Festival and Fun Day!

Trying to get giant bubbles through hula hoops

My stall

The Saturday Singers 

Abertillery Orpheus Choir

I was pleased for the organisers of this year's Raglan Festival that the weather was so good. It was important for the relaunch of the Raglan Fun Day to be a success and give them something to build on for the future. Attendance numbers were high and great fun was had for the whole afternoon, starting with the Big Lunch at 1pm, and with bands on the outdoor stage keeping everyone entertained.

On the Sunday, after a community service on the same school playing field and a quick lunch at home, I went to the Beaufort Hotel terrace and spent the afternoon with crowds of others listening to various local entertainers and chatting to friends.

I was chuffed to notice that, as well as having one of my homemade bags with me, one of the Saturdays Singers had her music in one, and the daughter of a friend had hers over her shoulder too. We were joined by my friend's brother whose daughter also had one of my bags. It appears that my bags have a 'look' because my friend said she could recognise them now. Another lady said she'd have to get one because 'everybody's got one'! It was a good afternoon all round!!

Sunday evening's performance in the church of Abertillery Orpheus Male Choir was very popular. It was good to see a few younger members in the choir; probably as a result of the popularity of groups like Only Men Aloud, and choir singing in general being more fashionable. Roll on next year!

Bye for now
Teresa x

France, June 2013

Our base for the week - Moulin de Garreau

 Hello all!  We got back from a lovely week in France in the middle of the night, the Sunday before last.  Our car came back the following Friday!!! But I don't want to start on a negative note, because we did enjoy ourselves, so I'll leave that until later.

The lake we walked around or fished in.

 There was so much to do at the house we could have amused ourselves there for the entire week, but we did take time out on a few days.

The Green Room (ours!)

 The weather picked up nicely after the drizzly drive down from St Malo and we didn't have another bad day until the day we left, which meant it was more comfortable to drive in.

 This is the first of four evening meals we ate at the house.  I think I enjoyed these meals more than when we ate out. It was quite a rural area where the locals didn't speak much English, so choosing from a French menu without much help was a bit hit and miss.  Who knew that 'gesiers' were gizzards!! Apparently they were quite nice.

 This is our communal sitting/dining area with the table set for dinner.  That shoe dumping area became quite messy by the end of the week!

 We dined alfresco a couple of times, making good use of the brick BBQ in the garden.

A couple of glasses of Pimms went down well while the BBQ was cooking.

A day on the beach at Isle de Re was just the thing on the hottest day of the week.

The 15 minute walk to the pizzeria was through the beautiful French countryside (You can't see the brick and tile factory on the other side of the road from this angle :-) We met an ex-pat at the pizzeria who works at the factory. He helped translate a little for us and arranged for us to go with the owner of the pizzeria to one of his wine suppliers, after we'd asked if there were any vineyards we could visit.  We met them one evening at 4pm and they led the way.  We would never have found one without their help because they don't seem to advertise for tourists.

There seemed to be a take-it-or-leave-it attitude, in general, towards tourists in the area, and sites of interest were tucked away down side streets with no signage until you were right there.  We followed a town map of Fontenay le Compte, that was in the house, in order to find a couple of gardens and a castle to look around.

This was the fate of our car after filling it up, following the day on the beach.  To cut a long story short, the steering 'went' when we were 45 minutes from the house. The following days involved 3 taxi journeys, 3 different hire cars (one with a crack nearly all the way across the windscreen) and many phone calls.  In total, we probably lost about 8 hours to-ing and fro-ing but, luckily, we had taken out extra European cover with the AA. The car couldn't be fixed in France so we still have that cost (and we haven't had the phone bill yet either), but it could have been so much worse.

Incidentally, in attempting to converse with the first taxi driver we told him we were from Wales (Pays de Galles).  OH told him, more specifically, 'Raglan' which he repeated like he knew it, which I thought was odd.  He must have been trying to think of the right words for the rest of the journey, because, when we got to the house, he turned to us and said, "My - girl (daughter we presume)  - work - Raglan - Arms"!!! We managed to communicate to him that our son worked there too and he said, "Small - world!"  

Small world, indeed!

-------

I haven't heard anything, yet,  from Penny who won my giveaway before I went away. I've joined Google+ but have yet to find a way to get in touch.  If I don't have any luck soon there's a chance I'll be re-drawing the winner.

