Happy Christmas

Wishing you a very

Happy Christmas!



Proper Snow at Last

I've been watching all the snow reports from the UK

and hoping that Mike would make it back okay,

which he did.

Thank goodness!

Yesterday we took a walk along the river as usual

and saw that the level of the river was high.

It was raining steady, and what snow we had

was thawing.

Today when we took our usual route to the river,

we found our path flooded.

Not only the path

but a large expanse of area

was under water.

I've shown the view below before

when people have been waiting for a boat.

Now I know why the benches, bins and playground are removed over winter!

Last night,

it snowed properly,

making everything very pretty.

So after the hounds had finished their walk,

I went back out and had a walk through the allotments near to our house.

And snapped away.

Well I had been missing out on all that snow

everyone has been experiencing in the UK.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring?



Christmas is a Coming

 December already,

and I've been busy making Christmas cards.

Some have even been posted,

and we've received our first one,

sorry, two!

Mike and I went to a Christmas market in our neighbouring village at the weekend.

It took place in the Guildhall.

There were only about 10 stalls,

but all quite different.

We went with friends.

After we'd had a look at all the stalls,

and chatted to some other friends,

who had one of the stalls,

and bought one or two things,

we had some Gluwein.

It was delicious.

Very warming.

Just what we needed

before walking back home...

...through the lovely old market square.

I always like walking through it,

but it's especially nice with the Christmas lights.

After saying goodnight to our friends,

we had the last bit to walk on our own,

past this lovely Christmas display.

It's a garden centre

and it always has lovely displays.

I like to take a walk

or a cycle ride,

(weather permitting),

just to see what they have on display.

Mike's in the UK at the moment,

braving all that winter weather!

I'm hoping he can get back here as planned next week,

otherwise, I might be spending Christmas on my own!

With the hounds of course.

Is it Christmassy where you are?

And, have you got snow?

If you're in the UK,

it might be a case of,

how much snow?

Running Late

What a bright bush against the grey.

I've no idea what it is.

We weren't sure whether they were berries or flowers.

It turns out they are flowers,

the petals are quite hard.

The weather has been quite grey,

damp and wet at times,

so the bright bush was a nice surprise.

I've had this post half prepared for a week now.
But Blogger lost some of my text
as I was editing it, so as it was late at night
I decided to put it on hold and go to bed.
Unfortunately, I didn't get back to it,
until now!

These first few photos were taken
over a week ago on one of our morning walks along the river.

We saw these grapes covered in plastic.

Most of the grapes have all been harvested now,

but these I think are being saved to make ice wine,

made once the frost has got to the grapes.

But I really must find out a bit more about it.

 On Saturday (13th November) we joined our friends who were celebrating St Martin's Day.

We arrived too late to see the horse and a procession through the streets.

All the children had made lanterns,

and there was a large bonfire down by the river.

The drum on the right of the picture is evidence of a band,
though we must have missed that as well!

We were eager to try these doughy pretzels.

All the children got one each.

Our friends got some for us,

but they were quite filling,

and covered in sugar.

The photo below really belongs with the first ones as it was taken at the same time.

It's just easier to keep it where it is.

We often let Paddy and Rufus off for a run when we are down by the river.

Rufus is very obedient and doesn't stray far.

We've been working with Paddy to come back when he is called.

For this we have used treats.

He loves his food and will do anything for a treat.

In fact we only have to crackle the celophane bag and he comes.

So here he is running back to us for a treat.

What's interesting about this photo is that the day before

the path that you see was flooded over by the river.

No doubt we'll get more of that happening now.

 

This last photo was taken on a different day,
on a different walk above the village.
There are new views now that there are no leaves on the trees.
The funny thing is,
when I was looking through photos from last year,
I took this same view last year
but one day later.





Maybe I should look out some of the photos I took over the summer

which I meant to post on here,

and didn't get round to at the time.

Just Stitchin'

One day a month,

Mike and I aim,

to give the other one,

a day off.

This means we are not obliged to

partake in the early morning walks with the dogs,

cough, cough!

If only they were early,

these walks tend to be a lot later these days.

Or any of their other walks apart from the last one at night.

And for me,

I don't have to think about what we're going to eat

and have to prepare it.

In other words,

no responsibilities on those days other than

deciding how we would like to spend the day.

Today, it was my turn,

and I just stitched away,

all day!

Rippling Hexagons

Back in July,

19th to be precise,

I told you about how

some of my photos won some prizes

in an agricultural show.

Well I also entered

 two other classes.

One was for crochet,

in which I entered my ripple blanket.

I was very pleased
with this blanket,

for two reasons.

The first was that I had actually completed it.

I had been looking at them for quite some time in blogland.

But I never really thought that I would make one,

but I did.

Granted it's not a full bed size.

But it fits very neatly over this sofa back,

and is a good size to cover my knees

on the chilly nights to come.

The second reason was

because it was made entirely out of wool that I had.

Either my own from long, long ago projects,

or from wool I inherited from my mother.

Granted it's not the colour scheme I would have bought

if faced with a shop full of yarn.

But it is bright and cheery,

and I am very pleased to have made a blanket

and in doing so

not spent any money.

However I didn't win any prizes with it.

I must admit

I hadn't expected to.

I only entered it to push myself to finish it,

and for fun,

and because I had always

wanted to enter something I had made in a show.
I followed Lucy's pattern.

You can find her in my sidebar

at Attic24.

I really enjoyed making it as well,

very soothing and repetitive,

lovely.

I'd definitly make another.

That reminds me,

I'm sure my daughter requested I make her one when she saw it.

The other class I entered was for a patchwork item.

I entered this pincushion

made from elongated hexagons

to my own design.

I like hand stitching hexagons,

and for my efforts I won second prize,.

The first went to a quilt,

and rightly so.

A lot of work goes into making a quilt.
Maybe I should add

that there were only two items entered in this class.

I like to think that they didn't just

give me a prize for entering though.

I hope not!

Well I spent all weekend

working on the computer

and had my instructions from Mike

not to use the computer today or tomorrow,

to give my eyes a rest!

So I haven't managed

to get round and visit as many people as I would have liked to.

Hopefully I'll catch up in a day or two.
Well I'm off to rest my eyes now.

 

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?

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.



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.

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.