everyday life

2012-02-14T14:23:00.003Z

not quite as planned!

2012-02-12T22:32:00.000Z

Yes the weekend didn't go quite as planned.

Hubby went to the match

and Manchester United won. I went to my mums and had a good natter and catch up then picked Hubby up and we went home...so far the weekend was going to plan.

Up early today, feed the birds

Then I get a call from the friends were were going to the tea dance with and they couldn't make it....so we didn't go (Hubby was only persuaded to go by his friend so he had an ally)

Never mind we will go next month.
These were my hyacinths on Saturday

and they were open a little more today

I was sad to hear my favourite photo editing site is closing (Picnik) so I followed Diane's suggestion and tried PIXLR. after a rocky start (I needed to go through Google Chrome to be able to save my edited photos) I am now playing with my photos, pop over and have a play.

Oh and we went to see My week with Marilyn and it was lovely. What a sad life she had but the film is beautiful to watch and the music is magic.

Half Term

2012-02-10T22:56:00.000Z

This week has been very exciting but very tiring.
Class two have been working on the topic 'The Rainforest' this half term and I have been working with them to make masks for their whole school assembly today. They were brilliant and I was very proud of them.

This weekend is going to be good too. I am going to see my mum while Hubby is of to the football tomorrow ( he doesn't support any team but the company he works for sometimes get invited to a box to watch Manchester United. On Saturday they play Liverpool and when he was a lad in the 1970's this was the team he supported and all my family are big Liverpool fans so we'll see what side he cheers for!) and on Sunday we are going here. I am very, very excited. I hope to bring you photos. Then we are going to see 'My week with Marilyn' at our little local cinema.

What strange weather we have had this week too.

With freezing rain on Thursday. I was booked on an outdoor workshop straight after school that day...investigating trees!

We were looking at how to identify trees in winter and what trees to plant around school grounds and how to plant them and look after them. We walked in the woods and I have to say learnt lots about trees and had a lovely time despite the cold and ice underfoot. All the branches were encased in ice and they had icicles hanging from many of them.

The Woodland Trust have a great website for schools and children here is a link.

I am looking forward to the week off work to catch up with family and friends.

February

2012-02-07T22:05:00.004Z

Sarah Raven

Here are the Calendar photos are February.

Ideal Home

Mollie Makes

Homes and Antiques

Period Living

I know a few people are having trouble leaving comments, I am not sure why.

You could always go to my email address through the Profile on my blog and send me an email.

Hello to my new followers

and if you want to enter my give-a-way please go to this post and leave a comment.

weekend part 2

2012-02-05T20:21:00.001Z

Sunday
8.35am Wake to the muffled sound as a car drives past the house. I open the curtains and yes...the snow is still here.

Breakfast for the birds, Lucy then us....in that order!

9.30am
walk up the garden with Lucy.

10.30am
I do a spot more knitting........

....... while hubby clears the drive.

12.25pm
Tomato soup for lunch

1.15pm
set off for a walk

1.52pm
Up passed Kebroyd Hall

along Clapgate lane

1.54pm
We look at the tracks left in the snow...they might be hare tracks.

I love this line of trees on the hill to our left and I have taken loads of photos of them over the years. This is one of my favourite walks.

2.05pm
Past the village of Millbank

2.10pm
Up Foxen Lane towards Lane Head.

Lane Head is a 17th-century yeoman clothier's house. The lintel is dated RF MF for Richard Firth (1627) and Michael Foxcroft (1692)
2.32pm
turn left down High Field Lane

Past the cutest little greenhouse...with grapes growing inside!

the lane soon turns into a track.

and remember that line of trees we saw from Clapgate lane, the ones I keep taking photos of? well these are those very trees.
2.42pm

Some dark looking clouds over there

time to head home
3pm
Hubby settles with Lucy on his knee and computer on the arm of the chair to do some work while the Ireland Wales match is on.

4.30pm
The moon is rising

5.09pm
Wales won the match. I do some more knitting.
6.30pm

Fish and Chips for tea.....I know they look a bit insipid but they were delicious!

7.30pm
A bit more knitting, reading blogs and watching Countryfile

and looking forward to The Time Traveller's Wife on Channel 4 at 9pm.
What a lovely weekend.

Weekend Part 1

2012-02-04T21:39:00.001Z

First, thank you for all the comments about my scavenger hunt and give-a-way. If you have not yet entered please leave a comment on this post here.

Friday
and the weekend starts as I leave school at 5pm. Dash to the supermarket before arriving home to the evening meal cooking away in the slow cooker. We eat and rush out to Hebden Bridge to watch Mission Impossible; Ghost Protocol at the cinema.

Saturday
9am
Up and out for a hair appointment at 9am
They say snow is on its way.....
10am
back home...still waiting for the snow.
10.30am
Start to knit a scarf, using a ball of Can Can yarn a friend bought for me last week. I used this video to help get me started.

Still no snow.

11am
Lucy decides the best place to be is as close to the fire as possible.
12 noon
I go up to the greenhouse to check on my plants and collect a bowl of bulbs for the house. When I come out of the greenhouse....it has started to snow!