Bye for now

Teresa x

Giveaway Result!

 Just a quick post to announce the winner of the The Hand-Stitched Home by Caroline Zoob.  I was surprised there weren't more entries because I had lots more visitors than usual.

A little something I've been working on.

I used an online random number generator which picked number 8 out of the nine comments, which was lucky Penny Edwards.  Congratulations Penny - I hope you read this post because I wasn't able to find an email address for you as I'm not on google+. Please leave me a comment with your address (which I won't publish) so I can send the book to you.

If you'd like another chance to win, pop on over to Very Berry Handmade where Ali is also offering a copy as a giveaway, with a much more professional-sounding review than mine! But hurry because there's not much time left!

A pic from our local music festival - The bell ringers on the hotel terrace.

I'm off on holiday for a while so I'll check when I get back whether Penny has been in touch. 

Bye for now
Teresa x

Sunny Weather!

The longest sunny period for over a year (according to the weather boffins)!  It's very welcome indeed.

The old advertising sign is up on my shed at last, and the flower beds are in bloom.

We are optimistic that this year's garden produce will be better than last year - it couldn't be much worse!

Messing about on the river at Symonds Yat.  That's not us in the canoes - we're waiting for the ferry to come back so we can cross the river.  

Taken from the ferry as it's pulled across the river by the rope.  Thirteen of us have just had a lovely lunch. Half of our group are cycling back to the cars, but we are walking.

Bye for now

Teresa x

P.S. There's still time to enter my book giveaway here.

Making Work for Myself!

 The sun has been putting in some welcome appearances recently.  When it does it's lovely and warm, although the temperature still drops quite significantly as soon as a cloud brings some shade.  I prefer that, though, to the sort of sunshine that leaves you longing for a cloud, for a little cool relief.

I joined my daughter and fiance a week or two ago to walk their dogs on the hill above their town.  We met half way with some of fiance's relatives who then walked back with us.

And last week Mr D and I went to the first of a new regular Farmers' and Vintage Market at a nearby manor house.  We were delighted when we turned the corner of the stable block and almost bumped into an 'ostentation' of peacocks, which is, apparently, what a group of them is called (I just looked it up in case it comes up at our next pub quiz). There were at least a dozen of them!

We came home with some lovely, local, home-made goodies;  welsh cakes, leek and stilton sausages and wild boar and apple pies, laid out on a lovely big piece of fabric I got for £4 from one of the vintage stalls. We'll definitely go back again, when we have time to look around the gardens too.

A few days later, I went with my Ladies' Group on a visit to tour the same manor house, (Llanvihangel Court) followed by a pub meal.  If you're ever in the area (and it happens to be open) the house is well worth a visit.  I can't imagine there being a better example of a house of that age anywhere else.  The Lady of the Manor gave us the tour and pointed out many portraits of her ancestors, including her great-grandmother, who was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Victoria.  Unusually for a 400-year-old house, there wasn't a speck of dust or cobweb anywhere, and every room was stunning yet homely, and although the furnishings were from all over the world and from different periods, nothing looked out of place.

On the crafting front, which has been a bit slow lately, I've added these small felt brooches to my collection. The felt is from an old felted jumper and is quite thick and sturdy, making it strong enough to hold its shape well.  The decoration is all reclaimed bits and pieces, including hanging ribbon, from inside new clothes, to make the bows (you know me - I keep anything that could come in handy).

I've also been recycling the already recycled!  I made a cushion cover a while ago with hexagons on a blue background.  It never looked like the vision I originally had but I was reluctant to waste the work that went into it.  However, when my daughter said she wasn't keen on it either, it was time to take action. I unpicked all the hexagons, stitched them into a block and made them into this zipped bag, with the blue from the cushion as a lining. As usual, I 'winged it' with the design as it's another different construction method. This time the seams are on the outside and are covered with binding.  I also used binding to attach the zip on the outside, which was quite fiddly, but meant there was no need for turning it all inside-out and risking sewing things the wrong way.

This was the cushion 'before'

Helen from The Patient Gardener's Blog asked me a few weeks ago where I got the pattern from for my summer top.  Sorry for the late reply Helen but I had to dig it out of the shed again to remind myself.  It's an old-ish pattern from Simplicity, No K2938, and includes trousers, a dress and a jacket too.  I tried, without luck, to remember where I got it from but am pretty sure I didn't buy it new.

