Light

These pictures of sunlight through stained glass windows were taken in Lincoln Cathedral a couple of years ago.  I've been looking at them and trying to find ways of converting them into abstract water colours.  The best attempt I've come up with so far is water soluble crayon/pencils on black paper.  I'll put up some of my attempts in a future blog post.  The sunlight outside is encouraging me to make all sorts of plans, putting them into practice is another thing though.  Hope you're having a good weekend.

end of round one..

A nice bundle of little things waiting to go in the post, and just a bit of a dent in my stash.  Excuse the photos, my camera is definitely on the blink - a real problem for an impecunious blogger!

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.

A bit fishy

Had to dash out for birthday cards.  I wonder how many other families have such a number with birthdays on the same date?  My father's birthday was 1st March (though he may actually have been born on 29th February just a few minutes before midnight).  My niece was born on March 1st, and her own eldest daughter was born on, yes,  March 1st.  Last year my cousin's grandson arrived to add to the numbers.  My brother got it slightly wrong, his birthday is 28th February! My schooldays best friend shares my brother's birthday, and my daughter's godson is another 1st Marcher.  My father always said he felt he should have been called David, and when we lived in Wales it always seemed rather a good day to have a birthday as everyone else was celebrating. 

I've never actually met anyone who shares my July birthdate, though I had two friends at school whose birthdays' were the day after mine.  At least being born in late July I was never at school on my birthday, though it's a family joke that it always rains - my mother would often recount how there was a terrific summer storm with thunder and lightning going on as she was in labour.  I don't know that I'm a typical Leo either - in fact I wouldn't set much store by horoscopes except that husband is such a Gemini.

So, for all those fishy people with Pisces birthdays coming up, I've bought the cards, let's hope they get to you in time.

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!

Here we go again....

The first of the awaited babies has arrived and it's a girl - name as yet unknown.  I've just finished sewing a pinafore in pink brushed cotton and a cardi in raspberry pink wool from my Australian stash (abandoned the pale pink one as the second ball proved to be a different batch and the colour difference was noticable.  Photos to follow as soon as I can borrow husband's camera - which will need charging.  Can't seem to get mine to work now and can't afford to replace at present.
It's been snowing again here since mid-morning and is really heavy - about 10cm at least last time I looked. I went out for a few odds and ends, only to find the town centre blocked off because of a fire, so my journey took longer and meant using a very steep slippery road on the way back, by which time light snow had become big cotton wool flakes and the roads, of course, were ungritted.  I contemplated parking the car up on the main road but several people had cars bashed last time so I put it on the drive after making  sure I couldn't think of anything else we needed.  We're stocked up  for a good few days and daughter will be back at the weekend so I shall again make good use of enforced home time. Just hope the local shop has bread tomorrow, or it's back to part-baked rolls.

Ghost in the system

Last night our doorbell rang three times but no-one there - concluded that it's set to the same frequency as someone else's - probably the person who occasionally blocks out my internet connection.
Today I received two emails dated December 2008 to an email address I haven't been able to use since January 2009?  They both contained their original messages and tacked on the end a today's date message to my current email address.  Told husband who wouldn't believe me until I got the laptop and showed him - of course I make up these things all the time..
The oven set itself to timer and then made that annoying pinging noise for about 10 minutes while we tried to work out where it was coming from - I never use timer so the noise it makes was hitherto unknown to me.
My laptop now shows it has no wireless connection but is working perfectly with the internet, however, the L key will only work one time in three and needs to be pressed with extreme force - never noticed before how many words contain the letter L.
Giving up now and going to do some cooking - piece of mutton, something I've never tried before, and some knitting.  Will let you know if the needles take on a life of their own, anything seems possible here today. Perhaps there was someone at the door after all??