12.30pm
Curl up in the sitting room with a few favourite magazines, the snow is heavy now but tiny flakes....I think that means it's cold?!

1pm
Still snowing and the light in the sitting room makes it harder to read so I go back to my knitting in the lounge.
1.20pm
We have some lunch and then I take more food out for the birds, make sure they have fresh water and the fat ball feeder is full.

2.30pm
Settle in the lounge with laptop and knitting while Hubby watches the opening game in the Six Nations on TV (with Lucy on his knee)
3.30pm
The snow is starting to stick. I don't think it is going to be quite the winter wonderland I had imagined though.

4.15pm
The snow is still falling. I can hear the children a few doors down having fun in the snow trying to slide down their drive in their sledge.

4.35pm
Have a coffee and a chocolate biscuit. Still snowing.

6pm
It is dark now outside. England are doing well in the match against Scotland and Hubby is voicing his instructions to the team. Lucy curled up on the sofa next to me. I have spent the afternoon between the computer and knitting. Still snowing.
6.45pm
better think about something to eat.
7.35pm
There has just been a report on the news about the snow and they were filming in Saddleworth. We put on the outside light to see how deep it was through the patio doors.

Then I pop out to the front to see the road. It's still snowing.

9.35pm
It has stopped snowing. I hope it is still there tomorrow so we can go for a walk...we'll see.....

Scavenger Hunt for January

2012-02-02T17:22:00.002Z

Here are my photos for the Scavenger Hunt for January

In Season

Entrance (Skipton Castle)

Company

Blur

Information (outside Touchstones Gallery Rochdale)

Mess! My so called tidy box on my desk

In the Distance (Saddleworth)

In my bathroom

Odd (man cutting the grass in the snow!)

Soft (Lucy has the softest fur on her tummy-not that she will let you touch it!)

Two

Warning

And now for my Give-a-way. I have decided on two prizes.

A) a Pet Portrait

B) a little package of Crafty Goodies.

If you want to enter please leave a comment on this post and say which prize you would rather win, A or B.

I will leave it open for two weeks.

Please feel free to put a link on your blog about it, let me know you have and your name goes in the hat again!

Good luck and thank you for sticking with me for 3 years!

the first snow of 2012

2012-01-28T23:45:00.001Z

Yes we had the first snow of 2012 yesterday....it caused total chaos around here and poor hubby's journey home from work took nearly 5 hours! usual trip 1 hour tops!

I avoided it by going to visit my mum straight from work and it had died down a bit by the time I travelled home later in the evening.

but we couldn't let such a lovely day go to waste today so we set off after lunch over to Saddleworth for a walk.

We parked at Castleshaw and walked along Cote lane and past Castleshaw Reservoir.

Then along Bleak Hey Nook Lane

Past typical weavers cottages with their long line of stone mullioned windows

A62

Then we walked for a few metres along the A62 (the main route over the Pennines before the M62 was opened in the early 1970's) and off up Lark Hill.

Walking up Lark Hill

Now I have to mention at this point that many years ago on a hot summers day Hubby proposed to me on Lark Hill!
Anyway I digress.

You can see how green it is in the valley

Hubby's Nan and Grandad use to live in this house (above) on top of Lark Hill.

Then we walked down the hill back on to the A62 near Delph and back towards the car.

So that was today.

Last week we had some heavy frost
and last weekend we had a visit from a Great Spotted Woodpecker in the garden (you can guarantee he won't visit when I am doing my RSPB Birdwatch tomorrow!)

On Thursday I went to Touchstones in Rochdale for a CPD Workshop based on the art of Nora Fok.

These bugs were made by her using natural found objects such as pinecones, leaves and twigs.

She knits, crochets and knots fine nylon into beautiful artworks.

The photos don't show the amount of detail, they are beautiful.

I will be back early next week with news on my Give-a-way and what's on offer!

I just thought I'd.......

2012-01-23T22:10:00.003Z

........let you know......

On the 1st of February 2012 it will be my 3rd Blogiversary!!!!!!

I can't believe it.....3 years....yes, I have been waffling on here for 3 years!

So I thought.....

Why not have a celebration?

How about a give-a-way?

I will write more about how to enter in my next post.

Look at this!

2012-01-20T20:21:00.000Z

Just a quick post in anticipation of a more detailed one later.
The lovely Al from All Tea Towels got in touch and wanted to know if I wanted to test drive two tea towels!
I had to choose two and they arrived extremely quickly in the post. I had this one...

and this lovely linen one

I will report back when I have put them through some rigorous tests and the best thing is I get to keep them!
Please pop over to the website here and have a look at the wonderful range of tea towels, there is a tea towel for every occasion and they are lovely quality too with great service from the website.

Lovely weekend

2012-01-17T21:54:00.001Z

We had a lovely weekend.

Up early on Saturday and a drive down to Northamptonshire.

I did some crochet on the way down

We were off to visit friends.
What a beautiful county.

We met up at the Fox and Hounds at Lower Harlestone.

We were having a get together to say goodbye to some friends before they fly off to live in Abu Dhabi.

We had a lovely evening. After the pub we went back to our friends to carry on the evening.

