.
But soup helps.
Especially if it's homemade
and accompanied with some home made bread.
It almost makes the gloomy weather worthwhile!
Perhaps the colder weather
is responsible for the sore throat I had yesterday.
Or maybe I'm coming out in sympathy
with my grandson.
He goes into hospital
next week to have his tonsils removed.
I hope his mum has found his turtle,
the soft toy he wants to take into hospital with him.
I'm sure she has.


Remarkably though,
despite it being so gloomy in the mornings,
some of the afternoons have eventually
turned quite sunny and warm.
The photo above
was taken earlier in the week
when I sat in the afternoon sunshine
stitching my hexagon quilt.
I'm making progress with it.
Who knows,
I may finish it yet!

Well I hope you are all enjoying a good weekend,
whatever the weather.

To see who else is taking part in Blogtoberfest,
pop on over to Tinnie Girl.
Have fun!










Tuesday 12 October 2010

Blogtoberfest and Through a Window all Rolled into One




Today,
I am joining
Swedish House,
and looking through a window.
I need all the help I can get
to continue to post every day
for
Blogtoberfest.



And perhaps I have cheated,
because I am posting not
one photo,
but four!
But I feel justified because
There were loads of birds,
outside this morning.
They took off and landed on the wires,
and a roof. 



And I just had to photograph them.
There were so many!




Before they all flew off.




I must also confess
that these photos were taken from two adjacent windows.


Call on over to Tinnie Girl
to see who else is playing today.


What are you playing at today?