Saturday Morning Bike Ride

Today I decide to set off in search of golden fields.

A drizzly morning, so not the best weather for photographs, but not too bad either - the rain was very light and not continuous. I'm off out by about 8:30.

The tree at the corner, and already some golden colours. I like the contrast with the fields of emerald green and the pink bursts of rosebay willowherb lining the road in the foreground.

This photo is taken from a bridge over the road , I then follow the road you can see in the photo.

Another view of the top left field of the previous photo, this time from a different angle having turned right at the tree and sharp left again soon after.

Shortly after this, I pause to check my map and decide finally which route to take. While I'm quiet and still, a hare darts out from the hedge just a couple of feet in front of me, then takes fright as he notices me and bounds away back across the field. I just wish I'd had my camera ready.

Then, after a couple of miles along busier roads (which certainly make me cycle faster), I'm back onto the single track country roads. This road has fields of barley along both sides so I picked a good one. The countryside round here is flatter than closer to home so there are more arable farms than dairy farms.

Straw bales.

Not a terribly clear photo, but I'm pretty sure it's a swallow swooping by (as opposed to a house martin, the tail looks longer and more forked). There were about twenty birds darting around catching flies at this little patch, they were very entertaining to watch.

Ooh, hay bales, rosebay willowherb and funky fence post!

Not all the fields have barley growing in them, there are some grassy fields with cows around.

As well as the swallows there were flocks of jackdaws noisily flying above, making dramatic peppery patterns in the sky.

I really like this view of a stubbly field with straw bales.

A few more miles down the road and I come across this "interesting" telegraph pole silhouetted against the sky.

More lovely colours.

At this point my mobile phone rings. I need to go home to look after the kids as hubby has to go into work. Oh well, the rain had got heavier so it wasn't the best of mornings and there's always next weekend.

More strikingly pink rosebay willowherb beneath the telegraph wires, a little bird dots each wire.

One last view before zooming home. I'll be back this way again soon, I liked it.

Turtle Blanket TaDa

All done, woohoo!.

I started this blanket in the middle of April. It is inspired by Andrea's jewel blanket and I used the same basic pattern.

As I progressed I changed my mind about a few things. Out went the red and gold and in came purple. I abandoned the idea of a single coloured background, instead I used some of the different shades of blue and green which had appeared already in the circles. I was intending to use this blanket in the living room and on the green sofa in particular so hoped these changes would help the blanket fit in better with an exisiting colour scheme.

I wanted to join the squares as I went so I modified the fourth round to allow me to do this, this gave the spider web effect in the last round which I decided I rather liked.

As you can see, the blanket has turned out completely different to Andrea's. This is one of the things I love about crochet - how two people using the same basic pattern can produce such individual end results. And thanks to the internet (specifically blogs, ravelry and flickr) it is so easy to see and share these lovely creations.

So, here it is...

...TaDa! A balancing on one foot whole blanket on the ground photo.

Taking photos whilst it was hung on the whirlygig seemed a good idea.

However, it was a little windy.

Holding a corner with one hand to keep it steady.


Aha, here's someone who might help.

Assistant #1 helpfully grabs both corners, thanks.

Spider webs.

On the bench with Pilchard.

Now we're inside and it's carefully positioned on the sofa.

Assistant #2 not too interested at this stage, fortunately!

Yes, I'm rather pleased with it.

In fact I like it very much indeed.

Some details:-

- Almost all of the yarn was left over from my African Flower blanket, and it just any old DK so long as I like the colour. Mostly it's balls of acrylic from the pound shop.
- If anyone wants details of the fourth round I can add this info later (whille I might still remember what I did!)
- The border is very simple, just a row of (UK)dc, a row of (UK)trc and then two rows of chain loops.
- It was N who named it the Turtle Blanket as he liked crawling around on the floor with it on his back and thought it made him look like a turtle.
- Incase you're wondering what happened to the African Flower blanket, I was never really happy with it in the living room, it was too big and too colourful. However, it looks perfect on A's bed and so will be used there once the weather's cold enough (a little thing to look forward to when summer comes to an end)

Saturday Morning Bike Ride

What with holidays and shopping trips it's been a month since my last local bike ride. The morning is fair and I set off at about 8.

Himalayan balsam grows at the foot of the walls lining the long road road which climbs slowly out the village. Its sweet scent fills the air at this time of year.

Near the top of the hill the balsam is joined by bright pink splashes of patches of rosebay willowherb.

Common hogweed creates a striking silhouette.

View over the fields.

Cows, curious and watching.

It's hard to see on this small photo, but beyond rosebay willowherb lies the folly atop its little hill.

Harebells in the foreground.

Patchwork fields.

A little clue as to where I'm headed. Only three miles from this point but all uphill.

Just two now to go. The countryside is becoming steadily more upland in appearance.

I pause a little to take in the delicious scent of the honeysuckle and admire the view of the hills.

Past a little cottage.

Window detail.

The last mile marker.

Rumply hillside, waving grasses, weathered post.

I've arrived. At Muirshiel Country Park. It's lovely up here, so quiet and peaceful and yet you aren't all that far from "civilisation".

A row of trees on the horizon, so pink the rosebay willowherb.

I'm tempted to phone hubby to bring the kids up for a picnic, but it's a bit early yet, and anyway we've to go to a wedding in the afternoon so wouldn't be able to linger too long. While I'm here though I decide to walk up to Windy Hill.

The first section of the walk is through spruce trees and is dotted with tatty excerpts from a poem.

The trunks (incase you were maybe thinking of the elephant or even the swimming kind!).

Once through the woods and past a kissing gate you reach the moorland and the last section of the walk, I'm heading to the highest point in this photo, if you look closely you can see the little cairn on top of the hill.

It's a good path, the edges of which are lines with thick planks of wood which have weathered to a beautiful silvery grey.

At the top, looking to the south.

The view to the north west.

Looking north and slightly east towards Ben Lomond in the distance.

I lean with my back against the cairn and take in the views and the peacefulness. Soon a fell runner appears and we chat a little. Then it's time to head home

A dead tree noticed whilst walking down the hill.

Back on the bike. From here the road is gently downhill for several miles, wheeee!

Past the pretty little shed amongst the trees.

I stop to get a good look at the weir, you hear it before you see it.

Then home along the cycle path. The verges are full of wild flowers and grasses. I've never seen them look like this, probably a combination of the good weather we've had in July and the fact that the verges haven't been cut recently. I like it!

Love it.

Back Again

I've been away to Galloway for a few days with the children visiting my parents.

We didn't get up to much, probably as I wasn't too keen to venture too far afield as I was still attempting to potty train N. I've given up again today, we lasted nearly 11 days this time but didn't really seem to be getting anywhere. I just don't think he's ready, the signals to tell him he needs to go just don't seem to be happening yet. Anyway this wasn't supposed to be a potty training post!

Granny's little garden is looking lovely as ever, Grandpa's gnome is still there and the violas and roses are in bloom as usual at this time of year.


We did make it along the cycle path a few times.

A jackdaw sits on the old railway signal.

Crossing the bridge.

Big fat rabbit beyond the gate.

Thistledown. The "fairies" were flying around everywhere.

The evenings were quiet too, so I took the opportunity to sew in the ends on the turtle blanket, and it's finished! So I'll have a TaDa very soon, once I've taken some photos. I also got quite a few more hexies made for the quilt. One (quiet!) day I'll need to lay these out and see how they're looking.

Off now to catch up again on some blog reading. Enjoy your weekend...