painting and planning

I have been painting. Pop over to the Emporium to get a closer look at the portrait of a very fine cat.

painting again

It was nice to get my paints out again. I always enjoy it but never seem to find the time these days.
I have downloaded an entry form for the Michealmas show in the village. I will enter some wild damson jam, a cake, some photos and possibly the portrait above.

Bluebells in Rough Hey Wood

The photograph category this year is 'Countryside' (taken in the Parish)

The milestone at Boothswood

Now as you know I take a lot of photos.

Sunrise at Cunning Corner

It's a question of which one or one's to enter?

The line of trees

You see it's a hard decision to make.

The view

I like them all.

Shadows

Maybe, dear readers, you can help.

Mist in the valley

Which one or one's do you think 'say' countryside to you?

The green lane

You see they were all taken in the Parish.

The way home

I will be interested in your comments.

More random stuff!

Hello!

Tomatoes from the greenhouse

you don't mind random stuff do you?

self seeded cosmos

please pop over to my friends folksy shop to look at her jewellery here. I was lucky enough to get some of her beautiful earrings as a pressie off her earlier this year.

It's been a busy few days. Today we went to order the new kitchen and there was changes in the garden.

beautiful butterfly

garden finds

Tiny moth

 Yesterday I went to Halifax.

Borough Market, Halifax

I wandered around the Borough Market.

Built in July 1896

Market Hall Clock

The inside has an octagonal done and

an ornamental clock

You can buy almost anything in the market. But I didn't need to buy any fruit or vegetables this time.

Piece Hall, Halifax

Then I walked around the Piece Hall.

It was opened on January 1st 1779.

And was built to allow hand loom weavers to sell their pieces of cloth, hence the name.

The art gallery in the Piece Hall had a lovely exhibition of textile art showing. One artist was Janet Browne. Pop over to her web site to see her lovely work.


I am looking at some of my photos to enter into the Village Michealmas Show. Remember last year? and then I found out about this.

Best piece of Art Work at show

I am not sure if I will have much to enter this year.

Last piece of randomness. These were the goodies I brought back from London.

Random things

Summer sun

Another rainy day here today.

Cosmos seeded itself

Luckily yesterday and the weekend was sunny as I had a job to do. I needed to move as many plants as possible from where the extension is going to be.

I also took cuttings from the lilac, holly, hebe and pyracantha in the hopes they will take and I will be able to plant them in the front garden when all the work is done.

As you can see Lucy found the sun and decided to sleep on the garden table.

While we have been clearing out the garage, I have been finding things I have not seen for years.

My Tweedy Flower Press from the 1970's. It still had flowers inside, so I carefully took them out and decided to put in some new ones.

Earlier in the month I had a play at Hapa-zome I saw a little bit about it on Alys Fowler's Edible garden. I think I will have to have a little play with the technique. I think these Hydrangea flowers would do really well.

after bashing the leaf  but with the leaf still stuck on

rub off the leaf and hey presto!




The poppy seed heads look like alien plants!

7 things and other things

Ages ago Tracey gave me an award, or rather my blog an award.

Thank you Tracey

So Thank you Tracey and now I will tell you 7 things you don't know about me. Now I think you probably know most things about me but I will give it a go-

climb aboard

1. I once had lunch on a Multi-millionaires yacht on the Bosphorus.

2. I am very interested in Family History and have researched my maiden name back to the 1700's
3. My parents owned a pet and tropical fish shop when I was growing up.
4. I use to go horse riding every Saturday when I was a child.

Me with Paddington 1978

5. I am 5 foot 1 inch tall (I am sure I use to be an inch taller!)
6. The first record I ever bought was Puppy Love by Donny Osmond.
7. I once saw New Order at the Hacienda in Manchester.

Now I have to pass it on to some bloggy friends. I also know some people don't like to get them, if you are one of those people I am sorry. I am sure most already have it but I would like to pass it on to-
Memoirs of a Vintage Magpie
Lilac and Cats  (because she is in need of some bloggy hugs)
Little Miss Crafty
The Inconsequential Blogger

Some other things that have been happening.
I know you were all impressed by Hubby's Grandma's needlework in my previous post so I went rummaging and found these-

Grandma as a young girl

Grandma's wedding day

She made her own wedding dress then adapted it for Hubby's mum to wear for her wedding day then it was made into a christening gown for Hubby and his brother! they knew how to-make -do-and-mend in those days!

some of her work

In amongst all the photographs and certificates I found a framed embroidery, and a brown envelope. The envelope contained a transfer she had sent off for from a magazine and the silks to work it. I wonder what happened to it?

Raining?

Yesterday it was grey and dull and rained on and off for most of it.
We didn't let it get us down. A friend and her two boys picked me up and we headed off to The Yorkshire Sculpture Park (if you read Diane's Heart Shaped Blog then you may recognise it.)

We even sat in the rain and ate our picnic, only the British would do this I think!

The main exhibition was by David Nash

Bretton Hall

but there was lots of other things to see

The geese were doing a flying display

Inside the camellia house

We didn't let the rain dampen our spirits.

One of 4 days out and a bit of stitchery

I was sorting through my photos and realised I had not shown you some photos from some days out we have had this summer.

Brodsworth Hall

Day out no. 1
Brodsworth Hall, South Yorkshire

The rose garden

Built in the 1860's and 'conserved as found' when English Heritage took over 1988. There are grand rooms, Victorian kitchens and junk rooms piled high with all sorts of 'treasures'.

The Victorian garden

The gardens have been restored to the Victorian Glory they once were.

The fern dell grotto

The fern dell grotto has steps and walkways and streams and a fine collection of ferns.

The side of the hall

Stone guard dogs

We have been to Brodsworth a few times over the years and bit by bit they are uncovering and restoring the gardens.

Flower beds

Garden statues

They also have a lovely tea rooms there!

The Bird Lady

I love this statue. She is a lady after my own heart.

I also wanted to show you an embroidery.

The Peacock

Its about 50cm x 40cm hangs in my in-laws hallway.

It is the work of Hubby's Grandma. Worked in 1924 when she was 21 years old.

It is the most exquisite needlework.