Contrasts

The mornings here are starting very misty.
And damp.
But not as wet as it is in Cumbria today.
Cumbria is in the north west of England and is the county that borders onto Scotland.
And yesterday it rained for 24 hours solid
flooding some of the towns.
We have been watching the news for the latest updates,
and my sister has been keeping me informed via email.
Their village has had a flood warning
but I think she is far enough away from the river to escape any flooding.
But I do know that she had to make a detour in order to get home from work.

So I hope that the water continues to subside in the flooded towns.

Below is a photo of the village church.
You can just see the river to the left of the spire.

This is a walk that Mike and I have been doing more regularly this week.

It is nice to look down on the valley.

And see the changing colours.

In contrast,

yesterday,

Mike and I took a trip into our local town.

It was a lovely afternoon.

There are many old buildings in the town.

There was a line on one of the buildings showing how high the floods had been in earlier years.

One of them was unbelievably high, way over our heads.

It was difficult to imagine.

The Christmas Market starts this weekend

and we could see the townspeople busy getting ready for it.

Part of the decorations.

A pretty shop window.

A decorated doorway.

A bright shop sign.

It seems to shine more in the fading light.

We plan to visit the Christmas Market over the weekend

just as the light is fading

as I'm sure there will be lots of twinkling lights.
Another photo opportunity!

A-Z Monday, Hexagons

H is for Hexagons.

I have a thing for hexagons.

I wrote about my grandmothers flower garden quilt last year.

And joined the Great Hexagon Quilt-Along to prompt me to get going with it again.

But I ended up making some smaller hexagons and stitching them together in order to make a cushion cover (or two).

But I haven't finished them either!

For more A-Z fun visit Jen.

Misty Mornings

I took this photo of our village in the mist earlier in the week whilst walking the Hounds.
It's been a damp week, not necessarily raining , but muddy underfoot.
And on this particular day, Thursday it started off very misty.
After walking the Hounds all week along the river, I fancied a change so drove them up through the vineyards so that we were overloooking the village.
The Hounds always appreciate a different location,
with different smells.


I found a couple of new places to walk.
One of which took us past an enclosure containing deer.
The Hounds could smell them but they behaved.
The deer were at the furthest side of the field where they couldn't quite see them.
On another walk the Hounds became very alert, sniffing the air and pulling at their leads.
I found it quite spooky because I couldn't sense anything there but knew they must have smelt deer. So I was on my guard as I know what a handful the Hounds can be when they see something they can chase.
As we came to the top of the hill we saw a deer.
It was so surprised at our appearance it just stood staring at us.
The Hounds stared back not really believing what they were seeing.
Until it decided to run away.
We were in an open area so the deer was visible for a while before disappearing into the wood.
Jewel leapt about barking trying to run after it.
The two lads just watched the deer with interest.


Mike arrived back home from the UK later in the day .
The Hounds as you might imagine were very pleased to see him.
On Saturday morning the sun was out so we drove across the river.


The walk climbs up the other side of the valley.
We were able to look down on a small formal garden.

A bit further on Mike decided to take a photo.

You can see from the next photo the path climbs up a bit.

So much so,

that it tired Rufus out!

A-Z Monday, Letter I

I is for Internet.

Now how difficult was that especially considering I spent most of today INDOORS using it?

I think I was waiting for INSPIRATION.

Yes the internet is a wonderful place.

Today I have been using the internet to try and understand German grammar.

In preparation for my class tonight.

Over the weekend I used the internet to learn about art journalling.

It is also keeping me in touch with Mike while he is in the UK.

It makes it easier for me to add to his shopping list!

I think I first started blogging when I was in Sweden with none of my patchwork and quilting books and magazines.

I needed some inspiration to get started with some project or other,

rather than finishing off something I had started!

I must have googled 'patchwork and quilting'and that was my introduction into the world of blogging.

I suspect I didn't even get my project started.

Last week I received my first ATC from Joyce who doesn't appear to have a blog.

Throughout the year I have been making ATC's to send out to people taking part in a swap.

Everyone in the swap sends out an ATC to anyone whose birthday falls in the month that we are in.

All mine are sent out now, phew!

But I received my first one!

It's my birthday next month.

So Joyce is early, unlike me!

I also received a lovely little bag in September from Christine who like me is part of a bigger blog.

The Great Hexagon Quilt Along invited members to make hexagons and then all participants were put into a draw and one lucky winner won all the hexagons to sew them up however they chose.

