Now Wearing Purple

THE KNITTY GRITTIES Well, my first steps into the world of knitting have begun.  I know in my heart that sock knitting is a little way off, I'm contemplating a month or so, ever the optimist. I know it won't be plain sailing, but by hook and by crook (that's a needle you use in cable stitch...see I'm learning stuff!) I will get there! I've had these two books for about two years now, which is when I first felt the urge to take up knitting. I have the crochet version of the one below which I found incredibly helpful in learning that craft.  Hoping this one will be just as good. I was given this Cath Kidston knitting kit by my lovely girl, a couple of year's ago now.  She knew I wanted to have a go at knitting, bless her, but I decided to concentrate on honing my crochet ability first.  Also and I know this might sound ungrateful, but I really found the colour of the yarn provided very uninspiring.  Totally love the tin though! This w...

A MEMORY Spring is sprung The grass is riz I wonder where the birdie is The birdie is on the wing No, that's absurd The wing is on the bird My dad taught me this little ditty when I was a small child. It always reminds me of him.

A NIGHT OUT I hate going out after dark in the wintertime and very little will coax me out on a week night.  But, I hear you say, it was the Spring Equinox yesterday, and yes it was but until the clocks change, it's still winter to me and also we have large amounts of snow......so, winter! My sister has been trying to attend Pop-up Feasts run by her weekly veg box scheme for some time now, but has always missed out.  There are very few places and they get booked up almost immediately.  Well, this time she struck lucky, phoned me to see if I was interested....food, always interested...and booked two tickets. So last night, along with Sister,  I ventured into the cold, dark night and headed to a village hall twelve miles away. As we drove into the village, it suddenly hit me that the last time I was here was for my beautiful dog Feebie's hydrotherapy treatment. Wow, the emotions that hit me.  I really choked up. The treatment had not continued because ...

PROJECT BAG WIP Remember these from my previous post ? Little grannies consisting of three rounds, crocheted on a 3.5mm hook, using Stylecraft Special DK, made some time ago. I believe I was going to crochet them into a scarf, but got side tracked by another project. The idea of the scarf has lost it's allure, so the decision was made to turn them into a little project bag for my impending sock knitting adventure.  I know the word 'impending' has overtones of something unpleasant, and I do have a strange feeling that my urge to knit socks may not go as smoothly as I'd like. I will not be deterred however - I'm soldiering on with great enthusiasm, well on the bag anyway. My tension was a bit tight joining my grannies, but actually I quite like the slight 'waffle' effect. I also must really learn the 'join as you go' method with granny squares, it's got to be easier than sitting with a pile of the little blighters and then having to ...

SPRING WHERE ART THOU? On an extended vacation methinks.  Well at least I have tulips. I really wanted two bunches of yellow tulips, but they only had one bunch left, so purple it was. I think I'm converted! Loving the light through the purple petals. Mid-week we made plans for today, to go to Wells and stuff our faces with street food, but the wee beastie storm had other ideas.  The wind started howling down the chimney again and snow started to flutter past the windows.  To be honest, I was quite happy with that as I had plenty to crack on with at home and wouldn't feel the guilts. It's a far cry from last weekend, when we journeyed down to the New Forest to see our gorgeous girl and her lovely boy who were having a short break holiday with the kids and his parents.  We haven't met his  parents yet as they are a six hour round trip away. The journey there using the Satnav.......what a fiasco, but strangely hilarious... and long....

QUICK CHEATY PIE! I love a good, decadent chicken pie made with cream and wine, but this yummy little treat is really good, I discovered a few tins in my larder that were nearing the use by date, mainly soups.  I'm not a fan of tinned soups, but Mr. loves them as a quick fix.  I found a Campbell's condensed chicken soup that had been hiding in there for some time and decided to make a pie (I know, Pie Week was on the 5th March, so I'm a little late). I handily had some puff pastry and leeks in the freezer. The leeks we harvested a week ago and  I'd sauteed the lot and frozen what I didn't use at the time. For the recipe, I sauteed one onion in some butter and a pinch of salt for one to two minutes before adding one crushed garlic clove and the cooked leeks (use one large or two medium leeks if cooking fresh). Added a large chopped chicken breast and cooked until coloured. Sprinkled in some crushed black pepper and a teaspoon of mixed herbs. ...

SIMPLE PLEASURES Line dried laundry is one of my favourite seasonal things. I don't use fabric conditioner when line drying,  as washing always feels softer after being blown about in fresh breezes and I want that lovely sunny, outdoorsy smell. I've been itching to get my first load on the washing line, but was thwarted a few times, when on a sunny morn the farmers decided to muck spread. The dogs were in the garden for ten minutes one day and came in reeking, so a no go for laundry.   I don't mind, I chose to live in the countryside. I might have mentioned this before, it is a bug bear of mine - people who move to the countryside,  then start complaining when cockerels wake them up, or a barn is erected in a field that ruins their view or there are nasty smells.   I therefore have to put up with a bit of a pong when they fertilise the fields. Anyhoo, Mr. found the little thingy in the gravel for line to sit in, took him some time, and voila...

Woke to glorious and much needed sunshine today, so thought, great I can dry my washing on the line in all that fresh air!  Now the bit of the garden that get's the sun most of the day this time of year  has just been re-gravelled, and that's where the little pipe that my aerial washing line pole fits in, is located.  Well, I've been scratching around in the gravel like a demented old hen, and can't find the bloody thing.  So miffed.  I will have to hang it all over the Aga maid again, which curtails my cooking plans a bit (no one want's their smalls smelling of fried leeks do they?). I took a few pics of the garden.  Hellebores, not sure which variety as the label has disappeared over the years.  Jacobaea Maritima,  bought last year as a bedding plant. It's a wonderful, robust plant.  Little leaves...not sure what,  as bluebells, crocuses and muscari grow here and I can't remember what comes up first. Lily, wait...