Long time no blog! Where does the time go?
The garden has been calling the loudest these last few weeks. I think the sunshine definitely helps. Ian and Tom have got most of the veggie garden ready for the new growing season, and yesterday saw Ian plant the tatties, just before going to watch Newcastle Falcons rugby team win!! Woohoo!
The veggie garden is never pristine like some gardens, like our neighbours gardens ! But I don't like it perfect, I prefer it a bit rough around the edges, more lived in. We grow the veg organically and in the photo I see I've captured the bucket of chicken poo!! Nice!
My brother and sis-in-law visited on Saturday, and we went down to the Food Festival in Auckland Castle. What a fab morning we spent, wandering around the food stalls and craft marquees. We bought organic meat and veg from local farms and some yummy cakes, breads and teabreads, most of which we ate the same day, as another one of my brothers called with his girlfriend . I think they smelled the food cooking ! We spent a lovely afternoon, having a BBQ, in the sunshine, eating gorgeous food and slugging some wine, with some pleasant company. Bliss!
All the yomping around the Food Festival, plus the pathetically small amount of weeding I'd done on Friday, meant I was out of action yesterday. But every cloud has a silver lining and I cracked on with my knitting.
I FINALLY finished my second sock. The Piece of Beauty yarn was a dream to knit and I love the Boathouse colour. I'm desperate to start my STR, but I've also got 2 lots of Jitterbug that I got before the STR yarn and I would like to try that too! Decisions, decisions!!
I also started the border on the shoulder shawl I've started from VLT. Now I've had real problems with this, but I think I've finally cracked it. I know as a novice knitter there are loads of things I don't know, but I thought that there would have been clearer instructions about attaching the border. I think it's the one thing about VLT that I'm disappointed about. I think I may have knit it on back to front, but I'm carrying on anyway!! I'm just round the point, so it should soon be finished.
I was up early yesterday due to the various aches and pains but I was rewarded with a beautiful view from the back door.
Well I apologise for the photo-heavy post, but I MUST put some photo's of 'the boys' in. They have had a whale of a time in the garden this weekend and have slept like babies each evening!
This is Alfie, after he found some shade, and Paddy is drying out after a pond dipping session!
All those with of nervous spinning disposition, look away now! This is the result of my first spin on the wheel. It's very slubby, but I did get better as I went along! Not that you'd notice! But I plied it up with some yarn that was on a bobbin that came with the wheel when I got it and this is the result.
It actually doesn't look as bad as it does in the photo, but I wanted to document the NUMERO UNO, no matter how bad!
Oh I forgot to say, my DH has ordered me a swift for Easter! I think he got sick of holding the skeins. So along with the woolwinder I got from E-bay, I should be able to wind some tidier looking balls of yarn!
And finally, I promise this is the last photo! Last but not least.
My Dad died in June 2004 and I miss him so much. So when Tom found some'forgotten' about photo's, I was overjoyed. They were taken only a few weeks before he died and despite him being very frail and in pain, he still smiled and joked as usual. So I'll leave you with my Dad.
16 comments:
The boys look like they're making the most of the good weather.
It's great to see your veg patch all ready to go (chicken poo and all!) That's what I miss about our old house and it's much bigger garden, we don't have the space here for growing our own :(
The socks look fab and the shawl looks lovely with the edging on.
Your vegetable garden looks great! It makes me wonder about raised beds on our gravelled area, hmmm!
The shawl definitely looks great with the edging, and the socks look lovely too.
Oh, that last paragraph has brought a tear to my eye! How lovely to have rediscovered those pictures.
I'm so impressed by your garden - I hope you'll share pics as the seasons continue?
Lovely yarny things in this post too!
What a lovely, full of family Easter you have had. Congratulations on the Boathouse socks, they are terrific.
I know what you mean about the garden calling at this time of year. Just planted some seeds for the second time after the cats dug them up first time round - the joys of gradening!
Oh what lovely photos. I don't know where to begin.
Love your garden ,I used to have a big garden and grow veg organicaly but up here I haven't had much success (or stamina )so have given up mainly and stick to flowers now.
Socks look great and the shawl is coming on. I have to agree with re VLT as I had never done a knitted border before and have you checked this http://www.knittinguniverse.com/books/bookscorrections/lace/laceweb.pdf site for errata ? Seems there are a few in this book :(
Spinning looks good and those first skeins are truly precious believe me:)
Great pics of the doggies
What a lovely man your Dad looked and I am sure he is sorely missed ; I feel for in your loss.
Hope you are still having a great weekend. DH has been working so no change for me and I am full of cold and hugging the fire.
Happy Easter Monday to you all! Looks like you have made the most of the holiday and had a great time, well done. Love the knitting, it looks great even 'if' the edging is back to front - it doesn't look it. Paddy and Alfie look like the cat that got the cream, they've obviously had a super holiday weekend too. Your Dad looks lovely Kat and explains where your beauty (both inner and outer) comes from! Enjoy your week, I know that you will make the most of it.
What a lovely post, I shed a tear at the end, memories are so special.
What a great looking veggie garden, I'm just beginning a veggie patch for the first time. i have a whole load of seeds waiting to be sown. The yarn looks great, what are you planning to do with it?
Sounds like you have had a wonderful weekend :) Looks like you have done a lot of work in the veggie patch, oooh, now you can look forward to all that delicious veg - yum!
Yay for the socks! They look fantastic :) Your shawl is coming along beautifully and the edge looks marvellous.
Paddy and Alfie certainly look as though they have been enjoying themselves this weekend too!
What a wonderful picture of your dad, he looks absolutely lovely, and I agree with Lynn's sentiments.
xx
And the spinning!!! I can't forget the spinning - your yarn looks amazing! I hope to see it in person very soon :D
Great to see your Veg patch mine is still only in my head!!!Your Boy's are lovely....Your yarn is smashing and you will soon outspin us all
Aw Kath. That was a rollercoaster of a post. Wonderful garden, chicken poo and all, happy families, fab socks, your first spun yarn, which looks ace and your lovely Dad, which brought tears to my eyes. Hope your back is ok today. Missing you!!!
Oh and fab pics of the boys. They look so big now. And - the shawl is brill!
Your vegtable patch is looking great1 Your boys Paddy and Alfie are looking as cute as ever. and I love your socks! What a lovely picture of your Dad, Memories are so precious!
Ooh, organic veg. Very yum yum! Well done on the socks. I'd have had to start on the STR before the Jitterbug, though apparently they knit up quite similarly.
The photos of your boys are great, they look lovely, as does your dad ;)
Your Dad looks full of life in that photograph - really warm and with a sense of humour shining out.
I think your veggie beds are really impressive. I'm a real novice veg gardener and I'm really proud of my two teeny tiny beds - a fraction of the size of yours, but I've been sowing seeds and slug murdering...
The shawl looks like the work of an expert. Love the colours. And love the socks, and the boys. Labs just can't stay out the water, can they?
I'm hoping to try spinning myself later this year - your first attempt looks very impressive - honest!
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