Arty Crafty

Hello Lovelies, 

It's been a busy week around these parts, good busy. My days off have been filled with interesting and exciting trips out. 

On Wednesday I spent the day accompanying youngest on his last last primary school day trip. I love going to help out at these memorable days visiting interesting places and I am more than a little sad that this was my last opportunity.

On Thursday I went with Mum to the Patchings Festival....somewhere I visited for the first time last year.

There are lots of marquees filled with a mixture of skilled arts and crafts people.

This stand caught my eye...............

I loved this lady's bike and her paintings filled with colourful cycles.......she was painting a lovely watercolour of some cottages and a pond....with her bike in the foreground..............

THIS is her website

The day was cloudy but warm and there's a lovely relaxed atmosphere at the event. I was super busy in parts but there are lots of places to sit a while. Here people are listening to a Jazz band.....and you can just see the Pimms stall on the left.........

At an exhibition by amateur painters in one of the permanent log cabins on the site I loved this painting of Staithes...........

And this mixed media collage of Haworth is very appealing.........

There are lots of Bronte references in there if you look closely.

I'm sorry I couldn't find any web sites for these artists.

I loved spotting this Robin..............

On the way to the craft studios............

And look , there was yarnbombing.......yay..........

These rainbow drain pipes were very effective..........

And the gardens looked wonderful........

But it was this corner that I found the most delightful...........

I loved all the bunting and granny squares.

See it painted HERE

This display of wonderful yarny creations against an old brick wall was perfect.........

They are made out of knitted rings and I've never seen this idea before...........

Here you can see some more............

and looking up there was a delightful display of crochet bees...........

just brilliant

I also loved this African flower motif duck on the wall..........

and the floral garland around the well...........

Inside these little studios are the ladies who had created this wonderful yarnbombing display. Such a  pretty porch window..............

 I bought a pretty embroidered heart they made............

A sweet memento of a lovely day.

Jacquie x

High Places

Hello Lovelies,
after a week of miserable wet and dark days the return of the sun this weekend was wonderful.

On Sunday morning we chivvied our boys out of the door and  went to explore somewhere new.
If you've been reading my blog for a while you'll know how much I love high places with a view. I'd read THIS country park could offer just that....perfect.

I think the best way to appreciate a great view is to climb the hill. When you finally get to the top and take in the view it feels like a reward for all your effort, but as we drove uphill I realised that we would be at the top to begin with......never mind.....the sun was shining and the sky was blue....I was happy just to be out enjoying such a gorgeous late spring/early Summer day.

We parked and followed signs along this pretty track...........

The weather was perfect and everywhere looked so fresh and green...........

After a half-mile gentle stroll we arrived at the entrance to the country park. I did look odd .....a flat field with some bumps strewn with orange mesh............

we never found out what the mesh was for.

Hubby spotted a bat , which I managed to capture in this photo........ just!

I was looking into the sun so I'm surprised I even managed this rubbish shot.

There was an information board that explained the top of the hill was the site of an Iron Age Hill Fort......

Oh, now I understood a little more of what those little hills were......they were the walls of the fort.........

The path led through a dip in the wall............

And across the top of the hill to a beautiful view........this is what I had hoped to find :0)

There was a chap flying  his model aircraft here when we arrived ( he's in  white and the plane is that tiny dot in the middle of the sky) and the boys happily stood and watched it for a while.

Which gave me chance to admire the view. I zoomed in on the pretty village of Burrough on the Hill that we had driven through...........

Then wandered down the grassy slope and was thrilled to spot little flashes of blue in the long grass...........

I think this is a COMMON BLUE....it's not the best picture but I was happy to get it anyway.

After a while we walked along the top of the walls, well they are more correctly called Ramparts............

The Ramparts are filled with boulders and covered in soil....sort of like a castle hidden under your feet...preserved for over 2000 years.....I liked that.

There's more on the archaeology of this site HERE

At one corner there's a  Toposcope which shows the direction of various landmarks................

As we continued our walk around this ancient site we were treated to wonderful panoramic views.........

Looking West

I love looking down on the landscape below.........it's so pretty from up here............