Oh, and I mustn't forget............My new job is a part-time receptionist at a hair salon - at the salon I go to, actually!  I was sitting there, having my hair done a couple of months ago, chatting away to the stylist/owner (as you do) when she asked about my work.  When I told her I was redundant and looking for part-time work, she offered me the job. I've already done some 'shadowing' of the current receptionist and one morning on my own, and I start officially next week!  It will suit me quite well at the moment to work 3/4 days a week, leaving time for proof reading, crafting and helping son and daughter with their accounts.

Progress since last time:

Turned cushion into zipped bag
Added more patchwork diamonds to Country Living inspired quilt
Started cathedral window patchwork cushion
Felt brooches

Bye for now
Teresa x

Making the Most.....!

Since I now have all week for housework etc.OH suggested that we make the most of the lovely sunny day last Saturday to take a walk.  He also had an ulterior motive in that he wanted to see how much my weak left leg could cope with, in case my friend (ex work colleague) invites me to one of her arranged walks as promised.  We parked near the canal marina, crossed a bridge and set off down the path........

.......through the trees.....

....under many bridges......

......past verdant views......

......and spooky water's-edge gardens....(click to enlarge and spothe weird horrors!!).
 

Lasagne and chips (one veggie, one meat)

 Just under 2 hours later we reached our planned pit-stop and braved the occasional cold wind, when the clouds obscured the sun, to eat our lunch al fresco. I was grateful during the way back to the car (via roads and a shorter distance) that we pessimistic brits had carried an umbrella, despite the fact it didn't rain, because I was able to use it to help me balance as my leg began to weaken.  We came to the conclusion that, when it comes to my friend's walk,  I should be able to manage the first half, but will have to leave them to it after lunch :-(

Made with all recycled fabric and scraps.

I've been getting on with a little stitching too and knocked up this cushion from an idea I had. It's supposed to look a little bit like a tetris type game where the different shaped pieces are either falling or breaking off.  I think it would have worked better with smaller hexes but that would have been tons more work!
 

One consequence of my being at home may turn out to be the putting-on of a little weight for OH and I, if we're not careful!!  After the success of the scrumptious crumble last week (which included raspberries bought from one harvest supper), this week was the turn of bread and butter pudding, after I acquired the leftover harvest loaf, from a harvest lunch that I didn't even attend  ;-)  It's not WHAT you know...........

Progress since last time:

Hexie cushion - finished
Bee Quilt - Round 4 complete (no pic yet)


Bye for now
Teresa x

The Best-Laid Plans............!!

 

 You know how it is with blogging; if normal routine is disrupted, the first thing to suffer is the blog.  And normal routine has certainly been disrupted here lately.  But before all that:

We went to the local annual raft race a couple of weeks ago.  This is OH and friends' Olympic Games themed raft with the 'torch' on the front.  DD and I went to a wedding fayre after they'd set off and hoped to be back to see them finish but, the river was higher than usual after the recent heavy rain and they finished in almost half  their previous time, so we missed it.

 The following weekend was the last of the local agricultural shows.  Our way around the show was blocked for a few minutes to let the winning animals into the ring for their parade.  It was a lovely day where once again we bumped into many friends, spoiled only slightly by a strange sore area below my right knee.

A rose in the garden during one of the many sunny spells we've had since September started (typical!)

 My leg soreness turned out to be a bacterial infection which (according to the out-of-hours emergency GP) needed antibiotics, but the pharmacist gave me half the correct dose tablets and I was taking them for nearly 2 days before I saw my own GP.

(An old metal sign and glass bottles OH found in an old building on the estate where he works  - I've suggested the sign would look good on the side of my shed)

 To cut a long story short, I am now on 2 different lots of antibiotics and having my leg dressed every day.  I was off sick for the whole of my last week at work leading up to my redundancy and missed a last night out with the 'girls' at work!  It was strange not being able to say goodbye to everyone properly but there are a few I will stay in touch with and a couple I will meet occasionally. I also missed choir practice and a music group rehearsal.

 While I was supposed to be resting with my leg up it was difficult to resist the urge to sew when sitting feet from it, which was irritating because I felt fine in myself. Unable to do much, I managed about half an hour a day and eventually got my Bee quilt blocks sashed.  I want to make it bigger than this so will need to think about what to do with it next.

