Could be worse...

When the weather's this good, I'd like to go over the hills and far away (especially when M's in one of her tantrums).  Sadly, it isn't possible, but the view from the top floor of the house is some compensation.  There is a world out there even if one can't be in it - I especially love the blue horizons.  I was reminded today of A  E Houseman's 'blue remembered hills' :

Into my heart an air that kills
From yon far country blows:
What are those blue remembered hills
What spires, what farms are those? 

That is the land of lost content,
I see it shining plain,
The happy highways where I went
And cannot come again.

 We can't quite see his Shropshire hills from here, they're over the next ridge to the North, but the sentiment is with us constantly at the moment, as M is going through another 'Why did I come here' phase.

On a brighter note, the chestnut tree next door, which looked sick fit to die last year, has made a great recovery, and is covered in blossom.  If they had cut it down our view would be even more spectacular, but I'm glad it's lived to see another spring nonetheless - don't feel so charitable towards their blessed trees that take the light from the kitchen and bathroom or the laurel hedge to the side that's demolished the fence!

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The Olympic torch goes past the end of the road on Friday morning - we should be able to see it from our kitchen window.  They've been sprucing up the rough patch of grass at the top of our cul-de-sac and I can now see that it has a huge patch of peonies that were hidden before - lovely deep red ones.  A bench has arrived from somewhere to make it all look a bit more useable as it's normally just rough grass and overgrown shrubs - one of those patches where no-one seems to claim ownership but it looks now as if it's the council's job to sort it out.  At the point formed by our lane and the main road and another lane running at right angles is the fountain (page takes a little while to load) constructed for Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887 - you can just about get it to give you Malvern spring water if it's in a good mood but the standpipe further up into the hills is much nicer and the water is freezing cold and tastes blissfully of nothing.  Better than paying for it by the bottle!

It is a delight to live in this funny, quirky place with its gas lamps and wells and springs - and of course its views and hills.  It's easy to get fed-up with being stuck here all the time, but it could be so much worse - we could be stuck in W***** where M was living (and is, of course, the most wonderful place on earth being a rather uninspiring Surrey commuter town  with shops full of cross, rude shop assistants, houses that cost the earth, and generally an inflated sense of its own importance.  (Apologies if you live there and love it, but I've never met anyone except M who does - people usually say they live there as it's got such a good train service to other places!).

Well, that's me in counting my blessings mode - well someone around here has to.....  Oh, I nearly  forgot, I did get to the quilt show.  Photography was nigh on impossible but I did manage to get the head of this lovely dragon.  Apologies to the maker as I couldn't get near the label for a large crowd of Welsh ladies, but I loved the quilt, whoever you are.

No idea why the text has suddenly gone into italics!

Early morning looking from the Malvern Hills to Bredon Hill.

Stopping to stare

Malvern was looking lovely in the sunshine and Sir Edward (Elgar) was at his post gazing out over the view, surrounded by flowers.  I'm not sure what he'd think of the drink prohibited sign the council has planted just behind him though!  What's he looking at?

The view from here down Church Street and out towards the Severn Vale, (click to enlarge for a better view) though like me he'd probably prefer it if the modern building on the left didn't exist.  Ilona's blog entry, 'We have no time' includes  the W  H Davies poem, which rings as true today as it ever did:

                                             

                                                  A poor life this if, full of care,
                                                  We have no time to stand and stare.

The gallery in the row of shops behind him has a window full of dogstops which are rather appealing, I think.

A very tall tree, belonging to unfriendly neighbours, obscures the fourth storey view from my study (as well as making the kitchen and bathroom dark on its way up).  A pigeon has built a haphazard nest within perfect view of the window, but I rather fear it won't be successful as the tree whips about in any strong wind, sometimes bending 20 or 30 degrees to left or right.  It seems totally unconcerned with my efforts to converse with it on the subject and steadfastly looks the other way if addressed.

Realised over the last week of enforced inactivity, that I'm in danger of setting myself too many deadlines instead of enjoying what I make.  Crafting has been difficult whilst I've been unable to look down without pain, so I've concentrated on sorting out fabrics etc and just sitting with my feet up - husband regards watching daytime television as the next thing to selling your soul but I have managed a couple of videos whilst he's been teaching, which made a nice change.  Still had to keep M's routine going though, nothing short of being at death's door is allowed to interfere there!

Back to knitting and sewing now - and hoping the infection doesn't reappear after the anti-biotics wear off.  Jane Brocket's lovely quilting book arrived just as I was looking for an excuse to lounge on the sofa and needing some inspiration.

EDIT:  sorry that the link to the Iapetus gallery wasn't working, should be OK now.  Jane x

Encore

I'm sure everyone's fed up with photos of this view, but I have two excuses.  Firstly, the weather is so fantastic today that you can see the Cathedral which is 10 miles or so away and that in itself has lifted my mood. (if you enlarge the photo it's to the left of centre above the bare branches). Secondly, the combination of lack of time and an unreliable camera means I can only photograph what's here so I have to make a virtue of necessity!

Baby sewing is all finished for now, so I can now think about another project and if the weather would just co-operate I shall be able to start some decorating (- which will make me spring clean as well, and goodness knows I need to).  I might even try and drag myself up onto the hills if it stays sunny.

Freeze Frame

It really is the most fabulous day here after yesterday's snow.  The sun is shining  there's a brilliant blue sky and the snow looks beautiful on the hills

 

  

and away into the distance - if I had a more powerful lens you could see Worcester cathedral which is just visible to the naked eye when the view is very clear (would be better if neighbour would cut his hedge at this level).  From the top of the house the view is even better. Click on the second photo for the best effect.

Hopefully, the sun will melt the snow on the drive quite quickly, but in the meantime I've got these to keep me busy with my baby sewing....

 

And these already finished waiting to be sent....

Had to prop the pinafore up to take photo which is why it looks as if straps and top aren't even. It's such lovely cosy material to work with - can't find anywhere to take a picture with better light, unfortunately.  As M would say - there's no light in this house!

After the rain

The rain over the last few days has been incredible, but today the view from the top floor of the house  this morning is so clear after days of mist grey gloom - can't believe it's December next week.

This doesn't begin to do justice to the sunlight on the hills at the front of the house.