Rockliffe and Mabie Forest

Some sea pictures as promised...

While away we visited Rockliffe for a picnic lunch.

The view from our picnic spot.

These rocks were ideal for rock climbing (so claimed A, N did his best to follow in her footsteps).

Seashells.

It may look like we're miles from anywhere but Rockcliffe is a popular place to visit on a sunny day, and it even had an icecream van (Mr Whippy vanilla with flake and strawberry sauce, it was yummy!)

Nice old phonebox.

A quick peek at Sweetheart Abbey (from the carpark) on the way back to the parents.

Later during our stay we went to Mabie Forest.

Guddling in a little stream. Wild garlic starting to sprout, it'll smell delicious here in a few weeks time.

Anemonies on the forest floor.

Scots pines towering above.

Lastly some shots of my Mum's garden which always looks pretty.

Grape hyacinths. N enjoyed pulling all the little flowers off a few stems, I remember liking to do that too when I was little.

Peacock butterfly.

A rather striking Auricula.

And finally the gnome, he's surrounded by anemonies at this time of year.

A Galloway Bike Ride

We're just back from spending a few days at my parent's house in the south west of Scotland.

We left home in wintry cold torrential rain, the day after we arrived we were enjoying beautiful summery warmth and sunshine.

Fortunately I'd taken my bike, a chance to explore some new roads and see some new views...

Lots more daffodils line the roads hereabouts than at home.

I do have a purpose for this ride. As you near the town where my parents live there is a perfect tree topped hill ridge. It's a very busy and fast approach road - one I would not cycle on for long so I'm going to try and find a way to view and photograph the ridge from along the quiet back roads.

Here is my first view of the ridge in the distance with a dew covered field in the foreground.

A little further along and I unexpectedly come across this old ruined windmill.

Around the corner and another view of the windmill.

A farm nestles amongst trees at the top of this field.

Getting a little closer to the tree ridge.

There are lots of lambs in the many fields. I try to photograph them but this ewe and twin lambs don't seem to keen to have their picture taken.

Tree silhouettes against clear blue skies.

More trees and fields, copper hedge and distant ridge.

Some hedges are of gorse which is now in flower.

Well, this is as close as I get to the lovely tree ridge today.

Zooming in a little closer for a better view. It's quite early in the morning and I'm taking the photos into the sun. Next time I'll try a slightly different route and an evening trip.

Now heading back and I pass more pretty farms and fields.

Beautiful blues and greens.

The road ahead.

Just more gorgeous greens and blues, fields and sky, trees and gate.

The little beech tree balls lining this section of road are rather attractive.

The hedges in these fields are kept very severely trimmed, they create quite dramatic lines across the landscape.

Lastly a view of a country church before I need to join the main road for a brief section (busy traffic certainly makes me put a bit more effort into my cycling!), then back to the parent's house.

We've had a lovely few days away, the nice weather makes all the difference sometimes. I have beach and woodland pictures to follow. And... I have finally finished my African flower crochet blanket so the TaDa at last for that is coming soon too. We'll be having a blanket photo shoot today while it's still sunny.

Rainbow Stars and Silver Pinecones

We've been enjoying ourselves...

...with coloured tissue paper squares and these tutorials. We've been making the basic & checked designs. Such fun! I initially came across them through some recent blog surfing when I discovered Fioleta's lovely blog. I believe they're popular with the Waldorf/Steiner community but this is the first time I'd come across them. A managed to make one of the basic ones herself but found the checked one a little more tricky to fold.

Ahem, they're a little addictive (there are another three already in other rooms of the house with squares prepared for more). The white one top left is the one I made as a prototype when I couldn't find the tissue paper. We experimented with some different colour combinations but the rainbow ones are my favourite.

Last week I entered a giveaway on another lovely blog this time belonging to Teresa Kasner who stays in the beautiful Pacific North West. Her blog is a great collection of posts about family life, the beautiful area in which she lives and crochet, so we have a lot in common. And I was the lucky giveaway winner!

It didn't take long at all for the parcel to wing its way from the north west of the US to the north west of the UK.

Inside were these beautiful silver pinecone earrings, specially made by Teresa.

The beads are moss agate. Teresa also makes them with other stones, here's a link to her etsy shop for more details.

And here's me wearing them. Thank you Teresa, I do like them very, very much indeed.

Sunday Morning Bike Ride

Off up the hill through the woods. Looking up, the trees on one side are on a high bank above the road. Last years beech leaves are still brightening some sheltered branches. Starry moss. At the top of the hill I take a little detour up a farm track to photograph the daffodils. Fields and farm buildings. Tree silhouette and view over the strath, rain clouds in the distance. Daffodils, open gate and little tree topped hills. I'm just starting to relaise how attractive many of the farm buildings round here can look. This is a view from a B road I don't normally cycle along, I just fancied a change. I love the rolling countryside (looking very green here) with the clipped hedge in the foreground and more bare tree sillouhettes. Down by the loch, the sun is breaking through the clouds. Lambs. A horse with his jacket on. Yet more rolling green fields, trees, sheep and farm buildings. And again, now from the cycle path on the way home. A little secret - I would love to be able to paint. One of the reasons I like to take so many photos of different views is that one day I want to use them as inspiration for paintings. We can all have our dreams! Many of the trees and bushes on the cycle path had been recently pruned. I gather some branches with little catkins on them to take home, here they are poking out the back of the carrier on my bike.

Sentimental Sofa

Tulips in a finger spotted vase. A card made at school by A, all mummies of P1 children at the school received similar cards, I think it's a lovely design.

It looks perfect on the mantlepiece.

Some late morning sunshine made the living room glow. I have been diligently sewing in the ends on my African flower blanket just visible in the foreground, I'm well over halfway done now, I hope to have it finished very soon (I hope very much!).

Now, the red sofa. The first "big thing" hubby and I bought when we moved in to our first house together just over 10 years ago. I loved it then.

But now I'm not so keen on the colour. I find it a bit soft and squishy to sit on comfortably. The room is not really quite big enough for two large sofas and where it is narrows the way the room looks.

So, tomorrow a local charity are coming to collect it and take it away to sell it in their furniture shop. I hope it's a decision I won't regret.

But we rarely use it, the green sofa is much more comfy (and it's a sofa bed).

I'm looking forward to the feeling of extra space.

Things will look very different tomorrow...

Untitled

I lie there with my secret
friend. I dream of you
and then I do it by
myself I do something
very strange I make
a thing that does not
have a wing. I make
a copy of you! I do it
with my green machine that
beats all of the teams.

A poem by A, aged 5 1/2.

Well, I like it, but I'm not a huge poetry fan (I'd much rather look at pictures). What's it all about, no idea, suppose I'd better ask her and see if she knows.

Ahh, she's growing up fast...

...here she is as a wee baby with our old cat.

On the subject of cats... I checked with hubby about the maybe getting another cat situation (last year he had vaguely committed to "perhaps sometime in the Spring"), and we're going to start making enquiries after the Easter holidays. How exciting! Almost like having another child, except without the pregnancy, sleepless nights, nappies, "fun" mealtimes, etc and with added fur which will probably drive me nuts, must try not to get another mostly white one...