Sunday 31 March 2013

This week...

... the snow has remained on the ground. Although in the last couple of days it has begun to melt. The crocus buds have survived the pile that covered them and today's sun has opened them up.


Shortly after writing this yesterday other events over took me. John came up to inform me that the cellar was flooded and far worse than back in the summer. Initially we assumed it was rapidly melting snow. There was far too much to bale out by hand. John went off to town to purchase a pump and while he was gone I discovered that there was a leak from the mains water pipe outside our back gate. I phoned the water company and very late last night two men came to fix the leak. Our water pump had been keeping the water at a level but it was not going down. However once the leak had stopped it began to go down. Eventually at about 2 am which of course became 3 am BST we switched it off and went to bed. When got up to make the tea today it was still at the same level but abut an hour later when we went down for breakfast it had all drained away. So now the newspaper is down to soak up the residue. the cat tray is back in place and everything is back to normal. During the week as food has been short a magpie has been raiding the sparrows meal worms. I missed getting a photo of him facing away from me. He has the most vivid green and purple tail. Last Sunday John took this of Allotment Robin he is a very friendly little chap and very inquisitive. I have finished a new piece of weaving. This yarn has been in my stash since the children were little. THe warp and the black weft are quite a thick yarn and the white not quite so thick. Both black and white are 12 rows but the difference in the yarn means the bands are different sizes. Of course I cannot find anything suitable in the stash to line it. But I do have the yarn line dup for the next piece.

Saturday 23 March 2013

winter is back

so we better get a decent summer this year.



It has been snowing since early Friday morning and has not really stopped yet. The above photos were taken when I got up on Friday.



This is twenty four hours later.

As fast as I put stuff out for the birds it gets covered up again.

The first anniversary of the city park and pool have been cancelled. This time last year children paddled in the pool!  However Dumfries and Galloway our usual holiday destination has it much worse and cream o galloway is closed for the weekend because it is so bad.  But never mind that they are panicking about 3cm in the South East.

Tuesday 19 March 2013

more snow

Yes yesterday it snowed. This time last year we were heading for a nice warm spell that ended up being summer!
 Robin didn't seem to mind

 he is heading to the window feeder.
And by lunch time it was almost gone

Saturday 16 March 2013

visits and birthdays

Last Sunday was Mothering Sunday. Libby and Steve came bringing gifts and the puppy.

I have been munching my way through the chocolate and drinking tea made in my one person teapot.

We took Jaco for a walk in the local park
 We saw signs of springs
Jaco investigated the bushes. He was a well behaved boy. Several people have mentioned they don't like Jack Russels but as someone who is not a fan of dogs usually I think he is rather nice.

On Monday it was Moriarty's birthday. he was treated to some snow

not very much just an icing sugar covering.
Then there were chocolate buns
made by Libby. And for tea curry but we forgot to take a photo.

Sunday 10 March 2013

making up

I neatened the edges so the so they would not fray. Then had to cut the warp threads. I was a bit apprehensive about this part

Then lined the weaving with some yellow fabric. I had a little problem because the weaving was not quite they same size across all the width. I think this is to do with the tension of the weaving.

The next step was to fold into three and stitch two thirds together leaving a  flap at the top to make a bag.

I am now in the process of knitting a strap using two strands of weft thread and 7.5mmneedles . I wish I had also used a strand of warp as well. I am going to stitch ribbon to the back of the strap to stop it stretching too much.