Now I don't know much about wines but as the friend that was going away is a wine merchant and as he couldn't take it with him, we HAD to drink it! and boy was it good, and apparently very expensive.

There was also lots of lovely food!

with lots of lovely puddings!

and some gorgeous dessert wines!

and after a very late night is was a full English!

This was the view from our bedroom window, the village church in the sunshine.

Our friends house use to be the vicarage.

It was a frosty winter morning with a clear blue sky.

Perfect weather for a walk.

We walked around the Althorp Estate

Like I say it is a lovely county.

But before long it was time to say a tearful farewell and drive home towards the sunset.

it's been a while

2012-01-15T19:45:00.001Z

I have been very busy at the start of this term at school and so I have not have much chance to post or read blogs.

So what have I been up to?

I took some photos of some of the lovely Christmas Gifts we received. The above mugs are from Moorland Pottery. Mine is 'Trouble at Mill' and Hubby got the 'Lancashire Lad' one and
Hubby bought me this beautiful needle case.

Made by Rag Button.She had some things for sale at Bankfield Museum in the Christmas selling exhibition.

My mum bought me these lovely ladybird earrings and pin brooch. They are so life like. They are from a company called Ladybird and leaf.

I also treated myself to some roses from the supermarket on Thursday, they were marked down to 75p a bunch.

I made Ham and Leek Cobbler....delicious! recipe from here.

and my lovely mum bought me these narcissus

The first of the year.

Yesterday we woke to a white world touched but Jack Frost.

I went to feed the birds in the garden who were waiting patiently.

It was such a beautiful, crisp winter morning and we were off to visit friends but I will post about that little adventure another day.

A Brand New Year

2012-01-07T21:17:00.003Z

And so it begins.....

Ideal Home

This year I made a calendar using my photos with Snapfish and I have a lovely one from Jackie Morris.

Homes and Antiques

So I didn't need any of the lovely ones that came free with magazines or the lovely one I got free with an order from Sarah Raven.

Sarah Raven

But they are so pretty I thought I would scan them each month and share them with you.

Period Living

Resolutions?
I never keep them but I did have some plans for 2012.

I was so pleased I did the 365 Project last year, but I am also glad I have not carried on with it. Don't get me wrong, it made me take lots of photos and sometimes of things I would never of dreamed of taking photos of before but it was becoming a chore when you work full time and it suddenly dawns on you you have not taken one that day and the light has gone and well....you understand don't you. I did have lots of lovely followers and they use to leave encouraging comments and I shall miss that but still, it was an experience and I am glad I did it for one year.
So this year I will continue to do Kathy's Scavenger Hunt.
I also got these as part of my Christmas Pressie off Hubby

My plan was to start an Art Journal. But I fell at the first hurdle.
You see Hubby is an man and men don't understand that when out and about a nice little sit down and a sketch would be good, no men must walk....and walk and keep moving.
Now I know why I liked the idea of taking photos...because he won't stand still long enough for me to do a drawing.
So although I took it to Crosby, Formby and Skipton...it didn't leave my bag.
But he also got me this

So I forgive him!
My healthy eating regime is starting this week....and I WILL go swimming once a week.
but first we have this huge slab of chocolate to eat!

The Christmas decorations were taken down and today we boxed them up and they are now back in the loft until next December.

I hate this part of Christmas but when it's all away the rooms do look clean and tidy.

This is my pin board in my workroom. I have the Mollie Makes Calendar on there.
I have made a pledge to Make Something Every Month, pop over to the Felt Fairy and join in.

This post is a bit of a muddle I'm afraid. A bit of this and a bit of that.
How was your first week of 2012?
As crazy as mine?

I like....

2012-01-05T20:55:00.000Z

....three day weeks.
I could get use to them,
it's Friday tomorrow!

I have updated my Everyday Life Emporium blog, I finished a portrait of Sammy and it's on it's way to Sammy's owner in Kent. Pop over and take a look here.

After such a wonderful day on Tuesday the weather was so awful on Wednesday but it didn't keep us in.

Don't let the blue sky fool you!

We drove to Skipton

To look around the castle

This yew tree was planted by Lady Anne Clifford in 1659

It was starting to get dark and we were the last people to be admitted, in fact we were the only people looking around.

There was frequent heavy rain showers which I am sure kept sane people inside their lovely warm houses!

down to the dungeon

It is one of the most complete and well preserved Medieval castles in England.

St John's Chapel

Then it was time to leave and face the rain

The Holy Trinity Church.

**********

I forgot to show you some photos from the days between Christmas and New Year.
Hubby and I went to visit his mum in Shropshire

First we stocked up on some lovely food at the Deli in Church Stretton.

She had decorated her house with festive cheer.

We went for a walk around the lovely village of Cardington. A pretty village with lots of lovely buildings.

The Royal Oak

The Royal Oak is an ancient 15th Century pub but we didn't have time to call in for a drink. (I think we will be coming back in the summer)

Before too long it was time to say goodbye

back to work tomorrow!

2012-01-03T22:04:00.000Z

Oh dear!
The weather has not been fantastic over the holiday, we have had our fair share of wind and rain with just a couple of days bright enough to go for a good walk.