In case you're worried about me being so near to my sewing machine for days on end without being able to do much - fear not - because it gave me the opportunity to get on with hand-sewing the hexagons that, luckily, I prepared recently.

So, what happens now?  I'm a 'lady of leisure' until I decide what to do next.  My leg is healing, so I should be back to normal soon.  This means there SHOULD be more stitching to show around here soon.

Oh...... and I'm looking forward to watching The Pillars of the Earth re-run on TV starting in about 20 minutes.  This time (Leslie) I won't miss the last episode!!!!

Bye for now
Teresa x

3 Well-organised Events! (on different scales)

OH went out to a boxing match on Friday evening so, instead of meeting our usual gang for drinks, I took the opportunity for some 'me' time and stayed in to watch the whole 3+ hours of the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony while doing some hand-quilting.  I'm so glad I did!!  It was an amazing feat of organisation and with so much to see it was difficult to take it all in.   Highlights for me were; the REAL queen with the fictional James Bond; the fireworks; the 'forging' of the Olympic rings and, to top it all, the stunning cauldron!!

A new flight of stairs up to one of the castle towers, which had been closed off for many years due to the dangerous state of the original stairs.

OH and I popped into our local  Castle the other week during a walk.  There was a company of re-enacters showing the mediaeval way of life and demonstrating different sorts of battle-dress and weapons in simulated fights.



The view from the newly opened tower that I haven't seen for a long time.  These children are trying archery.

 I started to take pics of the action but remembered how people can be 'funny' about taking photos of children.  I became suddenly self-conscious and stopped snapping, so didn't get anything decent to show.

 This is another view from the newly opened tower across to the higher main tower that has always been open.  I've climbed that tower many, many times and also, in my childhood, climbed on and into many places where the public were not allowed. ;-)



Demonstrating how to use a coracle

The organisers of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show must have been very grateful for the good weather they had for the week.  OH and I went on the Tuesday and it was positively sweltering!  A bit too hot for me, if I'm honest, but I shouldn't say it too loudly because it really was lovely to see the sun and a welcome break from the rain.  The last time we went to the show was about 7 years ago when OH received an award for working 30yrs in forestry with the same employer. 

I don't know how we managed it, but we spent the whole day at the show and found plenty to do without actually seeing a single farm animal or entering a single marquee!  Being a forester and owner of 2 vintage tractors OH was interested in the machinery so we spent quite a bit of time in that section, which was thankfully less crowded than the trade stalls.  The tractor above is the same as one of OHs and is the same age as me.  I hope I'm wearing as well!!

We sat on the bank of the main ring for a while to watch the Ukranian Cosacs perform their amazing horseback skills but couldn't bear the heat any longer - it seemed to be concentrated on that bank.  So we popped along to see DS's girlfriends parents, who had a stand selling stock feeders, taking them some grapes and still-warm doughnuts for some afternoon munchies, before heading for home. 

Progress since last time:

Quilt-as-you-go-quilt - I'm finally in the process of hand-quilting the last block after deciding to concentrate on finishing (if not a whole project then at least) one stage.

Bye for now

Teresa x

Music Mayhem!

I was surprised last weekend when I heard that this is the 12th year for our village music festival.  I would have guessed at maybe 7 or 8 at the most!  We've enjoyed fantastic weather for nearly all of those years so I suppose a complete wash-out was on the cards sooner or later. 

Most of the smaller events went ahead indoors but the big concerts (already downgraded from the Castle venue and minus the headline acts due to poor ticket sales) were a big disappointment.  The photo above was taken on the Sunday afternoon and, although there were more people than you can see here, it was disappointing.  Saturday had been worse.....much worse!!!  The rain was torrential and the area you can see cordoned off had become a pond.
 

First bag choice for work colleague

 But, as per our camping trip, we and our friends had a laugh anyway. Personally, I saw performances by The Saturday Singers (that I used to belong to) the local hand bell ringers, a soul singer, a tenor horn player and various cover bands and open mic performers.

I don't know what will happen next year (if it depends on this year's takings) or even if there'll be a festival next year.  I hope they bring back what used to be a highlight for me - the Male Voice Choir performance at the Castle. 

Progress since last time:

Second bag for chap at work to give his wife - started
2 cat mouse-toys - finished (above photo, sitting on the second bag, which I just realised looks like it might be the same design as the first - but is not!)

By for now
Teresa x