Betwixtmas

What day is it? I must admit I have been struggling these last few days.  With the normal markers to the week moved it can get confusing, or am I just getting old?

The weather has been pants mainly. Grey and dismal skies apart from yesterday afternoon when we saw the sun for a short while.

Of course we have walked, just can’t stay in unless it’s tipping it down

Tuesday, Rachel and the children came over and we headed out after lunch to feed the swans and ducks.  Of course, we’d just got to the river when it started to rain again!

As you can see we got wet.  The children didn’t seem to mind too much.

Wednesday as I said we saw the sun.  Decided on Wellington boots so we could walk the meadows, wet and muddy in places. We managed 5.6 miles which wasn’t too bad but walking boots would have been more comfortable.

Today, I caught up on the washing and even got it pegged out as it was breezy, though didn’t dry completely.  We walked 4.2 miles today along the riverbank on Hemingford meadow to St Ives, we had to climb a fence on the last part as the meadow was flooded near the exit. I’m sure it amused the man who was watching out the window of the hotel.

No fishing today!

Possibly won’t be long before this becomes impassable.  It normally is underwater at some point during the winter months. The farmer obviously thinks so as he has taken all the sheep off

Really needed wellies today, still the fence wasn’t too bad to climb!

We walked home via the road rather than climb back over, don’t think my right hip would take two climbs in one day.  

Before the rains

Well hello. We now find ourselves in those quiet and peaceful days between Christmas and the New year. Time to read, knit and eat. All the rush and worry behind us for another year. Time just to enjoy. 

The weather forecast promises rain, rain and more rain. We had hoped to get out yesterday but it was so miserable we stayed in playing games with our youngest grandchildren. Enjoying the chaos of their home! It looked like an explosion in a toy shop!  Happy mess. 

Today we got out early. Rain due at 11, it arrived at 11:10, fairly accurate. We were two thirds of the way round our walk. But it wasn’t too heavy, just annoying.

As expected after days of rain the river is running high and fast down from Bedford, the water starting to lay in the meadows. Flood plains filling. The start of the regular winter flooding in these parts.

The rain is now steadily coming down. We are sat cosy and quiet, enjoying a smoked trout and cream cheese baguette for lunch. Maybe a mulled wine and mince pie later…..

Christmas Wishes

 

Wishing you all a very merry Christmas from our house to yours.. Stay safe, have fun.

Never the same two days in a row

The weather that is.  Yesterday we woke to clear skies and a sharp frost. A day to be out in the world, catching some rays and enjoying all that nature had created.

Today we are back the grey and mizzly skies, everything looking bedraggled and sad.  Peter cleared the last of the leaves from the borders whilst I started Christmas prep. Another batch of mince pies, this time I used a recipe from Paul Hollywood having been recommended it as the best pastry

I made Cointreau butter to accompany the pudding and pies, bread sauce, and the bird was delivered just before lunch. All of which are now in the fridge. I have pastry and sausage meat for sausage rolls and stuffing which I will make in the morning. 

Nothing much else to do as it’s just us two on Christmas Day, we are hoping for fine weather so we can get out for a decent walk.

I hope your Christmas prep is going well 

Knitting news

 

Work progresses on the first of the ten stitch blankets for the gite. I’m at the stage where the blanket keeps me cosy whilst I’m knitting. Always good. The plan is to make them about 14 rounds each. This is nearly seven rounds so I’ve away to go. It has taken just under 3 x 200 gram balls to get this far. So I should have plenty of yarn, I allowed 10 balls per blanket. So possibly a few cushion covers too. 

I did a review of Ravelry today for the year. It was no surprise that I have been busy knitting again this year. 52 projects comprising of 61 items.

4 cowl, 8 headbands, 14 hats of various sizes, 7 baby cardigans, 2 adult cardigans, 3 cushion covers, 4 pairs of socks, 1 child’s jumper, 5 shawls, 2 short sleeve top, 6 cat blankets, 3 pair fingerless gloves, 1 pair baby boots, 1 pair dungarees, 1 ten stitch blanket.

Not a bad tally. Most of those projects were also knit from my stash of yarn, which I’m happy about. I’m sure I could knit for another year easily, especially if I concentrate on shawls and socks to use all those beautiful skeins of 4ply hand dyed sock yarns. There’s also still plenty of dk yarn which would make any number of striped or fairisle items.  I may have to turn to charity knitting as the grandchildren are at the age where they don’t wear hand knits anymore, apart from hats. Gus still likes his hats and jumpers, but I guess it won’t be long before they are out of favour with him too. 

I miss having tiny people to knit for and am always happy when someone asks for a baby item. 

Getting festive

With our Christmas now at home, we decided we had better put the tree up.  

I sent Peter up into the loft to get down just the tree and two boxes of decorations.  I couldn’t face going the whole hog with garlands etc. This is enough along with my pots of foliage and some twinkly lights.

I made gingerbread cookies too. Cheated and used prepared dough from IKEA it’s so good, I keep a couple of packs in the fridge,  it’s just a case of roll out and choose your cutters. Most of the mince pies have gone so I’ll make more tomorrow.  We are feeding colds here. Just colds, all negative!!