On one of those days we went for a walk with some friends in the woods around Worsley.

and half way round we stopped for mulled wine from the flask!

Then yesterday was a fine day, blue sky was seen for the first time in over a week!
But it was still windy.
Hubby decided we should venture further afield.

So we drove to Crosby

To see this

It was very busy with people walking off the mince pies and exercising their dogs

The statues are being worn by the elements and most are submerged under the tide at some point everyday

According to Antony Gormley, Another Place "harnesses the ebb and flow of the tide to explore man's relationship with nature".

some had at least tried to dress warmly!

but it wasn't just about the statues.

Then we drove up the coast to Formby

First a walk through the woods to the beach

the wind was really blowing and whipping up the soft sand from the dunes

There are often horses being exercised here and many a Grand National winner has raced along the long flat beach.

we watched plovers in the tide and found treasures there ourselves

Then it was back through the woods and in the last bit of day light we spotted two red squirrels

a lovely day.

2011

2012-01-02T10:40:00.002Z

Our year in pictures (with just a few words!)

January

*The extension had been finished at the end of 2010.
*We had some snow
*There was a lot of walking
*I started the 365 Project

February

*Spring was on it's way
*A meet with two lovely Blogger Friends
*The 365 project meant I was taking photos of some unusual things!
*I attended a workshop with Janet Browne

March

*foggy and windy (the weather!)
*The flowers in the garden were beginning to appear

April

*We celebrated Easter with friends
*A visit to Temple Newsam
*My Birthday!
*A bit of sad news (but we wont dwell on that!)

May

*1940's weekend in Haworth
*A holiday in Shropshire
*Cuddling lambs at The Old Farmyard in Ripley

June

*Our holiday continued
* A bit of gardening done
*Playing in my workroom

July

*Waddington Air Show
*Race for Life....I did it!
*We set off for our Holiday in France

August

*Morecambe for a day out
*Preston for a day out!
*The end of our holiday in France
*Halifax Agricultural Show

September

*Heritage Open Weekend
*A wedding in Staffordshire
* A workshop in Worksop

October

*A lovely day out at Tatton Hall in Cheshire
*Some great walks in the warmest Autumn weather
*Grease at the Palace Theatre in Manchester

November

*A wet month
*We celebrated our 15th Wedding Anniversary
*I planted hundreds of bulbs in the garden

December

*Christmas!
*NO snow but lots of rain
*Lots of visits with family and friends.....and eating!

So apart from the blip in April, it has not been too bad a year for us....I wonder what 2012 has in store?

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T00:17:00.003Z

Happy New Year My Friends

I wish you all a happy, healthy and peaceful 2012

xxx

Christmas A-Z

2011-12-30T23:06:00.003Z

EDITED. It's gone and done it again! this is my Christmas Day Post here but Blogger has put it before THIS post...Whats going on? If you are remotely interested in our Christmas day...I have posted about it here. or scroll down to the post before this one!!!

For some strange reason Blogger has moved my Christmas A-Z to the 6th December!

I can't work out how to repost it here so I have done a link here. Please pop over to take a look....because it took me blooming ages to put together!!!!!

Thank you

how was it for you?

2011-12-28T21:12:00.001Z

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.
Ours was quite quiet but nice and relaxing with family.

On Christmas Eve the house was tidied and then we decided to go for a walk.

It was a bit chilly and rain was expected later so we stayed local and walked through Rough Hey Woods towards the village. The trees were bare and we could see our house through the branches as we climbed the hill opposite to it.

Then we reached the open fields and walked along the track

Where we called in here for a bite to eat and a drink

When we left the rain had started and it was getting dark

and we had quite a walk facing us.

Vintage place cards

Christmas day dawned and we opened our stocking gifts in bed before going down stairs for some breakfast and the main event.

We received some lovely gifts from family and friends.

Then my mother and father in law came for lunch.

I used these vintage snowmen place cards which belonged to Hubby's grandma but she had never used them.

It was a lovely lazy day, watching TV and chatting, eating and drinking.

Boxing Day and this time it was my Family's turn.

Another relaxing day...with plenty to eat!
Since then we have had plenty of visiting and a bit of walking. I will leave that until the new year, but until then.....

I wish all my lovely readers a Happy, Healthy and Peaceful 2012.

Christmas Eve

2011-12-24T12:20:00.000Z

It has been a busy few days here.

Last Saturday I went Christmas shopping with my mum in Manchester.

It was a typical grey, wet, Manchester day

we went first to the John Rylands Library for a coffee and a look around this magnificent building

Then we wandered around the Christmas Market in Albert Square

And we popped inside the entrance of the Town Hall to see a few stalls set up inside.

It was busy but not too crazy and the stall holders were doing a fair trade. After a little shopping....

..... we headed to the Little Yang Sing for tea!

Hubby's Birthday was on the 21st and it was the Shortest Day....grey and drizzle didn't keep us in

we decided to go for a walk locally

Then on the Thursday it was a beautiful day but Hubby was in work!

I went to pick him up in Manchester after his Christmas meal.

The stalls on the Christmas market were packing away to go home for Christmas
I got a great bargain of a big bag of mixed bulbs for £1

and on another stall I bought some little wooden Christmas trees and the stall holder threw in a handful of little tree ornaments for nothing!

