Hanging on with grim determination.

I saw something on my walk this morning that I found to be inspiring yet sad at the same time.

This weather beaten Hawthorn berry hanging on to the bitter end demonstrates the "British Bulldog" attitude and is inspiring and uplifting. However there is a tinge of sadness in the knowledge that it will fall, it has to fall. Why should it be so? Because it has to make way for the next generation, as do we all.

I am a bit of a Sci-Fi fan and the prospect of extended life is a recurring theme. On the face of it it sounds wonderful, an extra 10, 20 years or maybe more. So much can be done in that time, but hang on a minute where do the next generation fit in.

We already live far longer than 100 years ago, it is nothing remarkable to have 5 generations in a family alive and well.

Then I saw this.

An Apple tree with quite a lot of fruit hanging on in there and it was not alone, a few more trees were still holding fruit. I hope that this is not a clue to bad weather coming. There are still large quantities of Rosehips in the hedgerows and even some wizened blackberries.

I like to look at these and think that it is a reflection of the Human Spirit. We are tenacious in our grip on life, we dig our heels in and do not surrender to the changing winds.  We face adversity head on and strive to make it back up.
Well that is how I try to live my life, oh I have made my mistakes and sometimes compounded them, but I try to learn along the way.

Then I see this and I know that life is good to live no matter what comes along.

Ben and Greg playing on their walk, goodness knows what they were sniffing out but they snuffled around there for a few minutes.

I laughingly asked Greg to move into the sun and pose for me, and there he is, bless him.

This is a small corner of the field that they gallop round in twice daily, it takes 20 minutes or so to walk the perimeter and the dogs criss cross and run round in loops and circles most of that time.

I have one more photo to share, I decided to raid the Odds and Ends fabric bin last night and have been cutting and sewing.

The pile in the bottom right corner are ready to press and cut in half, each will make 2 candy bars. The rest are in various stages of completion and I plan an afternoons sewing. I think that a quilt is being born here.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. Another sunny day.

2. Ben and Greg running and playing with boundless joy.

3. A reminder from nature to be strong and hold on.

4. Decorating has begun in the small bedroom.

5. A quilt for giving is coming out of scraps.

I heard on the radio news earlier that Cornwall is being battered by this awful weather. When this sort of thing happens in the US quilters get together and sew and donate to families made homeless. This is a gesture of kindness to those who have lost most of their possessions, whether permanently or temporarily. I have contributed to some of these appeals.

I have decided that as I work my way through my mountain of stashed fabric I will make a series of quilts to give in this country. I am sure that if I do some Blog Hopping I will come across a group set up for this purpose. If anyone knows of such a group please drop me a comment to point me in their direction.

Now it must be time for a brew before I turn my sewing mojo back on.

        TTFN                                                     Pam

                 

A Happy Tuesday, A Gift and A Reunion.

To day dawned bright and sunny and reasonably warm, enough so that I did not need a jacket when walking Ben. I seized the moment and bustled two loads of laundry through the machine and on to the line. After going to the library and changing my books I gave the bathroom a good going over. The window is always open and the wind that we did have has driven dust and tiny bits of dead foliage into all the nooks and crannies. I took the time to go through the cabinet and turf out everything that had been put back empty! and wipe all the sticky residue off the bottles of shampoo etc. Tomorrow I will tidy the linen cupboard, again. It was a step too far for today.

Last night Ben decided to destroy the sofa only to turn into a moonstruck softy when Francesca sat next to him.

The Postie brought me a parcel yesterday, I thought that I would save it to share today

Looks a little  ordinary, well looks can be deceiving.

Bit more interesting now.

I have a visitor, he has come from Anglesey for some TLC and will then go to a new home to be loved as befits a legend. I have the power to put him back together without help from the kings men. The missing bits are all there and I have some Boy fabric to make him a carry sack, which can double as a sleeping bag.

There was more in the parcel.

This lovely fabric, some of which has been cut to go into a project already.

This lace collar, I have a plan to incorporate it into a mini quilt to hang near my sewing machine.

This piece of lace will also be used, I just hope that my hands can make what my mind can see.

Thank you Vicky, I will have fun with these.

Now to the reunion. I had an email from " The person once known as The Silver Sewer" I have a link to her new abode, if anyone would like to find her leave a comment and I will forward it to her.

I am going to catch up with her new blog later with a cup or 3 of tea. She was plagued by Trolls so felt that a move was necessary.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. Laundry done, dry and ready to iron.

2. Curry and rice from the freezer for a quick easy dinner.

3. Ben fit as a fiddle and playing with an old toy.

4. Francesca had another work from home day as the trains were still "iffy" this morning.

5. My smallest jeans are now a bit on the loose side.

I am now about to dive into a cup of tea so 

        

                                    TTFN                            Pam

Another Good Morning

I am in the canteen at work, on my last tea break, it has been a busy shift but not hard. Lots of small cooks and very little heavy lifting.

I was up early yesterday and as the sun was shining decided to have a laundry day.

I also made Elderberry and Apple jelly and then pushed the pulp through my fine sieve and made fruit puree, it is hard work pressing it through but the end product is so good.

When I was in Button Up and Stitch on Saturday I picked up some fat quarters, I really like those little bird prints.

I found some of the cheater print in blue so had to have it.

