If you’re looking for me I’m in the garden

All the actions in the garden this week.

New garden furniture in memory of my lovely Auntie Gladys.

Getting our social corner ready for beer, tea and chat.

All welcome.

This is my rusty corner

Mediterranean wall

We are not opposed to a bit of fakery either 

We do have some real stuff as well

This is where the old pond was sited.

The wandering welder did a fabulous job of filling in the hole.

We have the odd ceramic mouse in the ivy.

Oh I thought everyone had one.

Stay safe and enjoy the sunshine.

More garden tales soon.

Sorry there’s no desk Julia 

LINKING WITH WOYWW 620

Friday Smiles

Look at that happy face, he’s been shopping.

Rochdale, our nearest main town, has a new shopping centre

and my mum had bought Philip a waistcoat for Christmas.

Sadly it didn’t fit, hence the trip out to exchange it now that the

shops have reopened.

FIFE COUNTRY WEAR

Also it was an excuse for him to wear his new moleskin waistcoat

and trousers, bought from a lovely family run company in Scotland,

established in 1888.

They are such good quality and price he has bought another set in

a darker shade of green.  

PEAR MILL VINTAGE EMPORIUM LINK

The wool jacket by Christian Dior was a bargain £24 find from Stockport’s Pear Mill Vintage Emporium

and his olive green Italian leather shoes were bought over 25 years ago in York.

Back home now and I’m cracking the whip again and I’ve got

him filling the hole where the old garden pond was sited.

Meanwhile I’m still adding finished touches to the guest room.

Here’s a funny before I go.  Our friend Mike sent me a photo of his wife Joy

stood next to their two cars in the 80’s.

Apparently Philip had worked on both of them and Mike said 

‘That Phil Holland can weld confetti, he’s that good’

Here’s a few funnies Mum posted on her Facebook page.

Have a lovely weekend.

I hope the sunshine’s for you.

Lynn

x

LINKING UP WITH ANNIE’S FRIDAY SMILES

Jabs, Lace and a fishpond - woyww619

Well that’s me jabbed up folks.

There was hardly a murmur in the room while people sat waiting.

I very nearly burst into song to liven up

the proceedings.

Instead when it got to my turn I talked the socks off the lovely

marshals and the jabbing lady and thanked them kindly.

Once back home I had to kick himself into action to get on

with the re-siting of the pond.

Just get on with it man. Measure twice cut once. Think on.

It’s getting there, but still lots to do.

In the meantime I had a new book to start 

and research to do for the new prompt for the

No Rules Textile Society that I am a member of.

Doesn’t that sound posh.  

I’ve been going through my gazzillion books for inspiration.

The prompt is Lace.

Well thats me done.

Hope I haven’t overloaded you with pics Mrs D.

Linking up with 

WHAT’S ON YOUR WORKDESK - WEEK 619

Lynn

x

Monday Monday

This morning I finished reading The Yorkshire Shepherdess, just in time for the new series

starting this week. Next up is Ruth Hogan’s book Madame Burova. This is her fourth novel,

my favourite is The Keeper of Lost Things. Ruth sent me a little heart shaped brooch that

she'd found after I wrote and told her how much I’d enjoyed her book.  

As we can’t go to concerts I bought myself a ticket for an online one which was held at the home

of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. As well as the jazzy music of Tino and his band we were given

a tour of the now museum of Kahlo and her husband Diego Rivera.

I felt like I’d had a night out.

Today’s weather is the complete opposite to Sunday’s deluge of snow

and so outside activities were able to recommence.

The old pond liner is out and will be cut down to use in a smaller spot

in the garden where we will be able to see it when we are sat out.

Now to fill in this massive hole.  The wandering welder is a man of many

talents thankfully and is cracking on with it.

Meanwhile I’ve been working my way through the last of my craft stuff.

It either has to find a place in the studio, be thrown in the skip or be sent

to the charity shop.

Tomorrow I’ve got my second jab and hopefully Philip will get his soon.

There’ll be no dashing off to the shops or pub for us though yet. Watching

the crowds on the news put me right off.

I’ll be back at my desk on Wednesday.  Hope you can join me.

What a difference a day makes

What a difference a day makes.

Saturday was clear and bright and warm enough not to need thermals.

Then overnight the snow came down with a real thud.

Back to Saturday, the midi skip we hired to dump all the chopped down ivy in is filling up nicely.  We needed a new manhole cover for the drain in the garden so Philip popped off to the local builders merchant and came back grumbling that it had cost him £24.  To say the last one has been there 50 years, I didn’t see the problem.

Should have taken a photo of him down the hole cleaning the drain out. Yes I was tempted to close the lid on him heehee.

I spent a lovely couple of hours on a zoom meeting with the NO RULES TEXTILE SOCIETY members.  We chatted about what we had been doing since our last link up and looked at each other’s pieces for the TUFTED prompt we had been working on.  It’s so nice being with like minded folk.  One of the ladies lives in New Zealand, so I’ve no idea what time it was for her.

JAYNE EMERSON WEBSITE

Our beloved leader JAYNE EMERSON pulled a new prompt from the selection she keeps in a jar.  This time we are looking at LACE.  The idea now before our next meet up is to find images and fabrics to work with.

To get me started I’ve pinned this doily to the cork wall I use for displays in my studio. After lunch I watched a You Tube video that Jayne had recommended.  It was a conversation with two textile artists about the process of their work.

DOROTHY CALDWELL & CLAIRE BENN VIDEO

Taking advantage of some time where I wouldn’t be disturbed I did my Pilates practice before making a tea of scampi, rice and beetroot & carrot salad.  The evening was spent watching episodes of The Repair Shop we’d missed and BBC4’s Canal Diaries.

Looks like the snow is melting as fast as it fell.

Don’t think there’ll be any garden work done today though.

Take care and enjoy your day 

Lynn

X

Staying put

April seems to be all about home.

The mornings are lighter and the sun streams in through

the window before we rise.  

 Last year we talked about moving to somewhere nearer to

public transport and shops.  I didn’t want to be stuck on top

of this hill in my dotage and not able to get out.

But after masses of research and house hunting we came to the

conclusion that we would take our chances and stay put.

And so realising what a godsend living where we do has been

over the last twelve months we’ve now got stuck into all the

jobs we’ve been putting off.

The office is now a bright and inviting guest room.

The kitchen garden is now a nice area to sit out.

I’ve got a proper washing line at last.

See this quilt, it’s hand stitched and I came across it

in a charity shop a couple of years ago for £12.

I had to give it a new home.  Can you imagine the 

hours of work and love that went into making it.

Plans to move the pond and the old ivy are ongoing but

making great headway.

We are giving the bathroom a bit of a makeover and once I’ve

finished this cover for the garden bench I’ll be making a blind 

for the window.  I can’t sew soft furnishings for toffee.  There’s

no measuring or patterns, it’s all very rough and ready.

By the time we’ve finished all our plans we will be to

exhausted to move off the chair never mind move house.

So I guess we will be known as the folk who live on the

hill for another 30 years hopefully.

If you come calling bring cake.

Kettles always on.

Time for a bit of Gardeners World and some catch up tv before bed.

Have a good weekend and stay safe.

Lynn

x