Then yesterday it was food shopping and delivering presents to family and friends and a quiet night in front of the TV.
Today the sun is shining so we are off for a walk...see you later.

Shall we?

2011-12-21T12:50:00.004Z

Shall we do November?

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and so November has just flashed past in the blink of an eye!

ready for more?

2011-12-19T21:26:00.000Z

284/365

lets continue shall we?

285/365

we had reached October 10th

286/365

still a way to go to catch up

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but I thought I'd pop a few more on tonight

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Phew...we have reached the end of October......tomorrow we start on November!

This time next week.....

2011-12-18T22:02:00.001Z

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....we will be sat relaxing watching Christmas TV with a full belly,
Presents will be opened and the day itself almost over.

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but we have a week of anticipation first.

I have neglected my blog and to be honest reading others too.

267/365

I am pleased to say the Snow Leopard won the BBC World Challenge, read about it here. I voted for them and mentioned it on my blog here.

268/365

So I am going to do this post to catch up with my 365 Project as it nears the end. It has been an age since I last showed you....in fact it was in this post, on the 22nd of September!

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October

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I'll leave it here for now, we are up to October 10th so I still have a few more to show you.

Mince Pies and Mulled Wine

2011-12-10T19:27:00.001Z

oh what fun was had today

I baked all last night in preparation

then at 1pm the guests arrived

nibbles and mulled wine

mince pies and lemon cake

lots of chocolate cake

the children decorated gingerbread Christmas tree biscuits

we laughed and reminisced, then all too soon

it started to go dark and the children were getting sleepy

and it was time to say goodbye

PS. I do hope everone will join me in Kathy's Christmas A-Z?

Christmas A-Z

2011-12-06T20:55:00.001Z

Here is the last Scavenger Hunt for 2011. I have really enjoyed doing these and look forward to what Kathy challenges us to find next year!

A is for Angels

and also for Antlers
B is for Bauble

and also for Baking
C is for Christmas Rose

and also for Cards
D is for Decorations

E is for Evergreen

F is for Feasting, Family and Friends

G is for garland and also for Gifts

H is for Holly

I is for Icicles and also for Iced biscuits

J is for Joy and also for Jesus

K is for Kris Kringle

L is for Lights

M is for Mistletoe

N is for Noel and also for Nativity

O is for Ornaments

P is for Poinsettia

Q is for Quiet......
and also for The Queen's Speech

R is for Reindeer

and also for Red
S is for Star

and also for Snowflake
T is for Tree and also for Tinsel

U is for Under the tree

V is for Visiting and also for Visitors

W is for Wreath

X is for kisses (No photo of Anyone having a sneaky Christmas Kiss under the mistletoe!)

Y is for Yule log

Z is for zzzzzzzzzzz

November Scavenger Hunt

2011-11-30T17:15:00.001Z

a silhouette

So here is where I own up.......

Something I have made (and still working on!)

I did very poorly this month.......

Something that lights up

have no excuse except life......

Warmth

and poor light!

a poppy

This lovely poppy was sent to me from Colette at Poppy Cottage in 2009, (and the cat brooch well I made that one.)

Memorial

A self portrait

Ok not really a self portrait but I'm not feeling my best at the moment!!!

A Staircase at Rochdale town hall

Another cheat-You can't see the staircase....it winds up in a spiral inside this tower!

something purple flowering in my garden

Polka Dots and Comfort Food

I don't have a lucky Charm, which was one on the hunt list but we do rub Lucy's nose for Luck every now and again!

November

2011-11-26T19:50:00.001Z

Today has been a very grey, dull, wet, windy, dark miserable day.

So we have been having a big clean up at home as we didn't want to go out really.
(Also my Mother-in-law is coming to stay on Thursday for a few days and it was needed)

The skip has gone and the garden is a lot neater.

There has been few photos taken except the odd sunset and sunrise as I drive to and from work. We are so busy at school with Christmas and the threat of a visit from OFSTED!
My Christmas List isn't getting ticked off either!

I didn't manage a fabric collage but made a paper collage for the invites to a little party we are having for some close friends.

I need to get my act together...it's December next week!
I have not looked at the list for the November Scavenger Hunt but I am just about keeping up with my 385 project (I plan to do a post or two to show you over the next week)
I am sorry my blog is a bit boring at the moment but I am trying to get around to visit all yours.
I have been over to Pinterest and found some lovely things to pin up on my boards.

Thank you for all your comments and to all my followers, I will try harder to be a bit more exciting in the next few weeks!!!!

blink and it went!

2011-11-20T21:42:00.001Z

The weekend flew by....

just like a balloon caught on a November breeze.
Last week I trapped my little finger at work...ouch!

It was strapped up by the first aider, went black and blue and swollen then a lovely shade of yellow. It still hurts!

building in Halifax

Saturday morning I had to pop to Halifax to pick up a parcel. It was busy with Christmas Shoppers but the sun was out, the sky was blue and you didn't need to wrap up warm!

If you look up above the modern shop fronts you see Halifax is full to the brim with wonderful old buildings (another post I think!)