I told you about the Cathedral Window session that I attended, well my efforts were a bit dismal but I had another go when I got home and I was much better.

This pair are a step in the right direction and I want to make a few more. Then I thought about scaling it up a bit.

This is part of my Santa Sack swap, I made 2 and Francesca has the other in her room.  I am going to make several of these, a possible quilt top?.

I got my new patchwork and quilting magazine and this little giveaway was included, cute.

I made loads of bunting last year and some tree decs, I have the fabric and now I have felt, ribbon and some cute heart buttons. I will make different shapes just to keep it interesting.

I have to dash now, nearly hometime.

Toodle pip,                         TTFN     Pam

Sunday Roundup

It has been a busy few days since I last blogged. Michael,s Dad is very ill and we have been to visit him and his wife who just happened to have a birthday on Friday.
Michael spent time with his Dad while Francesca and I took J out to lunch and for some retail therapy, she had some very fetching frillies.
Dad was in need of some PJs , at least he wanted some bottoms. We were in Matalan and I spotted some Family Guy and some Always Grumpy ones in bright colours, so of course I bought him a pair of each, much better than boring stripes, and he laughed and promised to wear them.

I went through the jumpers and cardies and was sorely disappointed, flimsy and dull dull dull. A pop over to the menswear was more fruitful, I picked up a turquoise and a purple v neck for £14 the pair, very soft and fairly thick. While I was pootling about I spotted some really thick socks for Michael, he has feet like dead frogs, and picked up some of those.

I did not break the bank, I used some of my vouchers from work.

I have stocked up on our tea and coffee, thanks to Cottonreel who tipped me off, I went to Asda and hauled in this little lot.

7 jars here and 7 more in the cupboard should keep us going for a while.

2 each of these means that we are set up for quite some time. I topped up the loose tea about a month ago and that will see us through to next year.
I made a second batch of mincemeat using this recipe.

2 x 450 gm packs of mixed dried fruit.
1Kg cooking apples, peeled, cored and chopped finely.
450gm shredded suet.
700gm dark brown sugar.
juice of 1 large orange.
juice of 2 large lemons.
8 tsp mixed spice.
1 tsp ground cinnamon.
1 tsp grated nutmeg.

All this went into the slow cooker, had a good stir up and was put on a low setting for 4 hours. Once the suet had melted I removed the pot and put to cool down, stirring every now and then to keep that melted suet covering evenly. When cold I stirred in 10 tbsp brandy, put into sterilized jars, put the lids on tightly and stored away in my cupboard.


I made Bubble & Squeak and very tasty it was too.

I made large "patties" and dusted them liberally with flour, then pan fried them in a little vegetable oil.

The flour gives them a nice crisp shell and a lttle salt and pepper mixed into it helps the flavour along. We had them with some bacon that needed using up, and I made blackberry and apple sponge pudding, yum.

I used the rosehips along with 3 apples from the garden and a bowl full of elderberries to make some syrup, neat this will soothe a sore throat and help a tickly cough. Diluted it makes a pleasant hot or cold drink and is loaded with vitamins.

I remember going out with my Granny picking pounds and pounds of rosehips to be made into syrup, it was started during the war and she carried on for many years after.

An eclectic mix of containers but my flip top kilner bottles, all bar that one, are in a box right at the back of the understairs cupboard. i put them there when I tidied it out, at that time I did not plan to make the syrup. I will dig them out and sterilize a few and decant into them, some will find their way into Christmas Hampers.

Once the juice had been strained off, sweetened, boiled and bottled I turned my attention to the pulp. I pushed it through a sieve and got 1 pint of smooth thick puree, I stirred in the juice of a lemon, a grated cooking apple and 1lb of granulated sugar, 1 tsp mixed spice and 1tsp cinnamon. This gave me a good amount of gloop which i brought to simmering point and, stirring every now and then, let it burp and belch away till it was almost the consistency of chutney. This went into hot sterilized jars, I got 2 full and a taster.

I owe this to DC at Frugal in Norfolk, once again it is something that I used to do out of necessity. I chose to do it this time and after scraping the saucepan out with my index finger, in the interest of economy, I will be doing it again. I expect to go foraging tomorrow.

I have raspberries that need picking so will add those in as well. I did wonder whether to make some raspberry vinegar but as I am the only one who likes it will pass this time.

Reasons to be grateful.

1. Francesca has found a house share for November, she just wants to go and have a look at it. She can almost taste her independence

2. More and more homemade goodies piling into my larder.

3. Continuing good weather prolonging the harvest of wild, free fruits.

4. Laundry done, ironed and put away in 1 day.

5. The sweet buzzing of bees, drunk on sun and pollen, all round my garden.

My sewing machines have sat idle for a few days and will be idle for the next few. I have work outside to do and some preserving to do inside. all too soon it will be cold, dark and dreary and then the machines will come into their own. I have gathered some gloriously coloured fabrics to brighten my days. I have some Christmas sewing lined up and have entered for another giveaway.

Sharon at Little Town Mouse is having a giveaway for some purple paisley fabric and I have my fingers crossed. I am not usually fond of Paisley but this is glorious and my fingers are twitching.

Time for tea, I am very late today so will wish you all a good night.

                                              TTFN                Pam