Farms and distant church spires

And at my feet are dainty wild flowers

When we got to the North side the view was of more hills and a little wood I'd like to explore on another day.............

We sat down on the grass for a while just as this family were doing a bit further along...........

And the boys climbed on this felled tree...........

Still keen to do a bit of uphill walking eldest and  I carefully descended the steep slope. These paths looked so inviting but the ground was super boggy.....

So we climbed uphill again, picking our way around the worst mud..........

Wellies would have been good here.

The whole park was home to various types of sheep. It was quite hot by now and lots had found a shady spot under this Hawthorn tree..........

We crossed the field and caught up with the others who were waiting by the gate. I loved these twin lambs who were waiting with them..............

Then it was back along the track where the last of this years Cow Parsley still bloomed..............

To this lovely picnic spot by the car park..............

where we all enjoyed some of the boys Birthday cake......

my mum in law is an excellent baker.

I so enjoyed this visit to a beautiful and interesting local high place on the first day of June.

Jacquie x

P.S. there are loads of hill forts across Britain........many of which have public access and great views. THIS is the largest...doesn't it look stunning from above.

Half Term at Home

Hello Lovelies,

Oooooh, the first three weeks of May were gorgeous around here. 

The week before the school broke up for the half term holidays I was so enjoying wandering about in warm sunshine, wearing my home made dress. 

Admiring the Roses in my front garden.............

And enjoying loads of yummy Strawberries and Melon from the greengrocers in town.........

Youngest had an INSET day at the end of the school term and he spent a happy couple of hours at the park with a friend. They loved  the fantastic new play equipment.............

And I enjoyed sitting on a bench making crochet circles...........

I love visiting the park and was planning further trips here, in the eagerly anticipated week off with my boys.......

But the weather had other plans.

We had day after day of rain.........sigh..........at least I could get on with my latest crochet tutorial for you lovelies........... 

Did you spot my little mascot? I love this tortoise, made for me by eldest. It always makes me happy when my boys get creative........

However you're more likely to find them creating virtual worlds .........Minecraft continues to entertain.............

And on such  wet days I don't mind them enjoying some screen time.

I spent some time updating my dresser display, the spring shelves have been replaced with a summer theme and one shelf is dedicated to holiday dreams........I was so happy to find two more "Blue of Devon" jugs in the charity shop the other week......for 75 pence each..........

And the photo is one of my favourites, my boys in the sea when they were younger.

When the rain  stopped briefly we did manage a short  walk through lots of puddles..........

My lot are actually happier to go walking when it's muddy

and the countryside still looked pretty............

As did my garden. This year my front garden finally looks how I've always wanted it to look......with lots of flowers and no soil to be seen..........

But where was the sun?
 The boys made the best of the cooler weather, burning rotten wood with their Dad in the evenings............

I loved seeing them sitting in the garden, chatting around this fire....but boy did their clothes stink.

And the chilly nights made me pull out my circle blanket as the summer duvet just wasn't  warm enough........

It's bright, happy colours certainly made me smile.

But by Thursday, waking up to pouring rain was getting me down somewhat...........

I don't like that my mood is so affected by the weather....but the fact is , it is.

I made the boys dropped scones for breakfast as a treat...........

And baked a cake.............

THIS recipe..........super easy and always eaten with gusto by my lot

On Friday I enjoyed a that special trip to Shugborough  and this weekend we have been celebrating my eldest two turning Fourteen..............

Saturday passed in a blur of tidying up and making the house and garden look nice.........Daisies in an old glass jar make me smile...........

The boys were great at helping with the setting up too.

Then we welcomed family for a barbecue........amazingly it was dry and even warm!

I can't take the credit for either of these wonderful desserts. The Birthday cake was made by my Mum in law and the Cheesecake was made by my niece...........

It's always a special time when we get together to celebrate these milestones.

Yesterday was much easier.........and the sun was shining all day :0)

In the morning we went on a little outing........more about that next time.

And in the afternoon there was time for some more al-fresco crochet.....in the garden this time.

I've been making a little test piece to see if I like my latest blanket colours and plans..........

And I'm thinking it's going to look nice.

The colours are a little bit muted, compared to most of my makes, but I think they are still cheerful.....and cheerful is good :0)

Jacquie x