A SURPRISE ROUND THE CORNER

The rest of my walk…

I was at work all day yesterday so no chance of a walk or any fresh air unless you count taking the bins out 😉

So thoughts went back to my mooch around Jubilee Gardens on Wednesday and look at the other chainsaw sculpture I found.

What a handsome hare!

And that makes the pair!

Many thanks to Julia at Words and Stitches for taking the trouble to Google the wood sculptures in Jubilee Gardens, thanks to her I know a bit more about my little town. It just goes to show you don’t know what you have on your doorstep.

I have the weekend off now so my plans are to get on with the knitting and a few more walks to find more Bewdley treasures.

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

A RANDOM BAKE

Or an icing sugar storm 🌬

It is B’s birthday today🎂 Can’t believe my little cherub is now old enough to drive! I thought I would try to be one of those yummy mummy types and make him a cake 🤔

Now in my defence I haven’t done any proper baking since B was small when we used to bake together. In recent years I have made brownies and the like with my good friend Betty Crocker. And I have had a very temperamental oven and baking on my own was never much fun😯

But I have a new oven so thought I would have a go. I measured the ingredients from memory, probably not one of my better ideas😋 I made an 8oz sponge mixture but new baking tins so think I probably should do a 10oz mixture. And new oven so need to experiment with that. My cake looks a bit flat and is a bit crisp around the edge but it did have a nice spring to the touch. I have sandwiched it together with raspberry jam and vanilla butter cream.

Note to self:

Soften the butter before attempting to cream it

Make sure the mixer is on its lowest setting when using icing sugar – everything ended up with a fine dusting of the stuff😉

I don’t think I will be doing the Great British Bake Off any time soon….

I am going to stick to my knitting. Anyone for a cuppa and cake?

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

WASTE NOT WANT NOT!!!

The fruits of the garden 🍅

Back in March at the start of Lockdown some tomato seeds were planted as part of B’s Lockdown Science work for school. B looked after them on the windowsill until his teacher moved on to something else. They probably spent too long on the windowsill but finally they were planted out in pots, grow bags and planters. It’s incredible how many plants you get out of a pack of seeds!!!

They have been cared for over the summer, certainly better than I have been cared for, and then we had a glut of tomatoes. We have been eating tomato salad with most things. Recently we have been ripening tomatoes on the windowsill – back to where they started 😉

N has been busy in the kitchen and with a dollop of green tomatoes that we couldn’t possibly find room to leave to ripen he has made some chutney. He has also hoovered up a lot of them and made some ketchup 🍅

We have 2 jars of green tomato chutney left, it is quite tasty with a bit of cheese. We have not scoffed the lot I hasten to add, several jars have been gifted! N got his felt tips out and made pretty labels. Still waiting for labels for the jars of ketchup 🤔

All of our tomatoes have been used and N is trying to nurture some seed for next year; here’s hoping 🙄

Nothing woolly in this past but woolly wishes anyway,

Jane ♡♡♡

HOLIDAY UPDATE

Fresh air and the bins…

Look at this beautiful view I have been greeted with when I wake up each morning

Sadly we are going home tomorrow. Don’t get me wrong we have a lovely view of the river Severn at the bottom of the garden but this has been so restful and fascinating watching the estuary fill and drain. Unfortunately there was a train derailment on the otherside of the estuary the day before yesterday. The locals have been advised not to pick cockles in the estuary as there is a risk of diesel seeping through the river into the estuary 😣

It was bin day today, something of an obsession of mine. I have been sorting as per local recycling policy. Household waste, food waste and plastics were taken today. Really impressed that they take food waste and all plastic😏 Because I didn’t know which waste was being taken today I put it all out, I bet the locals thought “bloody holidaymakers “! I have just brought the bottles, cans and cardboard in to stash away safely in the bin store.