On Friday I popped over to see my mum and my sister and her hubby were there with their cute new puppy, Zan.

He's very cute and just can not control those huge paws.

Jumping back to Saturday.......

When I returned home from Halifax for lunch, Hubby decided we should go for a walk as it was such a lovely day.

So we went to Haworth.
We went to do the second half of a walk we did ages ago. (PDF Here I have just checked and we did the main part of the walk in 2008 before I started my blog!)

We Started at the bottom of the Main Street and walked up. We didn't realise that a Christmas Fair was on.

We then walked down the other side of the hill down Mytholmes Lane to pick up the route on the map.

We spotted some Insurance plaques on the side of a very old building.

Then a climb up another hill (again!)

Towards Oakworth.

Then down the road towards the station.

We couldn't just walk past our favourite railway station on the KWVR.

Used in the 1970 version of the Railway Children.

Still lit by gas lights.

When British Rail closed the line in 1962, it was locked up and left exactly as it was till a Preservation Society was formed and was able to buy it in 1968.

Anyway, after the tour we walked down the hill past the house that was Perks' cottage in the film.

Perks' cottage

Then past the old mill

and Vale Fold Cottages which were also seen in the film

Then along the valley bottom along Bridgehouse Beck

It was starting to get dark, we disturbed a deer and watched it's little white bottom dash off through the trees.

Then we walked past Haworth Station, dressed for Christmas.

And up the final hill (yes, we live in a very hilly place!)

The lights were now twinkling

And well....we just had to indulge....reward for all those hills!

.......Hot Chocolate (mine had a Baileys in it and Hubby just had cream and a flake in his!)

life is so....busy!

2011-11-15T21:14:00.001Z

I can not believe how neglected my poor blog is!

steps down to Gallery Oldham

I have no real reason.....just life!

School is always crazy in the run up to Christmas and this year is no exception.

I went to Oldham last Saturday. I had a walk around and looked at the buildings.

I also had a little look around the gallery

Then it was back home to carry on with some garden clearing and bulb planting.

The Christmas List is still the same except......
......I can cross off no.1 as my cards have arrived.

On Monday I had to rush to Rochdale after work to go to the bank.

On the way back to the car I took some photos of the Town hall.

It is a very, very grand building. I tried to catch the glow of the interior.

The photos are a bit blurred as I took it with a long exposure and no tripod to keep it steady.

But I like them anyway.

Then I took a photo of the clock tower and although it was quite dark the sky looks like a summers day!

I settled down tonight to watch Kirsties Handmade Britain and Pan Am, Great TV!

Remembering

2011-11-11T19:16:00.001Z

Today at school I was proud when all 150 children stood for a minutes silence at 11am.

When I was growing up I was aware of how the second world war had affected my own

family.

My mum's dad was 29 when he died in France in August 1944, leaving his wife, my mum then aged 3 and a half and her younger sister only 1 month old.

His younger brother died a few months later leaving distraught parents to mourn two sons lost in conflict and both buried in faraway lands.

Today, as every Armistice day I remember them.

Christmas List

2011-11-09T21:54:00.000Z

Christmas List
1. ~~Order Christmas cards from Charity Catalogues~~
I love the cards from Unicef, Traidcraft, Cancer Research and Cats Protection.

2. ~~Make an invite for our Mulled Wine and Minced Pie party on 10th December for some friends.~~
I really want to do a fabric collage and then photocopy it for the invite.

3. Make some cranberry and orange sauce to give as gifts

4. ~~Make a list of Christmas pressies for family and friends.~~

5. Make some fabric buckets and put small gifts inside as presents for various female friends and family.

6. Decide on a menu for the big day itself, it maybe for four or just the two of us, we don't know yet.

7. Decide on a menu for Boxing Day for 8 people

8. Write and send off Christmas Cards mentioned in no.1

9. Have a BIG clean and house tidy one day...a bit closer to THE day itself!

10. Buy a Tree on the first weekend in December and dust off the decorations.

11. ENJOY! because we had to cancel Christmas last year due to circumstances beyond our control!

All images are from here, The Project Gutenberg.

On a frosty day.....bake

2011-11-08T20:32:00.000Z

It was a cold frosty morning

and I was off to a 'Food in the classroom' workshop.

We had a great day.

We did some bread tasting

then bread making

and we made pizza for our lunch

with an assortment of salads to go with it.

The days are getting shorter and I don't seem to have any time or opportunity to take many photos.
I really must get my head around this Christmas which is rushing towards me at a great speed........I'll think about it tomorrow!

Sunrise, Sunlight and Sunsets

2011-11-05T20:54:00.000Z

I so wanted to go to a bonfire tonight and watch some fireworks but.....
we are so tired!

You see a skip arrived in the drive this morning and we spent the day filling it with all the debris left by the builders last spring. At last we have started to clear up the garden a bit.

View as I left school on Friday

We had a lovely Wedding Anniversary and thank you so much for the lovely comments on my last post.

the leaves are turning

During my half term we went to Port Sunlight on the Wirral.

Lady Lever Art Gallery

It was a grey old day.

