A WIP and a FO

I thought I had better let you know that I am still doing some. Above is the half hap in the lovely August-heather colours, which is coming along nicely - and, of course, looking like a purpley blob. The magic of blocking!

Here is the FO. Absolutely GORGEOUS fabric - poplin crisp, firm and silky. From Croft Mill, my favourite fabric suppliers. Their fabrics are mostly manufacturers' leftovers so, as well as being modestly priced, they are able to supply all sorts of things that never turn up in mainstream fabric shops - where else would you find the rainproofed anorak fabric, which kept my children dry? And brushed cotton sweatshirting, and Egyptian cotton sheeting, and all sorts of other goodies. It is worth getting on their mailing list for the leaflet which is an entertaining read even if you are not after fabrics right now.

I have made this pattern a few times - I do like the cuffs you can wear them as shown above or folded back


If I had thought harder as I was cutting out I could have had a perfect match of the stripes but I rather like the effect they make as they are.

Since I kept meaning to show the buttons to Vivienne, and forgot every time, HERE is one.

Poor little cherry tree

After surviving the ferocious winds, and then passing a fairly pleasant week, it now gets snowed upon. I have never known it bear any fruit, so there is nothing to be spoiled there, but it really ought to get it's timing sorted out!

To Penshurst Place last Saturday - the first time I have been there for well over forty years, and it is as lovely and welcoming a place as I remember it. Still in the same family after more that 400 years, there has been time for that atmosphere to build up.

Vivienne gave me the chance to make a smart-ass remark - "What are those yellow flowers right up there at the top of that wall?"

"Wallflowers!"

Well they were, and the ones in the photograph were down at waist level, but the ones that drew her notice would have required three ladders and a hard hat to take a picture.

Having taken a photo of the flowers, I felt the need to be a bit artistic with some lovely old brick wall.

The house itself was a pleasure to go round, but the trip would have been worth it just to look at the bare bones of the dormant gardens. I shall be going back later on when things start waking up.

Family please note - I have been unaccountable shut out of my e-mail account, so if you are expecting me to reply to you, that's why I haven't.

Matters horticultural

These were growing behind the greenhouse, so he thought I ought to have them where I could see and appreciate them. I don't know if it is the variety, but they seem to be extremely strongly scented. I couldn't smell the leek he brought in, because of my cold, but these were fairly reaming out my sinuses!

I feel half ashamed to show this photo after a look at Yarnstorm's amaryllis pictures, but spare a thought for this one - it is good. Firstly because this is the second time it has flowered, and produced two flower heads. Secondly because it was a cheap and cheerful end-of-line clearance in the supermarket. Thirdly, because I made the discovery that when looked at in direct lighting, either sunlight or artificial, it looks as though it has been dusted with extremely fine glitter powder. The petals twinkle. So lets hear it for my Ferrari, for that is it's name!
This is blossom on the cherry tree at the end of the garden. I wonder if it will be there tomorrow.

The rain has just reached here. As I have been writing, a fisherman has been hastily packing up his gear by the pond next-door-but-two. He didn't have his hat pulled down terribly well, and since the rain was being driven horizontal, I suspect it may well have been going in one ear and out the other . . . .