It will be the holiday clean up this evening but in the meantime

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

HOLIDAY DRAMA

Storm Francis was blowing…

And we decided we would go out for tea. Sadly the only places to eat were outside so we came home.

Unfortunately we had locked ourselves out but Jane came to the rescue. I climbed onto a wall and then up onto the balcony where, ever security conscious, we had left the door unlocked. I let myself in and then went downstairs and let the men in!

I like to think if I had had my knitting with me I could have quickly knitted up a rope or the like to make it easier😉

We ordered in pizzas for tea 😂

Anyway the wind has died down today and the sun is trying to come out. Back to knitting on the balcony😎

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP # 34

Toning it down…

Lock down is easing but hair dressers are not back yet. My roots were appalling and the fiery red had faded somewhat in the sunshine so I have had another go at my hair.

Quite pleased with the results. The same can’t be said for my face. Far too much sunshine has made me quite red and blotchy!!!

I have decided to have a go at making a patchwork quilt for N’s granddaughter but as I haven’t really done anything like this in a very long time I have had a practice on a cheap fat quarter picked up at Aldi, reduced so it really was cheap.

My efforts so far. A bit of pressing and stretching will be required to make them match 😂

And yay I have strawberries in the garden

Woolly wishes to you all,

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP #32

Mainly gardening …

It is really hot here at the moment. My little patch of lawn looks like a dust bowl. But my pots and planters are still alive, although always very thirsty😄

And who would have thought just a few weeks ago my garden was drowning from river water due to the floods ☔

My lovely son B has been helping me by cutting down old shrubs and then digging out the roots. He has reclaimed this bit of border for me.

And just look at this lot I have got to get rid of!!!

So quite a productive day. A nice walk along the river after tea when the weather is a bit cooler, then a nice bath, a bit of knitting and bed 🌜

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

SELF-HELP #28

The things we miss..

Work is hard at the moment as is daily life for everyone. With all day services closed I miss things like the care farms we used to visit.

Craft sessions

*I made what looks like the love child of Jabba the Hut and Kermit the frog …*

Bird feeding

Trying to explain why we can’t do any of these things is not always easy.

Looking forward to a brighter future.

Woolly wishes,

Jane xxx

SELF-HELP #27

It’s so quiet. ..

I had the day off yesterday back to work at 5pm today for another 24 hour shift. Got the lawn mown yesterday and I did a 40 minute walk yesterday and today. I have said hello to everyone I have passed. My theory being some of these people may live on their own and if they are only allowed out once they might need a little chat. Mainly older ladies who have developed conversation beyond hello, lovely day 🌞

And that is the thing the weather is beautiful and it is so peaceful. The slower pace of life has a sort of holiday feel AND then you remember we are here because people are becoming so poorly or worse. 😷

*My garden, still some clearing up to do after the floods!!!*

We all clapped for the NHS last night. We all came together but not together which was very special. The sound of the clapping echoed across the river.

I have picked up the little jacket that I am making for N’s granddaughter who is due at the beginning of April. We will miss those first few weeks as we will not be able to visit 😥

*The pink is more salmony. Working in double moss stitch which makes a change.*

I have been taking my knitting outside to enjoy the sunshine while I can. I am not a sun worshipper but believe a bit of UV does us good and so many do not have this opportunity at the moment.

Please keep safe 🌈

Woolly wishes,

Jane ♡♡♡

Now the party’s over…

Back to normal…

I was back at work yesterday and have a night shift tonight so only mocktails for me tonight 🍸

The Christmas break was pretty frenzied – all that cooking and washing up, visiting family and friends. I feel I am going back to work for a rest!!

I haven’t done any crafting over the festive season but have had a couple of crafty presents. Vouchers to put towards a course working with pewter – jolly exciting.

And a Moomin craft book.

I love Moomin and there are loads of things to make from toys to slippers, hot water bottle covers to draught excluders – all very exciting!

New year, new projects.

Happy New Year everyone,

Love Jane xx