We went to the Lady Lever Art Gallery.
It is a wonderful gallery and has a great little special exhibition on at the moment all about Ladies accessories from 1830-1940

Then we had a walk around the village.

The village was built by William Hesketh Lever for his Sunlight Soap factory workers in 1888.

I love the way each row of houses are different to the next.

William lived in the house above during the building of the village, although he had many other dotted around the country!

There is a little about the history of the village here.

The village is beautiful and well worth a visit if your ever in the area.

But it was starting to rain so we headed back to the car

Sunrise on Thursday

Sun going down tonight

No crafting....I must get started on some Christmas Presents!
But more garden clearing tomorrow so I had better go to bed early tonight.

Happy!

2011-11-02T08:05:00.000Z

15 years ago today was I have to say one of the best days of my life.

we spent the day celebrating with our family and friends.

October Scavenger hunt

2011-10-31T21:53:00.001Z

A Sunset

October Scavenger hunt list was going to be easy.....or so I thought!

Golden

I found it really hard, only getting the last few this past weekend and I apologise now if some of them are a bit boring!

A river

The River Ribble ( I have to thank my lovely friend Shan for helping me find some of the photos for the hunt this month, we did have a giggle though!)

Graffiti or Street Art

Some great street art in the park in Preston

something eerie

An eerie statue at Bankfield Museum, Halifax

Pumpkins

or in this case.....some lovely pumpkin fritters made by Shan!

Crunchy leaves

Heritage

Port Sunlight Heritage Centre

candlelit

I made a bit of a halloween display lit by candlelight tonight

mist

A broomstick or witches hat

I made a mini broomstick!

A black Cat

We found this black cat waiting to be let in the front door of a cottage in Port Sunlight
So there they are....but I must leave you with another sunset!

tick tock Friday already

2011-10-30T00:32:00.000+01:00

It has been a strange two days.
Thursday was grey and dull and drizzly
Hubby had taken the two days off work but as it was such a bad day we decided to go to the cinema. Not a great big cinema complex but our little local cinema. The films may take a month to arrive and only be on for a few days each but it has a wonderful atmosphere.

Hebden Bridge Picture House opened it's doors in 1921 and is run by Calderdale County Council (although they want to sell it I believe)
Every Thursday it has a showing at 11am and this week it was Tinker, tailor, soldier, spy. A great film well worth watching.

I want some for my car!

We had a mooch around the shops but it was a bit chilly and miserable so we drove home. It's our 15th wedding anniversary on Tuesday but as we will both be at work that day we decided to go for a meal on Thursday evening.

We went for a lovely Tapas.
When we got home there was a Gas Van at next doors and our neighbour came out and told us she had smelt a strong smell of gas so phoned the gas emergency services. It was coming from our flue so he had turned us off!!
It was bloody cold in our house last night I can tell you.

and this morning too! It was so lovely and sunny today after the day before but we had to wait in for the heating engineer and the TV aerial man (long story) Hubby said he would wait in so I was free to pop to Bankfield Museum in Halifax.

I love this museum.
I have just found a post I wrote about it here when I visited in spring 2009

The entrance is so beautiful.

In 1867 Edward Akroyd, a local Mill owner turned his modest Villa into the large building we see today.

In 1887 he sold his mansion to the local corporation and they turned it into a museum

and public library.

weaving and dressing up for the children

It mainly houses Textiles and Costumes

The mansion was built next to the mills and workers houses that belonged to Akroyd the houses he built for his workers were at the time considered better quality than the slums most mill workers were living in.

When I got home the house was warm and the TV was working so hubby decided we would catch the last of the sunshine and go for a walk locally.

Stott Hall Farm

We had a good view of Stott Hall Farm in the middle of the M62 motorway.

The sun was dipping behind the hills

We didn't see any Pedigree Dexters but we did see.......

......a pig with satellite TV!

Here is the fabric I bought on Wednesday, three grey tones

three brown/orange tones

Three bright patterns

and some that needs to be used in the next few days!

And two bargain books I picked up last weekend. Kirstie's from Tesco and the other from The Works.

Thursday already

2011-10-27T18:34:00.001+01:00

So far this half term I have had a lovely lot of 'me' time.

Time to make rhubarb jam. An nice easy recipe found here.

There was another glorious sunrise on Monday morning

I have to say it was even more spectacular than the day before!

Time to visit friends and spend time giggling.

and eating a lovely lunch!

Time to walk in the park on a visit to Preston

tree creeper

And watch the tree creepers and squirrels.
Time for a spot of fabric shopping

and time to make some chutney
But so far I have not been very craft productive. It is high time I thought about making some of the Christmas presents I want to make for family and friends.
I have just got into PINTEREST, which might prove to be a big mistake!

A whole week stretched before me

2011-10-23T11:29:00.002+01:00

Sunrise this morning

Yes we finished for half term on Friday and boy was it a tough week. 'Things' going on at school, people don't like change and it was also a long 7 week half term.

I know a lot of people think we have it easy working in a school all those lovely holidays (most spent catching up or preparing for the next term). But it is a very full-on intense place to work with so many things going on and your trying to make a difference to Every child's life. Anyway I will jump off the soap box now!