Christine was the first winner of this 'Pot Luck' and entered the names of everyone who sent her some hexagons into a draw. And I was one of the winners.

My first blog win!

And even better, it was the first post to arrive for me at our house in Germany!!

Yes I love the internet.

I love the way that it connects people together

and keeps people in touch.

The first photo?
The weather today.

Sunday Morning Walk

This morning was lovely and sunny as I walked the Hounds.



Can you just see the moon in the photo below?

View across the river, showing one of the many shrines.

The Hounds waited patiently while I took the photos.

Jewel lay down amongst the leaves.

It was one of the things that attracted me to her when we walked her at the kennels.

Whenever we stopped to talk to anyone she would lie down just where she was.

I have been putting their muzzles on them whilst walking them.

People will often be wary when they see them with muzzles.

But it didn't stop a Rumanian man talking to me as I came back from the walk.

He had a bunch of parsley he said his wife was going to make a soup.

He told me they travel, not staying in one place to live.

They are in Germany for work as there is no work in Rumania.

It's amazing the converations I've had whilst being here,

with people who speak little or in most cases no English,

and meeting them for the first time.

Just Me and the Hounds

'November,

Month of the drowned dog.

Fields like hammered lead.'

So Mike quoted to me yesterday as we gave the Hounds their first walk of the day.
A poem by Ted Hughes he said.

It was a bit windy and looked like it was going to rain,

having already been raining though the night.

So the lines above seemed appropriate.

Also, I think the fact that in a couple of hours time he would be getting on his motorcycle and travelling nearly 400 km was probably on his mind.
But he made it to the ferry and is now in the north east of England staying with his sons for a week. He emailed me earlier and said that the crossing was a bit rough!

So, it's just me and the Hounds keeping each other company.

This is Mike's 3rd trip away since we arrived in Germany.

Although one of the trips was only 2 nights away camping in Germany.

I took the next two photos this morning whilst holding onto the Hounds.

Just hoping they didn't spot a cat!

Otherwise I would have found myself flat on the floor.

Not for the first time!

They are quite powerful dogs.

The weather felt a bit warmer today and not windy!

Typical, Mike would say.

I wanted to get some photos whilst there are still some leaves on the trees
and showing their lovely colours.
Some of the trees are leafless now.

The next two photos were taken earlier in the week and show how the colours are changing in the vineyards.

It helps when the sun shines!

Usually when Mike is away I get my sewing out to keep me company.

When we were in Sweden, I used to bring some of my sewing stuff over from my workshop and take over the dining room.

But the dining room/lounge is already taken over with my sewing stuff.
As I have already been doing some sewing.
And Mike is acting as postman
by taking this to pass on to my son to deliver.

And some of these to post.

As they are bound for England.

The rest of which I posted today!

I'll show you what I have been busy with once the recipients have received them.

Meanwhile, back to the Hounds.

Here they are after this mornings walk waiting for me at the top of the stairs.
How nice is that?

Well they can't actually get to their beds until I open the door!

I would like to get a photo of Paddy in his Sphinx position that he usually adopts.

Have a happy weekend.

A-Z Monday, J is for......

J is for Jewel our female greyhound.
Any idea what her favourite pastime might be?

Join Jen for more A-Z Mondays.

Orange and Yellow and Pink and White

I was going to welcome in November with a photo taken today of the trees seen from our balcony. But I left it too late, and when I remembered, the light had gone and the photo I took was no different to the one I took a month ago. Whereas in reality, there is far more colour in them. So I will save that for another day and instead look back on some colour from October. Which was a very colourful month.

Yet another window box.

Aren't they delicious?

Pink dahlias.

White dahlias.

Yellow dahlias.

And orange dahlias.

They've been a riot of colour in the nearby allotments.

They are one of my favourite flowers.

Not only because of their cheerful disposition,

but because dad used to grow them.

Then there are the doorstop treats.

And of course pumpkins.

These were for sale.

But most houses have at least one or more on their steps.

But there was no trick or treating last night.

I was asking a neighbour about it, (one who speaks some English).

She said the children celebrate Halloween but they don't go round the houses.

But some of the houses in our road do have lighted pumpkins outside.

They were lit again tonight which was nice.

Jewel had to have a closer look

she hadn't seen one before.

It was extremely mild as we walked the dogs tonight

unbelievably so.