Holmfirth on Saturday

I have just up dated my other two much neglected blogs. Just a short post in each, Emporium and school log blog.
I should try harder with these blogs but I am finding it hard enough to keep this one updated and read all your lovely blogs (sorry if I have neglected you recently!)
It was another glorious day yesterday so off we went for a walk in the Holme Valley area.

Stone high up on a shop wall, read about it here.

We stopped off in Holmfirth for a spot of lunch at Longleys Dairy Cafe.

Then consulting this book which we have had for many years and used many times. We drove up past Netherthong and parked the car on Knoll Lane.

There was a bit more of a chilly breeze this week.

We followed the route in the book which took us around Swinny Knoll

We caused quite a stir with the locals.

Through these woods

The shadows were getting longer and longer

We could see Castle hill in the distance

It was cold in the shadows

Through Holmroyd wood

Over the hill and back to the car.

What a beautiful weekend

2011-10-17T21:35:00.000+01:00

Saturday

We opened the bedroom curtains on Saturday to the most wonderful BLUE sky.

I am trying to finish a cloth book for our nephew so we can take it over later.

(Oh dear...Hubby's not happy...Wales lost the Rugby match)

The girls loved their cushions by the way.

I took them over last week

sunset on Friday

It was such a lovely day we decided to go for a walk.

In January this year we started off on a walk from here and you can read about it here.

and in July 2009 we walked around it here.

We went to Settle, one of our favourite places.

we had lunch at Ye Olde Naked Man Cafe.

and stocked up on Courting Cake (jam slice)

Then we drove to nearby Stainforth.

We set off from the village, over the stile and across the field to Cat Steps.

Up the limestone steps

Through the trees

to the top of the crag and go over the stile straddling the beautiful lime stone wall.

Over the tops

and a look back at the view
breath taking!

then on to Winskill Farm

towards Catrigg Force

Then down the track back towards Stainforth

Over the stepping stones over Stainforth Beck.

And back to the car park. It was a lovely day.

***************

Sunday

I have managed to finish the book

It started with a sketch and mock-up book

A bit of sewing

I hope he likes it.

bits and bobs

2011-10-09T18:33:00.001+01:00

Arboretum at Tatton

Conversation with a 7 year old boy in my intervention group last week.
"Miss, do you know Asda in Shaw?"
"Yes"
"Well if you go down the first aisle, they have these things that are really nice"
"Oh really what are they called?"
" I don't know, they are like coconuts"
I think for a few moments.
" Are they small, about this size, do you mean kiwi fruits?"

"No.......I remember now they are called Scotch Eggs!"

The Fernery, Tatton

While I was at Grease yesterday, Hubby went to a school reunion, which meant we had two house guests staying last night.

Hubby forgot to show them how to work the shower and we giggled in bed as we heard one of them this morning taking a cold shower with water hardly dribbling out of the shower head!

We had a late night, and an early start (getting guests to the train station....oh and rugby on the TV) so we have had a very lazy afternoon. I have not made a magazine cover for a while, as you can see the price is still the same...well worth the money!

It has also not stopped raining ALL day and is quite miserable. I should be doing some crafting but can only manage a bit of crochet in front of the TV looking forward to Downton later on.
Lucy is not very lady-like when washing her tummy.......

and especially when she sits in her bowl to do it!

what a difference!

2011-10-08T23:02:00.004+01:00

I can't believe it was a week ago I was wandering around in sandals and soaking up the sun!

the thunder lightning, hail and rain on Thursday made it feel like a distant memory!

We enjoyed a wonderful day with my mum at Tatton Hall Garden last Saturday.

It is a National trust house, garden and park in Cheshire.

With a beautifully restored Kitchen Garden

In the rose garden was a beautiful pool. The garden was made for Lady Egerton in 1913.

Next to the Rose Garden was the Tower garden,

Then we walked through the Arboretum

Past the award winning Japanese Garden

then we visited the Fernery

And the Italian Garden in front of the hall.

It was almost 5pm but still lovely and warm

We strolled back towards the car

past the carousel

That was last Saturday.......today was grey and miserable
but I had a lovely time in Manchseter

we went to see Grease the musical......it was Rama-Lama-Ding-Dong!

September scavenger hunt

2011-10-04T19:33:00.001+01:00

I am a bit late again this month, getting these posted....better late than never I suppose.

A road sign

Football season

We don't do football in our house, Lucy does like a game of ball though.

Back to school

My workspace

A pile of things

A pile of ironing I had finished that had been hanging around for ages!

Harvest

Apples

Some windfalls in the orchard

Something taller than me

My Shadow!

A public telephone box

There are not many around these days as everyone has mobile phones.

A view from above

Whats in your bag?

My purse (no money!) lipstick (I never remember to put on!), hand cream, tiny tin of Vaseline, a wallet with cards in (store loyalty cards, national trust card etc) my phone, a pen, a handkerchief, some shopping vouchers, some shopping receipts, some paracetamol tablets, my camera case, and a little book of photos of Lucy and Bob (but none of hubby!!!)

Relaxation

I was going to put a photo of some lavender products as that is my favourite way to relax but I was so relaxed the other evening watching a bit of TV, a glass of red wine and my crochet I took this instead!